Shri O.S. Arun accompanied by Sri B.V. Raghavedra Rao on the violin, Shri M.S. Venkatasubramanian on the Mridangam, Shri S. Ganapathi on the Tabla, Shri N. Chandrasedhar on the Harmonium.
On behalf of the ongoing Aadi Isai Vizha concert series, Shri O.S.Arun and his team presented a very lively and soulful concert yesterday.
His concert was a melange of classical and devotional songs straight from the heart. A music so pure,festive and happy that connected the rasikas to the Thillai Nataraja himself and many a times the audience were encouraged to participate along with him as is the case of Bhajanai Sampradaya.
Song List
Amma Ananda Daayini - Gambeera NAttai - Pada Varnam by Shri Balamuralikrishna.
Karpaga Manohara - Malaya Marutham - Papanaasham Shivan
Idathu padham ThUkki Aadum - Kamas - Papanaasham Shivan
Lingashtakam - Aadi Shankarar
Karunai Deivame Karpagame - Sindhu Bhairavi - Madurai Srinivasan
Dikkugal ettum sidari - Kapi and Pantuvarali based - Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiyar
Mahadeva Shiva Shambo ending with Bo Shambo - Revathi
Vishmakara Kannan - senjuritti - Oothukadu Venkata Subbaiar
kandavarku kanavilum-kunthalavarali-Swarnam Vvenkatesha deekshitar
Karpagame Kadai Kan Paarai - Madhyamavathi - Papanaasham Shivan
Shri O.S. Arun opened the concert with the beautiful pada varnam of Mangalampalli Shri Balamuralikrishna.
With a brief alapana he gracefully glided through the varnam, showing the various shades of Bhakthi bhava in the line "Shive Shive Shive". Following was a beautiful alapanai of Malayamarutham "Karpaga Manohara" on Lord shiva with colourful splashes of kalpanaswaram at "karpaga".
He did a very beautiful Alapanai on Kamas and Shri Raghavendra Rao's reply was equally pleasing. "Idathu Padham thooki aadum" was dynamic which had a brilliant kalpanaswarams ending at the same line. His facial expressions, gestures, the way he splits the swaras and stresses on the diction, brought a dance drama effect which was a treat to watch and enjoy. Very beautifully played Mridhangam by M.S.Venkatasubramanian at "Thiruvadi Chilambugal galeer galeer yena" added to the effect further.
At this point it slowly started drizzling and he took us to a bhajan mode by singing Lingashtakam encouraging to clap and sing along with him.
With a neat and unhurried sketch of Sindhu Bhairavi he presented "Karunai Deivame Karpagame" which drenched us further to soak in his music and Bhakthi.
Yet another unusual and fabulous presentation was "Dhikkugal Ettum Sidari" a Subramanya Bharathi composition which brought back life to the rain that had slowly subsided.
"Mahadeva Shiva Shambo" in Revathi was itself complete without any alapanai or swarams but he ended it beautifully with "Bo Shambo Shiva Shambo".
As a request from the audience he happily yielded to singing "Vishama Kaara Kannan" which distracted the theme of the concert a bit. Nevertheless his switch over to mukhari at "Mukhari paada solli vambukkizhuppan" brought out the child in all of us.
This was followed by a small song, that I did not know.
Rest of the songs were "Kandavarku Kanavilum" in kunthalavarali and "Karpagame kadai kan Paarai" in Madhyamavathi that ended the concert.
O.S. Arun's concert apart from the classical aspect, was structured to stress the devotional aspect of the songs and please the wide variety of rasikas present yesterday.