The concerts of Priya Sisters are always a favorite for the Hyderabadis. They performed two times in a week's time for both the sabhas, Sri Chandrasekhara Sangeetha Educational Society and South Indian Cultural Association on February 10 and February 17,2013. Both the concerts were a treat.
February 10,2013
Venue: SCSES, Keye's High School, Secunderabad
They were accompanied on the violin by Sri M A Krishnaswamy, on the mridangam by Delhi S Sairam and on Kanjira by Sri B S Purushotham
1. Maathey-Khamas-Muthiah Bhagavathar
2. Panchamatanga-Malahari-Dikshitar[S]
3. Undedhi Ramudokadu-Harikhamboji-Thyagaraja
4. Ninnada nela-Kannada-Thyagaraja[R,S]
5. Jagadeeshwari-Mohana-Tiruvarur Ramaswami Pillai
6. Maravairi Ramani-Nasikabhooshani-Thyagaraja[R,S]
7. Payyada-Nadanamakriya-Kshetrayya
8. Daachukovalena-Thodi-Thyagaraja[R,N,S,T]
10. Slokam-Hindolam
11. Kattedura Vaikuntamu-Hindolam-Annamacharya
12. Peruman Un-Sindhubhairavi-Bharati Ganesh
13. Rama Naama Payasakke-Bimplas-Purandaradasa
(Had to leave at this point of time)
For this concert, people thronged in a huge number. Every space was filled with people, the hall way, the passages, the space near the stage, everywhere! The concert of Sudha Ragunathan on the previous day left me surprised for the huge crowd. But the crowd for this concert was much more, for it being a Sunday and a free concert. I reached the venue twenty mins before the concert and I found all the seats and the steps also taken, I waded through the way earning curses from a few, but successfully found a comfortable space on the ground where I could settle down. The concert began at sharp 6:30pm.
The detailed Daru Varnam in two speeds was a bright opening followed by the Malahari composition of Dikshitar. A quick and interesting round of swarakalpana with intricate prayogams set the concert on a superb path hinting us that it was going to be an amazing concert and that was true. A beautiful song of Thyagaraja in Harikhamboji filled the place before the first essay. Kannada ragam is such a pleasure to listen to. Haripriya's raga delineation for a detailed span of time reflected her musical virtuoso. The song "Ninnadanela" was treated very beautifully with effective sangathis and the brisk kalpanaswaram was another treat to the ears. The next piece was in Mohanam. Then came the surprise of the evening. An extremely detailed Nasikabhooshani. The detail alapana by Shanmukhapriya for a decent duration and later Haripriya picked it up. The famous krithi with beautiful sangathis came up next. However, I personally felt "Payyada" lacked certain grace. This was compensated by the detailed Thodi. The way they handle Thodi is always a pleasure to listen to. A detailed neraval at the lines "Sowmithri Thyagarajuni" was very entertaining and the song was balanced in all manners.The thaniavarthanam was decent. The post main items were the regular hits of theirs which they did perfect justice.
The support of M A Krishnaswami deserves a very special mentioning. Each time he comes to Hyderabad, he amazes us. The way he supports the concert with his beautiful playing adds to the amazing success of the concert. I had to leave the concert when they began the Purandaradasa song. The concert was jam packed all the while and as I walked out of the hall I saw that there were 8-10 extra rows of chairs added and they were also full. It was a decent concert with perfect balance in all aspects.
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February 17,2013
Venue: SICA,Ravindra Bharati,Hyderabad
They were accompanied by Sri M A Krishnaswami on the violin, by Sri Patri Satish Kumar on the Mridangam and Sri Madipakkam Murali on Ghatam
Theme of the concert was "Vaishnavam"
1. Behag Varnam
2. Ranganathude-Sowrastram-Ponniah Pillai
3. Saga Varamum-Varamu-Subramanya Bharathi[S]
4. Lokavanachatura-Begada-Thyagaraja[R,S]
5. Slokam-Poorvikalyani,Bhujangini
6. Edutanunnadu Veede-Bhujangini-Annamacharya
7. Ganamoorthey-Ganamurthi-Thyagaraja[R,S]
8. Cheta Sri-Dwijavanthi-Dikshitar
9. Narayana Divya Namam-Mohana-Papanasam Sivan[R,N,S,T]
10. Vachenu Alamelumanga-Hindolam-Annamacharya
11. Narahari ye ninna-Revathi-Jaganatha Vittaladasa
12. Sri Ranganatha Guru-Arabhi-Bharati Ganesh
13. Slokam-Sarasangi
14. Govinda Damodara Madhavethi-Sarasangi-Sant Bilva Mangal Thakur
15. Mangalam-Sowrastram-Thyagaraja
This concert was a part of the 54th Annual Cultural Festival. The sisters began the concert announcing the theme and the agenda for the concert and there voices were sounding particularly beautiful this day. The hall was not completely full but as a personal opinion I feel this concert was even better than the previous one, for they were at a complete different energy level. They sang with an unusual energy which remained through out the concert from the beginning to the end. A beautiful Behag with interesting chittaswarams opened the concert. The Varnam was a praise on "Venugopala". The way they sang "Ranganathude" added immense beauty to the grand krithi. Each nuance of the song, each word they sang was a treat to listen. The treatment their voices gave to the words "Prahlada Varadhude" and "Garudagamana dora ithade" was immensely beautiful. The way they ended the song interpreting the lord as the omnipresent and the one present in the soul( "antha ranganathudE" and "anthaa ranganathude"), a perfect choice for the first songs. There was a detailed round of swarakalpana in two kaalams for the raaga Varamu.
Haripriya's bright alapana of Begada followed by "Lokavanachatura" was the first raga essay of the concert. The best part of the concert according to me was the "Bhujangini". The slokam "Bhakthapaya bhujanga garuda mani" began in the raaga Poorvikalyani. I was speculating an Annamacharya krithi, owing to the words of the slokam. But suddenly Haripriya shifted to the raga which sounded a lot like Ahir Bhairav, The slokam was so beautifully elaborated for around three minutes bringing the swaroopam of the raga very well. The raga totally captivated me. The song of Annamacharya was presented beautifully. This was the first time I heard the raga and I fell in love with it. An Annamacharya song in a rare raga like Bhujangini is always a treat.
Elaborate Ganamurthi alapana by Shanmukhapriya came up next. The raga was explored very beautifully. The famous song of Thyagaraja was presented and the swarakalpana involved very beautiful prayogams which were thoroughly enjoyable. The sedate Dwijavanthi came up next.
Mohanam was very beautifully handled by them for the main piece. What deserves a special mentioning is the outstanding swarakalpana. It reflected their deep knowledge in music. Certain phrases which were handled one after the other by both of them left us all in a positive surprise. I dont even have words to talk about the way the violin was playing that day. The ragas were beautified with way Sri M A Krishnaswami played and I must tell that I consider myself lucky to listen to him twice in the same week. The thianavarthanam left us absolutely speechless. Unfortunately, most of the people walked out of the hall when the thaniavarthanam began. M A Krishnaswami asked the audience very politely to leave after the thaniavarthanam but the people just walked out. But I must tell that they missed out the best part of the concert. After the thaniavarthanam was over, there was a very very long and a loud applause which was a perfect way of expressing gratitude from the completely enthralled rasikas for the mindblowing thaniavarthanam.
The post-main pieces were all elaborate with each song having more than three charanams and each of them expressing the bhakthi bhavam in the right way. The last song in Sarasangi was my favorite. Each word was soaked in bhakti bhavam and it was completely enthralling. However there were certain errors with sahithyam in the concert but apart from that it was a fantastic concert. After the concert, there was a long standing ovation from all the audience. A concert that enthralled audience of every kind in every sense.