Friday 10 February 2017

Unique tribute to a maverick musical genius - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman


Murali Samarpanam held at the India International Centre auditorium as an evening of tribute to the "inimitable Gandharva Vaagyekara" Dr. M.Balamurali Krishna, designed and organised by Usha R.K, proved to be a riveting event, featuring six Bharatanatyam dancers from Delhi. Visualising the entire event round Balamurali's Thillana compositions was well thought out - for the maestro's compositions in this genre of Carnatic music, apart from exploring his limitless creative energies in manifold areas of raga and tala intricacies also provided space for his poetic sensibility in the dedicatory passages-all of which have made them an excellent base for Bharatanatyam dancers.
Holding the evening together with her own very informative introductions (very much needed for a predominantly north Indian audience) was R.K. Usha for whom this was obviously an emotional journey down memory lane - her several interactions with Dr. M. Balamurali having begun, well over 36 years ago when the master bowled over the barely twenty year old, who on her maiden endeavour at organising a very significant event had timidly approached the already established musician inviting him to sing for the occasion and without the slightest hesitation at a green horn being in charge of this event, the maestro had agreed on the spot. A genius who was adept at playing the violin, the viola, the mridangam and of course singing, and a poet with a great feel for the Telugu language, greatness sat lightly on his shoulders. The arithmetical combinations of rhythm in his compositions could perplex even well known mridangam accompanists with a composition set in a cycle of 17 ½ beats! Natural as they come, for him music was a way of life, flowing effortlessly.


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