Concert on 14th July - IFAS - Syama Sastri Compositions

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Special concert for Indian Fine Arts Society - Syama Sastri compositions.
14th July 2012 @ the PRC Convention Centre , T Nagar
Dr. Vijayalakshmy Subramanaiam - Vocal
Mysore Sri Srikanth - Violin
Neyveli Sri Skandasubramaniam - Mridangam
Sri. N. Guruprasad - Ghatam

• Pahimam Sri Rajarajeswari - Naatai - Rupakam
  Devibrova Samayamide - Chintamani - Adi
  Himadrisuthe - Kalyani - Rupakam - R , N , S
  Mayamma - Ahiri - Adi
  Puraharajaaye Palayamam - Gowlipantu - Misra Chapu
  Parakela - Kedaragowlai - Adi
  Amba Kamakshi - Bhairavi - Misra Chapu - R , T
  Kanakasaila in Punnagavarali
  KarunaJoodu - Sriragam

Excellent lineup of songs - two compositions that are not often heard - Pahimam Sri Rajarajeshwari and Devi Brova , and one rare composition - Puraharajaaye in Gowlipantu. The neraval and swarams in Himadrisuthe were sung in "Syamakrishna Sodhari" . Parakela was sung in riveting speed, and offered a good prelude before the magnum opus Amba Kamakshi. After an energetic Thaniavartanam , Smt. VS sang Kanakasailavihaarini – a composition that offers serenity in each sangati. The concert concluded with Karunajooduvamma in Sriragam , which is generally considered to be a Mangala Kriti in Syama Sastri’s set of compositions.

[Sundarnrao]

Superb line-up of songs and a very nice write-up. I remember attending two exclusive Shyama Sastry concerts by Smt. VS last year and the presentation-list on all the three concerts (AIR, NGS and this one) seem largely diversified. Yet another perfect testament of Smt.VS's musical mastery and her repetoire richness on rare compositions.

[rajeshnat]

Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam@IFA on July 14th, 2012
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I attended the concert which was in PRC hall.The concert was for 2 hours and 5 minutes. The hall is really nice - airconditioned with good seats with impressive audio setup.

Himadrisuthe - Kalyani - Rupakam - R , N , S
alapana for 8 minutes and violin return for 4 mins
neraval and swaras for 4 mins each. Neraval line was"shyama krishna gowri paramEshwari girijA"
...
Amba Kamakshi - Bhairavi - Misra Chapu - R , T
Bhairavi alapana for 9 mins and violin return for 7 mins
tani for 13 mins

Impression about the concert:
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# Hearing Smt VS after nearly 4+ years , this is my 3rd concert of hers. She stared with a nAttai krithi which I have heard from maharajapuram ramachandran who sings in his concerts. It was a good start with few rounds of short cittaswaras . Her voice has a good sowkhyam in general and I thought bit more swarakalpana patterns could have kalaikattufied the concert bit better. The next devi brova samaymidhE was sung with lot of classicism. To me this was the pick of the concert. There was lot of serene bhavam and I liked it a lot (touch of immortal MS amma in cintamani was indeed there).

# kalyAni alapana was quite detailed and there was a good dose of brigas , she could have carried out bit more but nevertheless well done. The krithi was sung well , neraval and swaras was quite good , a bit more dwelling there would have been better

# From this point post sub-main , I did find a bit of monotonous approach in her concert . The muse of cintamAni -- kalyani and then landing in Ahiri in succession did not give that much change of tempo which was kind of the same for all the three krithis(that too with a bit shorter neraval and swaras in kalyani). mAyammA krithi was quite good. The gowlipantu krithi puraharajaaye (definitely more rare than another krithi tarunam eedammA) was bit ok , never felt any arresting aesthetic elegance . The only fast tempo krithi was the kedaragowla with a round or two of cittaswaras was just Ok.

# I was thinking perhaps she would make up well with bhairavi as she started the alapana. Short bhairavi alapana for a swarajathi main is always a preferred approach for most musicians as usually they have to save lot of energy to render this masterpiece . Bhiravi swarajathi gives so much of structured bhairavi rAga bhavam , it goes all the way from keezh sa to every subset of sangathis and accompanying swaras would be wonderful if there is in general more power and well structured takeoffs at each of these aarohana milestones . To an extent I noticed till half point she was ok , then she was bit over cautious. I was expecting a grand neraval and/or swaras but unfortunately she quickly handed over the baton to tani. In short bhairavi as a main was aesthetically censored.

# In the tukkadas there was just one kanagashaila which was very good and she wrapped up with shree ragam karuna jooda.May be she could have fitted with SS flagship raga anandabhairavi as a tukkada. She spoke for few minutes some time before main on how shyama shastri got shyama krishna sodhari mudhra (Once Goddesss ambal had given a glass of milk to shyama sastri in the disguise of shyama sastri own sister. Incidentally she also put a standard disclaimer and was not sure if it is a fact or fiction, I was impressed with her precise speech).

# The violinist shrikant was good and his alapana returns were impressive . THe percussionist were both elegant , both skanda and guruprasad gave quality support and the tani was well done.

# VS in general atleast in this concert for few krithis like cintamani was impressive , but to an extent when there is an elaboration that calls for , there is a bit of early closure for those krithis. Her voice is impressive , but I would have been certainly more satisfied if N and S had a more aesthetic impression in this concert.Also there was bit of overcaution in her rendition for most krithis.

Overall good concert for 2 hours and 5 mins.