Doyen of Carnatic Classical music Nedunuri Krishna Murthy, who passed away here on Monday, was a relentless champion of impeccable classicism and a stickler for tradition.
He firmly believed that music ought to be learnt through direct interaction in Guru-Sishya mode. His style combined the art and science of music in a robust measure. Imaginative exploration of ragas laden with succinct and succulent gamakas formed the hallmark of his rendition. While his swarakalpanas spoke of his mastery over rhythm, his flawless articulation carried the lyrical import in its varied emotive shades.
He set tunes to an array of the compositions of Annamayya and Bhadrachala Ramadas and compiled those works with notations in his books on Bhakta Ramadas and Annamayya. A man of genial disposition, off the stage, he was never seen talking about anything other than music and it was always rewarding to hear him elucidate the nuances of different styles of maestros.
Born in 1927 at Pithapuram in East Godavari district, he had grown up in an ambience conducive to classical music — his mother Vijayalakshmi, who was knowledgeable in classical music, nurtured his flair for music in his formative years. In 1940, he joined Maharaja College of Music and Dance at Vizianagaram for a diploma in violin. His Guru Dwaram Narasinga Rao Naidu told him to pursue vocal instead of violin and that put Nedunuri in his element. Later, he learnt Carnatic vocal under the tutelage of ry Sripada Pinakapani.
Krishna Murthy held various faculty positions in music colleges and music institutions. He worked as Principal of S.V. College of Music and Dance, Tirupati; M.R. Government College of Music and Dance, Vizianagaram; Government College of Music and Dance, Secunderabad; and retired as Principal of G.V.R Government College of Music and Dance, Vijayawada, in 1985. He was Dean of Faculty of the Fine Arts and Chairman of Board of Studies in Music of Sri Venkateswara University and Nagarjuna University. He was instrumental in opening the department of music in Andhra University. He was a recipient of string of prestigious awards including coveted Sangeetha Kalanidhi. He served as Asthana Vidwan for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.
In his demise, the Caranatic classical music lost a doyen and the city of Visakhaptnam a leading light on its cultural front.
