Music & dance reviews

Different facets of music

Curtain came down on this year’s “Bharat Sangeet Utsav” with a special programme called “Ragamalika” last week, under the aegies of the Carnatica and SVN Music Academy, with Deccan Herald as the media partner.

A team of young musicians narrated the universality of music and how the music is a celebration of ragas! By choosing a raga they sang songs from classical, films, folk, devotional – all in the same raga. 

They began with a Ganesha stuthi followed by a folk song. Then Kalyani, the evergreen raga; ‘Jananee’ and ‘Vasudevayani’, Carnatic classic music; ‘Kalaivaniye’ and ‘Shringapuradheeswari’ in Kannada ‘Dayamado Ranga’ of Purandaradasa; “Ea Samaya Shringaramaya” – a Kannada film song.

A few cinema songs from Tamil and Hindi, based on the raga Keervani. For classical based compositions raga Reethigowla was chosen. ‘Thathwamariya Tharama’ and as a counter part in Tamil cinema ‘Killiye’. For ‘Bale balendu’ the ‘Thalai Kuniyum’ was a parallel song. They narrated how ragas are sung similarly in both classical form and films.

In Tamil, Hindi and Kannada cinema, how songs are tuned and sung in similar ragas.
The team led by Ganesh and Manasi Prasad had few other vocalists like Bharath Sundar, Champakaraj and Swaghatha, supported by instruments Chitraveena (Ganesh), keyboard (Ravishankar), guitar (Bharath Sundar) mridanga (B R Srinivas) and Tabla (Megashyam).

Lively vocal
On the same platform well known artiste N Vijayashiva gave a compact vocal concert. He is known for his wide repertoire, traditional ‘Patanthara’ and an attractive style. For instance “Sri Dum Durge” of Dikshithar was a welcome change from the routine. So also ‘Smarane Sukhamu’ of Saint Tyagaraja, a infrequent krithi, was rendered with meaningful Nerval (Ramanama Shravanamu). The high spot of the concert was ‘Yetha Vunara’ and was invested with all the graces known to the krithi. He started the swaraprasthara in good ‘vilamba kaala’ and after few Avarthas gradually moved to madhyama kaala which was lively and entertaining.  A few devotionals – ‘Gajamba Nayako’ and ‘Hari vasarada’ – had their lilting quality. Sri Ramkumar on violin lent excellent support to add to the musical appeal. Percussionists, Neyveli Narayanan and N Amrith accompanied on Mridanga and Khanjari with good understanding.

Colourful dance festival

A number of dances – Bharatanatya, kathak, chhau, odissi – brought colour and variety and made the Nadam Festival a memorable one. “Kreeda” on the last day of the festival, was a welcome departure from the conventional themes.

They had chosen ‘games’ as the subject which we all play in our young age and forget it in later years. Skipping, marble game, ‘gilli danda’, top spin, hand rounding, hop skotch, kites etc. - 11 types of games were performed in Bharathanatya with, jathi, swara and music – it was performed aesthetically and demonstrated the potentiality of dance and Bharathanatya in particular.

It spoke immensely of the talent, experience and creativity of C V Chandrasekhar, senior guru. The dancers performed with so much ease and assurance and gay abandon, that it was a lively show, throughout. Guru C V Chandrasekhar (Natuvanga), Janaki Raghuraman (vocal), Adiyar Balu (mridanga), Vijayaraghavan (violin) and Devaraj (flute) – shared the honours with the dancers.

Impressive Kathak

Kathak recital by Anuj Mishra and Smrithi Mishra, was a fitting finale to the Nadam Dance Festival. Their performance was appreciated as much for its Abhinaya as its Layakari.

The ‘Krishna Vandana’ gave them an impressive start with the famous lyric “Govinda Bolo Hari”. All the main aspects of pure dance, nritta, were charmingly presented. The Jugalbandi and the ‘Dhammar’ Later, heightened their appeal and interpreted precisely. Enjoying themselves they presented charmingly. The “Maiya Mori Mai Nahi Makhan Kayo” was also appealing. The festival was conducted successfully by Nandini Mehta and Murali Mohan.