Venue: The Music Academy, Main Auditorium, TTK Road, Chennai
Date: 21 Dec 2006
Organizer: The Music Academy
Vocal: Vid. Ranjani & Gayathri
Violin: Sri H.N. Bhaskar
Mridangam: Sri Manoj Siva
Ghatam: Sri Udupi Sridhar
List of songs (partial):
1) enthO prEma (varnam) – suruTTi – Adi – pallavi gOpala iyer
2) nI bhajana gAna – nAyaki – Adi – thyAgarAja (OS)
3) inta kaN – bilahari – rUpakam – thyAgarAja (AS)
4) kA vA vA – varALi – Adi – pApanAsam sivan (O)
5) kAmAkshI (swarajati) – bhairavi – misra chApu – syAma sAstri (ANS)
…….
(Key: O=raga outline, A=raga alapana, N=neraval, S=kalpana swaram, T=taniavartanam)
(The above list is partial as I had to leave the concert after the swarajati).
It seemed like all the mamas and mamis in town had decided to invade The Music Academy today. What else except attraction for Ranjani & Gayathri’s music would explain the huge crowds that thronged the academy for a 4:45PM concert on a weekday !!
The concert was an absolutely delightful one (at least till the time I was present there). The sisters sang with a lot of involvement and with very good support from the violinist and the percussionists. “nI bhajana gAna” was sung very melodiously. The bhairavi swarajati was also sung very well, though a heavier voice would have helped highlight some portions even better. All the songs, in general, were very melodiously rendered. I might have probably been treated with an RTP had I stayed … don’t know what all I missed out on.
Ramkumar R 
Hello,
Their kutcheri at MFAC was the best so far among the contemporary artists (excluding legends like TNK and so on) I have heard in this season.They had a great RTP in Sankharabaranam with Ragamalika Kalpana Swaras.Other classics of the Semmangudi repertoire like Dwaitamu,Akhilandeshwari were also there.
I missed that one 😦 Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hello,
I know I am nine months too late to comment on your review. But I was looking at some of the comments I wrote in my note book as I listened to Ranjani and Gayatri on that day. After the Bhairavi Swarajati, they sang Deekshitar’s Kriti Sri Guruguha tarayaashu mam in Devakriya, followed by a fantastic RTP in Kalyani. Then they sang a ragamalika in Tamil, (Abhogi, Kapi). Namdev’s Abhang in Marubehag was superb. On the whole, their concert was very enjoyable, delightful and pleasant. And yes, most of the mamis were very quiet during the concert and were actually listening!
I am looking forward to their concert this season also.
Yesh Prabhu
Plainsboro, NJ
Thanks for the details Yesh!!!!
Ayooo I missed it by missing a flight to chennai……
thanks for the review guys..
Vinay
Denver,CL
If only I had a buck for every time I came to ramsabode.wordpress.com! Superb read.