Kalyanapuram S. Aravind’s concert was fittingly marked by the magnificent composition by Muthuswami Dikshitar, ‘Sri subramanyaya namaste’ (Kamboji), as the event, organised by Kedaram Trust, was in memory of N.V. Subramaniam, founder of Saraswathi and Saraswathi Vaggeyakara Trust.

Aravind’s unhurried Kamboji alapana was the highlight of the evening as he made the raga’s identity clear in the very first phrase. L. Ramakrishnan’s violin response systematically built the raga before concluding with the characteristic phrase in kakali nishadam in the lower octave.

The verse ‘Senthanai kandhanai sengottu verpanai’, from Arunagirinathar’s Kandhar Alankaram, led to the ‘Sri subramanyaya namaste.’ The jaru phrases drew attention. The tempo allowed the distinctive aspects of Kamboji to be heard clearly. The latter part of the charanam, usually heard in madhyama kala, was rendered in the same tempo as the kriti.

The niraval at the anupallavi line ‘Vasavadi sakala deva vanditaya,’ brought the lyrics into focus. The use of upper octave for ‘sakala deva’ was especially effective, after which the kalpanaswaras initially settled around that register. Math and melody seemed to meet naturally here. B. Sivaraman on the mridangam and Nerkunam Sankar on the kanjira picked up the rhythmic possibilities in the tisra eka exchanges, with its three beats to a cycle, and moved smoothly through the tani avartanam, building it towards an intricate koraippu.

Aravind brought the same grip to the kritis rendered prior to the main piece. Tyagaraja’s ‘Evarikai avataramethithivo’, in Devamanohari, with a brief alapana, was a straightforward rendition without the manodharma embellishments. ‘Manasuloni marmamulu’, in Hindolam, was brisk with kalpanaswaras at the same pace. The anchoring around Dhaivatam in phrases, shared between Aravind and Ramakrishnan, made for an engaging evening, though a few passages ventured beyond the comfortable upper vocal range.

The opening Navaragamalika varnam, aptly beginning with the raga Kedaram and the shloka ‘Dharani garbha sambhutham’ leading to Dikshitar’s ‘Angarakamashrayamyaham ’, set the concert on its course. Muthiah Bhagavatar’s ‘Sarasa dala nayane’ in Saramathi, with its unhurried chittaswaram, composed by Aravind’s guru, Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan, led the concert to a dainty Purvikalyani alapana followed by yet another Tyagaraja composition ‘Gnanamosaga rada.’ With phrases in tanam-style structure, the niraval at the line ‘Paripurna nishkalanka’ was a brilliant exercise both by Aravind and Ramakrishnan.

Towards the end came the evening’s lively moment. Aravind started ‘Siruviralgal thadavi,’ a Periyazhwar pasuram, in Thodi and continued it as a ragamalika virutham. At the line ‘Govindan kuzhal kondu oodhina podhu,’ the creativity began to move across a gamut of ragas. Hamir Kalyani was followed by short phrases of Bhairavi alternating with Sindhu Bhairavi, with Ramakrishnan bringing in Vasantha and Kalyana Vasantham for his part on the violin. Aravind moved through Vasantha Bhairavi, Salaga Bhairavi and Khamas before arriving at Rageshri for the Surdas bhajan, ‘Krishna nama rasana,’ making it a small feast on its own. 

The ability to make musical ideas audible without overindulging in them made this concert an appropriate tribute to N.V. Subramaniam. Aravind’s concert was one where the details mattered, but never had to be announced.