Anuthama Murali – Violin
Akshay Anand – Mridangam
R C Shekar - Ghatam
In Marathi a Saying goes like this “Murti Lahan Pan Kirti Mahan” which means the name or appearance is not so big but the fame is beyond the comparison and 18 year old S.Aishwarya’s astounding 2 ½ hour Carnatic concert at Mysore Association on 15th March 2014 reminded me of this!
Coming from the Legendary musical lineage of her Great Grandmother M.S.Subbulakshmi and her Grandmother Radha Viswanathan and having chosen music as her career, Aishwarya is always subject to unavoidable comparisons with her Great Grandmother which in a way is unfair and puts undue pressure on the young artist.
Nevertheless and in spite of the high pressure which her background bestows on her automatically, Aishwarya has been able to establish her own space and to me she came as a singer with an extraordinarily good voice which extends across the 3 octaves effortlessly in perfect pitch and with a firm command on svarasthanas.This is something she must persevere with and preserve carefully.
I noticed that her breath control was excellent and she knew exactly when to pause and not miss the notes even in higher speeds.
The song list.
1. Mathe - Khamas
2. Ksheerasagara shayana Vakshasthala – Mayamalavagowla – Raga and Neraval
3. Raghu Vamsha Sudha – Kathanakuthuhalam – Cittasvarams in 3 speeds.
4. Bhajana Seya Rada – Dharamavathi – Raga, Neraval Svaras
5. Sri Ranga Pura Vihara – Brindavan Saranga
6. Chakkani Raja – Kharaharapriya – Raga, Neraval and Svaras
7. Baa re Panduranga - Maand
8. Jagadhodharana – Misra Kapi
9. Baaro Ranga - It was announced that this was a composition of Maasthi Venkatesa Iyengar
10. Bhavayami Gopalabalam - Aishwarya sang this Annamacharya Kriti on my request
11. Kurai Onrum Illai
12. Maithreem Bhajatha
With the opening song Mathe, Aishwarya had taken control of the minds of the audience.
The Raga Aalapanas were clear and soothing; The Neraval in Ksheerasgara brought back memories of her great grandmother especially when she beseeched Goddess Kamakshi. The svaras in Dharmavathi and Kharaharapriya were crisp. Aishwarya displayed her grip on laya with great variety in the svara singing in Dharmavathi where she also sang svaras in Thisram and Khandam
Baare Panduranga, Jagadhodharana, Bhavayami and the new song Baaro Ranga in Sindhu Bhairavi were enchanting and had the listeners in a trance like state.
Anuthama Murali on violin was extremely supportive and her raga essays were wonderful.
Akshay Anand is a left hander and a prodigy on the mridangam and his small structure belies his playing ability and variety which he brings to the concert platform. His accompaniment was of a very high standard and had great anticipation. One could see this in Chakkani Raja and in the svaras in Dharmavathi. The tani was absorbing with able support from R C Shekar on Ghatam.
To conclude I would say it was an extremely fulfilling concert by Aishwarya and her entire team in front of fully packed auditorium of Mysore association and she did full justice.
Carnatic music is so vast and the young Aishwarya still has a long way to go, experiment more and give more performances and I am sure in the years to come she will come out in flying colours.
