Southern Strings was held at the Skills Theatre - residence of dancer Chandralekha. One could not have asked for a better setting for this kind of a concert right in front of besant Nagar beach. An open courtyard where all of us were seated down with a parapet running along the walls for older people to sit on. The stage a little away...again a very charming stage with nothing flashy. The 3 musicians seated there...the concert got off to a late start thanks to delay in transporting the grand piano which I could see was a major task indeed! Like Anil correctly said if at all anybody had to wait this was one of the best places you could have asked for! Nature itself had a major role to play in this concert..
With sunlight streaming in through the trees the concert got off to a start with raga alapanas from both of them - Sankarabharanam - Kharaharapriya - Paras-Madhyamavati - Nasikabhushani - Saramati followed by the kriti Arulavendum Taye. This was followed by "Vandanamu Raghunandana in Sahana. The main item followed - " Meenakshi Memudum " with ragam/tanam and swaram and a tani by Purushottam. It was sheer magic! Just as people started to get up Anil politely requested them to stay put and not walk off like in a tani avartanam and made them listen to a Western Classical piece - Winter Sunrise by Copeland . People enjoying Western Classical would have easily listened to more! The concert came to an end with Lalgudi Jayaraman's Mand Thillana.
Purushottam as always makes the kanjira talk and sing! His accompaniment is the best they could have asked for.
On the whole a very enjoyable experience...a very different one amidst all the " Kutcheris" of the season. Like Anil said at the beginning it was a celebration of two instruments originally from Italy . Both Anil and GJR complement each other perfectly. The ambience was perfect and the mood serene and in tune with nature. I have been lucky to catch 2 concerts of this duo and cant wait to hear more.