V.R. Raghava Krishna is an adventurous, confident youngster with a resonant voice and crystal-clear intent. His concert for Charsur Arts Foundation got up to full speed right from the Surutti varnam and nothing could stop it.
On the Pushya Bahula Panchami day, the main piece was appropriately Tyagaraja’s ‘Pakkala Nilabadi’ (Kharaharpriya). In this song, the composer reveals his acute eagerness to know the best method of serving Sri Rama. Raghava Krishna’s rendering showed that he understands the Saint’s dynamics, knows how to interpret the spiritual ardour and appreciates the thematic imagery. The kaleidoscopic niraval and swaras were at ‘Manasuna Dalachi.’ The raga alapana brought out his mastery of musical improvisation.
Though our music is monistic and in-turned, the success of a concert owes a lot to the immeasurable contribution of the accompanying artists. To prove that, S. Varadarajan’s style, while playing on the violin, is characterised by total control of the instrument. His brilliant repartees inspire the main artist. In Kharaharapriya, he excelled in bringing out the charm and charisma of the raga.
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The thani in the lovely Misra Chapu offered by the mridangam maestro Trichur C. Narendran and Vaikom Gopalakrishnan (ghatam) was a balanced blend of rhythmic intricacy and harmonious synchrony.
Four contrasting pieces – Dikshithar’s ‘Siddhi Vinayakam’ in Shanmukhapriya was a straight rendering by Raghava Krishna whose Bilahari alapana showed how much of akara sadhakam he would have practiced. Patnam Subramania Iyer’s ‘Paridanamichithe’ was the chosen kriti. This also had a variety of eloquent sangatis. The Chandrajyothi alapana was followed by saint Tyagaraja’s ‘Bagayenayya’ in a brilliant Desadi tala. In Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer’s Nagaswaravali kriti, ‘Sri Sankara Guruvaram,’ Raghav rendered the rhythmic chittaiswaras literally with verve and vigour.
Raghava Krishna rendered ‘Karpuram Narumo’ of Nachiyar after a Virutham in Saveri and Khamas. In Sindhubhairavi, he presented ‘Samba Sadasiva’ – a lovely piece composed by his uncle VVS. He concluded his brilliant recital with a brisk and lively Madhuvanti tillana of Shanmugha Raghavan with swarakshara prayogas.
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