While listening to the veena concert of R Parthasarathy on the inaugural day of Ravindra Academy of Music’s sixth annual festival, at Cine Music Auditorium Hall at Vadapalani, it was evident that his inherited legacy from the Veena Seshanna, with good grip over technical aspects, conveying authentically the diction of the kritis chosen, would catapult him in the musical arena.
The artist who was ably supported by his son Murali Parthasarathy, brought out with commendable thrust, the contours of raga Bhahudari in Brova Bharama of Thyagaraja with his ‘divinity soaked’ raga Bhava, though his decibels with abundant rhythmic display, the ‘melody’ got drowned.
When he took up Bagayanayya in raga Chandrajothi of Thyagaraja, his skill in handling the kriti with a clear perception was evident. The fingering technique of this artist with sharpness of ‘meetu’ revealed the emotive splendour of the piece.
The zeal and enthusiasm shown by him in elegantly presenting the traditionally well known kriti of Thyagaraja — Thelisi Rama — in raga Poornachandrika and his innate consciousness in bringing out the best while performing Bhajare Yethu of Thyagaraja in Raga Pilu of Sadasiva Brahmendra, must be appreciated. Ganapathy Raman (Mridangam) lent rhythmic support of a good order. The core of any music is ambiance and amplifications. But the speaker system in the concert transformed the dulcet tones of Veena to discordant wails and the pleasant metrical tintinnabulation of Mridangam to reverberating cannonades. I’m sure the organizers will take note of it in future.