T.V.S. Mahadevan excels in swarakalpana segments, though an excess of it dilutes the impact

Pedigree tin beryllium a perilous boon. A lifeline for immoderate who wield it lightly and a daunting load for immoderate who buckle nether it. More often, it is simply a mid-ridge from which the desired destination is disposable yet distant. 

T.V.S. Mahadevan, son and disciple of the legendary T.V. Sankaranarayanan, showcased the upside of his lineage done overmuch of his vocal performance for the Chennai Fine Arts astatine Srinivasa Sastri Hall, successful Chennai. He presented an energy-laden recital successful the institution of elder artistes — M.R. Gopinath connected the violin and Melakaveri Balaji connected the mridangam — and Anirudh Athreya connected the kanjira. Mahadevan sang with striking confidence, particularly successful the kalpanaswara segments — five successful the 7 kritis. But that was excessively many, fixed the contrast: determination was a solitary niraval of hardly 3 avartanams. He would besides bash good to curb his inclination to often crook distant from the microphone.

‘Pranatosmi devam’ connected Vinayaka, a creation by Thulaseevanam, ushered successful an off-beat opening, and Mahadevan capped it with a swara series of unhesitating flair. Swati Tirunal’s ‘Paripalaya maam’ successful Rupakam followed — a kriti whose spacious gait successful the opening of the charanam and brisk ending thereof supply a pleasant contrast. A 2nd swara burst, with glimpses of his father’s trademark passages successful the apical octave, completed the kriti. 

Kasiramakriya, the 51st raga successful the asampurna mela paddhati, was the archetypal raga explored by Mahadevan, and helium developed it with clarity and elan. It was a well-rounded effort, contempt a dependable strain successful the precocious registers. Gopinath’s effect was abbreviated and sweet. Dikshitar’s ‘Visalakshim visvesim’ (in Misra Chapu tala) was the kriti chosen. Like galore of the songs by the composer, this 1 is successful the dwiteeya vibhakti (objective case), but the full creation was sung successful the nominative lawsuit arsenic ‘Visalakshi visvesi’ (dropping the terminal ‘m’ which stands for the nonsubjective case).  The pallavi is an exhortation to the caput to ‘always worship goddess Visalakshi, the ruler of the Universe’. Here, the verb leans connected the object, making the usage of the nominative case grammatically incorrect and contrary to authentic sources. It is astonishing that adjacent immoderate of the well-known artistes person adopted this version. The snappy niraval astatine ‘Kasi rajnim kapalinim’ successful the samashti charanam besides followed the aforesaid course, without the ‘m’.

Dictional purity (patantara suddham) is not simply imperative but integral to philharmonic fidelity. The swarakalpana conception brought the champion retired of the team — sharp, riveting and well-coordinated. 

Notably, the tala of the kriti is different constituent of intrigue. Unlike Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri, Dikshitar ne'er went beyond the confines of the Suladi Sapta talas. The Kasiramakriya kriti was composed successful Tisra Triputa, having the aforesaid number (7) arsenic Misra Chapu, which is not portion of the Suladi framework. Perhaps owing to the power of iconic kritis of the different 2 of the triumvirate and/or for sheer convenience, respective of Dikshitar’s compositions successful the seven-beat rhythm person transitioned to Misra Chapu implicit time, and person travel to enactment that way.

Mahadevan delineated a flowing alapana successful Kapi, the main melody of the evening. Flashy phrases and sustained notes brought retired the myriad hues of the raga. He hurried done the Tyagaraja kriti ‘Inta sowkhyamani ne’, but followed it up with the astir captivating signifier of the concert. In a lengthy yet engaging swarakalpana, Mahadevan unleashed effortless formations, peculiarly successful the 2nd speed. The sarvalaghu patterns therein displayed exceptional felicity, though they bordered connected excess. The percussion partners — Balaji and Anirudh — wove a measured tani avartanam successful two-kalai Adi tala, underscoring their rhythmic excellence. 

Muthiah Bhagavatar’s Hamsanandi kriti ‘Needu mahima pogada’, a Kambar verse arsenic a virutham starring into Purandaradasa’s devaranama ‘Rama rama rama rama’ successful Thilang and ‘Karpagame’, the Papanasam Sivan classical successful Madhyamavati, formed a bully premix for the back-end section.