The Capital’s concert season is in full swing. In addition to various other music and dance programmes Sri Guruvayurappan Bhajan Sabha Trust has been holding its 34th annual Gokulashtami celebrations with music recitals by topnotch performers at the Unnati Centre in NGEF layout.Those concerts tended to be a sensitive study of Carnatic music delighting the audiences to the core.Hailing from an illustrious Sikkil musical family young C Gurucharan endeared himself with his musicality and vigorous singing.The youthful exuberance and sincerity of purpose yielded the positive results.Supported well by seasoned Mysore Manjunath(violin), Srimushnam Rajarao (mridanga) and Giridhar Udupa (ghatam) his concert opened with the Abhogi varna. Quite rarely heard Thyagaraja’s Srikantha neeeda (Bhavapriya) with kalpanaswaras, Dikshitar’s Sarasijanabhaso dari(Nagagandhari) and the ragamalika(Vasantha, Sama and Kapi) Viruttam(Admai ulla) warmed up the listening sensibilities. The extended version of Andolika in the form of alapana, neraval and swaras for a Tamil composition reflected his artistic abilities. Detailed treatment of Poorvikalyani for Meenakshi me mudam was the mainstay of his recital.Maintaining listener interest Connoisseurs of Carnatic music had a real treat of artistic music when an inimitable mandolin wizard U.Srinivas excelled in all the aspects of cutcheri-craft.Apart from his erudition and remarkable mastery over the tiny instrument the centre of attraction in his mandolin recitals is his capacity to maintain listener interest and clarity in the renditions. His outstanding performance under review held on the seventh day of the above festival did not lack these qualities needed for a captivating musical creations.Launching his recital with Kaanada atatala varna in his usual style and spirit, Hamsadhwani (Vandeham Jagath Vallabham) a n d D e v a g a n d h a r i (Ksheerasagara) appeared enlivening the refined listening experience.Anandabhairavi for the majestic krithi Thyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam was classically moving. Srinivas captured the aesthetics of Kamavardhini in his alapana and went on to render tana and pallavi with great flourish.Srinivasarao (violin), Harikumar(mridanga) and Guruprasanna(khanjira) were also in their perfect form and the concert rose to higher levels of delight. Mohanakalyani ( A d i n e y e K a n n a ) , Sama (Annapoorne), H i n d u s t h a n i k a p i ( J a g a d o d h a r a n a ) , Vaasanthi (tillana) figured during the course of the concert were artistic fillers. Shankara (Mishra Ahirbhairav), C h a n d r a s e k h a r (Sindhubhairavi) and Raghupathi Raghava (Peelu) carried the audience with them.Wonderful ragasThe noted Chitraveena exponent N Ravikiran provided solid and ingenuous materials regarding the aesthetics, prayogas and progressions of wonderful ragas like Gurjari (Thyagaraja’s quaint krithi Varaalandukommani), G a r u d a d h w a n i ( T a t v a m a r i y a t a r a m a ) , Varali(Kamakshi) and Bahudari(Brovabharama) and served a rich musical treat. He succeeded in his aim by combining in his effort and use of tone needed to ensure power in terms of classicism and the sense of flow that resulted in exciting beauty. He was at his helm of expertise while rendering a raga, tana and pallavi in Shanmukhapriya with engaging technical extension befitting a pivotal piece.Expressive classicismThe vocal duet by the Malladi Brothers — Sriramprasad and Ravikumar — on the next day proved that they are virtuosos. In an astonishing manner they balanced it with meaningfully expressive classicism. To suit the topical need, they sang a bhajan on Guru Raghavendra(Bhaja maanasa Raghavendram (Tillang) as it happened to be his aradhana day and a Sanskrit composition in praise of Independent India.
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