Pleasing violin duet
Sri Seshadripuram Rama Seva Samithi is conducting the 65th year Ramanavami Music Festival till May 10, with veena, chitra veena, solo violin and nagaswara recitals, apart from vocal concerts, at the Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Ranga Mandira, Seshadripuram College premises.
Mysore Nagaraj and Mysore Manjunath, who gave a violin duet in the Samithi last week, are both successful soloists and most sought-after accompanists. They are recipients of several awards and honours and have performed in major Sabhas of India and in many parts of the world.
Brothers opened their violin solo concert with a popular composition of Saint Tyagaraja, instead of a varna or invocatory piece (on Ganapathi) customarily. They made graceful impact with 'Enthaveduko', another well-known composition of yester years. 'Vasantha raga' was evocative with lilting melody. Dr Manjunath aired 'Kharaharapriya', embellished with flurry of lively phrases. They combined well in the stately krithi 'Pakkalanilabadi' and the swara by turns was striking, generating good heat! 'Nasikabhushani raga' was brief but rendered with good feeling. Nagaraj chose 'Shankarabharana', the majestic raga, was marked for its depth of technique and imagination.
They synchronised well, and played with good feeling, leaving an indelible impression on the listener. H S Sudhindra and K U Jayachandra Rao on double mridanga, rose to great heights in their supporting roles.
Scholarly concert
Dr T S Satyavathi, is known in the music field not only as a good vocalist, but also as an able teacher and scholar. In her concert for the Vani Kala Kendra, in the Ramotsava serial, she chose 'Rama nee pai Tanaku' after the varna. Brief swara added a lively lilt to her singing. Dhenuka is the 9th mela and is an emotion laden 'rakti raga'. The raga became popular through the Tyagaraja's composition 'Teliyaleru Rama'. In this composition Tyagaraja says - "Men only roam about in tension all over without being aware of the path of devotion... They are busy… making money by hook or by crook."
Soaked in 'Bhava' Sathyavathi sang it enriching the raga's elegant coherence. 'Sri Narada Nada Saraseeruha' was again pleasing. After a quick 'Niravadi Sukhada', Mohana was elaborated charmingly and the Pallavi set to 'Khanda Triputa' (Karuna Jalade Dasharathe) glowed with lilting phrasings. It was a scholarly, impactful concert. Nalina Mohan on violin, V Krishna on Mridanga, Sathvalli Bharadwaj on morching fulfilled the needs of the hour.
Promising dancer
Maanasa Rao, a student of Nupura, gave a Bharathanatyam recital on Friday under the aegis of the Bangalore Lalitakala Parishat. Maanasa has received good training from Lalitha Srinivasan and has taken part in several dance dramas of her institution and has performed both in and outside the State.
Maanasa opened her programme with 'Pushpanjali', customarily. It was followed by 'Shiva stuthi' and 'Ganesha stuthi' (Dr P T Narasimhachar). 'Ramaninnu' of Veena Seshanna (raga Anandabhairavi) - is a welcome addition to the dance repertoire.
The 'Lokapavani' on the river Ganga was the main item of the evening. It was proof of the good training Maanasa is receiving and result of her talent. 'Astapadi' (Rati sukha saare) and 'Jawadi' (Ye Rama) brought out her Abhinaya talent impactfully.
With her expressive eyes she performed beautifully and it is worth watching her career. Maanasa Rao concluded her recital with a 'thillana' (Kaapi), which was lively.
From the wings - Lalita Srinivasan (Natuvanga), D S Srivatsa (vocal), Narayanaswamy (mridanga), Narasimha Murthy (flute) and Nataraja Murthy (violin) - gave good support.