Vocal : Arun Achanta
Violin : S Chandramouli
Mrudangam : Raghavendran T
List:
01 mahiSAsura mardani ( varNam) – AndOlika – Adi- Muthaiah Bhagavathar
02 Ekadantam bhajEham – bilahari – Mishra Chap- Dikshitar ( S )
03 mAyamma yani nE – Ahiri – Adi -Shyama Shasthri
04 sarasvati vidyuvati – hindOLam – rUpakam – Dikshitar
05 amba brOvavE – dharmavati – rUpakam – Bidaram Krishnappa ( A,N,S )
neraval & swara @ mahiSAsura madamardini madanavairi dOSiNi ( tOSini)
06 nannu kaNNatalli – sindhukannaDa – Adi – Thyagaraja
07 pArvati ninnu nE – kalgaDa – Adi tisranaDai – Shyama Shasthri
08 pAlincu kAmAkSi – madhyamAvati – Adi x 2 – Shyama Shasthri ( A,N,S,T )
neraval & swara @ ‘ kAntamagu pEru ponditivi kAruNyamUrti ‘
09 paluku tEnala talli – AbhEri – Annamacharya
10 mangaLam – saurAStram – Thyagaraja
This trio of musicians have been performing together for a while. The last time I listened to them was few years ago at Ranjani Fine Arts, during the ‘Gurupoornima’. Arun is an excellent singer, the rItigaula he sang last time was brilliant. When the invite came in, I had decided to listen to them again. The program was a small ‘chamber concert’ attended by 20-25 people at Mouli’s residence.
The concert was very very good. Selection of kritis to the way it was presented, despite few minor slips, was commendable. The start with a rare varnam itself was a bright start. It took a while for the team to warm up, with a bilahari kriti and a leisurely sung ahiri. Mayamma was a bit slower than the usual tempo, bringing out the essence of the raga.
Dharmavati alapana was grand and very impressive by both the artists. Amba brovave was a huge surprise. I’ve heard S Sankar and MS Sheela singing this composition. Arun’s effort was equally brilliant with some classy neraval and swara prasthana. To me, this was the high point of the concert. To good fillers came in. Both nannu kanna talli and kalgada kriti were very good. On public demand, he sang the pallavi &anupallavi of the Thyagaraja kriti in Kalgada.
Madhyamavati was main, running 15-20 min late into the stipulated time. The alapana was limited to some collected phrases of importance of the ragam. I thought that was clever, given the time constraints. However, he did justice to the kriti with detailed neraval and swaras. Chandramouli was eloquent as ever. Played some delectable phrases of dharmavati and followed the neraval and swaras with considerable elan. Raghavendran played an intricate tani avartanam. True to his school, his accompaniment was apt for the kritis and the improvisation of the main artists.
A very commendable effort by the team, to an appreciative audience.
Brain Drain 