News - Views - Reviews
MADRAS MUSIC MELA 2001
SRIRAM PARTHASARATHY - FULL-THROATED AND BRISK SINGING
Sriram Parthasarathy’s afternoon concert at the Music Academy on 15th December was a refreshingly different experience. Sriram has a powerful voice, with a good range, which he puts to good use in his imaginative raga alapanas. Bahudari, Varali and Kharaharapriya were rendered well, with the last showing a distinct flavor of the Kafi Thaat of Hindustani music. Nevertheless, his conception of Kharaharapriya remained distinctly Carnatic. Here is a young master in the making. The dimension in which he needs to strengthen himself is that of swaraprastaras. Mamava Meenakshi (Varali) did not feature any Neraval or Swara exercises, although the rendition of the Kriti cried for further elaboration in this regard. The brief neraval and swaras in Pakkala Nilabadi (Kharaharapriya) were just average in conception, although rendered neatly.
Earlier in the concert, the swaras in Brovabharama (Bahudari) could have been cut short, leaving more time for the major items in the concert. Moreover, Sriram faltered a little in the concluding swaras, with respect to both tala and fidelity to raga lakshana. An inappropriate transition from dha to pa in the descent was used more than once.
R Satish Kumar’s violin
accompaniment was mediocre. Inappropriate phrases in Varali during alapana
kept peeping throughout. Arjun Bharati provided basic percussion support
on the mridangam, but he too did not rise much above the average.
General:
Voice - Full-throated and
brisk
Weather - Hot during the day
Ratings:
Alapana - 75 %
Neraval & Swaras - 65 %
Audience - 70-80 people in all.
Vocal - 80 %
Violin - 55 %
Mridangam - 65 %
Overall concert - 70%
- Jayadev
