The concert, which lasted over 3.5 hours, was very enjoyable and despite the lateness of the hour (the concert ended well past 11 PM) very few members of the audience seemed restless or left early.
The pieces played in the concert included : (A - Alapana, N - Neraval, S - (kalpana)Swaram) 1) entO prEma - surati - Adi - tiruvatriyUr tyAgayyar (a) 2) mariyAda - bhairavam - Adi - tyAgarAja 3) EkAmrESa - karnAtaka Sudhdha sAvEri - Adi - dIkshitar (S) 4) vA muruga vA - bEgada - rUpakam - (Spencer) R. vENugOpAl (A) 5) nannu vidachi - rItigauLa - miSracApu - tyAgarAja 6) Sri sathyanArAyaNam - SubhapantuvarALi - rUpakam(2k) - dIkshitar (A) 7) cakkani rAja - kharaharapriyA - Adi - tyAgarAja (AS) tani Avartanam by Sivakumar 8) ISane kOtisUrya prakASane - naLinakAnti - miSracApu - muttutANdavar 9) rAgam tAnam pallavi -hindOLam - tisra triputa (khanda nadai) (sama eduppu, kArvai of 6 beats (where the total length of the tALam is 7X5 = 35) after arudi) "veNNai tinna chinna tanama, vENugOpAlA" rAgamalika swarams in kEdAram, mOhanam, hamsanAdam and madhuvanti 10) mayil mIdu - vAsanti (mOhanam with Suddha dhaivatam) - ?? 11) innu daya - kalyANavasantam - khandacApu - purandaradAsa 12) vaLLi kaNavan - cencurutti (??) - Adi - kiLi kanni of subbarAyaswAmi 13) tA taiyendru - sindhubhairavi - Adi - gOpAlakrshNa bhArati 14) mangaLam
Some of my thoughts about their concert.
The overall concert seemed well balanced (except for one point that I mention later). Though in the beginning Nithya (for short) seemed a little tired and the concert did not warm up (kaLai kattalai) for the first few pieces, once it did there was no stopping her.
The start of the concert with the surati varNam was a refreshing change from the standard abhOgi/bhairavi/mOhanam/bEgada varNams. The elaborate swarams sung for ekAmrEsa were proof of Nithya's laya ability; it also showed that she was not a believer in the "brief is better" principle, which some people associate with the DKP/DKJ school. (It is hard to avoid thinking of her lineage given how famous it is!) However Sri sathyanArAyaNam in SubhapantuvarALi was proof of her belonging to this school - justly known for its exposition of kritis in general and dIkshitar kritis in particular. The overall rendition was closely patterned after DKP's famous LP recording of this song and the first three quarters of the AlApana seemed to be identical, note-for-note, to DKP's AlApana.
The kharaharapriyA AlApana before the "main piece" was excellent and the many phrases ending with "p d n p d" or "p d n d p d" or "p d n n d" etc. were ample testimony to Nithya's manOdharma. Her voice was in fine fettle and brigAs flowed freely - however what was interesting to me was her use of kArvais in the earlier part of the AlApana. The audience seemed very relieved at her choice of Cakkani rAja and there was enthusiastic "tALam-putting", especially during the kriti itself. The kalpana swarams which followed the kriti, though competent, did not stick in my mind. The only thing I remember is the use of several gOpuccha yati patterns; this also featured in Sivakumar's tani. The khanda(?) nadai interlude in his tani was also very pleasing.
That brings me to the one aspect that jarred about the "balance" of the concert - no neraval (except in the RTP). This is not the first time I have heard Nithya sing and I have noticed this feature in atleast two other concerts of hers (one at bhArat kalachAr and the other at mylApore Fine Arts - both in Madras). I personally feel that a neraval early in the concert sets the mood well. Even if that is not done, it is desirable that atleast the main piece should include one. In the case of cakkani rAja, anyone who has heard madurai maNi ayyar's neraval at "kantiki" would probably attest to the melodious possibilities of neraval in this song.
The two short songs that I found very enjoyable were the song in naLinakAnti and sindhubhairavi - the latter was like a tillAna and its use of jatis was quite thrilling, especially given Nithya's clear enunciation. I wonder who set these songs to music, in particular the muttutAndavar song.
Kannan's accompaniment was melodious; his AlApana in hindOLam was excellent.
Another crib I have is that Sivakumar kept on "repairing" his mridangam (checking the sruti and raising/lowering it) and drumming every now and then during the AlApana and tAnam. This was extremely disturbing. Perhaps he was following a famous mridangist of yesteryear! :-)
If they are performing in your neighbourhood, do not miss their concert.
Ramana
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