CHENNAI: Malladi Brothers have almost taken over the spot that the revered Hyderabad Brothers have left, after a lifetime of making music.
At their latest concert in West Mambalam, the brothers began with the Rudrapriya varnam , Gananayakam . This set the tone perfectly for the evening.
Bilahari flowed in smoothly next, with the kriti, Sri Balasubramani . In this song, the duo explored the raga’s intricacies to the fullest, bringing out its innate beauty. What followed this was the slow and melodious Ramaninne in Panthuvarali, wherein the alapana performed at various phrases proved to be a treat to the listeners.
Pantuvarali and Thyagaraja are made for each other. The saint has composed some of his best songs in this intensely lilting raga . And when the artistes performed a stretch of swarakalpana , the audience was truly enthralled.
To keep the pace of the concert going, the brothers chose Akhilandeswari — the masterpiece in Dwajawanti next. Being their main piece for the evening, the song received a befitting applause.
The essense of this song lay in its slow and rich rendition, allowing listeners to immerse themselves in it.
This song in Panthuvarali left a lasting impact. Next came a Kunthalavarali piece that was a perfect finish to the concert.
The Malladi Brothers, with their powerful and synchronised voice, have carved a niche for themselves.
This is evident in every concert of theirs, when they offer a rich variety of songs and novel ways of rendition. This has ensured them a loyal list of rasikas . Reaching this stature at such a young age, truly deserves appreciation.
The brothers must now ensure that they maintain their excellence and innovativeness at this time and age, when new talent is constantly emerging.
Even within the Carnatic grammar, numerous possibilities are available for young singers like the Malladi Brothers, to mould an identity for themselves and reach out to younger audiences.
Varadrajan on the violin excellently complemented the singers in Panthuvarali and Dwajawanti. His bowling was smooth througout. Mridangist Raju proved his mastery over the rhythm and BS Purushottam on the kanjira added futher depth to the concert.