Gayathri Girish @ Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan-05 Dec 2017

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Bhavan’s Cultural Festival 2017
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mylapore, Chennai
05.12.2017
05.00-06.50 pm

Gayathri Girish-Vocal
V V S Murari-Violin
Shertalai K Ananthakrishnan-Mridangam
G Harihara Sharma-Kanjira

Sruti- 5.5 kattai (G*)
(both e sruti and Tambura instrument used)


1.Ranjani -Varnam- Ambhoruha padhame- Aadi- GNB
2.Vasantha- Seethamma Mayamma- Rupakam- Tyagaraja
3.Natakurinji- Vazhi Maraiththirukkudhe-Misra Chapu- Gopalakrishna Bharathi
4.Arabhi- Narasimha Mamava- Khanta Chapu- Maharaja Swati Tirunal
5.Subhapantuvarali- EnnaLu Oorake - Misra Chapu- Tyagaraja
6.Kapi- Jo Achyuthananda- Khanta Chapu- Annamacharya
7.Ragamalika- Shanmukhapriya Nayakan -Aadi- N.S.Chidambaram
8.Sindhu Bhairavi- Tillana- Aadi - Oothukadu Venkatakavi

The concert offered a good selection to fit in a well attended, brief evening slot. Gayathri was perhaps opening her December season engagements with this concert and the beginning has been quite impressive. Her voice was in fine mettle.

The varnam in Ranjani enabled Gayathri to take up two suddhamadhyama kritis in succession – Seethamma maayamma (vasantha) in medium tempo and Naatakurinji in vilambakala. While the former was marked by a few rounds of compact kalpanaswaras at the Charana passage (Dharanija bhagavataagresaru), Vazhimaraithirukkudhu was preceded by an elegant alapana of Natakurinji with a streak of ragabhedam to Neelaambari in the upper octave. Rendering of the kriti was as composed as the maadu (Nandi) relaxing in front of the Lord but it neither obstructed the singer in recapitulating the plight of the character portrayed by the author nor foraying into the bhava aspects in detail.

Swati Tirunal’s Narasimha maamava (famed by the Sermmangudi school) provided the right contrast to proceed to the main suite in Subhapantuvarali. The aalapana was neat and covered the tristhaayis with commendable ease.

If I anticipated Sree Sathyanarayanam (Dikshitar), the singer’s choice was the time tested Tyagaraja masterpiece. Neraval was at the Charana passage Sathimaata. Swaraprastara at moonu maatrai talli eduppu of a buoyant misrachapu was laced with good vyavahara but without sacrifice to aesthetics.

Murari gave good violin support. Some of his returns in the mandrasthaayi during the singer’s aalaapana had a soothing effect. Ananthakrishnan who has got a fine sense of proportion, gave brilliant support in the mridangam and the Tani segment with Harihara sharma (Kanjira) was frief and beautiful.

Jo Achyutananda did bring memories of the Annamacharaya sankirtana immortalised by M S Subhalakshmi.

To me, the Ragamaalika Shanmukhapriya nayakan seemed to be an abridged version of another longer, brighter composition beginning Shanmukhapriya devi adiyan ennai aadari popularised by veteran Vidwan Manakkal Rangarajan years ago. Gayathri could well attempt to retrieve this cmposition.

The kutcheri that ended with Oothkadu’s Tillana was quite satisfying and aesthetic. The acoustics in the Auditorium was very good.

[pperumal]

Gayathri Girish is grossly under-rated. A veteran performer with a solid stock!!
- PP.