Prema Rangarajan @ MFAC 28-12

[sureshvv]

Accompanied by:

Padma Shankar
Melakkaveri Balaji

Started with abhogi varnam sung in 2 speeds. Highlight was nice left side mrudangam for charanam line.

Now sidhi vinayagam in mohanakalyani
Kalpana swaras at pallavi line. Highlight was violin swara playing gently reminiscent of maharajapuram rendition.

Jaya janaki kantha in nattai of purandara. Kalpana swaras at purandara vittala jaya jaya. Violin swara nice but soggy korvai execution and may be went a bit over.

Next pantuvarali alap. Ennaganu rama bhajana is the kriti chosen. Neraval & swaras @ rama chiluka.

Parvati kumaram bhavaye in nattaikurinji. Finally a relatively rare kriti - one of the main reasons i made it here this morning.

Mohanam alapana. Looks like the extra cold december is taking a bit of toll on the accompanying artistes too. Edhedho enni alaindhen muruga is the kriti presented. Neraval at Vedagamam sollum melana paramporul. Announcement made in response to audience member query that composer was Periyasamy Thooran.

Vidalajathura in janaranjani.

[sureshvv]

Todi ragam for main. Nice tidy presentation & violin vinyasam for the same. Emani matladi is the kriti elaborated. Neraval & swaras @ rajulu munulu surasuralu vara. Swaras sung in 3 speeds including tisra nadai.

[jagan]

I think that she has lowered her sruthi a little bit and this has helped her voice to come through effectively. As could be expected,, her concert was in keeping wiith the high classical traditions.
The weather and busy schedule seems, visibly to have taken its toll on Padma but it did not affect her exemplary accompaniment. She played a brilliant Todi. These three have proved to be a good combination in the past and today was no exception.

[CRama]

Looks like the review was more focussed towards the performance of the accompanists than the vocalist or the concert as a whole.

[sureshvv]

Felt really like a team effort with everyone on stage recognizing each other and giving and taking ample opportunity. Overall energy level was a bit on the low side (may be because it was a morning concert). Will not bring up the yawning or the "kaathu pinnal" because it appears that CRama already has had enough!