These two aspects have helped in grooming him as a classical vocalist. Shrinivas was accompanied by T N Tyagarajan(Violin), H L Shivashankaraswamy (Mridanga) and S.Shrinivasa(Ghata) when he sang for Ganabharathi at Veene Sheshanna Bhavana on May 28.
After a varna ‘Viriboni’ (Kedaragowla-Misra jhampe-Rudrapatnam Venkataramanayya) in two speeds, he saluted Lord Vinayaka in a beautiful composition in Mohanakalyani ‘Siddhivinayakam’ of Muthaiah Bhagavathar. A short alapa and kalpanaswaras increased the beauty of the kruthi.
Right from this first piece, his kalpana swaras were very interesting with perfect calculation and combinations owing to his training in percussion instrument. The first half of the concert was flooded with keerthanas which could have been reduced.
The latter part contained a raga tana pallavi and four or five devaranamas. Almost every kruthi was decorated with an appropriate alapa that neatly highlighted the essence of the raga. But it was in swaras that his creativity came alive.
‘Ragasudharasa’(Andolika-Adi-Tyagaraja),’Saakethana-garanatha’(harikambodhi-rupaka-MysoreSadashiva Rao), ‘ Shree mathrubhutam’(Kannada-misra chapu-Muthuswami Dixitar),‘Maamava mridajaaye’(vasantha-Adi-Mysore Vasudevacharya),Manonmani (Shubhapantuvarali-Adi-Muthaiah Bhagavathar)were presented with verve and enthusiasm.
His voice cooperated well in madhya sthayi or middle octave, but slipped at times in higher octave. Raga Kalyani was chosen for pallavi “sada nee paadame korithi saamagaanalole”.
Tyagarajan was very supportive for the main artiste. Shivashankaraswamy and Shrinivasan made the evening more enjoyable. ‘Ranga banda’, ‘Maathu maathige Keshava’, “manava nilisuvdu balu kashta’ and ‘Endigahudo’ of Vyasaraya, Vadiraja swami,Purandara vithala and Vijaya dasa were sung soulfully.Tyagaraja sangeetha Sabha had organised flute concerts in memory of T R Mahalingam.
T R Srinath played on May 29 accompanied by H N Smitha (Violin), A Radhesh (Mridanga) and S Manjunath(Ghata). This programme was held at the prarthana mandira of Sri Chandramouleeshwara temple. T R Srinath is well known flutist of our state with good blowing techniques and fingerings.
After a small bhajan in Yamunakalyani, he took off with a varna in saveri set to Adi tala. ‘Gajavadana Beduve’ in hamsadhwani in a fast pace had a frill of crisp swaras. This was again followed by yet another fast kruthi ‘Chinnanadena’ in the raga Kalanidhi, a composition of Tyagaraja. It was raga Purvikalyani that was taken up for elaboration.
The sangathis that came in incessant succession were tilting more towards display of virtuosity than stressing on the melody. Probably the pace with which he was going was not so comfortable and as one kept wondering, an early tani came as a surprise within an hour from the start. A chunk was reserved for Raga Tana Pallavi in Kokilapriya.
“Nannubrovarada sri Ramachandra” set to Tisra triputa tala in tisra nade was neatly presented. He played a few tukdas before ending - a Taranga of Sri Narayanateertha in darbarikanada, a devaranama ‘Sada enna hridayadalli’ and ‘chinnanjirukiliye’.
Dr C A Sridhar and Kalyani played flute on May 31 in the same venue. Dr Sridhar has a few books to his credit and is a member of the teaching faculty of the Music college of Mysore University. He was accompanied by H K Narasimhamurthy (Violin),G S Ramanujam(Mridanga) and V S Ramesh(Morcing).
Dr Sridhar along with his daughter and disciple Kalyani pleased the listeners with popular keerthanas in a dignified style. ‘Gajavadana beduve’(Hamsadhwani-Adi-Purandaradasa), ‘Angarakamashrayam’, a Navagraha keerthana(Suruti-Rupaka-Muthuswami Dixitar), ‘Gangadhara Tripurahara’(Purvikalyani-Rupaka-Mysore Sadashiva Rao) and ‘Pakkalanilabadi’(Kharaharapriya-Misrachapu-Tyagaraja) were presented in a leisurely manner stressing on the Sahithya bhava with moderate alapana and kalpana swaras. Of course, the moderate raga would certainly be elaborated by H K Narasimhamurthy very pleasantly. The main raga of the day was Shankarabharana which was amply justified by artistes. The notes of Shankarabharana glided smoothly from one to another.
Shyama Shastri’s evergreen keerthana ‘Sarojadalanetri’ was pleasing with appropriate gamakas and other embellishments. A neraval at “Samagaana vinodini” was followed by an interesting shower of swaras. The matured tani between Ramanujam and Ramesh was good.
