One of the prominent young disciples of Kanyakumari, Mallela Tejaswi, who studies Aeronautical Engineering in the US, gave a violin concert at Thyagaraya Ganasabha organised by Sangeetha Ksheerasagaram recently. He was accompanied by Burra Sriram on mridangam, V. Sridharacharya on ghatam and R. Srikanth on kanjira.
Tejaswi opened his recital with Abhogi number Evari Bodhana of Patnam Subramanya Iyer, a two-speed presentation and was followed by Vallabhanayakasya in Begada of Dikshitar, enriched by raga essay and swarakalpana.
Later Tejaswi came out with Neevalla Gundoshamemi in Kapi of Thyagaraja in Khandchapu talam. He gave comprehensive picture of the raga but the swarakalpana was brief but explicit.
Syama Sastri’s Kamakshi Swarajati in Bhairavi in Misrachapu talam figured later and swarajati was a beauty in itself. Brova Bharama of Thyagaraja in Bahudhari was particularly notable for the way he presented it with expressionist touch. Bantureeti in Hamsanadam also of Thyagaraja, played later was enriched with brief raga and swaram.
The show piece of the concert was Mohana for Nanu Palimpa a moving composition of Thyagaraja. Essaying Mohana, Tejaswi eyed for its beauties and those phrases formed the most relishing part of the concert. The tani avartanam by percussionists was matching to the appeal created by the number.
In general these seasoned percussionists lent support congenial to all the numbers Tejaswi presented.
The final part had Pibare Ramarasam in Ahirbhairavi of Sadasiva Brahmendra, followed by a western note based on Sankarabharanam composed by Muthaiah Bhagavatar and popularised by Maduramani Iyer. The end piece was Lalgudi tillana in Behag in Tisragati aditalam, a charming end to the most deserving concert.
