V. Bharat Kumar - 21-Feb-2015 - Nadasurabhi, BLR

[ranjanimalavi]

V. Bharat Kumar - Vocal
Anand Viswanathan- Violin
Adamya Ramanand - Mridangam
Bhagyalakshmi Krishna - Morsing

1. dakshiNA mUrtE - Sankarabharanam - MD (NS)
2. Ela Teliya Lero - Darbar - T (R)
3. Mamava Sada Varade - Nattaikurinji - ST (R)
4. trilOka mAta - Paras - SS
5. maracitivEmO - Poorvi Kalyani - MV (RNS)
6. Thani
7. Mannu Pugazh Kosalai - Ragamalika - KulashEkhara Azhvar
8. Mangalam

Good concert by Bharath Kumar and team.
Refreshing list and well rendered.
Missed out one or two in the beginning.

Raman

[kvchellappa]

He sang varnam 'Vanajakha' in raga Ritigowla? and Ninne bhajana in Nattai as the first two items.
Sung well. I was attracted to attend, more than because he has been learning from Thalaivar also (Mudaliyar hangover is yet to wear off), because he is the son of a friend of mine in bachelor days. I am trying hard to establish some remote connection between and me and music.
He reminded me in a way of TMK (some mannerisms). Influence of Sanjay was not distinct either in mannerism (cf. Prasanna Venkataraman) or the extra effect in rendition. He stuck to the grammar and did not strive for any effect. Ragaswaroopams appeared intact and he had that which SSI considered the most important, sowkhyam.
When he started with the varnam, rendered well, I felt he had set the tempo pleasingly, and what followed fulfilled the expectation. I am in that groove and each experience reinforces that bias.
The previous day, Bharathi Ramasubban started with MMG, the practice of SSI school. Her concert also was good.

[kssr]

As I will not be able to do a better job than my good friend Braindrain, I take the liberty of copying and posting his review from his blog, with a few of my photos thrown in.

V Bharat Kumar @ Nadasurabhi Feb Fest , 21 Feb 2015



22

Feb


Vocal : V Bhart Kumar

Violin : Ananda Viswanathan

Mrudangam : Adamya Ramanad

Morsing : Bhagyalakshmi Krishna

List :

01. Varnam- Reethigowla (added by KSSR)

02. ninnE bhajana – nATa – Thyagaraja ( S )

03. dakSiNAmUrtE – shankarAbharaNam – Dikshitar ( N,S )

niraval & svara @ ‘ sukhatara pravrttE svAjnAna nivrttE ‘

04. ElA teliyalErO – darbAr – Thyagaraja ( A )

05. mAmava sadA varadE -nAtakurinji – Swathi Thirunal ( A )

06. trilOka mAtA – paras – Shyama Shasthri

07. maracitivEmO nannu maravaku – pUrvi kalyANi – Mysore Vasudevacharya ( A,N,S,T )

niraval & svara @ ‘ sarasija lOcana satatamu nammiti’

08. mannupugazh kOsalai – rAgamAlika – Azhwar

09. mangaLam – saurAshtram – Thyagaraja

shLOkam ( shrIyay kAntAya) – madhyamAvati

A very talented musician, strong musical fundamentals and knowledge. All that came out in this classy presentation of the concert by this young man. What a delightful selection of kritis. What a clarity in singing the alapanas and kritis. I am super impressed , except for one thing. I found him singing in an artificial voice, in an overtly nasal tone, which aren’t very pleasing. The way he started ‘dakshinamurte’ was my case point. Apart from that every thing he did was top class.

I was given to understand that he is from a rich musical background. Son and disciple of Suguna Varadachari, learned under M Chandrasekharan and from Sanjay Subrahmanyan. But, his mannerisms, body and hand gestures etc had a very strong influence of TMK and not Sanjay.

I missed the varnam, nata kriti was going on as we entered the hall. The svaras that accompanied the kriti helped to get a measure of the artist. It was then he started dakshinamurte in an ultra nasal way. But he sang the kriti brilliantly, with an outstanding niraval. Let me also pick on another point here. I prefer artists singing jnAna in the south Indian way an not gyAna as we here beyond Vindhyas. The svaras in the second speed was equally good.

Darbar was the first alapana to come and he did a good alapana, and to a lesser effect Anand Viswanathan. He selected a not often heard kriti, which was commendable. It was done very well. Not sure whether he sang all the three charanams ( if I remember correctly, he sang only the 1st and third). Another classy alapana of natakurinji followed. Anand chipped in with a good violin return. Swathi composition again was good. He did not sing svaras for either darbar or natakurinji. could have added a few for either one of them. A short , fast paced kriti came before the main.

Purvikalyani alapana was very grand. Noticed he did not go into too much of the fast paced bhriga oriented ‘akara’ singing. But stuck to more moving and melodious phrases. Anand was again did a good work here in his turn. Mysore Vasudevachar’s kriti was again a superb choice. I was thinking of ‘parama pavana rama’ as the alapana was progressing. Excellent rendition of the kriti, another fabulous niraval and good kalpana svaras made it memorable. Adamya and Bhagyalakshmi who supported the main artist adequately played out a good tani avartanam.

I have seen many artists not taking up the post main items seriously. Always sen some one like TNS doing a phenomenal job here. Let me add here. I do not like the long chain of 7 to 8 pieces either. Bharatkumar, yesterday was of the first list. There was only one ragamalika before he sang mangalam. A better use of time and devices would have made this more appealing and as they say an icing on the cake. Nevertheless, this young man did a great job and hope to catch him up soon in more concerts in Bangalore.

[rshankar]

Nice pictures! Very vibrant...thank you...