A "SOUND" CONCERT - Sid Sriram
A "SOUND" CONCERT
Even 30 minutes before the commencement of this concert, the hall was full and overflowing with rasikas. The seats were full, the floor space too was occupied and outside the hall….the verandah was filled with rasikas peeping out through the open windows…to have a glimpse of their “Kannana kanne “ heartthrob who mesmerized thousands through that film song
A click of the full audience……
Sid Sriram started his concert with his signature invocation..”Vakrathunda Maha Kaaya..” in Sahaana followed by Thiruvottriyur Thyagayyar’s “Karunimpa..” varnam in that same raagam. That was followed by Papanasam Sivan’s Keeravani number ”Devi neeye Thunai..” (Aadi taalam) in praise of Goddess Meenakshi to match with the venue being Meenakshi college. The violinist gave a beautiful account of Keeravani.
A brief aalapanai in Bilahari was followed by one more Meenakshi……… “Sri Mathurapuri Vihaarini..Sri Rajamathangi” a composition of Muthuswami Dikshithar in Rupaka taalam. The violin exposition of Bilahari was good. Then came Kamavardhani aalapanai with a re-play by the violinist brilliantly. Mysuru Vasudevachariar’s “Sankari Ninne” was the song presented. Elaboration at “Kaamidhartha Dhaayini Kaarthyaayani Gowri..” was good.
That was followed by a crisp Saaramathi kruthi of Thyagaraja “Mokshamu galadaa..” Then came a pleasant surprise…..Lyricist A. Marudakasi’s “Indru Poi Naalai Vaarai ena…” tuned by K.V.Mahadevan in Thilang rendered by C.S.Jayaraman for the film “Sampoorna Ramayanam”(1956) was presented to thunderous applause. Then came a super jet speed Bavapriya kruthi of Thyagaraja “Srikantha neeyeda..”
The main item was Muthuswami Dikshithar’s Khamboji raga krithi in Tisra Ekam taalam..”Sri Subrahmanyaya namasthe..” Tha aalapanai and the violin exposition that followed was good. The exposition at “Vasavadhi sakhala devatha vandhithaaya..” was enjoyable. The thani that followed was electrifying.
One more Meenakshi….Now it was Ghanam Krishna Iyer’s “Jagaj janani Sukhapani kalyani…” in Ratipatipriya. Immediately followed by Harikesanallur Muthaiah Bhagavathar’s English Note in Sankarabharanam (Nottuswaram in Aadi taalam) the audience were in for a lengthy Thukkada session with continuous applause.
“Karnan” (1964) film had music by M.S.Viswanathan and T.K.Ramamurthy. One of its superhit songs in Aahir Bhairav piece “Ullathil nalla ullam ..” by Sirkazhi Govindarajan was the next surprise and the audience mostly youngsters were totally mesmerized or hypnotized by then.
Gopalakrishna Bharathiyar’s “Aadum Chidambaramo” in Behag and ”Eppo varuvaaro” in Johnpuri were loudly presented. In between came Ramanathapuram Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar’s Thillana in Poornachandrika in a high pitch.
Aanayampatti Aadhi Sesha Iyer’s Neelamani composition”Enna kavi paadinaalum” popularized by Madurai Somu was presented to a thunderous applause once again. Then came a Thiruppugazh “Kanaka Sabhai mevum enadhu gurunadha”in Karaharapriya. Finally came a high pitched Mangalam.
The high decibel maintained throughout the kutcheri by the entire team marred the beauty of the concert. Gifted with a majestic full throated throw in singing and an excellent repertoire, the vocalist should mellow down his singing style to make it a memorable concert. A few degree of voice control would definitely enhance the aural effect of his concert. It is his duty to preserve his voice for posterity…..to render memorable concerts in the years to come. Not only in the concert arena but in the tinsel world as well.
About the Author:
SHANKAR VENKATRAMAN, a practising company secretary by profession, hails from a family with musical lineage. On the maternal side, his mother’s great grandfather Nemam Subramania Iyer was one of the last disciples of Saint Thyagaraja Swamigal. His maternal grandfather Nemam Nataraja Bhagavathar was the disciple of Mahavaidhyanatha Sivan and an Asthana Vidhwan of Sringeri Samasthanam. His son “Kalaimaamani” Prof N.S.Ramachandran was the Director of different Kendras of All India Radio and the Dean and Director of Music Department, University of Delhi. He had composed many kruthis out of which “Sri Chandrasekhara Yatheendram Aashrayae”on Sri Kanchi Paramacharya in Sankarabharanam popularized by Dr.M.S.Subbulakshmi and “Sree Maha Ganapathae..” in Aabhogi an evergreen hit of M.L.Vasanthakumari are very popular.
Shankar Venkatraman’s father (Late) K.V.Venkatraman, son of Kanjanur-Kottur S.Vaithyanatha Swamy Iyer was an ardent devotee of Sri Kanchi Paramacharya and had served as the Correspondence-in-charge for Sri Paramacharya while Shri Periyavaa was camping in Kumbakonam during 1930-31(When Periyavaa was referred as Kumbakonam Periyavaa). Sri Sengalipuram Anantharama Deekshithar is Vaithyanathaswamy Iyer’s maternal cousin.
Shankar did his schooling at Vidya Mandir, Mylapore (1968-1982) Chennai and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai. He did his Company Secretary course from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Chennai-600034.
(*The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of Music of Madras.)
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