When nostalgia mingled with notes
G. SWAMINATHAN
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The Indian Fine Arts Society remembered GNB by organising the concert of one of his disciples, Thrissur V. Ramachandran.
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GNB CLONE: Trissur Ramachandran.
G.N.Balasubramaniam, fondly referred to as GNB, created an impact on the cognoscenti and common folk alike through his inventive, brisk, novel style and technique. He also left behind a host of disciples and a legacy of fine compositions he had written.
Trissur V. Ramachandran, a direct disciple of GNB, performed at the Balamandir German Hall on GNB Day organised by the Indian Fine Arts Society.
It won't be wrong to consider Ramachandran a clone of GNB in several aspects.
Guru's qualities
Ramachandran has imbibed many adorable qualities of his guru so religiously. On that particular day, however, Ramachandran's voice was not at its best.
If one had gone to listen to the compositions of GNB in a near GNB voice, since the composer had never sung any of his own kritis on stage, they would have been disappointed. Ramachandran offered just `Ninnu Vina' in Ritigowla and `Ninnu Vina Veravaru' in Malavi before the main course, Kalyani.
Several anecdotes like how GNB trained his students to use akaras especially in madhyama sthayee, or to project the subtle distinctive nuances of nishadham in Ritigowla, Malavi or Suruti and how GNB grasped Malavi quite fast from a senior vidwan at Devakottai and sang on stage etc., were remembered. Well, nostalgia has its value.
Racy raga essays
Ramachandran's raga essays of Ritigowlai, Poorvikalyani and Kalyani were more impetuous than inspiring. They neither carried the glamour of GNB's style nor Ramachandran's own trademark of brilliant rolling brighas. Only shades of GNB's as well as Ramachandran's style could be discerned. The kalpanaswaras went mostly on a splurge of syllable reciting.
It is true that manodharma sangeetham works on the moods too. `Pranamamyaham' in Gowla, `Teliyaleru Rama' in Dhenuka, a totally placid `Meenakshi Memudam' with neraval and swaras at `Vidu Vidamabana Vadane Vijaye' and `Nidhi Chala Sukhama' in Kalyani were the popular numbers rendered.
Nagai R. Muralidharan, notwithstanding the truants played by his mike, gave stimulating outlines of Ritigowla, Poorvikalyani and Kalyani.
K.V. Prasad and E.M.Subramaniam on the mridangam and the ghatam, respectively, elevated the quality of the programme to commendable levels.
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