A concert by saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath and veteran violinist A. Kanyakumari in Kochi was the coming together of two musical giants, who stole hearts with their rich and sophisticated music. Even though the concert was billed as a jugalbandi, it was far from that. Kanyakumari played the role of the perfect accompanying violinist.
Bahudari kriti ‘Bhajamanasa vighneswaramanisham’ had a short niraval and highly decorative swaras. A favourite with Kadri, raga Kalyanavasantham, received a deft treatment from him.
Kanyakumari was a paragon of technique and artistry, as her elaboration was marked with clarity, pace and spontaneity. Rajendra Nakod played tabla in tandem with her whereas Changanassery Harikumar complemented Kadri on the mridangam. Rajendra, primarily a Hindustani tabla player, could replicate even the intricate muktai with ease on the tabla.
Two western instruments, the sax and the violin, playing Carnatic music, with tabla and morsing, was an art in packaging and presentation that Kadri can be proud of; he repeats the same team, mostly.
The Pattanam Subramanya Iyer composition ‘Raghuvamsasudhambudhi’ in Kathanakuthoohalam is a delight in any instrumental music concert and this one was no exception.
The ensemble took the piece to new heights as they presented the chittaswaras in rhythmic variations and pace; Kanyakumari's fillers at the endpoints were nothing short of amazing.
Kadri experiments hugely with plaintive ragas that resonate in the rich timber of the sax. Revathi raga that he took up for RTP rarely receives such expansive treatment in presentation.
His alapana boomed with rich, rapid phrases and the effect of the tanam doubled when it was played with the tabla. Kanyakumari’s tonality of the violin charmed as it traversed the lower octaves and took sweeping glides to the higher notes. The pallavi in Chaturasrajadi Tripula tala in Chaturasra nadai was mostly kept light, neat and short, much to the disappointment of an expectant crowd.
Ragamalika swaras in the rarely played Surya raga and Hamsanandi culminated in a power-packed, coordinated teermanam. This was followed by a taniavarthanam, in which Harikumar posed challenges for Rajendra, and for Bangalore Rajsekhar, who played the morsing. ‘Kurai onrum illai’, a truncated version of the Dwijavanthi number ‘Oru neramengilum’ and Swati Tirunal’s Dhanashri thillana were tagged on with ‘Bhagyada lakshmi’ in Sri raga.
The concert was organised by Dharani Society.
