How Jayanthi Kumaresh has mastered the artwork of conserving the viewers engaged

Jayanthi Kumaresh introduced a well-structured Lathangi alapana.
| Photograph Credit score: RAGHUNATHAN SR

Instrumentalists, notably those that play the veena, often have a tough time retaining the viewers’s consideration. Since most rasikas strongly correlate Carnatic music to sahitya, they like listening to acquainted kritis. This makes it troublesome for instrumentalists as they should repeat some well-known songs or ragas.

Vidushi Jayanthi Kumaresh is somebody who accords most precedence to viewers engagement. There was by no means a uninteresting second at her recital for The Music Academy.

Beginning off pleasantly with Muthuswami Dikshitar’s ‘Parvati Kumaram’ in Nattakurinji, she performed kalpanaswaras that had flowing raga-alapana-like components and confirmed an affect of tanam. She subsequent explored Lathangi with a neat, structured alapana taking over the composition ‘Pirava varam thaarum’ by Papanasam Sivan. Dealing with high-speed swaras is a talent she has nurtured through the years.

Jayanthi Kumaresh accompanied by Okay.U. Jayachandra Rao on the mridangam and Trichy S. Krishnaswamy on the ghatam.
| Photograph Credit score:
RAGHUNATHAN SR

Prefacing each piece with a brief introduction both concerning the raga or the composition, Jayanthi made certain the viewers grasped what she conveyed musically. Her alapana of Mukhari for ‘Entani ne varnintunu’ mirrored the gayaki method and mirrored the temper and traits of the raga from the very first phrase. Her subsequent raga for elaboration was Saveri, the place her alapana stood out for some lengthy single-meetu phrases and even handed protection of all three octaves. Jayanthi rendered kalpanaswaras in each speeds at ‘Dhara dharavi neela’. Her melkala swaras by no means misplaced the essence of the raga, showcasing its salient options appropriately.

Kantamani, the 61st melakarta raga, isn’t sung in live shows. It’s a prati madhyama raga and stands out with shuddha daivatam (D1) and shuddha nishadham (N1) within the uttarangam. After an in depth exposition of the raga in her alapana, Jayanthi performed a pleasant tanam that resonated effectively with the viewers as she employed a variety of left-hand strategies. Her pallavi ‘Jaya jaya shankara hara hara shankara kanchi kamakoti peetha’ was set in Tisra jathi Jhampa tala. A set of neat kalpanaswaras with systematic kanakku endings resulted in Jayanthi’s signature ascent to the uppermost octave within the ultimate swara, cementing her chemistry with rasikas who instantly applauded on the ultimate meetu.

Jayanthi was accompanied by Okay.U. Jayachandra Rao on the mridangam and Trichy S. Krishnaswamy on the ghatam. The percussionists offered good help all through the kutcheri, taking part in fairly suitably for the veena.

A few of the different items included a thillana in Mishra Shivaranjani composed by Lalgudi Jayaraman and ‘Kamakshi loka sakshi’ in Madhyamavati by Syama Sastri.