Ranjani-Gayatri @ Narada Gana Sabha (Dec 26)

[Abhishek]

Vocal: Smt. Ranjani and Smt. Gayatri
Violin: Smt. Charumathi Raghuram
Mridangam: Sri K. Arun Prakash

Song List:

1. ??
2. Vidulakku (MAyAmAlavagowlA - Adi - ThyAgarAjar) Outline, N S
3. SamAna Rahite (SAranga Tharangini - Rupakam - GNB) R S
4. ?? (DevagAndhAri? - Adi)
5. Janani MAmava (Bhairavi - Mishra ChApu - SwAti ThirunAl) RST
6. OkapAri (KalAvathy - Adi - ThyAgarAjar)
7. RTP (Khamas - Khanda Jathi Triputa)
Ragamalika Swaras in: VasanthA, Ahiri?, BhagEshri, BehAg
Pallavi line: BrochEvArevarurA Ninnu VinA Raghuvamsa Deepa O RAmA
8. Viruttam (SAveri,??, Shanmukhapriya) Followed by Saravanabhava (Shanmukhapriya - Adi - Papanasam Sivan)
9. Abhang - Bolava Vitthala (BhatiyAr - Ekam - TukAram)

I missed the first item. I'm guessing it was a varnam. This was by far the best concert I have heard this season. I thought their Music Academy concert was the best until now, but this one just broke all records.

The hall was fully packed. As I entered, the sisters were singing the ThyagarAjar kriti in Mayamalavagowla. Neraval was excellent as usual (esp the mEl kAlam neraval), and so was the swaram. Right after, Ranjani started the alapanai of SAranga Tharangini, which she sang beautifully. Every rasika was completely touched by the way she dealt with the ragam, bringing out its complete beauty. This has been one of the best raga alapanas I have ever heard from Smt. Ranjani. Smt. Charumathi Raghuram also did a beautifuly alapanai. The kriti that followed was GNB's SamAna Rahite, for which they sang kapana swaram. The crisp swaras in the pallavi were amazing. Each time, Ranjani and Gayatri tried to end their swaras with a different note; sometimes with 'N', sometimes, 'R', sometimes with 'D'. The swara patterns were so beautiful to listen to.

After a kriti in DevagAndhari (I think), came the main ragam of the evening - Bhairavi. Smt. Gayatri sang the alapanai of Bhairavi, bringing out beautiful phrases of the ragam. She has rendered Bhairavi so many times before, but still, I wonder how she manages to bring out something different every time. Truly amazing.

SwAthi ThiruNAl's Janani Mamava in Mishra ChApu was the choice of song in Bhairavi. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't sing Neraval in the song, but I guess it was because of the time restrictions. Swaram was excellent, with absolutely no flaw whatsoever. Before the RTP, they sang a nice ThyAgarAjar keertanai in Kalavathy.

Just when I thought the concert couldn't get any better, Ranjani started the alapanai of one of my favourite ragams, KhamAs. Her alapanai was incredibly good! She brought out the ragam's complete beauty within her alapanai. Charumathi matched Ranjani's perfection, bringing out beautiful phrases of the ragam herself. It was left to Smt. Gayatri to take over the higher portions of Khamas and finish the alapanai off. And, wow, she was just perfect. The way she sang the alapanai was just too good. I don't have any words to express how well she sang. She won many rounds of applause from the audience for many of her phrases. Tanam was excellent as well. Smt. Gayatri's soft brigas in the tanam was really beautiful to listen to.

The pallavi line was set to Khanda JAthi Triputa TAlam. The pallavi line itself was so beautiful. Neraval was very melodious. After the neraval, they immediately went to mEl kAlam swaras, due to time restrictions, once again. I wished the swaras would go on forever, since they were just so good! As usual, Ranjani-Gayatri's ragamAlikA swaras were top class. Gayatri's BehAg, in particular, was extraordinary.

The tukkada pieces included a viruttam in Saveri, some other ragam, and finally Shanmukhapriya, followed by the masterpiece of Papanasam Sivan, Saravana Bhava Ennum in Shanmukhapriya. The concluding song was an Abhang in Raag BhatiyAr. Almost everyone in the audience would have wished for the concert to keep going on forever.

Overall, from start to finish, this concert was flawless. I am lucky to have listened to such a wonderful concert.

-Abhishek.

[revanthv552]

Seems like a wonderful concert. Alapana of Saranga tharangini! must have been a real treat to the listeners!

[cienu]

The varnam was Darbar.

Devagandhari was "ennEramum undan sannidiyilE nAn" by Gopalakrishna Bharathi

This was a wonderful concert.