Trichur Brothers – Two Concerts Two Approaches

Back to back concerts by visiting Carnatic musicians in Hyderabad is a rarity. Doubtlessly the challenge is to ensure that their list eschews any repetition and exhibit a repertoire that announces their range. Trichur Brothers delivered punch filled concerts at Keyes High School (organised by Sharada Bhakta Mandali) and at Lamakaan with consummate ease and without a doubt found new fans and retained the old ones. Salutations to Sharada Bhakata Mandali (an all women organisation) that endeavours (successfully) to bring in some great musicians to the city and are the ones who introduced Trichur Brothers to Hyderabad. The two days of music that the Brothers gave us was enriching and a wonderful window to the lovers of the genre.
In the first concert designed to salute the memory of Swati Tirunal, the programme started with a rendition in the raga Chakravakam. It is perhaps a part of the modern Kutcheri grammar that the performing artist knows that a start well-made is part delivery. So was it this evening, immediate rapport with a well-informed audience. The soulful Asaveri – chandram bhaje manasa, was followed by the wonderful rendition of a Swati Tirunal krithi in Mayamalawa Gowla. The Bros. did an interesting swara kalpana with reminiscent of the Chembai style of rolling the swaras in speed. After the crisp Mayamalawa Gowla came the laid back Reetigowla and the Tyagaraja krithi: Dwaitamu Sukama Advaita.. This Raga showed Raam Kumar in stunning form. He took you to the base of the raga and reminded you of the master MD Ramanathan and then reached the high notes with the support of big brother Sri Krishna. The evening then evolved to the RTP. Surely the brothers knew the audience well enough and chose to do a RTP. Vasanta was not dissected. It was espoused rather than explored or exposed. The tanam was literally breathless and full marks this time round to the near ethereal spouts of Srikrishna, the raga kept you so engaged that the audience failed to realise that the concert was already in its second hour. Time pushed the brothers to a quick pallavi and a detailed swara kalpana and then a fine ‘thani’ by Trichur Mohan on the Mridangam and D. Venkata Subramaniam on the Ghattam doing khanda jati Triputa talam. Giving soulful support on the violin and letting it do more than just support was M Satyanarayana on the violin.
The first was not the precursor to the next. Different roads, equally set for melody. Two guys, two days, two takes. At Lamakaan the concert was very different from the one heard on the earlier evening. To an audience less orthodox the Bothers chose a different route to cajole and ended up with a huge applause and left behind an audience sold to their talent, charm and manner. Watch the lovely pics (Janardhan) on FB and you would discern the perfect body language the youngsters added to the Lamakaan setting. Perfect evening. Superb music. In a way it was custom defying—on the day of the Thyagaraja Aradhana, the concert eschewed krithis of the great saint composer till they came to the customary adieu in Sourashtram. This could have surprised the orthodox listener if only he stayed away from the hypnotising charm of the music that filled the air.
Their Vatapi Ganapati (Hamsadhwani) was just right to set the mood and the expectations of the audience. In the unlikely event of a concert going wrong the Bros can fall back on a Revati as a backup insurance as a strategy. Every time I’ve heard them render the Raga, I have wondered what it takes to achieve the level of brilliance. Here was it again in evidence – Bho Shiv Shambo Swayambo. They also took the krithi to an early, very early disguised tanam and left the audience not just yearning for more but with goose bumps. After a quick Raghu vamsa sudha (Kathana Kuthuholam) and a detailed mike adjustment process, the duo moved on a rendering a Muthuswami Dikshitar krithi in Amrutha varshini. If the earlier evening (Reethigowla) belonged to Raam, this time it was left to Srikrishna to take the audience to an unexplored state with his rendition of the raga. The swaras saw an interesting contrast in approach- one designedly soft and appealing and the other crisp and baritone. As it was a less ‘orthodox’ audience, the brothers went to belt out numbers like Bhogendra Sahinam (Kuntlaa varali), Krishna Nee Begane (Yaman Kalyani), Manasa Sanchara re (Saama) before the Thillana.
This evening too had the percussionists adding great value to the concert – Trichur Mohan and D. Venkata Subramaniam both evenings also had some great support on the violin from M. Satyanarayana who added soul to the power packed performances of the Trichur Brothers.
Trichur Brothers, without exaggeration, were brilliant. The easel ease with which the art was on display kept the audience spell bound. The style of the brothers especially of keeping the Raga tone while the other is exploring it is not just an innovation but a wonderful addition to duo singing. The swaras are not fabricated. The swaras seem to be flowing naturally by design (obviously a product of great sadhana). They did not render. They weaved a melody magic, travelled to awesome areas. The appreciation from the knowledgeable crowd and the constant wah wahs was a salute to melody in action based on discipline, innovation, sincerity not to mention a defined high style quotient.
On both days the concert team left the audience yearning for more and that perhaps is the final test. If nothing the Brothers who may have landed in Hyderabad with the idea of gaining a few fans ended with a huge committed following. Already looking forward to the next.