Smt. S. Sowmya for Nadabrahmam journal, Dec 3rd 2009

[sureshvv]

Smt. Sowmya gave an amazingly aesthetic performance at the P.S.High School Dakshinamurthy hall.

Cast:

Sowmya
Neyveli Radhakrishnan
Poongulam Subramanian

Song list:

1. Sami ninne (varnam), Shree, Adi
2. Kanchadalayadakshi, Kamala manohari, Adi, MD
3. Durgadevi duritha nivarinim, navarasakanada, Adi, HKMB
4. Suddha Saveri, Thaaye tharum idhamma, Mayuram Viswanatha Sastry
5. Paraloka bhaya, mandari, Adi, Thyagaraja
6. Shankarabharanam, Muthu Kumara Iyaney, tisra jhumpa, maha vaidyanathan sivan
7. SIndhub ??
8. Piloo, Bhaja re yadhunatham
9. Kavadi Chindu
10. Pavamana

Observations:

1. Incredible music with sowkhyam uppermost highlighting infrequently heard ragas and kritis.

2. There was an alapana for Piloo, the penultimate item of the evening. This was awesome and it was as if what transpired for the hour and half before was a preamble to get the rasika in just the right mood for this alapana. It was cool and calm outside and the valley was calling.

3. Kanchadalayadakshi and Kamakshi was carried over the sound system as Kanchadalayadachi and Kamachi detracting from fully enjoying the kriti.

4. Don't remember having heard this violinist before. He was very creative with some original glides in sankarabhaanam in spite of a couple of slip ups.

5. Poongulam played with just the correct sound level and a nice thani.

[rajaglan]

After a long time, reading a Sowmya concert review. Thank you, sureshvv.
My likings are kamala manohari and sankarabaranam. what are the raga alapana in this concert.

[sureshvv]

#4, #6 and #8. Note that the Raga is given ahead of the kriti

[kamavardhani]

2. There was an alapana for Piloo, the penultimate item of the evening. This was awesome and it was as if what transpired for the hour and half before was a preamble to get the rasika in just the right mood for this alapana. It was cool and calm outside and the valley was calling.

+1 to that. The way she handled Hindustani-style phrases was a revelation!

3. Kanchadalayadakshi and Kamakshi was carried over the sound system as Kanchadalayadachi and Kamachi detracting from fully enjoying the kriti.

The artistes were having problems with the sound system right from the start. The mikeman seemed clueless and was perpetually fiddling with settings. For the audience, sound levels were ok after a while, but the artistes were seen to struggle with lack of feedback throughout.

4. Don't remember having heard this violinist before. He was very creative with some original glides in sankarabhaanam in spite of a couple of slip ups.

Methinks you are being very polite and politically correct, suresh The violinist was not only LATE in arriving on stage, but also quite mediocre in handling even standard ragas like Shankarabharanam. The audio and the violinist were blots on an otherwise delectable performance from Smt. Sowmya

4. Suddha Saveri, Thaaye tharum idhamma, Mayuram Viswanatha Sastry

Smt. Sowmya mentioned after the alapana that she learnt this kriti directly from Sastry's brother.

6. Shankarabharanam, Muthu Kumara Iyaney, tisra jhumpa, maha vaidyanathan sivan

The tala is Chaturasra Rupakam

[sureshvv]

Methinks you are being very polite and politically correct, suresh The violinist was not only LATE in arriving on stage, but also quite mediocre in handling even standard ragas like Shankarabharanam. The audio and the violinist were blots on an otherwise delectable performance from Smt. Sowmya

Polite most times... politically correct, hardly

I found his violin playing unconventional and interesting and far from mediocre. Had an element I couldn't quite put my finger on. Just conjecture, but may be experience with playing for nama sangeerthanam or with nadaswaram. Deviated just slightly from conventional practice to make one sit up and notice.