One of the concerts at recent Bharat Sangeet Utsav 2015, organised by Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha and Carnatica, was by Vijay Siva, a disciple of the late D.K. Jayaraman and a torchbearer of his bani. Siva delivered an outstanding recital that evening that affirmed his stature as a front-ranking artist today.
There was a comprehensive alapana of Shanmukhapriya that blossomed at the panchama and tara sthayi domains, with brilliant facets in the latter. The raga was highlighted by open-throated sancharas that thrummed with vitality.
In ‘Sadaashraye’ (Muthuswami Dikshitar, Chamaram), the stirring beauty of each line of the kriti was emphasised by the artist’s immersion in lyric and melody. The swarakalpana, adroitly steered to dovetail into the ‘sa da’ swarakshara of the pallavi eduppu, was a bonus.
Living up to its name, the raga essay of Gambhira Nattai strode majestically on stage, gaining ground with every step. Siva opened up brave new vistas with explorations that forayed into the tara sthayi shadja and gandhara terrains. ‘Sree Jalandhara’ (Jayachamaraja Wodeyar) with its exuberant, closely-packed chittaswaram was another success. The fact that the chittaswaram and the niraval at ‘Sri Janaki’ were handled with zest but without succumbing to the temptation to sensationalise spoke volumes for Siva’s artistic integrity.
Preceded by an evocative viruttam, ‘Brovavamma’ (Nilambari), Syama Sastri’s ode to goddess Kamakshi, was a rendition that delved deep into the heart of the kriti.
The concert’s focal piece was Bhairavi, its resonant strands weaving a vibrant tapestry that blended long-drawn nagaswaram sancharas with abbreviated veena phrases.
In ‘Nee Paadamule’ (Patnam Subramania Iyer, Bhairavi), you witnessed an artist awed and moved by the grandeur of the composer’s vision, and investing everything to channel his experience to the listener. He succeeded all the way.
Siva also sang an invigorating ‘Ra Rama Inti Daka’ (Tyagaraja, Asaveri) and ‘Dhanyudevvado’ (Malayamarutham, Patnam Subramanya Iyer) suffixed with niraval in two kalas. Sarvalaghu kalpanaswara offered areas of effective contrast.
Siva’s concert drew power and inspiration from the time-tested kritis it picked, which offered ample variety in tempo and mood.
The performance was elegant and engaging, with just the right servings of manodharma elements to complement the composition itself. There was remarkable clarity in sahitya enunciation.
Bound by an invisible thread of understanding, Siva and his accompanists projected a shared vision. Charumathi Raghuraman (violin) is an insightful artist who has grown from strength to strength. Of note is her ability to remain true to the vocalist’s ideations while retaining her individuality. On this occasion, her sensitivity and prescience set a benchmark.
J. Vaidyanathan on the mridangam left an impressive stamp with a performance effortlessly extended Siva’s thought process. Sai Subramaniam on the morsing proved his mettle as well.
