Music & dance reviews

Impact lacking

Sangeetha, who gave a Mohiniattam dance recital for the Every Friday Cultural Evening Programme, has practiced all the three forms – Bharathanatya, Mohiniattam and Kathakali, by different gurus and is continuing her training under Kalamandalam Hymavathy, Retired Professor and Department Head for Mohiniattam, Kerala Kalamandalam.

Sangeetha opened her current  recital with ‘Sharanu Siddivinayaka’ in the raga Sourashtra. Right from the beginning she performed with ease and assurance. The Thodi varna ‘Danigaamajendra’ of Swathi Thirunal was proof of her good training and practice. The lace bordered white sari looked elegant in its characteristic draping and the customary ‘Kondai’, enhancing the visual appeal brought traditional flavour. 

Her Abhinaya in both Pada (Swathi Tirunal) and Jawadi (Idene Sakhi) was restrained and subdued to an optimum aesthetic point. She also performed a composition of Dikshithar ‘Kanjadalaya Thakshee’, neatly. The concluding ‘Omana Thingal’ (Kuranji) is a popular lullaby. To make her performance much more impactful Sangeetha has to perform with more graceful movements, enhancing the poetic charm of the diction, and no doubt she is capable of doing it.

Throughout the recital high pitched vocal music of Marakathavalli caught the attention of the audience, gathered in small number. Lakshmi Thangavelu (Natuvanga), Thangavelu on Mridanga, Achutha Anantha Maran on Edakka and Bhuvaneswari on violin – supported well.

A rising star

Ananya presented two vocal concerts last week as part of the ‘Nirantara’ (series for young musicians) series. Vivek Sadashivam hails from a musicians’ family of repute, who claims to be the direct ‘Shishya Parampara’ of  Muthuswamy Dikshitar. Starting his primary lessons from his grand father A. Anantharaman Iyer and aunt A. Champakavalli (Calcutta), Vivek continued with his father – vocalist A. Sadasivam and mother – Revathi Sadasivam, a Veena player. 

Now he is receiving advanced music training under R.N. Tyagarajan, of “Rudrapattana Brothers” fame. A. ‘B.Tech’ graduate Vivek, has won many prizes, including first prize from All India Radio.

In the current concert Vivek Sadashivam presented a number of fine compositions in evocative ragas. But the climax of the evening’s programme was Raga Thana and Pallavi. He gave a spacious alapana of Shanmukhapriya touching the pivotal swaras gently. It was followed by a brisk thana. 

The pallavi (Gana Lola Karunala) set to Adi Thala, evoked a musical atmosphere. After a brisk ‘Purahara nandana’ in Hamir Kalyani, he chose ‘Enduku Peddala’. Before that he prefaced with a detailed alapana of Shankarabharana. 

Except for a few slips, he gave a neat portrayal of the raga. Earlier he gave a spacious exposition of Amrithavarshini, unfolding a wide canvas of the raga. He also sang ‘Mayamma’ with good feeling. Violinist Prema Vivek and mridangist B.S. Prasanth shared the honours with the vocalist. 

With a rich resonant voice and impassioned urge in expression Vivek Sadashiivam pleased the gathering and his career is worth watching.

Mysore V Subramanya