Priya Sisters resonates with audience through an RTP set to Ragam Lalitha
This is possibly the 4th time in December festivals at Chennai that I am listening to Priya Sisters, in recent years. Personally, I have chosen others over them, because the concerts i had attended in the past, in my view, were pretty lackluster performances.
This year I had a choice between attending U Srinivas Mandolin concert at Music Academy vrs Priya Sisters at Narada Gana Sabha. I guess, my greater inclination to vocal performances made me attend the latter, and thinking back, I am glad I chose this option.
I really enjoyed this concert of theirs. Rarely have I heard of an elaborate RTP on Lalita, which I think is simply moving. I really wish some artists release their CD’s with an elaborate RTP set to this raga. My search soon after, at the CD stalls at the venue did not result in any.
The composition was simply full of sweetness, and subtle improvisations. The pallavi brought out the beautiful nuances and rythmic beauty in the rendering of Ambikai Jagadambikai very melodiously and truly set the evening apart.
Priya Sisters other compositions rendered also included, Aadum Deivam Née Arulvaay, Sukhievaro Rama and Telsithe Mokshana, which I liked.
Well, am glad, I saw them in the light of a good concert, now I can look forward to hearing them more often.
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thanks dileep for the write up about my most favourite musicians…I was there too for priya sisters’s concert at narada gana sabha last evening…wow!!!what a concert!!and this is my 6th concert of theirs this season..beautiful singing with so much divinity…Not only the lalitha rtp,they have presented some stunning rtps in other places too with new concepts…They are world renowned musicians who attract overflowing crowds even out of chennai coz i’ve attended their concerts in hyderabad & bangalore too…I feel pained that they have been innocent victims of scathing criticism jus because of a lot of groupism n bias among the critics but true n divine talent can never be suppressed…radhe krishna
Thank you Seshan for the response. Yes indeed the concert was fantastic. In fact I was fortunate to be sitting in the first row, so had a great time enjoying their renditions. I live in the US and come here every year for the season, and also being the grandson of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Justice TL Venkatarama Aiyer, I know that politics is in all aspects of music too. But, I guess, like everything else, one needs to wade accross those currents too, and while doing so, manage some hurt from critics too.
To be frank, I liked Priya Sisters after many years, they were my favorite some time back. I was happy to hear them this time, and the wonderful concert makes me want to hear them more.
RTPs themselves are becoming rare, with musicians eager to complete as many Urupadis as possible in the concert time. Also, the lack of depth of the audience is one reason for RTPs’ disaapearance. As far as Raga Lalitha, musicians dread to take rare raagas as raaga where variety can’t be displayed. Bravo Priya sisters for taking this for RTP.
Thanks Ravi, so well said.
I think some good news awaits the horizon, this season I am begining to see more and more singers using Pallavi to bring in verses out of the norm, such as from thirukurals and elsewhere. This brings a new freshness to Pallavis and also seems to resonate with the audiences. So there is hope that making Pallavis more tuned to younger generation, they will come back to flavor. In fact, TM Krishna in his concert sang the Pallavi with quite a romantic verse, and you should have seen the audience, even as he completed the verse for the firs time.
On Priya sisters, yes, I think they seem to now come back to form, with some fresh innovations, and I guess taking these rare RTP’s could be one of them.