Vocal : Abhishek Raghuram
Violin : H M Smitha
Mrudangam : Tumkur Ravishankar
List:
01. taruNi ninnu ( varNam ) – kAmbOji – Fiddle Ponnuswamy
02. annapUrNE vishAlAkSi – sAma – Dikshitar ( S )
03. mInAkSi mEmudam dEhi – gamakakriya (pUrvikalyANi) – Dikshitar ( A,N,S,T )
niraval & svaram at ‘madhurApuri nilayE maNi valayE’
04. appaLam ittu pAru – rAgamAlika – Sri Ramana Maharshi ( A -ragamalika )
05. thillAna ( ta ta dhIm ta dhIm tana dhiraNA) – shankarAbharaNam – Ponniah Pillai ( O )
06. mangaLam – saurAStram – Thyagaraja
Short concert for one and hour, most of it was taken by the main. While it was expected to be a shorter version, I was hoping for it to continue a little more. Probably the question answer session could have been avoided. Nothing unique or interesting question or answers came out in that, except for one question on the selection of raga in a particular concert and his response. Having said that, the poorvikalyani alone will make the effort ( braving the traffic and the torrential rain on a sunday evening) worthwhile.
Abhishek is singing a series of concert during this week for Spicmacay in and around Bangalore ( 2 in Mysore, 2 in Hosur and 7 in Bangalore over one week). Few days he is singing more than one concert. I understand the stress and strain it can cause on him and a shorter version of the concert may be due to this.
Meenakshi Memudam is the only thing to talk about. Good enough alapana – heard much longer and better one from him- by both the artists followed by meenakshi memudam dehi consumed 75% of the total concert duration. Kriti and niraval was grand. Niraval, especially was superbly delivered at ‘madhurapuri nilaye’. An year or so back, he did an outstanding niraval and ‘madhumita modita’ for the rasaanveshanam concert, but yesterday was equally brilliant. Kalpana svaras were as fitting, with Smitha chipping in brilliantly.
He sang the kriti written by Ramana Maharshi, post main, singing a shortish alapana in each of the ragams starting at dvijavanti, with some smooth transition from one to the other. Not sure who had set this tune, possibly done by himself. This has been talked about much already, and those who wish to listen to this can see it here.
He was already planning to conclude and some small conversations with the organizers saw him continue with a thillana ( heard his asking ‘mangalam padalama?), in Shankarabharanam before closing and leaving it open to a few Q&A.
Brain Drain 