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Injikkudi E.M.Subramaniam’s nagaswaram was coaxed into a wary friendship with the violin, mridangam and kanjira. If the combination didn’t exactly gel as a team, it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. Each artiste fared well in his individual capacity. The stumbling block came in the form of kalapramana and an occasionally recalcitrant Kala which charted a willful course until it was sternly yanked back on approximate track by majority consensus.A brisk start with Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Thathvamariya tharama’ (Ritigowla) and measured swaraprastara revealed that the main artiste was indeed in form. A brief sketch of ‘Gangeyabhushani’ (mela 33) was an intriguing lead-up to Tyagaraja’s ‘Evvare Ramaiyya.’ The kriti, played at a meditative pace, was a piece of finely etched craftsmanship, the accurately captured vivadhi notes testifying to the artiste’s sadhana.Though the percussive department grew rather enthusiastic and leaned towards a quickening of pace, the main artiste held firm to his chosen kalapramana with resolution. Tyagaraja’s ‘Nee Bhakti Bhagya’ (Jayamanohari) with limited kalpanaswaras adopted a sprightly gait.One of Subramaniam’s strengths is the piercing intensity and utter steadiness of the shadja, both in madhya and tara sthayi the bedrock on which his creative forays rest. This asset came to the fore in his alapanas of Lathangi and Khambodi. Crystal-clear gamakas glittered in the firmament of Lathangi. Whether in the handling of a gently oscillated dhaivata or superfast brigas, an organic unity was evident in the raga’s development.Papanasam Sivan’s ’Venkataramana’ with disciplined ordering of sangatis carried the impact of a vocal rendition, the sarvalaghu swaras interspersed with characteristic swirls unique to the instrument.The artiste scored again with Papanasam Sivan’s poignant ‘Thunai Purindarul’ (Varamu). Seasoned pidis and a natural progression of ideas shaped Khambodi, particularly in the tara sthayi.After a decisive rounding off at the shadja, the exposition settled down to a leisurely exploration of the madhya sthayi at the panchama and gandhara suite via long, intertwined garlands.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
With intensity as strength
Meditative: Injikkudi E.M. Subramaniam.Every once in a while, artistes or organisers make a conscious attempt to come up with something different. This time round though, you wished a bee hadn’t buzzed in someone’s bonnet at the TTD Information Centre because it meant a change in the customary accompanying instrument for a nagaswaram recital.
Obliged to part from its majestic tradition-bound partnership with the thavil, Injikkudi E.M.Subramaniam’s nagaswaram was coaxed into a wary friendship with the violin, mridangam and kanjira. If the combination didn’t exactly gel as a team, it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. Each artiste fared well in his individual capacity. The stumbling block came in the form of kalapramana and an occasionally recalcitrant tala which charted a wilful course until it was sternly yanked back on approximate track by majority consensus.
A brisk start with Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Thathvamariya tharama’ (Ritigowla) and measured swaraprastara revealed that the main artiste was indeed in form. A brief sketch of ‘Gangeyabhushani’ (mela 33) was an intriguing lead-up to Tyagaraja’s ‘Evvare Ramaiyya.’ The kriti, played at a meditative pace, was a piece of finely etched craftsmanship, the accurately captured vivadhi notes testifying to the artiste’s sadhana.
Though the percussive department grew rather enthusiastic and leaned towards a quickening of pace, the main artiste held firm to his chosen kalapramana with resolution. Tyagaraja’s ‘Nee Bhakti Bhagya’ (Jayamanohari) with limited kalpanaswaras adopted a sprightly gait.Steady shadja
One of Subramaniam’s strengths is the piercing intensity and utter steadiness of the shadja, both in madhya and tara sthayi — the bedrock on which his creative forays rest. This asset came to the fore in his alapanas of Lathangi and Khambodi. Crystal-clear gamakas glittered in the firmament of Lathangi. Whether in the handling of a gently oscillated dhaivata or superfast brigas, an organic unity was evident in the raga’s development.
Papanasam Sivan’s ’Venkataramana’ with disciplined ordering of sangatis carried the impact of a vocal rendition, the sarvalaghu swaras interspersed with characteristic swirls unique to the instrument.
The artiste scored again with Papanasam Sivan’s poignant ‘Thunai Purindarul’ (Varamu). Seasoned pidis and a natural progression of ideas shaped Khambodi, particularly in the tara sthayi.
After a decisive rounding off at the shadja, the exposition settled down to a leisurely exploration of the madhya sthayi at the panchama and gandhara suite via long, intertwined garlands.
The kizhkala swaras for Tyagaraja’s ‘Evarimata’ were rounded off with definitive vadi-samvadi permutations, the slow swinging gait drawing the listener irresistibly into the mood and moment.
V.L Kumar’s electronically amplified violin tone was on a par with the nagaswaram’s volume. Swayed by the main artiste’s drift, he produced eventful essays and octave-traversing passages in his raga expositions.
Tirupati P.B.V.Krishnamachari (mridangam) and Thiruvananthapuram D. Rajagopal (kanjira) enriched content with deft rhythmic patterns.
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