Hyd-Kalasagaram- Dr. Pantula Rama

[sivakami]

Kalasagaram- 46 th Annual festival of Music, Dance and Drama

25th Nov 2013

Dr.Pantula Rama
Sri. MSN Murthy – violin
Sri.DSR Murthy – mridangam
Sri. Nemani Somayajulu – ghatam


Song list
1. Varnam?
2.Mundu venuka –T (Sw@mundu...)
3. Sadachaleswaram – MD (R: 5min, vio: 3 min, S)
4.Mamava karunaya – Shanmukhapriya – Swati Tirunaal( R: 7min, vio: 3 min, N& S@ kamita
Garlanding session
5. RTK – Shankarabharanam, Endhukku Peddala ( R: 11min, vio: 5 min, T: 8 min, N&Sw@veda sastra)
6. Yehi murare - pahAdi
7. Nenjukku needhiyum-Bharathiyar
8. Thillana
Mangalam

Dr. Rama’s kutcheri is the one, which I do not try to miss, for the pleasure of the beautiful telugu diction (I call it sukku-milagu-thippili (SMT)-, while there are others I refer to as sukkumi-Lagudhi-ippili (SLI) kutcheri ), the fast-flowing brigas and the brilliant violin support by Sri. MSN Murthy. Also, here in Hyd, their combo with DSRMurthy & Nemani is a sheer delight to listen. Despite that day being the 3rd in the series, the crowd strength was yet to pick-up, with hardly 75 in the beginning of the concert. Someone was even commenting , “next time onwards, we will arrange the same person from one of those popular crowd-pulling- Queens- and- Masters on all the 8-9 days of the series; atleast then, whether there will be better turnout?”

Unfazed by the thin attendance, she sang with a lot of enthusiasm, in her style, without much fuss and all, choosing songs by the various composers. Before the main, she announced that they will be rendering ‘Endhukku peddala’ after the Sankarabaranam alapanai, which would be followed by a short RTP in Bindumalini. But, during the raga delineation itself, perhaps she noticed that people were restless and the crowd dwindling. So, soon after the alapanai was over, she discussed with her co-artistes and announced the change in plan, i.e. due to paucity of time, they will be rendering the Tanam also in Sankarabharanam, followed by the kriti. So we missed a nice Bindumalini from them. Endhukku peddala was elaborate and excellent, full of bhavam and nice neraval &kalpana swarams. Percussion support added further flavor to the whole concert. Bharatiyar song was a pleasant surprise. Mangalam, she sang all the 6 charanams after ‘nI nAma…’, which was fulfilling…
Overall, I had a Great time.

[rajeshnat]

Tx sivakami for your review . Usually among the main 5 ragas ,I have noticed a bit of more noticable exodus in shankarAbharanam alApanA. BindumALini is such an emotive raga also would have been a good tribute to shri LGJ if she had sung .

[rshankar]

Sivakami - good to hear reviews from you - all was quiet on the Hyderabad front for a while now!

[arasi]

True. Wish there were more listeners at the concert. They are a fine pair of artistes, both of them proficient in singing and violin playing.

Ravi, as for Sivakami, please do read her humorous writing in the Language Tamizh section (stories thread). A timely piece!