Review on UP Raju

U.P. Raju and Nagamani regaled the audience with their scintillating recital - A. Ramalinga Sastry

Visakha Music Academy featured a mandolin recital by the noted duo U.P. Raju and his prime disciple and wife at Kalabharati last Friday. Getting off to a tunefully scintillating start with the Atatalaavarnam in Bhairavi, they set an exhilarating mood urrajuplaying Siddhivinayakam of Dikshitar ( Shanmukhapriya) adorned with aalapana and swaram and a Mallari in Gambhreeanata in Khandachapu. Next came Jayajaya Padmanabha of Swathi Tirunal ( Manirangu, an ancient raga of wide scope, upanga varjya janyam of the 22nd. melam Kharaharapriya) also embellished with ragam and swaram followed by the Suddha Saveri kirtana Tripurasundari in succession. The aalapana and swarakalpanain the two speeds in Manirangu in particular were showcases of the subtle nuances that distinctly emanate its fervour and differentiate it from that of the raga Sri, which stands considered its twin. Then, they went on expansively expatiating Swara raga sudha( Sankarabharanam), which again stood out for its aesthetic coverage of the entire diapason of the subtleties not only of swara combinations and permutations but also of the titillating gathi variations in chaaturasram, trisram and khandam in the normal, fast and super- fast tempos, that too in Ragamalika constituted of Abheri,Valaji and Revathi.

The Grand Finale

Rendering of Raghuvamsa ( Kadanakutuhalam), Krishna Nee Begane ( Yaman) and Venkatachalanilayam( Sindhubhairavi) after the scholarly thani on mridangam by P. Satishkumar and P. Haribabuon ghatam, marked the grand finale.

Winners of many a prestigious laurel at home and abroad, the duo individually and together left an impression of being showcases of heart-warming application of mind with soulful commitment.

Their distinctive diction coupled with the masterly control in playing on the instrument with remarkable dexterity, expounded and expatiated the elate expression ordained both in the lyrical and musical phraseology of the compositions they thoughtfully chose and played.

The mellifluence that got emanated in the process and aesthetically invigorated by the mellifluent bholes generated by the equally innovative Satish on mridangam, turned out to be an epitome of a treat of the exquisite wholesomeness of the Carnatic tradition of the Indian music.