Full Bench Ensemble
Hall: Brahma Gana Sabha
Ambience: Good
Acoustics: Good
Date: 18/12/17 6pm
Unesco approved Marghazhi music season in Chennai is the appropriate place to celebrate a Full Bench Ensemble. Embar Kannan (co-ordinator) on violin and Mudicondan Ramesh on veena were accompanied by the tala vadyams – Sumesh Narayanan on mridangam, Anirudh Athreya on Khanjira, Chandrasekhara Sharma on ghatam and Konnakol, Sundar on morsing and Subramani on gethuvadyam.
A word about the gethuvadhyam — it appears a string instrument looking like a veena or tambura but is actually alayavadhyam with 2 sticks to keep the beat-one is like a drone and the other creates the rhythm. Shri Subramani travelled all the way from Kumbakonam for this one concert to showcase this unusual instrument. Embar Kannan also announced that this was the only instrument allowed inside the sanctorum of the temple where the artiste- who trained under his father- hails from.
Both violin and veena had master practitioners of the instrument and the result was pure classicism. They set off with a Mallari in MisraThriputatalam in Pancharagam — GambiraNattai, Goulai, Arabhi, Varali and Sri. Siddhi Vinayakam (Dikshitar) in Shanmukhapriya and EntharaNeethana (Thyagarja) in Harikamboji had a shared raga alapana by the strings and Kalpana swarams.
Eminent musician Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan makes a mark in Parthasarathy Swami Sabha on Tuesday. (Photo: DC)
SyamaShastri’s Swarajathi Amba Kamakshi in Bhairavi stood alone in the beauty of the composition and many harmony notes played by violin-veena. A brisk Shobillu (Jaganmohini) with the lovely chittaswaram then led on to the main-Kiravani. Kaligiyunte with Niraval, Kalpana Swaram and Thani. A thillana composed by Sangeeta Kalanidhi AS Kanyakumari in Sindhubhairavi was a refreshing change to the usual ones heard often, specially in December.
With 5 tala instruments, it was not overpowering at all. The percussionists all phased in and out to blend in beautifully with the musical content. The 3 youngsters – Sumesh, Anirudh and Sharma-on the left who are regulars in the concert schedules included the seniors Sundar and Subramani in their merriment.
The thani specially was riveting and Chandrasekhara Sharma alternated between Ghatam and Konnakol.
In modern times, where there is a lament about instruments not getting enough limelight, this was a great concept, which was well-presented leading to a wonderful experience for a fairly good crowd.
(Reviewed by Malathi Vasudeven)
