Anil Srinivasan and Lalgudi Krishnan in London!

[seema]

Comments from a Londonian friend!


The Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre is one of the most prestigious venues for classical music in the UK, and it was absolutely fabulous to see two of our prominent South Indian musicians, Anil Srinivasan and Lalgudi Krishnan featured there as part of their programming! Anil played on a fantastic 11-foot Steinway Grand, and the effect that created around GJR's inimitable and sensitive playing was stupdendous.

Starting with a brisk and beautifully executed Amritavarshini (Sudhamayim), they proceeded to tackle Dwijavanthi (Akilandeswari), Andolika (Ragasudharasa), a few Bharatiyar melodies and Lalgudi Thillanas.

The highlights of the concert, in my opinion were two - Anil gave very detailed, rich introductions on the mic before each piece which was received extremely well for an almost completely non-Indian audience. He even explained the life story of Dikshitar (including the famous incident of his receiving the "Rama" vina from the Ganga), thereby bringing the audience into the context of the music. The second highlight was GJR's pure and lyrical playing - without compromise, and using the piano almost as a vitamin boost to sound even richer and grander.

BS Purushotham's thani was a little short, and although well executed, unnecessary for a concert of this nature. There were many Britishers who enjoyed it though - perhaps the performers planned it for that reason.

Overall, the effect of the music was that of impressing the grandeur and the sensitivity of CM, while taking care to explain context and highlight musical specialities (a ragamalika exchange before the Andolika piece in Chandrakauns, Madhukauns, Nasikabhushani, Simmendramadhyamam/Vachaspati was simply a delight to the ears!)

Having heard Anil before with Sikkil Gurucharan in Chennai, I was floored by his playing on a Steinway Grand - I now realize how constrained he must feel for not having such instruments available for every concert in Chennai/elsewhere.

[rasikapriyaa]

Thanks for the review. I'm sure that the GJR-Anil duo were great to watch. I hope they come to the US on a tour some time! Do you remember which thillanas they played?