A prolific composer remembered

THE EXPLORATORY exposition of Kalyani by Tirupati Dwaram Lakshmi was convincing. The kirtana that followed, "Alamelu Manga Adhinavaroopam", by Tallapakkam Annamacharya, a prolific composer of the 15th Century, acclaimed as the father of Pada Kavita, was rendered by Lakshmi with impeccable and instinctive evocation. The neraval and sequences for the pallavi line were handled with perspicacity. It was the major item of the evening's concert organised by the Indian Fine Arts Society, at the Bala Mandir German Hall, to celebrate Annamacharya Day.

Endowed with a resounding voice, Lakshmi, a granddaughter of violin maestro Dwaram Venkatasami Naidu, was explicit in her delivery of a rare raga, Bhujandini, a derivative of the 16th Melakarata, Chakravakam, for the song, "Eduta Unnadu Nee Paadamu", with scintillating swara prayogas for the pallavi line. Starting with "Vandanam Jagat Vallabhyam" in Hamsadhwani, she went on to "Sriman Narayana" (Bowli) and "Narayana Namo Namo" (Behag) and concluded her enlivening essay with one of the poet's popular composition," Bhavayami Gopalam Balam" in Yamunakalyani. R. Hemalatha, on the violin, impressed with her tuneful fingering and bowing, and B. Sivaraman was adequately supportive on the mridangam. The latter's tani avartanam after Kalyani was spirited without being suffocating.

Changes in notation

A traditionalist to his marrow, Tadepalle Lokanatha Sarma portrayed the multi-faceted characteristics of the great prosodist of Tallapakkam. "Aadi Purusha Akhila (a) Nanda Ranga", in Nattai was given straightforward treatment. What gripped the attention of his listeners was "Devai Eee Thagavu Theerchavayya".

Usually sung in Poornachandrika, the song was rendered by Sarma in Poorvikalyani. Also "Naanaati Padaku Natakamu", in Revati as tuned by Nedunuri Krishnamurti and popularised by M. S. Subbulakshmi, was rendered in Subhapantuvarali, according to him, to bring out clearly the content of the kriti as construed by the composer. His Harikambodi alapana was compendious and the vidwan came out with "Idadokkavare Sarvesvarudu" which was the main thrust. The neraval and imaginative swara combinations were gripping. Sarma concluded his reflective recital with the Sindhubhairavi composition, "Saladaa Brahmamidi Sankeertanam Meeku".

C. N. Chandrasekharan drew a clear and chaste picture of Harikambodi and Poorvikalyani on the violin and R. Ramesh extended his animated support on the mridangam. His tani for Harikambodi was quite impressive.

The concerts were preceded by a programme of devotional music, comprising some of Annamacharya's bhajana kirtanas by Tallapakkam Venkata Meenalochani, a 12th generation descendant of the famed composer, accompanied by an all-woman group. Meenalochani, a musician in her own right, is presently occupied with popularising her great ancestors' creations.

TPR

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