Vocal: Ranjani and Gayathri
Violin: Charumathi Raghuraman
Mrudangam: Manoj Siva
Kanjira: K.V. Gopalakrishnan
It just so happened that the artistes I wanted to see this season were all singing at PSS this week, and it must be equally co-incidental that they've all taken affinity to Reethigowlai.
Approximate Songlist:
(I entered late, and overheard that Chalamela varnam in Darbar was sung, and then pieces in Gowlai and Mukhari).
Undedi Ramamudu - Harikamboji (R,N,S)
Nannu Vidachi - Reethigowlai (R)
Saravanabhava (HMB) - Pasupathipriya
Ragam Thanam Pallavi - Dharmavathy (I think), Adi (I think) (T)
(Pallavi: "Un Tharisanam KidaikkumA NatarAjE, DhayAnithE"
Ragamaliga Swaras in Kedaram, Hameerkalyani, Lalitha (or Vasantha, not positive), and Desh. )
Viruttam, "Kollithanaiyil..."- Kamboji, Amruthavarshini, Hindusthani Kapi
Sodhanai Sumakka - Kapi
Pakaivanukkarullvaai (Subramania Bharathi)
Abhang, "Sadha Ra Bandhiratha"- Yamunakalyani ?
The Ranjani-Gayathri duo sang very well today, and in my estimate, their strengths are their resonant, mellifluous voices, their good shruti alignment, and their concert preparation. This concert was presented in a very polished manner, and the team performed with plenty of harmony. I personally felt the Harikamboji was mediocre save a few second speed swaras, but the Reethigowlai alapanai was executed in a very classical manner, replete with all its characteristic phrases.
I was very pleased that the sisters took up a pallavi as the main item, and they did good justice to the raga in their two-stage alapanai (about 12 min). The thanam was rendered exceedingly well (about 8 min), but the pallavi neraval was lacklustre and appeared a mere technical exercise (from my new knowledge, I can say they performed anulomam). In fact, none of their neravals struck a chord with me today, as they couldn't really extract the beauty of the sahityam and raga to full effect. The swaras in Dharmavathy were comprehensive, and of the ragamaliga swaras, Hameerkalyani was very good and Desh was excellent (swaras were sung in two speeds in Desh, but with appropriate pauses and stretches, the bhavam of the raga was not lost in the higher speed).
Manoj Siva and KV Gopalakrishnan supported the main artistes very competently, and their thani was short, but sweet. The kanjira player played with good anticipation with the violin.
Charumathi Raghuraman was excellent on the violin (the current crop of violinists is really promising), and her ability to demonstrate the melodic essence of ragas in a short time reminded me at times of her guru (TNK), and this was especially evident in her tarasthayi alapanai of Dharmavathy, and in her thanam returns (which were really TNK-esque). The Hameerkalyani and Desh she played were even better than the vocalists'.
The viruttam was nice, but I wish the vocalists had given the violinist a chance to play, because I think she'd have nailed it. I wasn't impressed by the other tail-end renditions, but the applause sure came in torrents for the abhang.
Overall, an evening well-spent.
Ranjani & Gayathri at Parthasarathy Swami Sabha on 26/12/07
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mahavishnu
- Posts: 3341
- Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 21:56
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bilahari
- Posts: 2631
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02
Mahavishnu, thanks for the info. I'm not a regular really; it was quite a coincidence that the people I wanted to listen to are all singing there at a convenient time this week (R.K. Srikantan on Friday, I'll be there again). Today, I sat away from the speakers and finally, no ringing sensation in my ears. During GV''s concert, the violin was inaudible at first, then they upped the volume for everybody and suddenly they were all blaring--vocalist, violinist, and percussionists.