Venue: Sri Thiagaraja Sangeetha Vidwath Samajam, Thiagarajapuram, Mylapore

Date: 19 June 2007

Organizer: Sri Thiagaraja Sangeetha Vidwath Samajam

Violin Duet: Vid. T.Rukmini & Vid. Amritha Murali

Mrudangam: Vid. Pathri Satish Kumar

Ghatam: Vid. S.Karthick

Tambura: Vid. Vaidyanathan

List of songs:

1) ninnE kOri (varNam) – vasantA – Adi – tAchUr singArAcAri (O)

2) gam gaNapatE – hamsadhwani – Adi (tisra gati) – harikEsanallUr muthiAh bhAgavatar (OS)

3) bAgAyanayya – chandrajyOti – Adi – tyAgarAja

4) entamuddO – bindumAlini – Adi – tyAgarAja (A)

5) paramAtmuDu – vAgadIshwari – Adi – tyAgarAja (A)

6) nidhicAla sukhamA – kalyANi – misra cApu – tyAgarAja (AST)

7) sogasu jUda taramA nI – kannaDagauLa – rUpakam – tyAgarAja

8 ) kaddanuvAriki – tODi – Adi – tyAgarAja (ANST)

9) bArO krishnayyA – rAgamAlikA – Adi – kanakadAsa

10) tillAnA – dwijAvanti – Adi – lAlguDi g. jayarAman

11) nI nAma rUpa mulaku (mangaLam) – saurAshTram – Adi – tyAgarAja

(Key: O=raga outline, A=raga alapana, N=neraval, S=kalpana swaram, T=taniavartanam)

Veteran Vid T. Rukmini and her disciple Vid Amritha Murali presented a melodic treat to rasikas assembled at the Samajam. Their violins simply sang. Listening to them play was like listening to someone singing the songs, doing full justice to them all the while.

The concert started with the vasantA varnam “ninnE kOri“. The entire varNam was played in two speeds to some brilliant accompaniment by Vid Pathri Satish Kumar and Vid S. Karthick. Kalpana swarams were put in “gam gaNapatE” at the pallavi line, in “nidhicAla sukhamA” at “surapati tyAgarAja nutuni … ” and in “kaddanuvAriki” at “niddura nirAkarinci …. “. Neraval was also done for the same line in “kaddanuvAriki“.  Though all the songs were played beautifully taking an unhurried approach, I especially liked the “entamuddO” and “bArO krishnayyA” renditions. The mAND in “bArO krishnayyA” just seemed to flow so freely, captivating me totally.

Vid Satish Kumar, one of my favorites when it comes to accompaniment for songs, was brilliant as usual. He almost played the songs on the mrudangam. His anticipation skills were extraordinary. Calculations seemed to be constantly running in his mind as he chose at will, endings that fit well aesthetically for different places in the songs. His experience and intelligence just shone through in the way he superbly, yet effortlessly played for the songs.

Combine Vid Satish Kumar with ghatam vidwan S. Karthick and you get a adorable percussion team that just does wonders. Vid Karthick was again very impressive. The camaraderie was there to be seen. Both the percussionists kept appreciating each other from time to time. The taniavartanam they played was very enjoyable. Vid Satish Kumar ended it in his usual style by playing a kOrvai that fit well with the start of the portion of the song at which the taniavartanam had been given.

A thoroughly enjoyable concert indeed.