Popular vocalist S. Shankar gave a Karnatak classical vocal concert at Sri Nadabrahma Sangeetha Sabha on the 23rd of June. He was accompanied by Nalina Mohan on violin, B.C. Manjunath on mridanga and G.S. Ramanujam on ghata.

Endowed with a sturdy voice, Shankar’s renditions are known for neat presentation and clarity in diction, be it a Trinity composition or a D.V. Gundappa’s song. The varna in Saveri ‘Sarasuda ninne’ in Adi tala by Kottavasal Venkata Rama Iyer set the concert in a lively mood.

Shankar had chosen Varali and Poorvi Kalyani as the chief part of his concert. ‘Eti Janmamidi haa’ by Tyagaraja adhered to weighty classicism. The composition found a detailed neraval at ‘Sagara Shayanu nee’ followed by good, not-too-calculative swaras. Nalina Mohan followed the vocalist in his style and intonations. ‘Meenakshi Memudam dehi’ by Deekshitar was musically rich with a well- developed Alapana, neraval and swaras at the charana — ‘Madhurapuri nilaye Mani sadaye’ — followed by a masterly taniyavartanam by B.C. Manjunath and Ramanujam.

In the post-tani part, Shankar chose to sing quite a few compositions of Mayuram Vishwanatha Shastri. His compositions on the occasion of our independence day ‘Bharata Janani bahumanita jaya shalini jayati jayati jayati’, ‘Veera dhwajam Ati Shoora Dhwajam’ on the Indian flag and ‘Pranamamyaham manasa vachasa shirasa’  were presented with verve. Four devaranamas — ‘Manava nillisuvudu balu kashta’ in Natikuranji with a preamble of a ugaboga ‘Mana Shuddhavilladavage mantrada phalavenu?’, ‘Hare Venkata Shaila Vallabha poreyabeku nanna’ in Mohana by Shreepada Rajaru, ‘Deva banda namma swami bandano’ in Shuddha Saveri by Purandara Dasa enchanted the audience. The mangala (closing song) ‘Mangalam Bhavanute Bharata Janani’ in Hameer Kalyani was also by Mayuram Vishwanatha Shastri.

The concert could have been more enjoyable if the artiste was not troubled with his voice which reluctantly co-operated with him. Perhaps this is the reason why he did not elabo-       rate the main items but chose to sing more tukdas for the evening.

—Dr. Padmavathi Narasimhan