Suguna Purushottaman and Suguna Varadachari, Hamsadvani

Suguna Purushottaman and Suguna Varadachari - Vocal Duet
Charulatha Ramanujam - Violin
Mannarkoil Balaji - Mrudangam


(pic from www.thehindu.com)

1st March 2006

enta ninnE teluputurA - khamAs pada varNam - tisra Ekam (2) - Subbarama dikshitar
manasu nilpa - AbhOgi - Adi - T (S)
O jagadambA - Anandabhairavi - Adi (2) - SS (R S)
gaTTi gAnu - bEgaDa - tisra Adi - T
rAma nAmamE tuNai - rAma priyA - Adi (2) - Suguna Purushottaman (R N S)
srI visvanAtam - caturdasa rAgamAlikA - Adi - MD
endu dAginADO - tODi - misra cApu - T (R N S)
taniyAvartanam
caraNa kamalAlayatai - kAvadi cindu - kaNDa cApu
nI nama rUpamulaku - saurAshTRam - adi - T

The concert started with a very bright note in the weighty rendition of the pada varNam. Who at all sings varNams which are longer than most kritis with 4 caraNam and cittai svara sAhityams for each of them.It was a very refreshing start to the concert and made many a rasika sit up.

The AbhOgi kriti was rendered with nicely structured svarams. The short AlApanai of Anandhabhairavi by Smt Varadachari was very good and displayed the full rAga bhavam. The kriti was rendered in a rather leisurely manner in a much slower tempo than what one gets to hear in concerts. The svarams at 'kanna talli' were good. The bEgaDa kriti was just put in to give a change of moods, getting one ready for what was to come.

Smt Varadachari extensively elaborated rAmapriya in madhayama sthayI while Smt Purushottam did a equally good job with the tAra sthAyi and mEl kalam before leaving it to Smt Varadachari to finish up the AlApanai with the mandhara sthAyI explorations. The kriti in vilamba kAlam was good and showed all the essentialities of the rAgam. It was rendered very well with neraval and svarams at 'rAghavA ravi kula AdavA yena thudhi'.

srI visvanAtam was rendered in a slower-than-normal kalapramANam and exactly displaying the rAga transitions. It was very good.

The main AlApanai in tODi was well structured. Similar to the rAmapriyA, Smt Varadachari sang the AlApanai in the madhayama sthAyI while Smt Purushottaman took off from the tArasthAyI shadjam to wrap up. The rare kriti was rendered well with neraval and svarams at "sthambamu lOpala nuNDaga lEdA". The kAvaDi chindu was good also.

It was nice to see two established singers sharing stage and singing as a duo. There was good coordination and understanding and both of them complimented each other in their singing. Though they said, we havent planned or rehersed, but just spoke over once as to what to sing, the concert was so good and was better coordinated that most other duo concerts.

The violinst was very good. She did a good job in all parts. Her accompanying was good and so was her solo parts.

The mrudangist was good in lending good laya support. He was sensible in playing according to the kriti. The tani was good also.

Overall, a different kind of experience, of course on the positive side.