'Raga which is most melodic is most superior'                           Speed and poise mark                        Saraswathi's veena recital     I don’t know how these gharanas (schools) in Hindustani music are different from one another. But it is common enough expression to say that so and so belongs to gharana. I guess there can't be much difference, for, think of a concert where the vocalist belongs to Rampur gharana, and the accompanist to Jaipur gharana, if the two gharanas are of very different styles. Of course experts may be able to distinguesh the styles. In Carnatic music too such schools (bani) exist. Ariyakudi bani, Madurai bani, GNB bani, Maharajapuram bani, Kancheepuram bani and so on. In veena also there are various schools such ar Tanjore School, Mysore school. To those who are keen to listen to a good melodic recital the schools matter little. Generally I find that aggression is associated with Mysore style and softness and subtlety with Tanjore style. Iam quoting only the old rasikas for this assessment. As Cuddalore Subramaniam says in his 40 raga kriti, that raga which is most melodic is most superior.

Was there unnecessary aggression in Saraswathi Somanathan's veena recital at Hamsadhwani ? I didn't see much. Of course, in the speedy tanam she played in ragas, Amritavarshini, Shivaranjani, Revathi and valachi, following a detailed exposition of Bhairavi raga for Shyama Sastry's Sari Evaramma,revealed a certain force and virtuasity too. That there was not a single false note won the hearts of discerning Hamsadhwani rasikas.

Excellent laya support was given by schoolboy Rohan Krishnamurthy from the U.S. Saraswathi also in based in Dallas. Saraswathi's titiliating swaras for Manavyala in Nalinikanti(Tyagaraja), rendering of chittai swarams in Raghuvamsasuda, she didn't go berserk as instrumentalists often do to exhibit their skill and the kalpana swaras as also the Sunadavinodini alap for Mysore Vasudevachar's Devadi Deva were praiseworthy.

The Saranga varna was a rousing starter, quickly followed by Gam Ganapathe, penned by Muthiah Bhagavatar in Hamsadhwani. Tempo was kept up in Harikesanallur's Maate in the bewitching Kamatch raga.

The tukkudas included Purandaradasar's Ramamantra Japiso in Jaunpuri, a kavadichandu and a fascinating tillana in Brindavani by Balamurali Krishna.

Saraswathi's recital was an added proof of the fact that our NRIs are keeping the banner of carnatic music flying higher than our local practitioners. Hamsadhwani which started the NRI festival can count on this painstaking veena artiste to propagate its ideals.

Winner of the first ranking the Karnatic music competitions in Karnataka, she hails from a musical family. She is the great granddaughter of late Srirangam Narayana Iyer and grand daughter of late Sulochana Mahadevan of Madras. Currently under the tutelage of E.P.Alamelu she now teaches at Dallas (U.S). She might figure again in Hamsadhwani's NRI festival towards
the close of the year.

Saraswathi learnt her first lessons from her mother Shantha Ranganathan. She has won several awards from different music institutions in South India. With her dedication and willingness to work hard- Veena is a most demanding instrument "which talked to veena Seshanna and Subbanna"-Saraswathi should go far and continue to bring pride to our rare heritage.

HOME