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Homage to MLV
THE MLV Platinum Jubilee Meritorious Award was conferred on Charumathy Ramachandran, a senior disciple of MLV, at a colourful two-day function held under the auspices of Hamsadhwani by Dr. M. L. V. Rasikar Manram, to celebrate her 75th birthday.
On the opening day, T. N. Seshan, Chief Election Commissioner (retd.), presided over the function, and Dr. Vyjayanthimala Bali, who was the chief guest, referred to MLV's charming manners and fascinating music, which cast an all-round spell. M. N. Padmanabhan, president of the Manram, R. Ramachandran, secretary of Hamsadhwani and a few disciples of MLV paid tribute. V. Sriram traced in detail MLV's lineage.
Receiving the award, Charumathy Ramachandran said it was a proud day in her life. She dwelt at length on the humane qualities of her guru whose music would live forever. Charumathy sang a kriti in Kalyana Vasantham, composed by her as homage to MLV.
Lakshmi Rangarajan rendered MLV's Carnatic melodies, including a Dandapani Desikar kriti in Bhavani, GNB's "Nee Valainche" in Chayaranjani and Kanakadasar's "Baro Krishnayya". The accompanists were V. V. S. Murari (violin) and Ganapathi Raman (mridangam).
The proceedings on the second day featured music director M. S. Viswanathan, actor-director S. Charuhasan, director S. P. Muthuraman, playback singer P. Susheela and Mahanadhi Shobana. Film hits of MLV were sung by young artistes followed by a quiz on MLV. Chandrika Rajaram, secretary of the Manram, who proposed a vote of thanks, gave some details of the Manram's future plans to perpetuate the memory of MLV and popularise her melodies.
Powerful voice
Bangalore Shankar has a powerful and malleable voice, which helps in investing all-round weight to the renditions — bigu in the music parlance. At his concert under the auspices of Nadopasana, there was no superficiality or artificiality. That brevity is the soul of wit was fully realised by the visiting artiste whose alapanas, swaras or sangatis were short but striking. The exception was Khamboji. Even here, though slightly longer, there was no repetition of the sancharas. The same trait was seen in his handling of Tyagaraja's classic, "O Rangasayi". He followed the time-tested path of this kriti, which is sung and heard any number of times. The neraval at "Bhooloka Vaikuntam... " focussed the devotional aspect, not concentrating on a show of vidwat, which would have marred the spirit of the composition. Shankar found ready response from the rasikas. Of course, in the round off swaras, there was the usual clap-raising stuff. Violinist Sriramkumar, as is his wont, did not drift a bit from his role as an accompaniment and afforded plenty of inspirational support. But when on alapanas, the stamp of aesthetic finesse was there for all to see.
Mysore Vasudevachar's "Bajare Manasa" (Abheri) is beautifully structured and Shankar brought out the spiritual fervour of the composer well. After a brief but forceful Atana alapana, he sang "Anupama". A majority of Shankar's programme was confined to Tyagaraja songs — a formula for concert success. Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar's "Chintayaami Jagadamba" followed an evocative Hindola alapana, "Maname Mantralaya" (Suddasarang — Padmacharya) and "Harimurali" (Yamuna Kalyani — Vadiraja), and a ragamalika sloka in Anandabhairavi, Begada, Shanmukhapriya and Saveri was a launching pad for Swati Tirunal's "Bhavayami".
The vocalist concluded the recital with a tillana in Sindubhairavi.
Percussive support was by Thanjavur Subramanian (mridangam) and Adambakkam Sankar (ghatam)
KSR
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