In the Thyagaraja disciple tradition, the Lalgudi lineage has been the deepest, beginning with Lalgudi Rama Iyer. Lalgudi Jayaraman’s son, GJR Krishnan, and daughter, Vijayalakshmi, who is in the fifth generation, are carrying on the legacy. Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi’s solo violin concert at the Trinity Festival, organized by Kalakshetra Foundation, stood out for its musical craftsmanship.
He started his concert with Tyagaraja’s ‘Nenaranchara Napaini’ after a catchy sketch of a Janam Singhvahini raga from Sarsangi. The musician pleaded with Rama to have mercy on him. Kalpanaswaras brought out many shades of raga.
A crisp little alapana was preceded by Shyama Shastri’s swarajathi, ‘Rave Himgiri Kumari’, where the musician prays for the grace of Goddess Kamakshi. Vijayalakshmi brought out its scintillating tempo and depth through the resonant strings of her instrument. His vocal proficiency helped him play the masterpiece with precision.
Dikshit’s second inflection composition, ‘Santhana Gopalakrishnam’ (Rupakam), in Khamas, was preceded by alapana, an influential raga. The splendid melody in medium art was in ‘Narthana Muralidharam’.
hasty presentation
The bitter and soft sweep of the raga Purvakalani revealed in the leisurely interpretation, with its emphasis on the cardinal notes, had a striking effect.
Dixit’s rendering of ‘Meenakshi Mein Mudham Dehi’ by Vijayalakshmi lit up with the glow of serene beauty. Slowly the void was in the general ‘Madurpuri Nilaya’, followed by a bright sketch of the rare raga vanaspati, the fourth Melakarta. In his composition ‘Pariyachakma’, the saint-musician asks Rama why he is ridiculing him. This was followed by another Tyagaraja work, ‘Anupama Gunambudhi’ in Atana.
Peace Day Resistance was an elaborate interpretation of the raga Sankarabharanam, with Tyagaraja’s ‘Manasu Swadhinaina’ accompanied by a leisurely Mishra chapu. Vijayalakshmi’s interpretation was in line with that of Pantarama. The elaborate vocals distilled the sweetness of Sankarabharanam.
R. The Thani by Sankaranarayanan (Mridangam) and KV Gopalakrishnan (Kanjira) was a display of rhythmic aesthetics and enriched the concert.
Dixit’s ‘Shri Ram Saraswati’ in Raga Nasmani (in the Dikshitar school) was an appropriate interlude. Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi concluded her singing with Tyagaraja’s Devagandhari composition, ‘Koluvaiyunnade Kodandapani’. Kumari Krishnandu was with him on the tambura.
The Chennai-based writer specializes in Carnatic music.