On closer reflection, it would be fair to say that J.B. Sruthi Sagar’s flute recital for Naada Inbam conveyed a careful mix of alternating emotions through different compositions. Whether the performance was conceived in that manner would of course remain a matter of conjecture. Little wonder that the recital was absorbing from the start. A touch of the redoubtable Mali (T.R. Mahalingam) came through whenever Sagar commenced a raga alapana.
Most of the pieces Sruthi Sagar performed were Tyagaraja’s vintage songs. The first kriti was ‘Sri Ganapathini’ in Saurashtram, where the composer implores devotees to come and worship Lord Ganapati. The brilliant swarakalpana that decorated the rendition was enjoyable.
The Mali touch was first encountered in the exposition of Varali. The essay soon moved to some swift phrases, although the artist initially appeared to be settling for a long exposition. Tyagaraja’s ‘Eti Janmamidi,’ was the kriti.
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Patnam Subramanya Iyer’s ‘Garuda Gamana Samayamide,’ in Nagaswaravali, marked a return to the dhurita kalam. The joyous flavour of the scale was a contrast to the melancholy portrayed in the Varali composition. A brilliant kalpanaswaram was possibly longer in duration than the presentation of the kriti itself.
‘Sangeetha Gnyanamu’ in Dhanyasi and finally, in the second half, ‘Guruleka Yetuvanti Guniki,’ in Gowrimanohari similarly conveyed opposite emotions. The Thirugnanasambandar Thevaram in Neelambari, ‘Puraharanandana’ in Hamirkalyani and ‘Manadirkugandadu’ by Thanjavur Sankara Iyer in Sindubhairavi were the other pieces featured in the recital.
Karaikkal Venkatasubramanian (violin), N.C. Bharadwaj (mridangam) and Udupi Sreekanth (ganjira) were the accompanying artists. It is not uncommon for students, trained in an instrument, to learn under vocalists. Flautist Sruthi Sagar, a student of vocalist Dr. S. Sundar, is one such example.
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