20 August 2011
"Krishnotsava" for For Percussive Arts Centre
at Jayarama Seva Mandali, Jaya Nagar 8th Block
(Nr Banashankari Bus Stand
)Bengaluru
Ashwini - Vocal
Satyaprakash - Violin
BS? - Mridanga
Dayanand Mohite - Ghata
There were some other events, like Sudha Raghunathan at Unnati Centre (FAR!) -- some at Basavesha Nagar and some at Malleshwaram (one being Vani Satish), and Dr Nagavalli Nagaraj at Basavanagudi (on route to which lies Banashankari).
It was a fine concert.
naLinakAnti varNam - Adi - maisUr vAsudEvAcArya (MV)
vENugAna lOluniganna - kEdAragauLe - rUpakacApu - T (RNS)
gOpanandana - bhUShAvaLi - Adi - ST
mama hrdayE - rItigauLe - khaNDatripuTa-1 - MV (RS)
koLalu <something> - ranjani - rUpakacApu - ?
sArasadaLa nayana - khamAs - tishraEka-2 - MD (R, likely NST)
The kEdAragauLai was good, and made me happy to be there, and raised my expectations. Satyaprakash's reply AlApanai was good too. His neraval was good, but we couldn't that clearly read the sAhityam in it. Also, he began his "vikasita pankaja vadanalu" with ri during swarams, whereas Ashwini had the usual pa.
The rItigauLai was, I think, done in madhyama shruti (I was first excited there's going to be a punnAgavarALi, then worried there's going to be a hindOLam). The rItigauLai was OK, but the gamaka on ga was not neat and very stretched. Also, the nn had a little more da -- like the suruTTi n, sometimes. In particular, Ashwini withheld the gmpmgrs for later on, and brought out a good effect with it. Satyaprakash's rItigauLai was good in parts.
The percussion support was good and noticeable from rItigauLai onwards, more so in the ranjani.
Ashwini had Sherthalai-like swarams for rItigauLai: first a lot of one-Avartana swarams -- then a long round (and then another very long round -- which included a good koraippu). I felt it a little stretched.
It took some time to realise the ranjani was ranjani: the rendition was not bold and neat, especially the madhyasthAyi ma seemed a little timid.
khamAs main is of course a rare thing, but I had to leave as the krti began. The AlApanai was done well. Satyaprakash's was good too.