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Garland of nine ragamalikas
Ragamalika Manjari Maharajapuram S. Srinivasan and Maharajapuram S. Ganesh Viswanathan (vocal support) Carnatic classical CD - Price - Rs. 199
Making a melodic statement.
Among the various musical forms that enrich the art of Carnatic music, the ragamalika has a singular appeal to both the learned and the laity. Ragamalika is a beautiful garland comprising different ragas in the structure that enhance the aesthetic quotient of the composition. It used to be known as Raga Kadambakam in days of yore. Maharajapuram S. Srinivasan, with his son Ganesh Viswanathan providing vocal support, has rendered nine ragamalikas in this audio album beginning with the popular navaragamalika varnam of Patnam Subramania Iyer in Adi talam. The sprightly gait and the sruti alignment are conducive to pleasant listening, a small fly is the nishadam expressed as such while the singing is in the panchama groove, a common error among performers.
‘Vinayaka Vigna Vinayaka,’ a Sanskrit composition of Swami Ganapati Sachidananda in the gana raga melodies Nattai, Gowla, Arabhi, Varali and Sri Raga are embellished by kalpanaswaras in all the ragas by the duo, the younger artiste showing much promise in his sequences.
The reverse swara passages, ending with a korvai in Nattai are meticulously handled with captivating sarvalagu matrices. ‘Velan Varuvarodi’ in Shanmukhapriya, Khambodi, Saveri, Bilahari and Kedaragowla is a handsome effort, while Purandaradasa’s ‘Kelo Sachcharita’ in Maand, Durbari, Tilang, Vijayanagari and Desh truly transports the rasika to an elevated devotional plane. Padmacharan’s ‘Manave Mantralaya’ is on Guru Raghavendra. es
Nalinakanti, Bhairavi, Vasanthabhairavi, Kedaram, Saranga, Ranjani, Nilambari, Kalyani, Mukhari, Shanmukhapriya, Khambodi and Hamsanandi are chosen by Krishnaswamy for his ‘Nalini Kanti Mathim’ that has been given a compelling melodic statement by the singers underlining that salvation through music is the easiest mode of worship.
‘Ksheerabdi Kannige’ in Kuranji, Yamuna Kalyani, Durbari Kanada, Sindubhairavi and Manirangu is a Purandaradasa composition, and the father and son have exhibited a spontaneous overflow of bhakti and emotional involvement. Cuddalore Subramanyam’s ‘Ragathil Siranda Ragam Edhu’ crowns the programme in style. A couple of traditional weighty ragamalikas by Dikshitar, Veena Kuppaier Seetharamayya would have also been appropriate for this imaginative agenda.
S.P.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
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