Sowmya - Kartik Fine Arts, Dec. 7th

[gopalank]

Attended a double header last night - Sowmya followed by Maharajapuram Ramachandran - at KFA festival in NGS main hall. As vijay has already posted about Mah. Ramachandran's concert, I'll restrict my post to Sowmya's concert.

Sowmya, Nalina Mohan, Poongulam Subramanian, BS Purushottaman
KFA Fest @ NGS Main hall, Dec 7th, 4.30 pm

Sami ninne (Varnam) - Shri - Adi - Karur Chinna Devudu
Sitamma Mayamma - Vasanta - Tyagaraja (R)
Sangita Shastra - Mukhari - Tyagaraja (R, N - 'prema bhakti...', S)
Ekkalattilum - Purvikalyani - Tiruvarur Ramaswamy Pillai
Nagumomu - Abheri - Tyagaraja
Akshaya Linga Vibho - Shankarabharanam - MD (R, N, S, T)
Vagaladi - Behag - Tirupati Narayanaswamy
Kunitta Puruvamum (Viruttam from Tevaram) - Ragamalika (Kedaragaula, Shanmukhapriya, Khamas)
Idatu Padam Tookki - Khamas - Papanasam Sivan

An outstanding, mind-blowing Mukhari from Sowmya... I don't know how the rest of the season will shape up for me, but that Mukhari will stay in my mind for a long, long time. And the kriti? No, not the usual suspects (Ksheenamai, Entani Ne, Emanine, Enraikku Sivakripai...) but a very scholarly and classic rendering of Tyagaraja's 'Sangita Shastra Jnaanamu..' which her guru Dr. SR used to sing with so much elan! Shankarabharanam was of the highest quality, but other than the Mukhari the highlight of the concert for me was the viruttam... smooth, seamless raga transitions capped by the SSI favorite 'Idatu Padam'. Accompanists were very competent and the percussion team did an excellent job.

Usual disclaimer: I am nowhere close to being a professional, seasoned reviewer. Just another (over)enthu rasika. Pardon mistakes if any.

[arasi]

A classy concert, a la her guru. Wish I had heard that mukhAri.
A welcome review. Hope you will bring us more...

[vijay]

I am ashamed to admit that i dozed through this one (at home not at the audi!) having fallen victim to the dark drink of sleep thanks to an early morning flight and a delicious Chennai afternoon....entirely my loss. Gopalan, thanks for the report and do keep them coming in...

[vasanthakokilam]

An outstanding, mind-blowing Mukhari from Sowmya... I don't know how the rest of the season will shape up for me, but that Mukhari will stay in my mind for a long, long time. And the kriti? No, not the usual suspects (Ksheenamai, Entani Ne, Emanine, Enraikku Sivakripai...) but a very scholarly and classic rendering of Tyagaraja's 'Sangita Shastra Jnaanamu..' which her guru Dr. SR used to sing with so much elan

Now you are making me jealous!! I fished out Nedunoori's version of the same song and listened to it after reading your excellent review of this concert : http://www.sangeethapriya.org/~harihara ... agayya.mp3

[kartik]

I think there is an Ekkalattilum in PurviKalyani by Ramaswami Sivan also isnt?

[jnaanasoonyam]

Ramaswamy Sivan's 'Ekkalathilum' is in Nattakurinji, if I'm not mistaken.

Too bad I missed this concert. Mukhari is one of my favorite ragas and Sowmya one of my favorite artistes; one who steadfastly adheres to core classical values. Glad she's in good form this season... two days back (i.e. the day before the concert reviewed in this thread) I heard a part of her performance at German Hall for Sringeri Acharyal's jayanthi celebrations. Though billed as a 'bhakti sangeetam' performance in the papers, she presented a solid classical performance with kritis on Siva. Crowning piece amongst the ones I heard was a tevaram in Yadukulakambhoji (Tondaranju...) which again is her guru's favorite. Absolutely divine YK and she topped it off with Innamum Oru taram (GKB?) Then there was Keeravani (Innamum Sandehapadalamo, again GKB?). Sadly I couldn't sit thru the whole concert... also heard from my brother in Cochin that she sang last night until 12.30am (midnight) to a packed temple audience at Tripunithura. How do these artistes juggle season pressures, travel, family demands and still satisfy picky & demanding rasikas?

[arasi]

Bless her for that!