Ramotsava festival
One of the oldest Rama mandiras in Bengaluru, the Malleswaram Sri Rama Mandira, established in 1922, conducted the annual Ramotsava festival. Music (vocal, veena, flute, harmonium and saxophone) dance, gamaka and yakshagana programmes were organised on the occasion.
P Rama and P Chandrika, who gave a vocal duet here, are well known musicians. After few familiar compositions they crowned their concert with a fine composition- "Kanta Judumi Oka Pari Kri". In this keertana, Saint Tyagaraja says - "Cast your benign side glances on me at least once ….. I have become your devoted servant".
Their alap of Vachaspati revealed all the nuances known to the melody and they rendered swara by turns. It was followed by a number of devaranamas, which audience enjoyed immensely. Hanumana Mathave Hariya Mathavu, Pavanaja Stuthi Patra, Karedare Barabarade - all these popular Kannada padas- pleased the gathering. The whole performance had a very professional feel. T S Krishnamurthy and B R Srinivas supported well on violin and mridanga, respectively.
'Pep' factor missing
Sri Seshadripuram Ramaseva Samithi, another well known Ramotsava organisation, organised veena, flute and solo violin recitals, apart from vocals. The festival will conclude on April 14. N Rajakamal, who gave a flute recital here, is an engineering graduate.
He took initial lessons from S A Shashidhar and advanced training from veteran musician Neela Ramgopal. He has received scholarship from the government of India and prizes from the Karnataka Ganakala Parishat and Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai.
Rajkamal's flute recital stood out for its steady blowing and modal fidelity. Pantuvarali was elaborated with relish, while Abheri accounted for a pleasant listening and "Sakala grahabala Neene" is a familiar devaranama of Purandara Dasa. Rajkamal played flute with ease and assurance. But he has to add necessary pep to his presentation to make his concert more impactful.
He was well accompanied by Sindhu Suchethan on violin, V Krishna on mridanga and B N Chandramouli on khanjari.
A pleasant vocal
The Bangalore Lalitha Kala Parishat had chosen a vocal concert for its monthly programme on Friday. Anuradha Krishna Murthy, daughter and disciple of Palghat K V Narayanaswamy and Padma Narayanaswamy, has been guided by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and T Brinda.
"Evaribodha", the familiar varna by Anuradha Krishna Murthy evoked a musical atmosphere at the H N Kalakshetra.
She carried the varna in two speeds and stretched it further with swaraprasthara. Then a Kannada pada "Gajavadana Beduve", a salutation to the invocatory God, was followed by another dasara pada "Jaya Janakee Kantha". The Sree raga pancharatna "Endaro Mahanubhavulu" was rendered underlining the structural beauty of the composition. Purvi Kalyani was taken up for a spacious alapana covering important landmarks of the raga.
The "Sarasijanabha Sodari" - a one time favourite - had a nostalgic fervour. But her well trained vocalism found its expression in the neat alap of Shanmukhapriya. Another devaranama (Rama Rama Seetha Rama Enniro) and a thillana (Jinjoti - Veena Seshanna) - embellished with graceful sangathies accounted for a pleasant listening. C N Chandrasekhar on violin, M R Sainath on mridanga and M R Manjunath on ghata - were adequate in their supporting roles.
One of the oldest Rama mandiras in Bengaluru, the Malleswaram Sri Rama Mandira, established in 1922, conducted the annual Ramotsava festival. Music (vocal, veena, flute, harmonium and saxophone) dance, gamaka and yakshagana programmes were organised on the occasion.
P Rama and P Chandrika, who gave a vocal duet here, are well known musicians. After few familiar compositions they crowned their concert with a fine composition- "Kanta Judumi Oka Pari Kri". In this keertana, Saint Tyagaraja says - "Cast your benign side glances on me at least once ….. I have become your devoted servant".
Their alap of Vachaspati revealed all the nuances known to the melody and they rendered swara by turns. It was followed by a number of devaranamas, which audience enjoyed immensely. Hanumana Mathave Hariya Mathavu, Pavanaja Stuthi Patra, Karedare Barabarade - all these popular Kannada padas- pleased the gathering. The whole performance had a very professional feel. T S Krishnamurthy and B R Srinivas supported well on violin and mridanga, respectively.
'Pep' factor missing
Sri Seshadripuram Ramaseva Samithi, another well known Ramotsava organisation, organised veena, flute and solo violin recitals, apart from vocals. The festival will conclude on April 14. N Rajakamal, who gave a flute recital here, is an engineering graduate.
He took initial lessons from S A Shashidhar and advanced training from veteran musician Neela Ramgopal. He has received scholarship from the government of India and prizes from the Karnataka Ganakala Parishat and Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai.
Rajkamal's flute recital stood out for its steady blowing and modal fidelity. Pantuvarali was elaborated with relish, while Abheri accounted for a pleasant listening and "Sakala grahabala Neene" is a familiar devaranama of Purandara Dasa. Rajkamal played flute with ease and assurance. But he has to add necessary pep to his presentation to make his concert more impactful.
He was well accompanied by Sindhu Suchethan on violin, V Krishna on mridanga and B N Chandramouli on khanjari.
A pleasant vocal
The Bangalore Lalitha Kala Parishat had chosen a vocal concert for its monthly programme on Friday. Anuradha Krishna Murthy, daughter and disciple of Palghat K V Narayanaswamy and Padma Narayanaswamy, has been guided by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and T Brinda.
"Evaribodha", the familiar varna by Anuradha Krishna Murthy evoked a musical atmosphere at the H N Kalakshetra.
She carried the varna in two speeds and stretched it further with swaraprasthara. Then a Kannada pada "Gajavadana Beduve", a salutation to the invocatory God, was followed by another dasara pada "Jaya Janakee Kantha". The Sree raga pancharatna "Endaro Mahanubhavulu" was rendered underlining the structural beauty of the composition. Purvi Kalyani was taken up for a spacious alapana covering important landmarks of the raga.
The "Sarasijanabha Sodari" - a one time favourite - had a nostalgic fervour. But her well trained vocalism found its expression in the neat alap of Shanmukhapriya. Another devaranama (Rama Rama Seetha Rama Enniro) and a thillana (Jinjoti - Veena Seshanna) - embellished with graceful sangathies accounted for a pleasant listening. C N Chandrasekhar on violin, M R Sainath on mridanga and M R Manjunath on ghata - were adequate in their supporting roles.