63rd Heritage Music Festival at 8th Cross Ganesha Pandal: Robust voice & technical excellence
Balamuralikrishna had planned the concert well. He opened the concert with the Natakuranji pada varna ‘Chalamela jese’ by Mulaivittu Rangasami NAttuvanar set to Adi Tala. It was rare and good to hear the sahitya of the ettugade swaras, normally not sung by most musicians in concerts.
Raising to the occasion, he next chose ‘Kari Kalabha mukham’ by Muthuswami Dikshitar on Lord Ganapati in Saveri in an usual Trishra Eka tala in two kalai. The line ‘neelagreeva kumAram neerada ShObhAkaram,’ describing Ganapati as the son of the blue-necked (Lord Shiva) and full of grace, was apt.
Ranjani was welcome as no previous artiste had presented it during this season. The raga was developed with versatile imagination, with impressive ‘m’karas, masterly brigas and tristhayi sancharas ranging from mandra shadja of mandra sthayi to Tara Shadja of Tara sthayi and Subbulakshmi’s version of the raga was equally graceful. Sri Tyagaraja’s ‘DurmArga charAdhamulau’ was a good presentation with very clear diction and elaborate swaras. Hameer kalyani with ‘ToomaNi mAyattu’ too was a pleasant surprise.
After a quick filler ‘Sarasa SAmadana bhEda’ by Sri Tyagaraja in Kapi Narayani, Bhairavi, the toast of the evening was presented. The ragalapana was excellent, adorned with powerful gamakas and steeped in classicism. Another number of Sri Tyagaraja ‘Koluvai yunnAde’ was decorated with gripping kalpanaswaras.
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