The concert by Trichur Brothers was steeped in manodharma

When two well-trained singers handle kritis together, there is great vitality. This is what characterises the music of Trichur Brothers; their concert for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was no exception.

Their maturity and insight were evident in Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi in Malahari. Srikrishna Mohan offered a detailed, yet imaginative alapana. His creative impulses and manodharma came to the fore in the long phrases. The tanam segment that Ramkumar Mohan initiated was later shared by both. The pallavi was of Dikshitar’s composition ‘Panchamatanga Mukha Ganapathina’ in the same raga but in Ghanta eka talam (double Kalai) after two aksharas. Their alternate singing of swaras lent sheen to the concert. In the ragamalika swaras, Srikrishna took up Suddha Sarang, while Ramkumar presented Kapi. On the violin, the young Sayee Rakshit played a wonderful Rageshri. After a short prastara in Maund by Srikrishna, they wound up the long, but engaging swara segment with a lovely korvai.

In the thani, their father, vidwan Trichur Mohan (mridangam) duetted with D.V. Venkatasubramaniyan (ghatam) and displayed aesthetically tidy phrases. Their soft playing throughout the recital enhanced the appeal.

Before commencing the concert with a virutham on Lord Vigneswara, which was followed by Tiruvottriyur Thyagaiyer’s Sahana varnam, ‘Karunimpa’, the duo rendered portions of ‘Kamalaapta Kula’ by Tyagaraja in Brindavana Saranga for soundcheck. They even sang a few kalpanaswaras for the pallavi and charanam. One wished they had sung the entire kriti.

After the varnam, they rendered one of Dikshitar’s masterpieces, ‘Chintaya Ma Kandamoola Kandam’ (rupakam) in Bhairavi. This is in second Vibhakti, on Prithvi Linga in Kanchipuram, one of the Panchabhutalinga kritis. Tyagaraja’s ‘Ninne Bhajana’ in Nattai, where the composer says, ‘O Sitanaatha, protector of the Universe, I worship you alone’, has a charming chittaswaram. The duo rendered swaras at the pallavi.

Elaborate raga alapana

Ramkumar’s elaborate and pleasing raga alapana for Kannada was the highpoint of the concert. He rendered every phrase with bhava. Sayee Rakshith’s raga exposition on the violin was enjoyable. Veteran Kanyakumari’s student, Sayee’s aesthetic sense makes him a desirable accompanist.

The duo then presented Dikshitar’s ‘Sri Mathrubhutham’ with swaras at ‘Suvasita nava javanti pushpa’ and at ‘Sadasivam paramasivam’, both at the madhyama kala segment.

Syama Sastri’s ‘Nannubrova rada’ (misra chapu) in Janaranjani was a neat rendering. ‘Appan avatharitha’ in Karaharapriya by Papanasam Sivan was one for Ayyappa devotees, who usually set out for the pilgrimage during this time of the year. The brothers concluded their concert with the Hamsanandi piece, ‘Srinivasa Thiruvenkatamudaiyan’, again by Sivan.

The Chennai-based reviewer specialises in Carnatic music.