Smt. Gayathri Girish at Kalarasana January 2.

kamalamba · Post by **kamalamba** » 03 Jan 2009, 17:06

Smt. Gayathri Girish-vocal
Sri. Sanjeev-violin
Sri. Ganapathiraman Mridangam
Sri. N Shankar Kanjira

As with her other concerts this season, this was a brilliant concert. I borrow a fellow rasikas words here to say that I have stopped comparing between Gayathri's concerts. Each concert exposes new facets of her enormous skill and vidwat. She takes the trouble to present many rare kritis. The team was exceptional as well. In particular, I have immensely enjoyed Sanjeev's violin accompaniment.

1. Varnam - Kanada - Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar (ata tala varnam).
2. Vara Vallabha - Hamsadhwani - G.N.Balasubramaniam. This composition had some nice unusual sangathis and a nice garland of swaras.
3. Arula Vendum - Saramati - Dandapani Desikar. A very touching composition that was presented at a leisurely pace allowing Saramati to take its full effect.
4. Lokavana Chatura - Begada - Tyagaraja. There was an excellent, albeit, abbreviated alapana. I was very pleased that she took this somewhat rare kriti of Thyagaraja, rather than the more common Nadopasana.
5. Bruhadambikaayai - Vasantha - Muthuswami Dikshitar. Again this Dikshitar masterpiece was rendered brilliantly.
6. Saravana Bhava Guhane - Madhyamavathi - Papanasam Sivan. An elaborate alapana was matched very well by Sanjeev. Most unfortunately, I could not concentrate on her alapana as my neighbor was busy calling several folks on his cell phone and a few rows behind a couple of "critics" were chatting incessantly. This nuisance requires a new post. The Tani was performed following an elaborate swarakalpana period.
7. Telisi Rama - Purnachandrika - Tyagaraja
8. RTP - Hemavathi - Misra Jathi Triputa (Velane nin padhame konden alava tiruchendur valar vadi). I enjoyed this RTP which was followed by swarakalpana in among others, Amrithavarshini, Suruti, Kanada (I may not recollect one or two ragas here). The RTP did not seem to be an add-on as it happens in so many concerts but occupied a good and fulfilling 35 minutes.
9. Chinnanjiru Kiliye - Ragamalika. It was the first time I hear this song in "FULL". There were some brilliant passages in Hindolam and Nilambari, that I gather were set to tune by none other than TNS sir.
10. Muruganin Marupeyar - Behag
11. Mangalam

In all, one of the very best concerts I heard this season.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 04 Jan 2009, 07:37

kamalamba wrote: 10. Muruganin Marupeyar - Behag

This is by swAmi surajAnaNdA

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 04 Jan 2009, 07:38

kamalamba wrote: 10. Muruganin Marupeyar - Behag

This is by swAmi surajAnaNdA

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 04 Jan 2009, 08:02

Liked the Saramathi and Vasantha Krithis. Were very emotive. Madhyamavathi Swarams were nice. The RTP was rendered neatly with Anulomam and Pratilomam done for the Pallavi and Shubhapanthuvarali was also one of the Ragams in the Ragamalika if I remember right. The transitions between Ragams was done well.

Sathej

kamalamba · Post by **kamalamba** » 04 Jan 2009, 08:39

Thanks Sathej and Rajeshnat for the additional inputs. Shubhapantuvarali was indeed one of the ragams in the Ragamalika.
Sathej , too bad that we do not recognize each other. Perhaps we should have badges? to recognize each other in the next season.

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 04 Jan 2009, 13:41

True..there goes the idea of a badge again

Sathej

srutibedam · Post by **srutibedam** » 04 Jan 2009, 17:54

She puts in a lot of hard work and tries innovative things. I liked the concert too. If she works on the liveliness and entertainment aspects, without of course bringing down the quality, the joy element would increase by leaps and bounds. For instance, I felt that she could have given more in the last lap of the hamsadhvani swaram, which always has rich potential for captivating the audience. The Vasantha piece, of course, was very enthralling. Some alterations in the thukkada presentation too would go very far in that direction. But the highlight of the concert was the RTP in Hemavati etc. Rare one. Three cheers to GG.

srutibedam · Post by **srutibedam** » 04 Jan 2009, 19:03

Arulavendum and the Bekada pieces were very soothing.

I wonder how many saw it this way. The violinist took longer duration in his solo than the singer in more than one ragam.

Secondly, in Hemavati, the violinist took a different approach, much at variance to the mood created by the vocalist.

kamalamba · Post by **kamalamba** » 04 Jan 2009, 19:07

I agree in Begada the violinist played a bit longer than GG. That said, since he did a very good job I didn't mind it.