Amrutha Venkatesh MA 26th December 2015

[bharathi]

Amrutha Venkatesh: Vocal
H. M Smitha – Violin
B.Vijay Natesan – Mridangam
Perukavu Sri P.L.Sudheer – Ghatam
Amrutha and team gave a splendid concert at Music Academy this afternoon. The presentation was scholarly, sans gimmicks, was full of sowkyam, a rare trait in the concert stage these days. Here is the songlist
1. Vanajaksha Ninne Nammiti :Behag: Adi: T.R Subbramaniam
2. Sri Varalakshmi: Sreeragam: Dikshithar: Roopakam
3. Dharithapu leka: Thyagaraja: Desadi: Saveri Ragam swar(valachi vada neraval, swaram)
4. Maamava Karunaya : Misra Chapu: Shamugapriya: Swathi Tirunal (neraval swaram at “pankaja naba”)
5. Ragam (Khamboji), Thanam (Khamboji, Todi, Hameer Kalyani, Shubapantuvarali) Pallavi(Khamboji) Adi talam
6. Viruttam followed by Maname Ramanai pada maravade: Sindubhairavi: M D Ramanathan
7. Yagi thandeera: nadanamkriya: Purandara Dasar
8. Tillana: Katanakuthookalam: T V Gopalakrishnan
The concert began with a beautiful Behag Varnam, authored by T. R Subbramaniam. {I found her rendition on youtube, from google baba.} Then there was a chaste rendition of the Saveri ragam which was followed by Thyagaraja’s Dharithapu leka. He did a few rounds of neraval and swaram at “Valachi”, just sufficient to bring out the glory of the raga. This was followed by Shanmugapriya raga sung with delectable, fine sancharas, that evoked several ‘Aha’ moments. The song that followed was a rare Swathi Tirunal’s piece. Neraval and swaram at “pankaja nabha sowre kurumama kushalam” were sung with a lot of involvement and was thoroughly, enjoyable. Then came the grand Ragam tanam pallavi “Kanakankodi vendume, Natarajanin Tandavam” sung brilliantly. In the ragam segment Khamboji was elaborated, in its full glory. The tanam had Khamboji, thodi, Hameer Kalyani and Shubapantuvarali a round each. Followed by the pallavi and an emotive swara prasthara and tani.
In the tail segment, there was a beautiful rendition of Ramanai Pada Maravade, which had a small viruttam as prelude. This was followed by was lovely Purandaradasar song and a brilliant rendition of Tillana of Sri TV Gopalakrishnan
Overall an Aplus concert by Amrutha. It is a credit to the artist that she has not chosen to display technical prowess but rather emphasises on the melody of the Carnatic music sampradayam, adding grandeur to her presentation, keeping goddess of music pleased and the audience riveted.
I must mention the very good support she got from H M Smitha on the violin and the pleasing tani avartanam by Vijay Natesan and P L Sudheer on the mrudangam and Ghatam respectively.
I returned home though there were many more concerts I could venture to, for fear of losing the calm I had achieved attending this concert.

[Rasikapriya2013]

Totally agree with you Bharathi, amazing concert !!!

Amrutha's RTP in the two hour slot with ease and comfort shows her impeccable timing sense and deep knowledge on the subject.

Every time I hear this young musician perform I am amazed by her confidence without being ostentatious.

[rajeshnat]

Bharathi
Thank you for your two reviews of Amrutha , great spread of ragas and composers. Right balance I should say with T,MD,ST, PD of past and bringing a contemporary dash of composers like MDR,TRS and TVG.

[Rasikapriya2013]

I would like to also mention that in the tillana part she brilliantly incorporated "Gopala Krishna"in the charanam part as a tribute to the composer who was present at the concert today

The sahitya of the charanam which goes like this

ninne namminAnurA nikhilalOka nAyaka nIraja nayana
vEgamE vacci nannu brOvarAdA rAdhAramaNA

[sureshvv]

Cool I thought it was part of the original lyric.

There was a long applause drowning out the the end of the tillana which lasted for a couple minutes after the concert was over.

[rummy]

Yes, a lovely concert. Good reviews.
She also sang an Atana towards the end before the Thillana :
Meragadulesi - Atana - Adi - Thanjai Chinnayya

[pperumal]

This was nice but felt she was a bit superficial in her approach. I liked the concert before hers a lot more -by Aishwarya Raghunath.
PP.

[Rasikapriya2013]

" Avar Paattil yenna kutram kandeer, sampradhayathai kadai pidithu avar padum azhagila, Por chuvaiyila alladhu avaradhu brammandamana karpanai thiranila, theninum inimiyana avaradhu kuralin chuviyila
..... P Perumal avargale"
Melottamana sangeetham yendral?
Satru virivaga koorum, paarkalam ?

[hema]

It was really a refreshing change from the shouting that has become the norm amongst many youngsters (especially male)
these days. Aishwarya -- I missed her concert, she is also very good. Nevertheless, Amrutha's concert yesterday was
superb. She had also timed her concert very well. There was no hurry felt anywhere.

[natts1959]

Amrutha is the one to look out for as a top singer from the ladies. May be she should move to madras. She is really good. Enjoyed her MA concert thoroughly

[hSrikanth]

Amrutha Venkitesh has a very peculiar voice. She is trying to sing from somebody else' shoes.... she gives an impression of a "She Balamurali".
That's the influence of her latest guru.... she used to sing differently before.... I think she is very talented but is trying out various styles before settling down to one of her own.... I hope she has good and honest advisors. ...

[hema]

Whatever, "sheBalaXX, new guru," she gave a great performance.