by Dr. SurySekar (ks.sekar@mgt.gatech.edu)
Smt. Lalgudi Rajyalakshmi enthralled the Atlanta carnatic music lovers with a three-hour solo violin recital on Saturday, August 22, 1998, at The Hindu Temple of Atlanta. She was accompanied on the mridangam by Dr. Ram Sriram,and on the kanjira by Shri Murali Ramachandran.
This concert was organized by The Carnatic Music Association of Georgia (CAMAGA), and supported by The Hindu Temple of Atlanta. Smt. Rajyalakshmi started the concert briskly with a varnam composed by her brother Sri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, in the ragam Bahudari. The Dikshithar krithi "Mahaganapathim" in Naattai followed. Next, "Baala Kanakamaya" in Atana was movingly rendered. "Raara Maa Intidaaka" (Asaveri) followed next. She then briefly presented Begada, and rendered "Sankari Neeve" of Sri Syama Sastri. Next was the Kalavathi kriti, Oka bari mata. After elaborating Vaachaspati, she then played the Thyagaraja composition "Kanta Choodumi". This was followed by another Thyagaraja piece, "Brochevarevarura"(Khamas). The main piece of the concert, "Bhavanutha" in Mohanam followed next. After the Tani Avarthanam, she presented a very brief Bhairavi alapana, tanam, and elaborated a Mishra Jhampe talam pallavi, with ragamalika swaras.
After the RTP, she presented the popular kritis, Venkatachala Nilayam(Sindhubhairavi), Manasa Sancharare (Sama), Chinnanchiru Kiliye(Ragamalika), Jagadodharana (Kapi), and an Annamacharya composition in Revati (Nanthi Bratuku). The concert ended with a thillana in Desh composed by Shri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman.
I felt that Smt. Rajyalakshmi's kirtana renditions were at a leisurely pace,with very good depth of tone and involvement, that helped preserve the beauty of the sahithya. To me, her alapanas of Vachaspati and Mohanam were elegant, retaining the essentials of the raga patterns. I was quite movedby her rendition of "Manasa sancharare". I was particulary impressed with the number of 1-cycle patterns she played in the kalpana swaras of the Mohanam piece. I did wish that the Bhairavi were longer, but she obviously had time constraints.
Dr. Ram Sriram was, in my view, his usual sensitive self. I have repeatedly felt that his playing always accentuates the strong points of the main artiste. His soft touch made for my thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. Shri Murali Ramachandran on the kanjira is almost entirely self-taught on this instrument. To me, his playing this day showed how he is steadily emerging as a seasoned percussionist in the Atlanta area. The two of them combined for a very nice tani avarthanam. Overall, I thought what we were treated to this Saturday afternoon was a very competently presented, time-tested cutcheri that was very pleasing to the ear.