Gayathri Girish in Mylapore Fine Arts -30th Dec

[kamakoti]

This is one of the best I attended to, in this season.

The concert opened with a slokam (from Srimad Bhaghavatam glorifying Ekadasi vratam) aptly chosen for a concert on the Vaikumta Ekadasi day.This was followed by Sriman Narayana,a popular Bowli raga kriti of Annamacharya.Next piece,I heard for the first time,was a beautiful varali kriti of Purandara dasa "Ille Vaikunta..."followed by brisk swaras.

Devamanohari was the next raga ,elaborated beautifully with Thyagaraja's popular kriti "Kanna Tandri Napai".Has any one else sung this raga so far in this season?

Then came the highlight of the morning concert, a very elaborate,soulful rendition of Kedaragowla raga followed by ever popular Buchi Sinivas Iyengar's immortal composition "Saraguna Palimpa"..Very relaxed, reposeful raga elaboration lifted the listeners to a different world altogether.Kriti was also rendered with full bhava and very intricate sangatis - followed by neraval in "varaguna seshadri" and excellent swaras.

Poongulam Subramaniam on Mridangam and Adambakkam Shankar on Ghatam provided excellent support throughout and their thani avarthanam after this piece was outstanding.

Tunai Purindarul (varamu -sivan ) and another rare composition of Margadarsi Sesha Iyengar - "Rangapathe pahi" in Kanada set the stage for RTP.There was a virutham
"kudadisaiyil Mudiuai Neeti" on Lord Ranganatha before the Kanada kriti (can some one tell me who is the author of this pasuram?)

I was pleasantly surprised to listen to the Kanada kriti which has been included in her recent album "Vaishnavam" about which I had mentioned in another thread.

Simhendra Madyamam was the raga chosen for RTP.One looks forward to something innovative in her RTP and she did not disappoint the listeners this time also.RTP
was very crisp and was complete inspite of time constaraint.This was set to Adi talam - Khanda Nadai and ragamalika swarams were chosen from the tenth Chakra
"disi" to which this ragam belongs(57th melakata ).Other ragas in this Chakram are Shyamalangi (I think I got it right),Shanmukha priya,Hemavati,Dharmavati and Nitimati).
Ragamalika swaram was deftly handled,making the difficult task look effortless.

The concert was concluded with a charukesi composition (in madhyama sruti) "Ayiram Ayiram",popularised by MLV.

V.Sajeev on violin was brilliant throughout.

It is time other sabhas seriously consider following MA to moving her to evening slot when larger audiance can have the opportunity to listen to truly classical music.

[arasi]

'kuDa disai muDiyai vaiththu' is by thoNDar aDIp poDi AzhvAr.

[vsnatarajan]

great.
i just missed it.
have listened to her CD releases and find her singing very sincere.
thnaks for ur review.
simhendra M and hemavathi are some of the beautiful ragas.

[pradip]

As an ardent music fan i have often gone through these threads with a lot of interst. However, I'm posting one for the first time. I could not resist adding to kamakoti"s observations on GG's concert. I heard her at Tatvalokashram on the eve of Shiva ratri and wondered if she could cotinue through the year with her scintillating form of that day. She managed to live upto my expectation at Vani Mahal (where she sang in lieu of Priya sisters). Her hamsanadi pallavi was outstanding and i came to mfa hoping she would present another pallavi... She did not disappoint. Her effort in Simhendramadhyamam, the raga alapana of which was done predominantly in the upper octaves, was a delight though I wished she could have fitted in another thukkada..

[gs]

Devamanohari was the next raga ,elaborated beautifully with Thyagaraja's popular kriti "Kanna Tandri Napai".Has any one else sung this raga so far in this season? – Kamakoti

TNS sang Yarukku than therium in MFA. I experienced 20 mins of pure bliss. Absolute unadulterated ecstasy. My best 20 mins of the season.