Haricharan Seshadri-Sharada Cultural Trust, Hyd-31 Jan 2013

[sivakami]

Sharada Cultural Trust, Secunderabad- 31st Jan 2013
23rd Annual Cultural Festival & 166th Aradhana of Satguru Sri Thyagaraja Swamy

Haricharan Seshadri –vocal
M.S. AnanthaKrishnan – violin
Burra Sriram – mridangam
K. Syamkumar –kanjira

Song list:
1.Varnam -?
2. Siddhi Vinayakam- Shanmukhapriya – Dikshitar ( R- 4min)
3. Caala kallalADu konna – Arabhi – T ( S@ caala kalla)
4. Maravairi ramaNi manju bhaSiNi – nAsika bhUshaNi – T ( R-5 min., vio- 4 min)
5. Sri Krishnam bhaja mAnasa – todi –D
6. Mamava meenakshi – varali- syama sastri ( R- 5min, vio – 4min, N& S@ syame shankari)
7. Nenrunchinanu – mALavi- T
8. swara rAga sudha – shankarabharaNam – T( R- 8 min, vio – almost 7 min;
N&S@ mooladhara nAdhamerugutte
Tani for almost 16-17 min
9. varuvAi, varuvAi kaNNA - madhuvanti?- subramanya bharathiyAr
10. tungaa theera virajam – ? not the usual ragam
11. tillana ( sahityam was ‘unnai charan adaindhen, ennai katharul ekambreswari, annai neeyandro) -?
12. Mangalam

When I saw Haricharan’s name in the programme list, I decided to go and listen to this cinema-pugazh youngster in any case. I was delighted to hear the 1st note of shanmukhapriya flowing in the breeze, when I was entering the venue. That sample was proof enough of a delicious feast awaiting me. Listening to such young fresh voices has always been my interest. His voice as well as the experience in play back singing and stage shows enabled him to execute his job very well, I felt. He knew exactly where exactly he could bring in those special effects in voice modulation, such as ‘RamaNi’ or ‘dharmasamvadhani’ in item #4 for eg., which were very sweet and soothing. With eyes closed most of the time, without any books in front of him, no other distractions, not even that electronic sruthi box in front of him (there was tambura-support from behind ofcourse!), he sat there singing blissfully, with frequent smiles flashing towards his co-artistes, it was such an involved rendition. Some rasikas were saying that we are hearing these songs in arabhi, Nasika Bhushani etc., after so many years. The clear diction blended with nice brigas wherever possible embellished the concert.

Seeing such a team full of youngsters was very nice, as if they were literally playing on the stage naughtily, but not haughtily. Excellent violin support by MS Ananthakrishnan, with every phrase repeated with a smile was really enjoyable, reminding us of his father’s bowing skills and his PARUR lineage. Only, I was wondering whether how the senior main artistes would react, if the violinist also took almost the same time for the raga alapana. Another point that left us wondering whether it was deliberate or mere oversight, what occurred in two instances. Haricharan sang ‘bodhichina sanmarga..’ line during ‘caala kalla..’, instead of the anupallavi line (somebody well trained in CM told me he did not sing the anupallavi), and 2nd was, when he sang ‘syamakrishna sodhari amba’ before the charanam ‘shankha chakra’ in ‘Srikrishnam bhaja manasa’. Next, we started expecting that he may sing some lines from ‘seshachala nayakam’ while rendering “ maamava meenakshi”, but he did not resort to any such-above fusion of krithis afterwards. Someone was even joking, “what is there, after all, all the gods/goddesses are related to each other..In these days of fusion, every such combinations are being tried out…’

Nenarunchinanu’ was a nice, fast filler piece with fast-pace swarams.The grand main Shankarabharanam was superbly rendered. When Haricharan built the ragam step-by-step and finished in 8 min, it felt as it was too short and he could have delved for a while longer, with his good voice range. The 75-100 odd rasikas who were there, I am sure, would have enjoyed this Thyagaraja’s composition fully. But after the tani avarthanam, the finishing of the kriti was not smooth w.r.t to what we had been witnessing till then, and somehow coarse. Perhaps all these little points get corrected with experience. The thukkada piece ‘varuvai..’ rendered in 3 ragams, and the remaining two items were again mellifluous and the brilliant support by the three accompanists throughout the kucheri left us very very Happy at the end of that evening. Some of us have decided to keep track of his concert schedule and attend whenever possible. Overall it was an excellent concert.Thanks to the Sharada Cultural Trust Ladies, for inviting this talented youngster to Hyd.

[rajeshnat]

Tx sivakami
I have not heard haricharan till your review . It looks I am so much out of touch with cine music in the last few years.I googled to see more info about him
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haricharan

TungA teera virAjam is in salaga bhairavi , composed by kamalesa vittala . It is a number popularized by maharajapuram santhanam.
Tx for your review.

[sivakami]

rajeshnat,
yes, tunga theera is rendered in salaga bhairavi usually, but we felt it was in some other that day.. I have to consult some other expert-Rasika I think about this..

Today's Hindu paper's Friday review-Hyd edition has a nice summary about this kutcheri, titled "Across the Divide" and a nice, correct photo; also the articles covering concerts of Sangeetha SIvakumar and Vijay Siva are there...