R K Shriram Kumar, NSTSS

R K Shriramkumar - Vocal
Mullaivasal G Chandramouli - Fiddle
J Vaidyanathan - Mridangam
Balaji - Tambura

Ranjani Kalaikkoodam, Nanganallur Sri Thyagaraja Sangeetha Samajam (NSTSS), Nanganallur, Chennai
19 Apr 2007 6:30 pm
Sri Syama Sastri Jayanthi

dayAnidhE mAmava (varnam) - bEgada - Adi (S)
pAhi shrI girirAjasutE - Anandabhairavi - rUpakam
ninnuvinaga mari - pUrvikalyANi - misra cApu (RNS)
dEvi brOva - cintAmaNi - Adi
janani natajanaparipAlini - sAvEri - Adi (R)
kAmAkshI (svarajati) - yadukulakAmbOji - misra cApu
nannu brOvarAdA - gauLipantu - misra cApu
sari yevarammA - bhairavi - kanDa jampai (RNS)
tani Avarththanam
mAyammA yani nE - Ahiri - Adi
karuNajUDa ninnunammina - srI - Adi
kAmAkshI lOkasAkshiNI (gItam) - madyamAvati - misra cApu

I was present in the almost full Ranjani Hall for this concert. To be truthful, i consider myself fortunate to have attended the concert.

The concert began with a nice rendition of the bEgaDa varNam and the anandabhairavi kriti, which followed was rendered with a lot of bhavam and the inspiring cittai svaram. Multiple charaNams were presented.

The pUrvikalyANi AlApanai was nice. The kriti was rendered with multiple caraNams and neraval and svarams at 'kAmitArtapala prdAyaki lalitE'. The cintAmaNi kriti was rendered soulfully. The sAvEri AlApanai was good, the kriti, which is said to be the first composition of Shyama Sastri, was rendered beautifully and was followed by a weighty rendition of the svarajati. The gauLipantu kriti was good.

The main bhairavi AlApanai was short and good. The kriti was rendered with all its grandeur with neraval and svarams at 'mAdhava sOdhari gaurI amba'. The Ahiri piece was nicely rendered. The srI rAgam and madhyamAvati pieces were both good as well.

Sri Shriram Kumar gave a nice concert with quite a few rare pieces and personal favourites. However, at places, his voice seemed to show strain, especially in the higher octave. It must have been a tight rope walk to sing Anandha bhairavi and bhairavi, sAvEri and gauLiapantu, srI rAgam and madhyamAvati in the same concert and get them all right.

Sri Chandramouli on the fiddle, was good in parts. Sri Vaidhyanathan was good in accompanying and his tani.