Nithyashree Mahadevan at Gayana Samaja, 14th Jan 2008

[sowmya]

Vocal : Vid. Nithyashree Mahadevan
Violin : Vid. M A Krishnaswamy
Mridangam ; Vid. Patri Sathish Kumar
Ghatam : Vid. Srishailam

Venue : Gayana Samaja, Bangalore. 14-01-2008
Theme : Compositions of Shyama Shastri


1. Ninnuvinaa marigaladaa – Reetigowla – Tishra Adi [R]
2. Enneramum – Poorvikalyani – Mishrachapu
3. Paraakela nannu – Kedaragowla – Adi
4. Nannu brovu – Lalitha – Mishrachapu [O]
5. Devi brova – Chintamani – Adi
6. Shankari Shankuru – Saveri – Tishra Adi [R,N,S]
7. Tarunamidamma – Gowlipantu – Adi
8. Kamakshi [Swarajathi] – Bhairavi – Mishrachapu [R,S,T]
9. Parvathi ninu ne – Kalagada – Adi
10. Enneramum – Punnagavarali – Adi
11. Shankari Shankari [Mangalam] – Kalyani – Ata

We walked in as Nithyashree was in the middle of a nice alapana in Reetigowla. After that, what followed was a series of majestic kritis of Shyama Shastri [that being the theme of the concert] – Ninnuvinaa was rendered well. So was the Lalitha kriti, which was very emotive. Devi brova is one of my favourite compositions, but her pathantara varied from what I’m used to, particularly in some of my favourite phrases. As a result, I didn’t appreciate it much. What I noticed was that, in contrast to this morning’s concert by Srikanthan sir, most compositions in this concert were highly popular ones...

I was getting faintly irritated at the lack of manodharma, when she launched into an elaborate Saveri. The alapana was ok, but the neraval and swarams were done well. The best part of the concert, from my PoV, was the alapana in Bhairavi. I heard the same raga, in a very short form, in the morning by R K Srikanthan. I was hoping it had lasted longer. I got my fill of the raga now, with an alapana which lasted for more than 15 min. The Swarajathi is a masterpiece which I never tire of hearing. But I felt the mood built up by the rendition of the composition was ruined by swarakalpana. I was expecting Neraval, better suited to its bhava. Without it, the sudden transition from the compact swaras of Shyama Shastrigal to a totally different kind of swarakalpana was a bit jarring.

Violin was good, esp in the alapanas for Saveri and Bhairavi. Tani avartanam was well appreciated by the audience [my knowledge of percussion is woefully poor for me to judge]…

[Vocalist]

Yes, I can imagine that would have been the case for the swarakalpana in Bhairavi, but her alapanas in that raga can be very effective. I expect the Begada Varnam would have been rendered first. Btw, how long did this concert last? She has packed quite a few compositions into this one concert. Thanks so much for the songlist and review.

[rajaglan]

hi sowmya,

Thanks for the update.

I am also keen to know how much this concert took?

The concert planning is good in the sense, she replaced RTP with a Swara jathi. But a neraval on kamakshi is more suited and sufficient enough. Hearing Saveri from Nithyashri must be great and though popular I like that song sankari sanguru.

Yes I agree on ' lots of popular krithi'. I always wonder why people have to render popular krithis. Popular raga(for main) is fine as that was the original idea of CM veterans but why cannot someone take a different krithis. May be sponcer's insistence?

[sowmya]

The concert was actually shorter than three hours. She must have started at 6.30, and wrapped up at 9.15. The number of compositions just meant lesser time for manodharma than is usual..

I agree. At thematic concerts like this, popular krithis are fine. But I expected rare ones too.. Hence, a bit disappointed with her list. There must be quite a few superb kritis of Shyama Shastri which are rarely heard. I'd have liked a couple of those..

[Vocalist]

With the exception of the main (to my knowledge), all the other compositions were often sung by DKP/DKJ. I'm surprised she took the swarajathi instead of the other Bhairavi krithi that the dynamic duo would sing.

[kssuresh]

This must be a rare, if not the only, occasion when Nithyashree's mridangam accompanist was somebody other than her father.

Suresh

[Vocalist]

This must be a rare, if not the only, occasion when Nithyashree's mridangam accompanist was somebody other than her father.

Suresh

not really...she performed with another mridhangist mid last year at odakkathur...