The Ananya Sangeethothsava 2015 was held recently in Bangalore with a series of instrumental and vocal recitals spread over a period of four days. The second day featured a violin duet by T.S. Krishna Murthy and his disciple Tarun, accompanied by T.S.Chandrasekhar (mridanga) and B. Rajasekhar (morsing).
A sketch of Nattakurinji prefaced a two-speed rendition of ‘Chalamela’, the adi thala varna in the raga. ‘Vandisuvudadiyali Gananathana’, the Purandaradasa composition set to Natta raga and khanda chapu thala, was played at a sedate tempo and ornamented with a spate of fluid kalpana swaras. A concise alapana of Sri Raga then led to Deekshithar’s ‘Sri Varalakshmi Namasthubhyam’ in rupaka thala, notable for successfully evoking the sahithya, accentuated by the presentation of the line beginning ‘Sri Sarasapade’ in multiple tempos, the stress on the lilt of the scale and the grandeur of the krithi.
The alapana of Simhendramadhyamam, which followed, etched a compact, yet comprehensive picture of the raga in all three octaves. Mysore Vasudevacharya’s ‘Ninne Nammithi’ in mishra chapu thala was supplemented with a fairly expansive neraval and kalpana swaras in two speeds which included interesting rhythmic patterns in the concluding segment that landed alternatively at the thara sthayi shadja, rishabha and gandhara in diminishing thala cycles. Thyagaraja’s ‘Nada Thanum Anisham’ in Chittaranjani raga and adi thala served as prelude to the main raga of the evening, Bilahari.
The alapana was suffused with raga bhava and replete with fine touches and key sancharas, with the senior artiste handling the essay up to the thara sthayi shadja as well as the exceptionally melodious and fluent concluding part, while the young violinist took up the intervening segment with competence and alacrity. Much dexterity and fine improvisational skills that adhered strictly to the dictates of classicism were in evidence throughout the exercise. The unhurried pace and accent on aesthetic appeal that was the hallmark of the concert, were also explicit in the presentation of ‘Dorakuna Ituvanti Seva’, the Thyagaraja krithi set to Bilahari raga in adi tala. The extensive and mellifluous kalpana swaras in two speeds that followed, incorporated several rounds of thala cycles landing on the panchama, underscored by exemplary percussion support and culminating in a thani avarthana. ‘Nanati Baduku’, the Annamacharya piece set to Revathi raga was the concluding item of the concert.
