A fine classical rendition with a strong penchant for high octaves, marked the jugal-bandhi concert of Sriram Parasuram and Anuradha Sriram, who revealed their individual stamps of artistry. It was a concert held recently for Kartik Fine Arts at the Narada Gana Sabha auditorium.
Their resourcefulness came to the fore from the start, indicating the beauty of jugal-bandhi, when Anuradha Sriram opened with a todi varnam that encompassed swaras, and paired with a tarrana (hindustani) tradition in raga bilaskhani todi. The hamirkalyani raga alapana by Anuradha that followed with Subbaraya Sastrie’s venkatasaila vihara were paired with a composition in teentaal naveli naar. The contents were indicative of the artiste’s tutelage.
Sriram Parasuram, whose voice suits any octave, embarked on a raga alapana of saramati with a bava laden rendition of Tanjore Sankara Iyer’s composition manasaaramatiyanai sivanmaganai. With excellent angling through swaras, defining the intent of the composer, their virtuosity was at its best. The abhang of Saint Thukaram anureniyaa thokdaa in raga sampoornamalkauns was an authentic rendition. But, the raga alapana though not very admirable, was a pleasing rendition, was developed studiously with a simple style and musical expressions.
An effortless and fluid technique marked the presentation of aliveni yendu chaivoo, a kriti of Swathi Thirunal in kurinji raga and they concluded with a Hindi bhajan bhavaani dhayani in sindhu bhairavi, prefaced by a virutham from Abhirami Andaadi. On the whole, it was a concert that was a treat to the rasikas with their pleasing tonal quality.