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Reviews
Sunday express
Chennai 13 January, 2002
Perceptive
singing
The
superabundance of music in the past few weeks raises questions
relating to widening of musical horizons of rasikas, culminating
in improved perceptions of ragas, depth of kritis, besides
pallavis. There were some really perceptive events which sharpened
the insights of at least those who were interested. The vocal
recital of Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam for Narada Gana Sabha
was one such.
It
had the high merit of reflection, at least partially, advances
in artistic sensitivity, raga Delineation and kriti interpretation.
After Mooladhara (hamsadwani) on Lord Ganesh, her recital
straightaway took off to touch the heights of Neelayadakshi(paras;
Syama Sastry).
Next
abohi raga was sketched beautifully in both the Madhya and
thara sthayis, leading up to Dikshitar's fine creation Sri
Lakshmi Varaham. Raiskas could feel the thrill of the Fine
sahitya -raga-bhava fusion, based on beautifully presented
raga shadings through a Melodic medium. There were some decisive
moments of revelation in the alapana of kalyani that followed.
It had depth, pearly coating of bhava and architecture to
make it really a tune - fest. The Thyagaraja krithi Enduko
Neemanasu was sung by Vijayalakshmi in such a tuneful, melodic
and sumptious manner.
-KS Mahadevan.
Monday, December 22, 1997 The Indian Express, Chennai.
MARGAZHI FEAST
Vijayalakhmy
Subramaniam began her concert at the Naradha Gana Sabha with
Meera Sivaramakrishnan on the Violin and Karaikudi Jayaraman
on the mridangam a little Tentatively . It was not until she
was into the third piece that she relaxed and sang without
inhibition.
She
made judicious use of her voice with a natural sruti that
scaled the higher pitches with ease, but sounded shrill because
of the less than asdequate sound system.
The
"Nee mudomo"in Kamalamonohari made up for the dragging
alapana in Mohanam,and the cautiously rendered Dhavalambari
(49th Melakarta raga) was almost flawless in its presentations.
The contiguity of the four swaras Pratimadhyama, Panchamam,
suddha-Dhaivatnam and suddha-Nishadam posed a challenge to
fast akara-sancharas in Arohana as well as Avarohana.
Niraval
and swara were gracefully executed and the tingling Brigas
dotted Kharaharapriya alapana . The introduction of "Rama
neejada" was a refreshing break for the listeners from
the predictable "Chakkaniraja" and the niraval swara
at "Namaruchi telusuna" was spontaneous.
GNB's
"Ranjani niranjani " was an excellent piece to interpose
between this and the Succeeding Bhakti item. To one in whose
ears the voice of veterans still rings , a Slightly faster
pace for this would have been more satisfying. "Turakuna"
was marked by dedication and surrender and the sloga "Pasyanti"
of Vedanta Desikars sung in Vrittan (Saveri, Behag) and terminating
in "Kalpakambikai nee allavo" of Sivan rounded off
The concert.
With
her slightly withdrawn participation in the concert Meera
did not appear to be in form. The only perceptible dialogue
she entered into was with Karaikudi Jayaram in her Kalapana
swaras in "Rama neeyada" .
The
Hindu, Friday, Dec 1997 .
An
exception
High-pitched voice may invariably result
in scratches as the recital goes on but Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam
proved one of the exception. Right through her vocal display,
the singing was perfectly refreshing, and with ease and perfection
she could travese effortlessly. The Anandha Bhairavi piece
of " Neeke Theliyaka" was palatable and was followed
by an ornate Mohana with some of the phrases resembling exotic
style.
The song "Kadambari " with flashy swaras revealed
her intense training. The triumph in her painstaking Karaharapriya
with "Rama Neeyada", "Nee Muddumomu" (kamala
monohari) and a Tamil Song in the unfamiliar Davalambari lent
further sweetness to the concert marked by grandeur. Meera
Sivaramakrishnan on Violin and Karaikudi Jayaraman on mridangam
were the accompanists.
- PS Krishnamurti
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