In memoriam
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Tributes were paid to Parthasarathy Iyengar and Ariyakudy Ramanuja Iyengar.
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ARIYAKUDY RAMANUJA Iyengar occupies a prominent position in the present-day hierarchy of South Indian classical musicians. He made the path-breaking format of a concert with a proper structure and precision, which is followed to this day.
The practitioners of his bani have evolved their distinct styles. If Ariyakudi's style was marked by vigour and grandeur, his eminent disciple, K.V. Narayanaswamy's music was noble and humble.
The last of Iyengar's disciples, Alleppey Venkatesan, has imbibed the regal style of his mentor. His concert was organised by Rasikapriya in commemoration with Alleppey Parthasarathy Iyengar centenary celebrations and also an event in memory of Ariyakudy Iyengar.
Short concert
The concert started with the varnam `Chalamela,' which he embellished further with ragamalika swaras in Arabhi, Sri and so on. He was in his element in `Tulasidalamulache' in Mayamalavagowla. `O Jagadamba' in Anandabhairavi was again hurried through. Slow swaras would have added to the beauty of this piece.
Venkatesan then went for an exposition of Nalinakanti. M. Chandrasekharan ably accompanied him on the violin. He enchanted the audience with some foot-tapping passages to give a new dimension to the raga.
Then Venkatesan went for a ragam tanam pallavi in Saveri. Venkatesan faced problems with sruti alignment in the upper octave. His digressions to Atana and Behag were commendable after which he smoothly glided over to `Oruthi maganai pirandu' in Behag from the Tiruppavai of Andal.
This was follwoed by a slokam, an obeisance to his guru `Sangeetaratnakaram, padmabhooshanam Sadguruvaram noumi Ramanujam.' This was executed admirably in Hamsanandi and Bageshri.
HAREESH BAL
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