HYDERABAD: Sri Kartikeya Gana Sabha invited Chennai-based prominent veena artiste Mudikondan S.N. Ramesh to present the late Duddu Venkata Seshamma memorial Endowment concert at Sri Gnana Saraswathi Temple Auditorium, Musheerabad. Venkata Seshamma was a great vainika of the past.
He opened the concert with Adi talam Natakuranji Varnam presented in two speeds. This was followed by ‘Maha Ganapathim’ in Naata of Dikshithar, as an invocation to Lord Ganapathi. This number was opened with brief delineation of the raga. The swarakalpana presented later was in high spirits. This was followed by Pancharatna kirtana of Thyagaraja ‘Sadhinchene’ in Arabhi presented with brief ragaalapana.
The next was a rare Bhadrachala Ramadasu kirtana Ramachandrudu Naapai in Asaveri, set to Misrachapu talam with brief essay of Asaveri, a leisurely presentation. At one stage Mudikondan sang through the kriti displaying his vocal verve too.
The sub-main piece of the concert was Evarura Ninnu Vina in Mohana of Thyagaraja.
He played the raga brilliantly packing it with elegant phrases with fine gamaka structures. Kriti play was flawless.
Swarakalpana was presented in two speeds with sancharas. Percussionists Karra Srinivas and Bala Subramanyam gave laudable support that enriched the concert.
The next number he played was Vanchathonu na of Muthiah Bhagavathar in Karnaranjani with raga presentation.
The main piece of the concert was Swara Raga Sudha in Sankarabharanam of Thyagaraja. He played the raga exhaustively in the three octaves. The kriti rendition was expressive and the swarakalpana played in two speeds was heightened by impressive support lent by percussionists. It was unusually melody filled swarakalpana. The tani avartham by Karra Srinivas on mridangam and TP Balasubramanyam on ghatam was electric.
The final numbers of Mudikondan’s veena concert included a kriti in raga Saama Ramuni Bhajana Seyave of Yogi Narayana Yatindra and Jo Atchyutananda of Annamayya in the raga Kapi.
