Smt Ranjani Arun - Violin
Shri Mannarkoil J Balaji - Mridangam
6:15 PM
1. jalajAksha (varnam) - hamsadhwani - Adi - manambuchavadi venkatasubbaiyer (??)
(preceded by a little shlokam - gnyananada...sarvavidya...)
2. shri pArvati paramEshwarou vandE - bouli - Adi - MD
3. manasu nilpa shakti - abhOgi - Adi - tyagarAja
4. kIchu kIchu - bhairavi - mishra chAppu - andAl tiruppAvai
5. lambhOdara - kalyANI - sankIrna chAppu - h muthiAh bhAgavathar
6. ambanIlAmbari - nIlAmbari - Adi - ponniAh pillai
7. gaurimanOhari - gaurimanOhari - adi - papanAsam sivan
8. nannu brOchutaku tAmasa - tOdi - Adi - S Shastry (question: not sure what S stands for
)9. rAmakrishna gOvinda - hamIr kalyani - Adi - rAmdAs
(preceded by shlokam)
10. Tillana - behAg - thishra thriputa - Srimushnam Raja Rao
11. mananilai ariyEn - bAgeshri - adi - ???
12. nI nAma rUpa - adi - tyagaraja
13. shlokam - shri kAntAya... - sUrati
Excellent concert. Audience was kept glued to their seats by sedate music not bereft of novelty - a rare combination.
The alapana in kalyani was developed along very classical lines, reminiscent, strangely, of Smt Brinda. I haven't heard the muthiah bhagavathar kriti before, as it seemed handn't most of the others either. Before the song, Smt Suguna explained that the uncommon sankIrna chappu is reckoned as taka-taka-taka-takita (I also found it convenient mentally to reckon it as 3 sets of takita). The unusual tAla kept the the swara prasthara exciting and Ranjani Arun showed her class by her unfaltering replies to the mAmi's immaculate swaraprastharas.
The nIlambari was really sedate with a most appropriate kALapramanam.
The tOdi alapana was developed along very classical lines, without the taint of any of the modern "developments" in that rAga. Ranjani Arun must be applauded for the crisp, neat and brief alapanas. The tOdi kirtana is a well-known masterpiece (not sure which shastry composed it
) and the mAmi's neraval was simply superb - developed in three kAlams with many Avartanas, everything so well structured and landing so well on the beat...very satisfying. Shri Raja Rao's tillana was very enjoyable highlighting another facet of the versatile mridangist.
Ranjani Arun, who I heard accompany the mAmi exceptionally well in Cleveland, did not disappoint. She excelled in all aspects - rAgas, swaras, laya.
Mannarkoil J Balaji's mridangam was in perfect shruti, his meetus and chappus soft and melodious and his thoppi strong and deep but unobstrusive. So the accompaniment complemented the spirit of the concert. The tani was extremely well-executed, without the slightest ottam or izhukkal (right word ?), the mOhras and kOrvai falling perfectly in place. He played some delightful thishram combinations.
Was nice to see forumite Bharat in the audience.