Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar-SCSES-Secunderabad: 18 Feb 2012

[revanthv552]

Sri Chandrasekhara Sangeetha Educational Society's five day music festival started as soon as the festival of Sharada Cultural Trust ended, in the very same venue. Same ambiance, same peaceful music and same disciplined concerts. On the fourth day of the festival, we were lucky to hear Mala Chandrasekhar's concert. Divine music, is the term I'd simply use to this concert. Three hours of pure musical bliss. It was such a melodious concert, but sadly there was not much audience in the venue. Initially when the concert began the turn out was very sparse.(Relative to what I saw in earlier concerts of this festival)
But when half of the concert was over, there was a decent turn out for the concert. The entire team enthralled the audience in an amazing manner. The violin was by Mysore Srikanth, on mridangam by Sri Ananthakrishnan and on the ghatam by Trichy Murali. I had an amazing time interacting with all of them after the concert. Such a successful team and such a splendid concert. All the songs rendered were the very popular ones and undoubtedly that was one of the biggest reasons(THE BIGGEST reason was the way Mala ma'am played them) why people were enjoying the concert in a manner that is beyond the reach of words.
The concert had:

1. Tera teeyaga radha-Gowlipanthu-Thyagaraja
2. Marubalka-Sriranjani-Thyagaraja[S]
3. Anupamagunambudhi-Atana-Thyagaraja
4. Sadhamathin-Gambhiravani-Thyagaraja
5. Mayamma-Ahiri-Syamasastry
6. Rama Nannu-Harikhamboji-Thyagaraja[R,N,S]
7. Brahma Kadigina-Mukhari-Annamacharya
8. Anandamritha-Amruthavarshini-Dikshitar
9. Raama Raama-Simhendramadhyamam-Swathi Tirunal[R,S,T]
10. Kurai Ondrum Illai-Ragamalika-Rajaji
11. Bhavayami Gopala-Yamunakalyani-Annamacharya
12. Katrinile Varum-Savitri-Kalki Krishnamurthi
13. Maithreem bhajatha
14. Pavamana-Sowrastram-Thyagaraja

As this was thyagaraja aradhana, she announced that most of the krithis would be of the Saint! It was such a wonderful feeling to listen to all these songs on the same day. "Tera Teeyaga Raadha" was a perfect start for the concert. Then came the beautiful "Marubalka". The moment she announced the song, many heads in the concert hall nodded in joy!(So many people love this song!) And a perfect justice was done to the ragam. A round of speed swarams came up in the charanam. Anupamagunambudhi and Sadhamathin both had beautiful sangathis. Mayamma was also played very well.

A very special mentioning is required for this extra ordinary Harikhamboji. I think the entire piece went on for more than 35 mins. The support over the violin was exceedingly beautiful. There was a very detail alapana followed by the evergreen krithi. The neraval and swarams were at the lines "Meppulakai". The Mukhari piece was a perfect choice for the crowd of Hyderabad. I was so moved when this beautiful raga emerged from her flute. It was such an indescribable ecstasy when good music touches your heart! A brisk Amrithavarshini came up next.

Main piece was Simhendramadhyamam. It has been ages since Hyderabadis got to hear this ragam. The alapana was elaborate and was full of melody. Her style of playing left audience amused, it was so extra ordinary. At a point when she was doing the alapana, entire hall broke into thunderous applause for the way she played it! The thaniavarthanam that followed was very very enjoyable. This was another concert I enjoyed the most during this season in Hyderabad.

Simple words, I'd say the concert was full of divine music. There was no hurry. Everything was perfectly in place. A beautiful concert planning, entertaining song list that would reach the hearts of scholars as well as the normal listeners made it a memorable concert. After 4 years Mala Ma'am came here and she made us all very happy with her music.

[rajeshnat]

12. Katrinile Varum-Sindhubhairavi-Kalki Krishnamurthi

Revanth
The ragam of this song is sAvithri, Tx for another great review .

[revanthv552]

Pleasure rajeshnat,
Didnt know that was raga Savithri, I once heard a composition of Ganapathi Sachidananda Swamiji in this raga.
Anyways, shall make the change thanks for the correction