Hyderabad: Kalasagaram, organisers of the ongoing festival of music, dance and drama, could not have asked for more at a weekend concert. They had Trichur Brothers rendering a brilliant Shanmugapriya, giving the packed audience some exquisite music. With the organisers ensuring a prompt start, the audience was ensured that they would have their effort’s worth.
The brothers, Srikrishna Mohan and Ramkumar Mohan, started the event with the Daru Varnam in Kamas, Mathe Malayadwaja, a composition of Muthiah Bhagavathar. They announced their class with the rendition of Gajavadana in the Todi raga. The rendition for Lord Ganesha in the major raga at a time when most artistes reserve it for the main piece was an indicator of how the duo was willing to experiment within the grammar of the art.
The Trichur Brothers took the familiar path by rendering Niravadhi Sukhada in Ravichandrika at speed, often a tempo-ensuring number. The familiar path was actually not really necessary but it sure helped keep up the pace.
The Trichur Brothers have grown in stature and popularity — not to mention singing standards. Their capacity to read the pulse of the audience and go about their concert with interesting pieces is visible.
With Somasundareshwaram in Shuddha Vasantha, they had control on their voice, speed and understanding of the raga. The purist was delighted; the uninitiated was curious and got interested by the minute. The profile of the audience which was a heady mix of the young and the old had a feast and especially with the later piece the audience was thrilled.
Without knowing that the concert was almost at the halfway mark, and the audience already having a sumptuous treat of great classicism, the brothers chose the Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar krithi of Vanchathonuna. Look at the range: from the known Kamas Todi to Vasanta Bhairavi to the less heard Karunaranjani, they were equally at ease and in command.
It was Ramkumar with his baritone who set the tone for the Shanmugapriya Raga Tanam Pallavi. They captured the soul of the raga with such emotive appeal that the audience was in a near trance. The handling of the soulful Shanmugapriya was near perfect. Srikrishna announced that the Pallavi is what they had acquired by hearing Trichur V. Ramachandran.
Kanaka Sabesan Jaya Jagadeesa in Kanda eka talam was easily the masterpiece and showcased the mastery of the brothers over the raga and the nuances of the ragam tanam pallavi.
The Thaniyavarthanam by the veteran Sangeeta Kalasaagara, Trichur R. Mohan, on the mridangam and Dr Nirgunam Chandrasekhar on kanjira gave the ragam tanam pallavi the finale it deserved. All of 19, Vishwesh Chandrasekhar on the violin was a true match to Srikrishna and Ram Kumar.
Even while the audience was hungry for more, the anchor announced that the concert will have to be wound up. The brothers at their charming best were ready for more.
The concert ended on a high when the brothers got the audience to join the chanting of Narayana as they reached the crescendo of Annamacharya’s Narayanathe Namo Namo in Behag.
It was indeed a brilliant concert in keeping with nay even far above expectations. Trichur Brothers, Hyderabad will cherish this event for a long time.
