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MADRAS MUSIC MELA 2001 - REVIEWS |
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NITHYASREE MAHADEVAN - DELIGHT FOR THE AUDIENCE |
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Kartik Fine Arts presented a concert by Nithyasree Mahadevan (recipient of the Sabha’s title Isai Peroli) to a full house (around 1000 people) at Narada Gana Sabha Hall on 9th December. Nithyasree seemed to be suffering from a sore throat, but rallied round to present a full three-hour concert. The first half of the concert featured two rare Kriti-s, Kamakshi in Begada and Kayarohanesam in Bhimpalas, but only Isane in Nalinakanti proved to be a great hit with the audience! The main item of the day, which included Raga Alapana, Neraval, Swaraprastara and Tani Avartanam, was Adigisukhamu in Madhyamavati. The Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi in Shanmukhapriya proved to be an obligatory feature, with lyrics incorporating the name of the organization (Kartik) and the title bestowed on her (Peroli). This was largely because a great amount of time was spent on a Ragamalika item (Ragattil sirandadu) featuring more than thirty ragas. |
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The
pride of place given to this composition, which should rightly have been
sung only as a Tukkada item, seemed quite inappropriate. It is a different
matter that most of the audience lapped it up, as proved by the thunderous
applause. Similar response greeted Bharatiyar’s song, Bharata
Samudayam. |
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Nithyasree has a voice that very easily handles briga-s. This seems to result in an overdose of frills, trills and thrills in every item she sings, but it sometimes results in some of the phrases verging on the unmusical. Among all the creative aspects, only the Raga Alapana reveals some amount of imagination; everything else comes across as having been learnt by rote, with little spontaneity. This impression was perhaps heightened by the fact that her father, I Sivakumar, accompanied her on this day. At times, the coordination between father and daughter was so pat, that the anticipation on his part stepped into the zone of preemption. There was so much of Kalpita (rehearsed) Swaraprastara that no room seemed to have been allotted to Kalpana (on the spot) Swaraprastara. Her Kalapramanam also tends to waver quite a bit. Another thing about her music is that her handling of characteristic gamakas in essentially Carnatic ragas leave a lot to be desired. In this particular concert, the oscillations and other ornamental features in ragas like Begada, Shanmukhapriya and Madhyamavati fell flat in important places. As the grand-daughter of D K Pattammal, one expects her to do better in such areas. She would do well to improve these dimensions, rather than getting carried away by popular response. Artistes have a responsibility to educate the audience too. |
Raghavendra Rao’s
violin accompaniment was competent and unobtrusive. His Madhyamavati Raga
Alapana was lackluster, however. The percussion team featuring I Sivakumar
(Mridangam), Madipakkam Murali (Ghatam) and A S Krishnan (Morsing) was
nothing out of the ordinary. A S Krishnan scored extra points
during the Tani Avartanam for imaginative handling of the Morsing. A few words about the organizers and the hall management. Whoever is in charge of audio arrangements at Narada Gana Sabha Hall seems to think that the best sound balance is achieved by minimizing the amplification of the violin while maximizing that of the vocalist. This needs to be rectified. Another complaint has to be laid at the door of the organizers, for selling more tickets than the maximum capacity of the hall. A number of people were consequently seated on the sides of the stage. After all, the management of Karthik Fine Arts would have anticipated a large audience turnout for Nithyasree, or else they would have featured her at one of the smaller venues that they regularly use. It is not too much to ask that when a hall like the one in Narada Gana Sabha has numbered rows and seats, the organizers would do well to sell tickets in accordance with the seating plan. |
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Reviewer's Ratings: Fidelity to sruti - 65 % Estimated Audience Ratings: Audience in hall - More
than 100 % Remarks: - Nisshanka |
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Posted on December 12, 2001 |
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