Sri.D.Sesha Chary & Sri. D. Raghava Chary –Vocal
Sri. Nagai Sriram – Violin
Sri Srimushnam Raja Rao – Mridangam
E padame gada- Atana
Vandeham- Hamasadhwani
Namitha devam bhaje –Khamas
Jalajanabha –Ranjani
Alukalu challavo – Saveri
Gummani yedi sruti –Bhairavi
Rajiva nethra- Darbari Kanada
Garuda gamana – Hindolam
Ksheerapthi Kanyakaku- Kurinji
I am generally not a fan of thematic concerts or concerts dedicated to a single composer other than the trinity. But this concert made me change my view. I realize that it changes one’s perspectives about a composer. All along I have heard Anamacharya’s kritis have been sung as `tukkadas’. This concert made me realize that Annamacharya’s kritis have a large potential to be sung as major kritis in their own right.
Earlier Sri Pappu venugopal Rao spoke about Annamacharya composing more than a 32,000 kritis and that in none he had mentioned his own name. And that there are no notations, he had mentioned only the ragas. I was told earlier by someone , whose musical acumen I respect and value, that such compositions , where only lyrics are available, the sahithyam must be given the utmost importance and the music itself must follow the sahityam like a shadow, supporting its weight and highlight the beauty of the words.
The concert by the Hyderabad brothers made me appreciate these points. Atana was a brisk opening. Vandeham was preceded by a brief but noteworthy alaapana by Sri. Sesha Chary. Nagai’s alapana was really good in Hamsadwani, probably his best rendering in this concert. Brief and beautiful. A lilting Khamas followed (Sri Sesha chary). I heard some wonderful khamas by him this season and the effect –the flavor of the season- still seems to hold good.
The mike played games with the brothers before Ranjani started- booming for quite sometime, keeping its own sruti! Sri Sesha chary raised himself to the `challenge'
and started the Ranjani alapana with a prati madyamam note deliberately sustaining the note! Sri Raghava chary took over and rendered the alapana with melody and bhavam. I could see a lot of audience appreciation. Jalajanabha was the composition. Kalpana swarams were sung for this.Gummadi yedi sruti was sung in Bhairavi. A detailed alapana was sung by Sri Sesha chary . Voice merged with the sruti in unison and a few nadaswaram pidis thrown in, the effect was awesome. Such moving Bhairavi! He displayed his thorough understanding and pure vidwat. Brief niraval was sung at `Venkatapathi yani, veda nilayudani’, followed by kalpana swarams. Sri Raja Rao who was playing rather soberly thus far, warmed up and played the thani skillfully in an enjoyable manner.
All three post main pieces were very good- a soothing darbari kanada, a lovely hindolam alapana and ksheerapthi kanyakaku sung with a lot of bhakthi and bhavam. Listeners seemed to enjoy this last piece especially.
I wonder if Annamacharya also specified the thalam, but it seems khanda chapu was most suitable for the rhythmic beauty of the sahithyam of most of the compositions .
Though it was only for 2 hours,it was overall an enjoyable concert.
