EPPADI PADINARO-DKP 100- GAYATHRI GIRISH IN BVB- 21/3/19

[CRama]

Accompanists- Mysore Srikanth- Violin
J.Vaidyanathan- Mridangam
Anirudh Athreya- Ganjira.
List of songs.
• Era Na pai- Varnam- Thodi
• Rama nee pai- Kedaram- T (S)
• Iko Namma swami- Manirang- PD (R)
• Ramanatham bhajeham- Panthuvarali _MD (R,N,S)
• Thaye ezhai paal- Bhairavi- PS
• Koniyadina na pai- Kambodi- Veena Kuppier (R,S)
• Petra thai tanai- Virutham- Ramalinga Swamigal
Dhanyasi, Simhendramadhyamam, Neelambari, Karnataka devagandhari
• Eppadi padinaro- Karnataka devagandhari-Sudhananda Bharati
• Marukkulaviya- Poorvikalyani- Tiruppugazh
• Santhi Nilava Vendum- Tilang- Sethumadhava Rao. Mangalam.

Closely following the DKP Centenary celebrations in the Music Academy, an air of reverence prevailed in the auditorium. Prior to the concert, people were discussing about the various DKP special songs and had tuned themselves to savour the DKP popularised songs which had left an indelible impression among the connoisseurs. At the outset Gayathri Girish announced that she will present some of the songs which are popularised by the doyen D.K. Pattammal. DKP had a huge repertoire enough to conduct concerts for a year without repetition. Her repertoire comprised of the Trinity, Post Trinity, Pre Trinity, Tevara padigams, Seergazhi Moovar, Arunagirinadhar, Purandaradasar, Papanasam Sivan, Hindi poets, Bharatiar etc. So Gayathri chose compositions from a wide gamut of composers and presented the concert with adequate Sruti sudham, sahithya sudham, proportion and manodharmam elements. Gayathri’s voice was in great form.

Following the ever green Thodi varnam, Rama ni pai was taken up which is a favourite of Naina Pillai school and the song was appended with intelligently crafted swara prastarams. Raga Manirang is a speciality of DKP and besides the famous Mamava Pattabhirama, she has popularised a Purandradas devaranama Iko Namma swami in Manirang. This song is staple fare in the concerts of Vijaya Siva also. Ragam Panthuvarali was given an elaborate treatment for Dikshitar kriti Ramanatham bhajeham with neraval at Kumaraguruguha mahitam and detailed swara exercise with many pleasing patterns. Papansam Sivan songs get a new life when sung by DKP/DKJ with their characteristic pronounciation and azhutham. They have immortalised hundreds of Papansam Sivan Songs. Gayathri presented the Bhairavi kriti Thaye Ezhaipal dayai seyvaye which was a very popular song in the 50s-60s with adequate Sangeetha bhavam and sahithya bhavam.

The Veenai Kuppier masterpiece Koniyadina na pai is a rare song in the concert platform. This is also special for Naina Pillai school. That song was presented with due attention to the cascading sangatis which has been very aesthetically set by the composer. The volley of kalpana swarams added sheen to the song. The post tani pieces are also synonymous with DKP which were enjoyed by the discerning audience.

Mysore Srikanth played extremely well with his pleasing tone of commendable thick and thin shades, manodharmam and closely following the vocalist. His alapana of Panthuvarali and Kambodi were top notch and also swarams for Ramanatham bhajeham. J. Vaidynathan was a great support and he played with added zeal as it is his Athai and Parama Guru’s remembrance day concert. His following for the neraval in Ramanatham bhajeham and also at many junctures in the swara segements and the brief tani with Anirudh Athreya greatly embellished the concert. An excellent concert for two hours and fifteen minutes.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

A good tribute to DKP.

I have heard veteran Rasikas referring to 'Thaye ezhai paal' (Bhairavi) as one of the popular hits of yore - often an 'entry song' in Tamil dramas. I was surprised when a senior lady teacher in Kerala sang this at a casual meet during the eighties. (I was hearing it for the first time then). She remembered that it was a favourite of KB Sundarambal.

[CRama]

This concert review has come in Friday Review of Hindu dated 29 March 2019