Abhishek Raghuram - Vocal
Akkarai S. Subhalakshmi - Violin
Anantha R. Krishnan - Mridangam
Keerthana Bhat - Shruthi Box
Krithi Bhat - Tambura
April 12, 2015, Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland, Houston, 4.30-7.30 p.m.
Under Bharathi Kalai Manram banner.
Song List:
1. Inta Modi Seya - Saranga Varnam - Thiruvotriyur Thyagayyar
2. Sarasi Ruhasana Priye – Nattai?
3. I Vasudha Nivanti Dhaivamu - Sahana - Thyagaraja
4. Seshachala Nayakam Bhajami - Varali - Muthuswami Dikshitar
5. Matalada Modi Galade - Charukesi - Thyagaraja
6. RTP - Karaharapriya? – T only by violin; P: Nee Padhamule Gathiyani Nammiti Sri Ramachandra - Ramnad Srinivasa Iyengar
(Thani)
7. Ramanai Bhajithal Noi Vinai Theerum - Maund - Sivan
8. Jeya Deva – Gita Govindam? (Raga unknown)
Disclaimer: This review is a celebration of youthful exuberance without any trace of objectivity
Other knowledgeable Rasikas: please correct Raga identification in above.
A warm humid Sunday afternoon with some rainy clouds in the background - otherwise known as a typical Houston Spring Day. Specialist American sound technicians with their amplifying equipment were at hand. Sound checks went on for a long time. What a difference they made to this acoustically not so friendly venue.
We began an hour late. Houston's leading CM teachers were felicitated and they in turn introduced the artists of the day. We had about 300 people turn out for the concert. This is on par for Houston.
First impressions: Abhishek seemed to have a deeper voice compared to the last time I heard him live over a year ago. His Akaram with his deep open throated singing was so good to hear. The booming Swara express took off on many flights during the concert and the sound system co-operated well. The Hindustani touches were gone too this time around.
Akkarai Subhalakshmi’s violin sounded very deep and resonant. Sometimes it sounded like a viola (took a tad longer to hear the sound after the bow touched the strings.) It is possible that this is entirely my imagination. She had two distinct styles of bowing today. Sometimes she shadowed and sometimes she anticipated. When she joined at the end, she added additional flourish to enhance what we just heard. It was an impressive technique. The Thanam was only by violin (may be time constraint; the RTP itself was well over an hour.) This is where she had her independent creativity authoritatively established, stamped, sealed, and delivered!
Anantha also displayed two different stroking/handling techniques. When he played for Abhishek, it sounded like Ganjira sometimes. Immediately thereafter where he played for Subhalakshmi, it felt like Mridangam. When he played the Thani, there was that faint Thavil sound sometimes. Don’t know again if this is what I felt or really what happened. Curious to know what are the different techniques employed for supporting vocal and violin when there is only Mridangam.
Coming back to Abhishek: My rudimentary way of identifying Ragas (by comparing and contrasting the similarity with benchmarking compositions and phrases) clearly failed me today. He seemed to sing many more non-standard own imaginative and self invented phrases. Also, the color of various Ragas was brought out differently than conventional feel. For e.g., the Sahana was full of Gambheeram. The swaras were sung with a deep voice. The Varali was majestic too. The Charukesi was full of express swaras. It seemed like he was taking a University level class and here I was failing in every test. I gave up very soon and blissfully immersed myself in his music without abandon!
During the RTP, thunderstorm hit the area and there were rumbling thunders outside. It was matched “sollu” for “sollu” by the artists on the stage. It poured for a long time both inside and outside. This is where the “taking bath in a waterfall” phenomenon happened again today. I had thought that there were shades of Navarakannada in the Pallavi but it was later announced as pure Karaharapriya. Once again, I was woefully inadequate.
If there was some scope for improvement, it might have been in the pronunciation (diction) area or clarity of words – for e.g., in the second and last compositions, I had a hard time deciphering the Sahityam. Again, this is my lack of capacity and ignorance of compositions. Other than the Saranga Varnam and Charukesi, I have not heard the other compositions on a concert stage in the last 3-4 years. I made a mental note to listen even more.
There was no Mangalam at the end (could be the time constraint?)
Abhishek proceeded to take out the microphone and safely bagged it! His mic, his voice, who are we to say anything?!
He stayed behind for a long time for photos with several of the young Rasikas in the audience.
In summary, a high energy, high voltage concert. It was a celebration of youthful exuberance at its best. Varali was my pick of the day.