SAKETARAMAN AT PALLAVI DARBAR-8/8/13

[CRama]

Acc. Nagai Sriram-Violin
Patri Satishkumar-Mridangam
KV Gopalakrishnan-Kanjira.

This young vidwan with his mellifluous voice and training inder Lalgudi is steadily climbing to the top. Today’s concert started with Jaya jaya swamin jaya jaya – a composition of Narayanatheerthar in the ragam Nata. After a few rounds of Kalpana swaras at Jaya jaya jithavairi, he entered into the main event- RTP. It was a multi raga RTP comprising four ragas belonging to the Ranjani family- Ranjani, Sreeranjani, Janaranjani and Karnaranjani. Rasikas will immediately remember the amazing RTP rendered on Ranjanimala by Legend S.Kalyanaraman. This vidwan has been inspired by that pallavi. But the pallavi taken was different. The pallavi was Ranjani Manjubhaashini paavani Sreeranjani Janani Janaranjani Pahimam Karnaranjani. The pallavi was set to Sankeernajathi Triputa thalam -2 kalai.The alapana portion of the ragas took 20 minutes. His quick gliding from one raga to another with appropriate use of jarus and brighas at the concluding phase of the alapana was very smooth and interesting. Thanam was sung in all the ragams. After the anulomam and pratilomam exercise, kalpana swaras were rendered in all the ragams. In the Ragamalika segment, another set of Ranjani ragams, viz, Sumanesaranjani, Manoranjani and Misra Sivaranjani were chosen.

On the whole the pallavi was presented intelligently with the right quotient of aesthetics factored in. It requires lot of home work to do such a pallavi in such a tricky thalam. Saketharaman deserves appreciation for his efforts. Violinist Nagai Sriram was in his best supporting role. His tanam in Karnaranjini, swaras in Misra Sivaranjini deserves special mention.

Patri Satish Kumar played exceptionally well with his versatility shining right from the beginning. He played with great clarity, and his sense of anticipation must be one of the best, as demonstrated in his playing for all the kalpana swarams. His use of toppi must be mentioned in this context. Khanjira also supported well. The thani by both the artistes received repeated applause from the audience. A very good performance.

[Nick H]

Indeed, very enjoyable all round. I could have done with another half an hour, with at least 50% of that given to increasing the length of the thanum

[rajeshnat]

kalpana swaras were rendered in all the ragams. In the Ragamalika segment, another set of Ranjani ragams, viz, Sumanesaranjani, Manoranjani and Misra Sivaranjani were chosen.

Crama
Just confirming did saketaraman sing 7 ragas in ragAmlaiga swaras(4 +3 ) or did he sing only 3.

[ganeshkant]

Looks like a great one.Really missed it.

[CRama]

He sang swaras in seven ragas

[Nick H]

Thank you so much for your informed commentary. Always appreciated, even if there are no answers or follow-up.