DR.SMT.BABY SREERAM AT VANI MAHAL ON 19 JULY 2011

[CRama]

Dr. Smt. Baby Sreeram accompanied by Shri.B.Ananthakrishnan on the violin, and Shri.B.Sivarman on the Mridangam presented a concert for the Thyagaraja Seva Samithi at the Obul Reddy Hall, Vani Mahal on 19 July 2011. The concert consisted of all Thyagaraja Kritis which itself guarantees a minimum success for the concert. The list of songs.
Dudugugala-Gowla- Aadi
Bhuvinidasudane- Sreeranjini- Aadi
Neevadanegana-Saranga- Khanta Chapu
Maakelara-Ravichandrika- Aadi
Sambho siva sankara guru Amboruha nayana-Sankarabharanam-Rupakam
Chinna nate naa- Kalanidhi
Manasa mana saamardhya-Vardhini
Emani Maatladithivo- Thodi- Aadi
Enthamuddo- Bindumalini
Vadanadyuthi- Panthuvarali- Rupakam
Madhyamavathi.

Smt Baby Sreeram is a student of Swati Tirunal College of Music, Trivandrum and after coming to Chennai to pursue a career in music, she studied under Vidwan TM Thyagarajan. She must have studied under TRS also, or influenced by his music, as I could see some flashy sangathis of TRS in her rendering of kritis. She has a bass voice, sings in a lower sruti- may be 3 kattai a heavy resonating voice that is capable of traversing the three sthayis very comfortably. I heard her concert once last December also, and her concert is vidwat laden and maintains a different standard than the crop of the present day lady musicians. Vyavaharamana sangeetham.

While rendering the Gowla raga pancharathnam care was taken to end in Kodugu brochura each time which provide the complete meaning of the pallavi. The alapana of Sreeranjini and Sankarabharanam were appropriate – for 5 minutes each and her right use of the brighas in the alapana of Sreeranjini made it very enjoyful. The kriti was rendered as per the accepted patantharam with all sangathis in tact and the kalpana swaras rendered at the pallavi had lot of kanakku in built in them not compromising on the aesthetics of the song. The Sankarabharanm song was new for me. It looked like a Divyanama keerthanam with no anupallavi and many charanams in the same tune. She sang two charanams and few rounds of second kala swaram at various points of the first charanam- dharaneedhara, varabhooshana, surasevitha etc. The raga alapana for Thodi went on for 10 minutes and the raga was presented in full detail with elaborate sancharams hovering on all the key notes. The raga alapana was very scholarly and the not often heard kriti Emani matladithivo was presented well. There was no neraval and swaras in two kalams were presented elaborately.

B.Ananthakrishnan on the violin played very well and he took the same time as of the vocalist. He reproduced almost all the sangathis of the vocalist and she also enjoyed his playing. Violin drew many rounds of applause. Sivaraman on the mridangam also embellished the concert significantly and the vocalist herself appreciated the sidemen quite lavishly. She always sported a smiling face and had very good rapport with the other artists on the stage. The thani lasted for 10 minutes. One of her students provided vocal support. The concert lasted exactly 2 hours. A very good concert.

On a side note, her husband is Palghat K L Sriram also a vocalist. He sings well. I have heard his radio concerts. He is also a play back singer. One song sung by him is the title song in Padayappa. I do not know about his other songs.

[srikant1987]

She seems extremely fond of "shambhO shiva shankara" of s'bharaNam. Not complaining!

Thanks for the review, CRama. I like Smt Baby Sriram's music too!

As a side note, I think she is often seen in concerts by senior musicians.