JOIN USNada Surabhi
Nada Surabhi, one of the well known Sangeeth Sabhas of Bengaluru, caters to the cultural needs of the Koramangala extension by conducting monthly music concerts, youth festivals, Aradhana and Karnataka Vaibhava apart from an annual music festival. The Sabha also felicitates a senior musician and confers the title ‘Sangeetha Surabhi’. During the 22nd Annual Music Festival held last week, veteran musician Neela Ramgopal was honoured with the title and the book ‘Neela Ramgopal – A musical journey’, authored by Harini Raghavan, was also released on the occasion.
Ranjani and Gayathri, who gave a vocal duet here on Saturday, are popular vocalists and a large number of connoisseurs participated.
Vachaspati is known as one of the most popular prathi madhyama ragas of the post-Trinity period. Tyagaraja’s ‘Kantajudami’ and Veena Seshanna’s ‘Yemani Delupudura’– are well known compositions in this raga. Ranjani and Gayathri chose Vachaspati and it received an appealing airing. They painted a beautiful picture of the raga and the ‘Grahabheda’ was yet another instance of their mastery over the medium. The crowning glory of the concert was a soulful raga, thana and pallavi in Dwijavanti.
Sparkling ragamalika swara – was an added attraction. The sisters’ music appealed greatly to the audience, who stayed till the end. H S Smitha on violin, Delhi Sriram on mridanga and Omkar G Rao on ghata – rose to the occasion.
Expectations belied
Vocal, veena, flute and solo violin concerts brought variety and colour to the ‘Ananya Deepotsava’ musical festival.
B R Sridhar, who gave the inaugural concert, hails from a known family of musicians in Mysuru. He is the son of Belakavadi Rangaswamy Iyengar and disciple of V S Rajagopal and Venkatesh Thevar and worked at Akashavani (in mridanga). Connoisseurs relished the opportunity to listen to the senior percussionist’s vocal concert on Friday. He was well supported by B K Raghu on violin, A Renuka Prasad on mridanga and Sukanya Ramgopal on ghata, who kept the proceedings on a lively note.
Few attractive raga and compositions constituted an impressive choice of his musical equipment. For instance Vasantabhairavi, an appealing ‘rakti raga’. With nerval and swara, he tried to elaborate ‘Nee Daya rada’ of saint Tyagaraja. In Kalyani he chose a pallavi in Adi Thala. He also sang compositions like ‘Mokshamugalada’ and ‘Amba Vanni’. It is not a melodious voice, but his modulation and the relish with which he intonates the numbers make for a pleasant listening. A little more attention to ‘Sruti’ – especially in the ‘Thara sthayi’ – could be of help.
Music festival
The Academy of Music conducted the annual ‘K K Murthy Memorial Music Festival’ at its own Chowdaiah Memorial Hall, last week. The Chowdiah Award was conferred on Vidushi Sudha Raghunathan.
The award presentation function was followed by a vocal concert of Sudha Raghunathan, a Padmabhushan awardee and a sought after musician. Her chiselled style surfaced in the very first number ‘Ninukori’ – a familiar varna. The invocatory song was ‘Vandisuvudu Aadiyali Gannanathana’ with brief swara. Meaningful ‘Mokshamugalada’ is an ever popular composition of saint Tyagaraja. ‘Aparadhamula’ was rendered with brief nerval and swara.
The ‘Koluvamaregada’ is a special composition of saint Tyagaraja. It had a special place in the Mysore Prantya, as most of the Asthan Vidwans of Mysore Palace chose it as a major item of their concerts. In the keertana, Tyagaraja says – “What a grand royal seat. It has been my privilege to offer Sri Rama, the wielder of the ‘Kodanda’, in my humble abode, an honour not bestowed even on his most intimate devotees.” She presented the composition with alapana (Thodi), nerval and swara, as usual. Though her voice was not at its best, the kruthi was moulded into an essay of aesthetic finesse. Her feel for the lyrics in devotionals (devaranama, abhang) added lilt to her singing.
B V Raghavendra Rao on violin, Palladam Ravi on mridanga and R Raman on morsing – fulfilled the needs of the occasion.