Music, for that matter every art form, blossoms through the creative outlook of the performing artiste. Individuality, calibre, perception and perseverance are mandatory for any artiste. Being a soloist gives an artiste much freedom but when it comes to a duo, the wavelength as well as the chemistry between the performers is crucial for the success of a recital. There was such an understanding and synchronisation when father-son duo Ananthapadmanabhan and Anand Koushik performed a veena duet at Cherpu, near Thrissur, recently.
The concert opened with a self-composed varnam in Charukesi (‘Kumara Sodari’) and was followed by an invocation to Lord Ganapathy, ‘Vathapi Ganapathim’ in Hamsadwani. The swara passages exchanged added the needed tempo to the concert. Bindhumalini, a derivative of Chakravakam, was taken up for detailing with its characteristic vakra prayogas before the duo delivered the kriti ‘Yentha muddo’ of Tyagaraja.
A neat rendition of raga Saraswathi followed; kriti was Tyagaraja, ‘Anuraagamuleni’. Ananthapadmanabhan took Abheri for a detailed exploration. Shades of its Hindustani counterpart Bhimplas surfaced due to the special treatment of gandhaara, making it a sweet experience for the listeners. The gayaki style was distinctly clear as there were no hindrance from the plucking sound. His fingers flirted through the frets creating sublime music as he has always advocated the bhava (mood) rather than sasthra (science). He also played thanam, which is an integral part of veena playing, appropriately infusing gamakas before switching to the kriti ‘Nagumomu’, with his son following carefully and successfully in the footsteps of the father.
A meera bhajan in Jayjayvanthi followed next. Here also the duo, by stressing on the dhaivatha, brought out an element of Bhagesri (Jayjayvanthi with Bhagesri ang). They rounded off the concert with a thillana in Madhuvanthi composed by Ananthapadmanbhan himself.
B. Jayaram on the mridangam and Udupi Sreedhar on the ghatam gave controlled and subtle percussion support.
The programme was organised under the aegis of Sopanam Cultural and Educational Centre, Cherpu.
