Saralaya Sisters at Gayana Samaja, 17th Jan 2008

[sowmya]

Vocal : Vid. Triveni & Vid. Kavita [Saralaya Sisters]
Violin : Vid. Nalina Mohan
Mridangam : Vid. Poongulam Subrahmanyam
Kanjira : Vid. Guruprasanna

Venue : Gayana Samaja, Bangalore. 17-01-2008
Theme : Compositions of Sri Purandaradasar

[Late, as usual on a weekday…]
1. Kande naa govindana – Saveri – Adi [Ugabhoga, S]
2. Karuniso ranga – Mohanakalyani – Rupaka
3. Naaraayana enniro – Vasanta – Adi [R,S]
4. Chandrachooda shiva – Ragamalika – Adi
5. Odi baarayya vaikunthapati – Bhairavi – Adi [R]
6. Naaraayana ninna – Shuddhadhanyasi – Khandachapu
7. Nambi kettavarillavo – Kalyani – Mishrachapu [R,N,S,T]
8. Innu dayabaarade - ??? – Khandachapu
9. Ninna bhaktiyanu – Hamirkalyani – Adi
10. Jagadoddhaarana – Kapi- Adi
11. Daasana maadiko – Nadanamakriya – Adi
12. Bhagyada lakshmi – Madhyamavathi – Adi
13. Govinda ninna - ??? – Adi
14. Tillana - ??? – Adi

Nice concert by Saralaya sisters . I hadn’t heard the first couple of compositions, but the latter ones were mostly familiar. They sync well together. Individually, Kavita’s voice was stronger, and I liked it better. But still, the effect was better when they were singing together, than either of them individually.

The compositions were all rendered well. Nice alapana for Bhairavi and Kalyani. Neraval at ‘Garudagamana shri purandaravithala’ was superb. Swaras were also sung very well. Nalina Mohan was very good on the violin. Provided a steady accompaniment to whatever the sisters sang. Both Mridangam and Kanjira were good to hear. Guruprasanna would often stop playing when Mridangam was going on, and several times, we saw Triveni urging him to play on...

They sang a tillana at the end, which used the words Hari Kunida from a devaranama of Purandaradasar. They thanked Anoor Anantakrishna Sharma for helping them compose this and the Varnam which they sang first. Missed that... I’d have liked to see what sort of Varnam they composed, presumably using Purandasar’s lyrics…

The post-main session was longer than I expected [nearly 45 min]. I thought the concert would end at 9.30, but they sang till 9.45. I don’t know if that was because they started later than the scheduled 6.30, or if they just sang for a longer time.

[arasi]

Sowmya,
Thanks for the review. I would like to catch a concert of theirs as well.
They sing at The BTM Cultural Academy at Ramana Maharishi Academy in JPNagar on the 21st at 5-30.

[rajaglan]

Any idea, they are from which school of music (meaning guru and guru's guru...)

[cienu]

I understand that one of their Gurus is Smt Seethalakshmi Venkatesan of Bangalore , who is herself from the Semmangudi school. Are you attending their concert at BTM on the 21st Arasi?

[rajaglan]

Thanks cienu for teh details.

[arasi]

cienu,
I am planning to, if something else doesn't crop up...

[sowmya]

Sowmya,
Thanks for the review. I would like to catch a concert of theirs as well.
They sing at The BTM Cultural Academy at Ramana Maharishi Academy in JPNagar on the 21st at 5-30.

I know. BTM Academy has a nice lineup next week, but it is too far for me to make it on weekdays. Planning to attend O S Thyagarajan's concert on 26th...