Dhanush Anantharman with Sandeep Ramachandran (violin) and Sanada Krishna (mridangam). | Photo credit: Special Arrangements
It cannot be said that formal training under a guru helps an aspiring musician immensely in appreciating the intricacies of classical art. Twenty-year-old Dhanush Anantharaman gave ample evidence of his devoted, decades-long training under singer Amrita Murali in his concert for Nada Envam. He started learning music at the age of five from Professor Vijayalakshmi Sivakumar.
Dhanush begins his elaborate thodi alapana refreshingly. He successfully attempted to write an essay on raga svaropa in his own style. Sandeep Ramachandran, a disciple of RK Sriramkumar, had an impressive response on the violin. Dhanush performed Saint Tyagaraj’s ‘Dusarthe Nee Ranmu Theerpa’ with full glory. Narwal was in ‘Prakashimpa Jesena’, an Atitha Adopu. Captivating phrases widely mark the Svaraprastara. Manargudi Eswaran’s disciple Sanada Krishna’s tani was amusing. His mridangam playing with its subdued richness was an asset to the singer.
In Begada Alappana, Dhanush makes full use of his voice, which is shrill and melodious. He followed it up with another Tyagaraj Kirti, ‘Neveera Koldhanmu’. The bard of Thiruvairo addresses Rama as his Kol Dhanam (family treasure) and his Jeonama (much life). Neeraval and Swaar were in ‘Thyagaraj Vara Hardaya’. The last Swara Korvi was woven aesthetically.
Dhanush handled Dakshetra’s Hamir Kalyani composition, ‘Parmala Ranganatham Bijham’ (Roopakam) with finesse. This fragment is on the deity at Thiruvandalur, Mayiladuthrai. His sense of manodharma and laya came to the fore in Tyagaraj’s kriti and Kalpanaswaras rendering of the Kandgula fragment, ‘Urajupu Chuchedi Niyama’.
Navaragmalika Varnam of Putnam Subramania Iyer started the concert well. Syama Sastri’s pars composition, ‘Triloka Matha’ was a pleasing rendering. Dhanush concluded the recital with ‘Alkalam Anarthothakriyavan’, a veeratham from Sekkezhhar’s Pariyapurnam in ragamalika (Sehna, Behag and Nilambri), followed by Muthu Thandavar’s ‘Kanamal Vinyl’.
