Music and dance reviews

Speed mars melody

R Raghavendra who gave the last concert of the series, hails from a well known musicians’ family. He has been trained by his parents – senior percussionist Srimushnam Raja Rao and Padma Shandilyan – and is being guided, now by Sanjay Subramanian, popular vocalist.

Apart from the limitation in his voice, Raghavendra has the tendency of singing everything in Drutha Kaala. But speed mars the melody and majestic ‘Vilamba Kaala’ which has its own grandeur and dignity. Kalyani was treated in greater detail for ‘Adrisutavara’, which failed to create an impact.

Though it had its lyrical appeal, it betrayed a lack of conviction, his voice falling short in its sonority. However, a devotional on Raghavendra Swamy and the thillana of Srimushnam Raja Rao – were pleasing. But what was the need to change the raga of well known devaranama “Ragi Thandeera”?

Raghavendra is young enough to improve and indeed showed that he was profound in spirits and colourful in vocal revelation and indeed can better his concert craft to create better impact. B K Raghu’s restrained violin support was a bright spot in the proceedings. The percussionists – S Ashoka and Kartheek Mani – gave competent support.

Good in parts

The organisers of “Every Friday cultural evening programme” presented a Bharathanatya recital, last week. Hemalatha V has passed the junior examination under the training of Khechara Kalamandalam and has completed her ‘Ranga Pravesha’ under Kanagal Nrithyalaya. She is a BE (Information Science) graduate and has performed in some of the programmes of her dance institution also.

Hemalatha opening with a piece on Nataraja (Purushothama Kanagal) chose a famous composition on Devi “Kanja dalayathakshi’. At that stage she sprang a surprise by selecting a Bhavageethe. “Yenu Cheluvina Nadu” of Dr S S Marulaiah was in the raga Kalyani. It was followed by a Pada of Dandayudhapani, on Shanmukha.

The Keerthana “Sadamadini’ of Saint Tyagaraja (Gamheeravani raga) brought nostalgic memories, as it was very popular once, on the music concert stage. She performed Manmatha Dahana, Parwathi Kalyana and Gangawatharana episodes in the ‘Sanchari’. She concluded with a Thillana in the raga Pharz. But one felt the absence of a varna, a real test of calibre.

Hemalatha revealed a comfortable stage presence from the beginning. But it could have been more enduring with better selection of compositions.
With some more higher training and stage experience, Hemalatha can reach great heights.