Sparkling violin duet

Curtains came down on the Spring Music Festival with violin duet of Mysore Nagaraj and Mysore Manjunath on Sunday.

Internationally acclaimed brothers are both accomplished accompanists and soloists and are well known in the music field.

Beginning of the concert was different from the expectations of the audience. Instead of a varna in two kaala or a brisk Madhyama kaala krithi, Nagaraj and Manjunath opened their concert with a “Vilamba Kaala” composition – “Akhilandeswari” which revealed the essence of the melody in all its majesty and serenity.

It was followed by another good composition “Raga Sudharasa”. A detailed alapana of Shanmukhapriya followed. While presenting the raga, Nagaraj also indulged in “graha bheda,” of course very briefly. It was embellished with interesting swaraprasthara. The classical stature in their Kambodhi was shining with aesthetic charm and the keerthane “Marakathavalli came alive with cascading swara prasthara.

Special attraction of the concert was double mridanga by Arjun Kumar and Patri Satish Kumar which also generated good heat. The popular devotional “Pibare Rama Rasam” and a thillana – were the concluding items. It was an interesting combination of melody and technical virtuosity. The concert was held under the aegis of the Sri Rama Lalithakala Mandira.

Keshava Kalarnavam

H R Keshava Murthy (1919-2006) was a great natuvanar, teacher, organiser and choreographer. More than all, he is the founder of the Keshava Nrityashala, one of the earliest dance schools of Bangalore. Last week, a homage was paid to him through a special programme called “Keshava Kalarnavam”.

The programme started with a documentary highlighting Keshavamurthy’s (HRK) life and works. One of his sons, Ravishankar, rendered the invocatory song (Sharanu Sharana Gananayakane) pleasingly, while grandson, Pravardhan, sang “Kaava Daivavu Neene.” Young dance students presented the “Guru Vandane” and HRK’s family members and students performed different compositions of Keshavamurthy.

First, an infrequent jathiswara in Suladi Saptha Thala by the students of Keshava Nritya Shale followed by a Shabda, which was in eight different ragas set to misra chapu thala. HRK has composed a varna on Lord Kadu Malleswara, famous and old temple of Malleswaram. It was in raga Kalyani with the beginning lyrics “Ninnane Nambihe Nanu.” It was a proof of their good training and practise and a good homage to a veteran artiste.

Devotional songs

Hamsini Nagendra, Assistant Professor, Department of Dance, Drama and Music of Bangalore University, gave an exclusive concert of compositions of Purandara Dasaru.
Hamsini presented “Anjike Inyathakayya” with alapana and swara. It was a classical fare and without overdoing anything, she was able to establish the right musical
atmosphere, throughout the concert. Earlier, she also elaborated attana for
“Sakala Grahabala Neene” briefly.

She sang – Rama Mantrava Japiso, Narayna Ninna Namada Smarane, etc – that pleased the gathering. “Anubhavadadigeya Maadi” – was a meaningful devaranama, with interesting lyrics. With her good voice and presentation received the appreciation of the House.

She was ably supported by Mathur Srinidhi on violin, Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma on mridanga and Sunad Anoor on Khanjari.