Reviews
Concert Review-Ramakrishnan Murthy

By Asmita Padmanabhan
Vidwan Ramakrishnan Murthy's concert for Brahma Gana
Sabha was a late start but worth the wait. Accompanied by what probably is his
best team, vidwan N.C. Bharadwaj on the mridangam and vidushi Charumathi
Raghuraman on the violin, the synergy between the trio, built over years of
performances and tours, was palpable.
The concert opened briskly with Nadachi Nadachi in Kharaharapriya. The kalpana swarams, though a
tad fast, were engaging, supported by Ramakrishnan's bold, resonant voice that
drew the audience into the music. However, the speed occasionally overpowered
the nuances, making it feel slightly rushed.
Telisi Rama followed at a lively pace,
where the swift tempo felt right initially but eventually became a bit tiring
without the needed contrast. The niraval at Ramayani
Brahma was quite brief, and the mel kalam niraval, each less than an
avartanam, felt more like additional sangatis rather than a deep exploration.
The kalpana swarams here, too, suffered from the relentless pace.
Sindhubhairavi alapana was a spectacular highlight,
with Ramakrishnan Murthy navigating almost all notes beautifully. It was
unusual to hear Sindhubhairavi so early in the concert, but a welcome move. His
handling of the higher octaves was exceptional, though the pace never quite
slowed, leaving little room for pauses. The rendition of R.K. Shriramkumar’s Apara Karuna Sindhum Bhairaveesham was
slow-paced. The soulful interpretation, brought out the composition's full
emotional depth, specifically the line Nijaananda
anubhava pradam.