L Shankar and Chitravina Ravikiran in winning partnership

L Shankar and Chitravina Ravikiran in winning partnership

If L Shankar and Chitravina N Ravikiran were batting in cricket field, this would have been a world record breaking partnership. Celestial music emanated from the musicians – L Shankar, Chitravina N Ravikiran, A K P Pazhanivel (Tavil) and Shree Sundar Kumar (Kanjira) who were in complete synergy (astronomical alignment of three or more heavenly bodies) from start to finish in the Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha season opener on 15 December from 6:45-9:30 pm.

Commencing with Tiruvotriyur Thyagaiyyar’s varnam, Karunimpa in Sahana, the duo moved on to Muttuswamy Dikshitar’s Siddhi Vinayakam in Chamaram (Shanmukhapriya) with rapid-fire rounds of swaras in the Pallavi, with the percussionists taking turns. This was followed by Tyagaraja’s Bilahari krti Tolijanma in a brisk Khanda Chapu.  

And then the string virtuosos presented L Shankar’s  hauntingly beautiful “Anandanadamadum Tillai Shankara” in Savitri (which is like Tilang but without the foreign note of the high Ni) from the album “Who’s to know” that has been a rage from the 1980s.

An elaborate Birana Brova ide –Tarangampadi Panchanada Iyer’s masterpiece in Kalyani - was preceded by a tranquil alapana and followed by firecracker swaras by Ravikiran and Shankar, and met its match in the tani avartanam by the Percussionists.

Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar’s javali – Sarasamu lade in Kapi was a lilting contrast after the heavy fireworks earlier.  The audience requested for another piece and the duo played a folk composition of L Shankar’s in Pahadi with ragamalika improvisations in Ranjani, Hamsadhwani, Ahiri and Madhyamavati. A very unusual post main piece with improvisations, yet again bringing out the creativity of the two geniuses on strings.

The tavil and kanjira with their unique sounds blended in beautifully with the Chitravina and the Double Violin. The ability of Shankar’s double violin to emulate the double bass, cello, viola and violin range, the elan with which Ravikiran matched the double violin’s tone and range with complete control over the lower octaves and higher octaves of his invention, the

nava chitravina ensured that their musical dialogues were on equal footing throughout.

It was equally amazing to see how the sounds from a Brobdingnagian instrument such as the Tavil and a handheld Liliputian (only in size) Kanjira were on equal footing, proving that size does not matter. All four instrumentalists played to their strengths, yet in sync with each other, with nobody trying to outdo the other in any way. A quality that is seldom seen in collaborations like this. The blend of sounds that emanated from all the four instruments had the rich feel of an orchestra in that packed hall. Overall, a once in a lifetime

opportunity to attend a star-studded concert.

About the Author:

K Vijaya is a connoisseur of Carnatic Music and a retired Headmistress. She enjoys reading books, following cricket, and spending time with family.