JSS Sangeetha Sabha enthralls

S.K.Lakshminarayan (Babu), a connoisseur and patron of music was felicitated and honoured with ‘Sangeetha sevanidhi’ award. As a custom, the inaugural concert was by the president of the conference Vid T.P.Vaidyanathan.

A disciple of vid. B.K.Padmanabha Rao, Vaidyanathan represents the music of yester years. The pure, traditional classism reigns his singing despite the ripened voice. He was accompanied by Shivaram (Vocal), M.Tyagaraj (Violin),G.S.ramanujan (Mridanga)and Ramanujam (Morcing).

Rich experience

It was an accomplished music which reflected rich experience in every phrase.  The voice refused to show its strain in spite of a fragile physique. He started the concert with a composition of Mayuram Vishwanatha Shastri ‘maasada yavaru’ (Abhogi-Rupaka). The Kalpana  Swaras were short and brisk.

Then came an alapa of Saramathi that was very matured and lead to a meaningful start ‘Saakshatkaarani Sadbhakthi’ of ‘Mokshamugalada’ of Tyagaraja. Yet another raga Purvikalyani was moderately elaborated and a  grand Krithi of Mysore Sadashiva Rao pleased the few music lovers who were present.

A brisk neraval at “Shringarashekara Shiva shankara..” was followed by platoon of swaras . He ended his rather short and sweet concert with a Kannada Devaranama of Kamlesha Vithala “Baagi bhajisuve” in Bageshri. It was heartening to see that, his spirit was not dampened even after most of the senior musicians left before his concert.

The second day of the Sammelana paved way for the morning lecture demonstrations. Prof. B.S.Vijayaraghavan gave a lec-dem. on the Swara vachanas of Nijaguna shivayogi. The author of the first Encyclopaedia of Kannada, Nijaguna Shivayogi was a Philosopher and a scholar with a sound knowledge of music.

Viveka Chinthamani

His ‘Viveka Chinthamani’ deals with many subjects and music in detail. His work ‘Kaivalya Paddhathi’ has few ‘Swara vachanas’ which have been mentioned with Raaga and Taala.

The name “Swara vachana’ itself indicates that these compositions were meant for singing. (Vachana in Kannada literature refer to a distinguished form of writings which are neither prose nor poetry).  Prof. Vijayaraghavan sang some of these Swara vachanas in the ragas mentioned in the text.

Vid.M.S Vidya gave a talk on some of the ragas with similarities in Karnatak Classical music. It was a very interesting and informative talk with a melodious singing. She opted to speak of the ragas that were friendly or closely related, With individuality and similarities. The differences she said can be identified as in twins.

Raga Saama

For instance Raga Saama and Pratapavarali. Though both are derivatives of Harikambodhi and slightly differ in the scale, they have their own character.

Likewise Vachaspathi and Bhooshavari. Saranga and Hameer Kalyani, Darbar and Nayaki, Reethigowla and Anandabhairavi, Aarabhi and Devagandhari and so on.

Their uniqueness in gamaka, elongated use of swaras that bring the change in their taste was successfully demonstrated by Vidya in her melodious voice. She also mentioned the Shatragamalika of Muthuswami Dixitar in which he has used the derivatives of one raga only.

The Janyas of Shankarabharana like Poornachandrike, Narayani, Saraswathimanohari, Shuddhavasantha, Hamsadhwani and Ragadhwani have been used. The different shools of Tyagaraja and Dixitar were also mentioned by her. It was a useful talk both to the learners and musicians alike.