Music and Dance reviews

Gems of Karnatic music

Bangalore Lalithakala Parishat presented a vocal concert by Dr Radha Bhaskar on Friday. Dr Radha Bhaskar is a well-known vocalist, musicologist and a music critic. She holds a doctoral degree in music and is a disciple of P S Narayana Swamy. She has performed in many organisations and has conducted music workshops in both in and outside India.

She has directed 5,000 schoolchildren and conducted a choral music programme too.

Theme of the current concert of Radha Bhaskar was “Nine Gems of Karnatic Music.” Karnatic music is enriched by compositions of different composers. Dr Radha rendered songs of different composers neatly.

“Deva Deva Thanayambike” of Swathi Tirunal in the raga Mayamalavagoula, gave her a bright start. She chose two compositions of Tyagaraja - “Janaki Ramana” in Sudda Seemanthini and “Aadamodigalada.” Raga alapana of Charukeshi was brief but rendered with good “ragabhava.” For a good measure, she had selected few compositions of Gopalakrishna Bharatheeyar (Aarabhi), Koteeswara Iyer (Chalanata), Papanasam Sivan (Kuntala Varali).

Well-known kruthi “Ardha Nareeswaram” of Dikshitar was embellished with a flurry of good “Sangathies” and “Kamakshee Amba” of Syama Sastry in raga Varali. Another fine composition “Kalayami Nanda Kamaniya” was also well received.

The concert was informative and as a total musical experience, nothing could have been more enduring than the Nine Gems of Karnatic Music.

Nalina Mohan on violin, B C Manjunath on Mridanga and Vyasa Vittala on Khanjari, gave good support.

Krishna katha

Krishna is an inspiring theme for all our art and artistes - music, dance, painting, sculpture and folk. Now Sri Yathiraja Jeeyar Swamy of Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt has composed Krishna Katha” based on different compositions. It is actually a pilgrimage from north to south, east to west of India, touching different holy places of Krishna through a number of compositions.

Anjali Sriram, young vocalist and a disciple of M S Sheela rendered compositions on Krishna in an attractive manner. It was an impressive beginning with the lyrics of Nammalwar, which was quiet apt.

“Gopalaka Pahimam Anisham” of Swati Tirunal, was testifying to her good grounding.

“Puraya Mamakaram” of Krishna Leela Tarangini, “Kande Na Udupi Krishnana” and Ashtapadi of Jayadeva were presented, which stood out for their  range and skill in improvisation.

“Sri Krishnam Bhaja” of Dikshitar is a classic kruthi in Thodi. “Jagadoddarana” is a very popular devaranama of Purandara Dasa and “Aalisu Krishnana Kolalina Kare” of Dr P T Narasimhachar was a fitting finale to the special programme. It showed Anjali in her elements and was a devotional treat.

Sri Swamiji’s commentary was full of information, interesting and was like a guiding lamp.

Achutha Rao, Vinod Shyam Anoor and Gopi - accompanied with good understanding on violin, mridanga and rhythm pad, respectively.