The Brothers take a bow

Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birthday was celebrated on a joyous note, thanks to a spectacular performance by the Mysore Brothers

December 26, 2013 06:59 pm | Updated 06:59 pm IST - Bangalore

Mysore Nagaraj and Mysore N. Karthik. Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Mysore Nagaraj and Mysore N. Karthik. Photo: K. Murali Kumar

The violin made an entry into the Indian Classical music arena during the 17th Century and has established itself as a unique instrument suited for both a solo as well as accompanying performance ever since. When teamed with an interesting conglomeration of other traditional and modern instruments, it gives way to an inherent virtuosity that few can fathom.

On Saturday, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) held a violin recital to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birthday. Aptly titled Nada Loka, it indeed succeeded in creating a magical world of music and regaled the audience with an enthralling performance This was the creation of the renowned violinists, Mysore Brothers – the famed Mysore Nagaraj and Dr. Mysore Manjunath. Accompanying them in this endeavour were Vidwan Giridhar Udupa on Ghatam, Vidwan Kulur Uliya Jayachandra Rao on Mridangam, Vidwan T.A. Ramanujam on Morsing (Jew’s harp) and Vidwan Pramath Kiran on Rhythm pad.

The concert began with a rendition of Tyagaraja’s composition – Shambho Mahadeva set to Pantuvaraali Raga. It was a brilliant performance that set the right mood for the evening. The duo’s performance was augmented by Jayachandra on mridangam, followed by a composition of Muthuswamy Dikshitar — “Ekaamresha Nayike Sive” in the Karnataka Shuddha Saveri Raga. The nuances of this captivating pentatonic raga were well elaborated by the Mysore brothers. The beauty of the composition that elucidates the various facets of the goddess, set in a Raga that is extremely soothing was well captured by the lucid performance.

The magnum opus of the evening was indeed Ragam Thanam Pallavi. With an elaborate exposition of the beautiful Mohana Raga with Ragamalike, the Mysore brothers and their ensemble floored the audience. The Tani Avartana was obviously the most brilliant aspect of this performance. Each of the performers, a virtuoso in his own standing radiated his skill with much aplomb. So well coordinated was the performance that it was tough to classify where one thread ended and another took off. There was no scope for an isolated singularity in what can be deemed as a collective excellence. Vidwan Pramath Kiran on the rhythm pad was refreshing as he carved out the classical exposition of the Ragamalike with ease on a presumably western instrument. The fervour pitch to which the performance reached towards the end of the Avartana left the audience spell bound. What was evident was the sheer pleasure the performers were feeling as they painted a musical dance of tunes on the stage with the raga streaming off of the mridangam at one instance, ghatam the other, morsing and rhythm pad in tow.

As the next two performances of “Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma” a composition of Purandara Dasa and the Bhajan – Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram, led the evening to a conclusion, there was no doubt that the audience were wishing the program had lasted longer. Bangalore will surely look forward to having this group perform together for many more years to come.

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