Veteran musician Bellary Raghavendra gave a vocal recital on the 27th of October with   Mysore Nagaraj on violin, Tumkur B. Ravishankar on mridanga and Guruprasanna on kanjira. The programme was organised by Sri Nadabrahma Sangeetha Sabha in memory of Kuskur Brothers.

Raghavendra has a full voice which he uses to good effect across the octaves. One could easily recognise the genius of his recital in the innovative sangatis that he packed into each composition. He began the concert with the ‘Vanajakshi’ varna in Kalyani, which was presented well. The ornamentations that the vocalist chose to add to phrases were remarkable.

‘Bhaja Manasa Vighneshwaram Anisham’ by Tulasi Vanam in Bahudari was filled with bhava and suffixed with profound swaras.

The vocalist next traced Rasikapriya, not a very customary raga. His and Nagraj’s foray into the raga was crisp but thorough. Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna’s ‘Pavana Tanaya palaya mam’ is a charming composition on Lord Hanuman, which was presented with crystal clear clarity in Sahitya with proper intonations.

Varali was also taken up for Alapana elaboration. A striking feature of the Alapana was the gamaka-laden phrases that the raga demands both by the vocalist and the violinist. ‘Sheshachala Nayakam Bhajami’ by Deekshitar was decorated with neraval at ‘Aravinda Patra nayanam Govindam Uraga shayanam’and interesting poruttam kalpana swaras.

Raghavendra kept the energy high throughout the concert. ‘Raka Shashivadana’ in Takka by Tyagaraja and Mysore Vasudevacharya’s ‘Bhajare Manasa’ in Abheri were good fillers.

Shankarabharana, the main item of the evening, was majestic. Tyagaraja’s composition ‘Enduku Peddala’ was magnific  with a significant neraval at ‘Veda Shastra Tatvarthamu Telisi’ and sumptuous swaras. Tumkur Ravishankar’s mridanga and Guruprasanna’s kanjira deserve special mention.

Raghavendra closed the concert with Purandaradasa’s ‘Mareyabeda manave neenu Hariya smaraneya’ which was sublime and ‘Neene doddavanu’ also by Purandaradasa.

—Dr. Padmavathi Narasimhan