GAYATHRI GIREESH AT CHENNAI CULTURAL ACADEMY ON 15/12

[CRama]

The concert had a spright start with the suruti varnam. The varnam was decorated with a few rounds of kalpana swaras. The final round had lot of prayogas intelligently woven around nishadam which was a pointer towards the aesthetics of the vidushi. Ganamurthy was sung in the appropriate kalapramanam with the brilliant sangathis in tact. There was no swarams for this song. Karnaranjini, the raga popularized by TNS was chosen for the first elaboration of the concert. Incidentally, TNS is one of her Gurus.The raga alapana was for 5 minutes clearly bringing out the raga swaroopam and the special sancharas of the ragam. The kriti Vanchathonunaa was rendered with the chittaswarams in tact. This was followed by an elaborate exploration of the ragam Panthuvarali for about 10 minutes. The raga covered three sthayis and there was no hurry in presentation. Ninnunera namminanura, the evergreen choice of many musicians in the past and present, was taken up. The neraval was sung at Veda sastra purana and galloppiing swaras in two kalams were rendered including some sancharas with swaraakshara prayoga as sama veda sastra purana which was very intellectually coined. Vakulabharanam, the 14 th melaragam was taken up for exploration for about 5 minutes. Due emphasis was given for the jeevaswaras of the ragam and the rare kriti of Thyagaraja was taken up for a neat presentation. This is a rarely heard raga in concert circles and kudos to the vidushi for presenting a well structured alapana of this ragam.

After a brief filler in Mathangi Sree Rajarajeswari in Ramamanohari, Madhyamavathi wa the pick of the day for the main song. The raga was explored in all its splendour in a detailed manner for about 10 minutes. The song was Saravanabhavaguhane of Papanasam Sivan. The song was rendered with full diligence to the bhava portrayed by the composer which was enhanced in the neraval at Annayodu thanthai nee vazhvinil anaithum nee endru nambinene. Detailed swara exercise in two kalams including some khanda nadai prayogams were rendered.
Post thani session started with Chinnamchiru kiliye of Bharathiyar. The somplete song was rendered.The other tail enders added colour to the concert.

Over all it was an excellent concert. Gayathri Gireesh had a very pleasant voice which can traverse three sthayis effortlessly. The renderings were clean with the right proportion of bhavam and vigour needed for a concert. It was a weighty concert. Four raga alapanas, nerval for two songs and all other ingredients added at the right proportion in a two and a quarter hour concert, when two alapanas and one neraval has become the unwritten order of the day. Gayathri Gireesh’s strong adherence to classism needs appreciation.
The accompanists did a pretty job in maintaining the tempo of the concert. Raghavendra Rao’s violin had good nadam, his returns were to the point and had rich manodharamam. Mannaarkoil Balaji took care of the percussion aspects with consummate ease. His mridangam was much enjoyable. During the entire concert, not a single person left the hall in between. That shows testimony to the success of the concert. The acoustics was good for today’s concert.