Thyagaraja Aradhanai Series.
Mylapore Fine Arts Club.
25 Jan 10. 6:30 pm
vidulaku mrokkEdA - mAyAmAlavagauLa - Adi (NS)
nijamarmamulanu - umAbharaNam - Adi
nAdOpAsanacE - bEgaDa - Adi (R)
eTi yOcanalu - kiraNAvali - Adi (RS)
endu dAginADO - tODi - misra cApu (RNST)
ennagA manasuku (?) - nIlAmbarI - Adi
tavadAsOham - punnAgavarALi - Adi
pavamAna sutuDu - saurAShTra - Adi
As I entered the hall, neraval for the first song was in progress. Energetic musical exchanges were taking place. After the nijamarmamulanu, which was not rushed through but sung at a more palatable speed, a serene bEgaDa was developed in a leisurely manner with great care. The kriti was sung a little faster than is normal, which might have taken away some weight, but kept the kAlapramANa uniform.
kiraNAvali was again very well-developed and its nature was shown from the very first phrase. Although it is the rAgam that has to more or less be reconstructed from the mUrcana, to watch such rAgas elaborated is also fun, when done aesthetically (as it was done here). I did wish to hear jArus from sa to pa during the AlApanai (and being unfamiliar with the raga, I thought maybe they weren't allowed), but they were present only in the swaraprastha.
The tODi was developed very cleverly, covering everything most important in the raga and yet leaving scope for the most intricate in the rAga to be revealed in the majestic kriti rendition that followed. The neraval and swarams were also very appropriately done. RKSK's responses were all to his usual standard.
I sure love the fast-neraval bowing!kritis in traditional rAgas were chosen for the post-main (as had to happen in a Thyagaraja Aradhanai series!)