The guru-sishya relationship is the pivot around which music is carried forward to the next generation. K.V. Narayanaswami’s music was structured on the bedrock of the Ariyakudi style. Yet, the former introduced several welcome changes in his music to create the KVN style. H.V. Srivatsan, who had the unique opportunity of touring the U.S. in 1985, as violin accompanist to KVN, became his leading disciple in vocal music. Just like his guru, Srivatsan too has built his own style, adhering to the norms of strict classicism.
This was pronounced in his recent vocal concert for Madhuradhwani. His Sankarabharanam alapana explored the world of melody in its fullness, wrapped in sampradaya at every stage of the development of the raga swaroopa. His son and disciple Keshavan Srivatsan, in his response on the violin, proved beyond doubt that he is a chip off the old block.
The vocalist chose to render Swati Tirunal’s Navarathri kriti, ‘Devi jagad janani.’ The extensive niraval and swaraprastara were at the anupallavi, ‘Devamakuta mani.’
Mridangam exponent Trichur Narendran offered a powerful, yet aesthetic thani. He enriched the concert with his intricate patterns.
Srivatsan’s Thodi alapana was profound. He rendered Tyagaraja’s ‘Raju vedale jutamurare’ (Rupakam), one of the Srirangam Pancharatnas. The niraval and swaras at ‘Sevanu gaani’ distilled the sweetness of Thodi. Similarly, his Purvikalyani alapana, a prelude to Syama Sastri’s ‘Ninnu vinagaa mari’ (Viloma Chapu) was intensely sensitive. The niraval and kalpanaswaras were at the charanam, ‘Tamasamitula’. These days, this kriti is sung mostly in Mishra Chapu, but Ariyakudi and KVN used to sing it in Viloma Chapu. In Viloma Chapu, the sequence of the beats is 4+3, as against Chapu tala (3+4). Narendran recalled playing in this tala for KVN.
Srivatsan commenced the concert with the Chaya Tarangini composition by Tyagaraja, ‘Kripa juchutaku velara’. His rendering of swaras for the Saint’s Sriranjani piece ‘Brochevarevare’ was excellent. The Appar Thevaram ‘Vaananai madhi soodiya’ (Kiravani) on the deity at Tiruvannamalai (Mishra Chapu) again reminded one of KVN.
Next came Arunachala Kavi’s ‘Ramaswamy konda kolam’ in Kapi (Rupakam) and Andal’s Thiruppavai ‘Thoomani maadathu’, also KVN specials. Srivatsan wound up his concert with the Purvi thillana ‘Niriniri gamagarisa’ (Rupakam) by Tirukkogarnam Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Keshavan Srivatsan excelled in his violin accompaniment in this piece.
Published - January 12, 2023 06:10 pm IST
