Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi is a name synonymous with Karnatik music. Aptly called Suswaralakshmi by the great Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, her voice continues to fill the hearts of millions of people around the world. Brining more cheer to her ardent admirers, NCPA in association with Sony Music Entertainment released the 1978 recordings of some rare renditions of MS. In a simple, but meaningful ceremony, held at the Gayana Samaja in Bangalore , a preview of the collection was provided. A sample of the music from the collection – MS’ rendition of Nidhi Chala Sukhama in Raga Kalyani was played. As her voice drifted across the hall, it was tough to come to terms with her absence. Yet, to hear her rendition in the hall that owes its very existence to her contributions made it seem as though her spirit was indeed with us. There were moist eyes around when Dr. Radha was brought onto the stage, immediately prompting the audience to applaud the soul that constantly followed MS with unquestioning devotion.
The highlight of the evening was the vocal concert by MS’ great granddaughter and the granddaughter of Radha, S. Aishwarya. It was a momentous occasion when Dr. T.K. Murthy who had accompanied MS and Radha on several of their vocal concerts took the stage to provide percussion accompaniment to the young Aishwarya. The concert was a feast to the soul to say the least. Beginning with the Guruvandana followed by a varnam in Todi, “ Era Napai ”, Aishwarya regaled the audience for over two hours with her captivating performance. With a voice that resounds through the hall like temple bells, she is well on her way to make her mark as the torch bearer for a legacy that is unparalleled. Belonging to the lineage of a stalwart is not an easy responsibility to shoulder, but her confidence held forth throughout the performance. The next composition was of Muthuswamy Dikshitar – “ Angaarakam Ashraayaamyaham ”. Set to Surati raga in rupaka tala, this composition is one of the famous Navagraha Krithis. The other Dikshitar composition that followed was “ Siddhi Vinayakam Anisam ” set to Shanmukhapriya raga, in rupaka tala. Prefacing this was a beautiful alapane, which was deftly accompanied by C.N. Chandrashekaran on Violin. Aishwarya’s rendition of the Kadanakutuhala raga in adi tala for the famous composition “ Raghuvamsha Sudhaambudhi ” by Patnam Subramania Iyer was uplifting. The raga is particularly noted for its peppiness and was amply brought out by the singer. Like water falling over a cascade of steps and eventually bursting forth into a melodious brook, she effectively capturing the playfulness of the Raga. The raga alapane prior to the next composition “ Enduku Vegana Varamu ” was spellbinding, but it was definitely the playfield for the maestro T.K Murthy and his disciple B.C. Manjunath. The nonagenarian could put to shame any young player with his deft handling of the mridangam during the tani avartana. There was no stopping Dr. Murthy as he floored the audience to a standing ovation. C.N. Chandrashekar on the violin reproduced every intricate pattern with a playful swing of his bow. The evening was drawn to a close by the evergreen “ Enta maatramuna ” – composed by Sri Annamacharya in Ragamalika and Mishra chapu tala.
The CD will be available for public from the February 1.
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