Date 3rd December
Venue Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Prince Rama Varma with Avaneeswaram S.R. Vinu on the violin, Sri Harikumar on the Mridhangam and Dr. Karthick on the Ghatam
LIST OF SONGS
Bhairavi Ata thala varnam - Pacchimiriyam Adiyappa
Sudha Mayee Sudha Nidhi - Amruthavarshini - rupakam - Harikeshanallur Muthaiah Bhagavathar
Raminchuvarevarura - Suposhini - Adi - Tyagaraja Krithi
Anjaneya Raghurama - Saveri - Adi - Swathi Thirunal Krithi
Komma - Yadukula Kamboji - Khanda chapu - Tallapakka Annamayya
Ninnaiye Rathi yendru - Sindhubhairavi - Adi - Subramanya Bharathiyar
Sri Rama namam maruvam - Shankarabharanam based - Adi Thalam, Tisra gathi - Bhadrachala Ramadasar
Hindolam Thillana - Sri Balamuralikrishna
Here is the review of this concert that came in the 'Hindu today', written by Sri.G. Swaminathan.. .
With little paraphernalia and a malleable masculine voice, Prince Rama Varma exhibited his musical prowess.
Sincerity and devotion pervaded all his presentations right from the opening ‘Viriboni’, Bhairavi Ata thala varnam to the concluding Hindolam tillana. The first raga essay was Amritavarshini. It carried his musical virtuosity and at the same time exhibited voice control. His phrases and fleeting touches were fresh and impressive. In ‘Sudhamayee’ of Muthiah Bhagavatar, he added a precise niraval and a swara pact onto ‘Sarasijakshi’. The subtle round of swara exchanges tuned to match the rhythmic pattern shared by the entire ensemble was quite a treat.
Saveri was the raga of the evening and Rama Varma expanded it with extreme care and delicacy. He presented Swati Thirunal’s ‘Anjaneya Raghuvara’ and embellished it with a swarakalpana on ‘Janakasudha’.
When the singer underplays a musical portion, the team automatically follows . SR Vinu on the violin was pleasing in every way. His feather touch bowing and fingering matched the vocalist’s in every phrase and in total. Thani avartanam by B. Harikumar on the mridangam and S Karthick on the ghatam started off on a soft note but ended with vigour.
After the thani, compositions such as the Yadukulakhambodi kriti of Annamayya and Bharathi’s ‘Ninneyae Rati Endru’ in Sindubhairavi took the stage. The concert was a gratifying experience for those who want music to be soothing to the senses.