G. Ramanathan is a fifth generation musician from the royalty of Cochin and had earlier trained under his father T.V. Gopalakrishnan. He had also graduated in music from Madras University and also in Western music from the Trinity college of Music, London. As a Saxophonist, Ramanathan has evolved meticulous style of his own. Besides, he has natural flair for multiple instruments but specialised in Saxophone under the tutelage of maestro Kadri Gopalnath. Kalasagaram organised his concert last week at Keyes High School in the company of Pavan Singh on violin, Burra Sriram on mridangam and B. Janardhan on ghatam.
Ramanathan opened his concert with Abhogi varnam Evari Bodhana in two speeds and moved to Dikshitar’s Vathapi Ganapathim in Hamsadhwani that he presented with brief raga and swarakalpana. The concert picked up tempo with Thyagaraja’s Pancharatna kirtana Endaro Mahanubhavulu . He played it with touch of Sahitya expression and the play of chittaswaras and related charanas sounded very much like a vocal recital. He followed it with another number of Thyagaraja Entha muddho Enta Sogaso in Bindhumalaini. It was a simple kirtana presentation.
Ramanathan then chose to present Syama Sastry’s number Marivere in Anandabhairavi in Misrachapu talam. He played with pleasing tone that made an appeal. This was followed by Papanasam Sivan’s number Pirava Varam Tharum in Lathangi. He concluded the number with fine swarakalpana. He then chose to present Thyagaraja kirtana Brovabharama in Bahudhari in Deshaadi talam and used the number to step up into the main composition of the concert Thyagaraja’s Dorakuna in Bilahari.He then gave space for the accompanying percussionists to present tani avartanam, an exhibition of mastery by the artistes with matching appeal to that of the saxophonist. Pavan Singh on violin matched every move of the saxophonist with his violin output and some of his moves in raga build were tasteful. In the final part of the concert Ramanathan presented ,light classical numbers Manasa sancharare in Saama of Sadhashiva Brahmendra, Annamayya kirtana eye opening number Naanaati Brathuku Natakamu in Revathi, Kurai Ondrum illai of Rajaji in ragamalika, Papanasam Sivan’s Srinivasa thiru Venkadamudaiyan in Hamsanandhi and Bhagyadha Lakshmi Baramma of Purandaradasa.