GAYATRI VENKATRAGHAVAN AT MUSIC ACADEMY- 23/9/16

[CRama]

The concert of GV was organised by Arun Excello as part of its Navaratri Nada Vaibhavam. GV was accompanied on the violin by Charulata Ramanujam, on the Mridangam by Anantha R Krishnan and on the Ganjira by B.S.Purushothaman. List of songs.

• Slokam- Vakkundam nalla manamundaam- Nata
• Saraseeruhasanapriye-Nata- Puliyur Doraiswamy Iyer (S)
• Sankari Sankuru- Saveri- SS (N,S)
• Ranjani Niranjani-Ranjani- GNB (R,S)
• Taye Tripurasundari- Sudhasaveri- Periaswamy Tooran (R)
• Sivakamasundari-Jaganmohini-GKB (S)
• Sari evvaramma- Bhairavi- SS (R,S)
• Tani
• Vellai tamarai pooviliruppal- Bimplas -Bharatiar I left after this song.

It is a matter of great pleasure that my Navaratri started a week earlier, thanks to the Navaratri Nada Vaibhavam of Arun Excello. What a better way than to start Navaratri Music Festival with a concert of Gayatri Venkatraghavan accompanied by Anantha R Krishnan- that too in the Music Academy. I have last heard her nearly a year back in Ragasudha Hall singing a M.S.Special concert which I liked a lot. Her totally sruti aligned and honey dipped voice is her strong asset. This enabled her to pull on those heavy M.S numbers to perfection and admiration of the connoisseurs. The voice can easily transverse all the three octaves with consummate ease and is capable of negotiating mandra sthayi sancharas very effectively- which is not that easy with many female singers.

GV presented all songs on Ambal to suit the theme and welcome Navaratri. The first song Saraseeruhasanapriye, a most appropriate song for Navaratri on the Goddess of learning and music was preceded with the virutham- Vaakkundam Nalla manamundam by Avvayyar and ornamented with sufficient cracker swaras at Saraswathy which infused vibrancy to the concert in the opening number itself. Next came the Syama Sastri Kriti Sankari Sankuru in the lilting tisra nadai. Elaborate Neraval in two kalams at Syama Krishna Sodari and the following two kala swaras had many awe inspiring moments in them. Two Ragams- Ranjani and Bhairavi were presented with minute details- the former one consuming seven minutes and the main Bhairavi extending to ten minutes. With phrases fast and slow gushing one after another and spread across the octaves, and appropriate kaarvais and brighas sprinkled in good measure, both the alapanas received thunderous applause from the large audience. There were adequate instances of her roaring manodharmam and vidwat which was greatly enjoyable. The alapana of Sudha saveri was rather brief- for two minutes only. It could have been more elaborate.

Two fillers- Taya Tripura Sundari of P.Tooran with its spirited chittaswarams and Sivakamasundari in Jaganmohini by GKB provided necessary pep in the middle of the concert. Sari evvaramma- the magnum opus in Bhairavi by SS set in the rare Khanda Jhampa talam was presented in the most appropriate kalapramanam. Neraval was eschewed and sumptuous kalpana swaras in two kalams were appended to Paramapavani (Anupallavi). The swaras had very interesting combinations woven around the key swaras and intelligently presented. The elaborate koraippu and korvai with the embellishment by the accompanying artistes lifted the concert to a higher pedestal.

Charulatha Ramanujam from Bangalore on the violin followed the vocalist like a shadow. Her alapanas and returns revealed her vidwath and sensitivity. Her bowing was very sweet with the thick and thin shades coming out admirably. Anantha on the Mridangam- I am hearing him first time for any female singer. I should say that he brings Palghat Raghu again on the stage. He has a powerful stroke matched by speed and sensitivity. Crispness of strokes, fluency, abundance of musical ideas, anticipation, pregnant pauses, a virile presentation, are all inherited from his Guru in abundant measure. He simply lifts the status of any concert he is playing. There was an appreciable sharing of stage by Anantha and BSP. The tani which ran for 15 minutes had many thunderous moments and the audience immensely enjoyed each segment of the tani which they reciprocated with loud cheers.
It was sheer bliss and ecstasy for nearly two and a half hours. God bless the team and the organisers.

[sureshvv]

Mrdangam thoppi sounded awesome in the academy sound system. Have not heard this level of nadham from the thoppi.

There were a few other songs:

1. Yamuna kalyani, Nachat nachat aaye saraswathi
2. Nenjukku needi
3. Ennai nee maravadhe angayarkanni
4. Bhagyada lakshmi baramma

Bhairavi was awesome in its entirety.

Early part of the concert felt too much like a hike down the beaten path. Ranjani has become a staple at the academy. May be some committee member mentioned sometime that he/she likes it

PS: Can the mods enable resizing images greater than 1440 automagically? Seems this can be done by phpBB.

[CRama]

The first fifteen minutes ( 6 to 6.15 ) was spent on adjusting mikes. Even after this, Anantha was giving some signals for adjusting. But generally mike was very good. That enhanced the concert.

Ranjani- I don't know whether it is a staple in Academy. But, for me a welcome change from the permanent no 3 Poorvikalyani and occasional No 3- Panthuvarali. When Ranjani was ticked, I sighed a relief- No more Kalyani.

[sureshvv]

My sigh of relief was when the non "sada saranga nayane" kriti started.

There was a certain edge to Anantha's playing of the thani. It seemed like the diametric opposite of sarvalaghu with the beats interspersed between his strokes. A bit unsettling for extended durations. May be shankarank could expound on this if he heard the recording

[rajeshnat]

When Ranjani was ticked, I sighed a relief- No more Kalyani.

Crama,
That feeling is nice to hear. Tx for your time and review