by S.R. Krishna Murthy
The Akashvani Sangeeth Sammelana is an annual musical event, organised by Akashvani, since 1954. In earlier days, it was a two-day festival on the second Saturday and Sunday of October, in major stations and a one-day event on the second saturday of October in other stations. Since some years, it has become a one day event conducted throughout the country on the same day, sometime during the end of September or during the middle of October. A happy note of this music festival is that the artistes from different parts of the country will be performing in other parts of the country, which is an effort in creating National integration. The artistes selected to perform not only feature regular and famous artistes, but even the upcoming artistes who are given equal prominence. This gesture definitely lends a supporting hand, in encouraging these youngsters.
Major stations will conduct the event every year and other stations will be holding the event turn by turn. This year, the programmes will be broadcasted from the National hook-up of Akashvani, for nearly forty-four days, from Oct. 19 to Dec. 11, at 9.30 pm on some days and 10 pm on other days, depending on that day’s schedule.
The Mysore edition of the Akashvani Sangeeth Sammelana 2013 was organised at Vasudevacharya Bhavana of Nada Brahma Sangeetha Sabha, on Sept. 29. It had two concerts, a Hindustani flute recital by Nityananda Haldipur, Mumbai, accompanied by Ravindra Yavagal on Tabla and the other, a Karnatak vocal recital by A.S. Murali of Chennai, accompanied by T.K. Padmanabha (violin), Tanjore Subramanyam (mridanga) and A.S. Shankar (ghata).
Akashvani Sangeeth Sammelana always evokes sufficient interest among the music fraternity and the auditorium was full with music enthusiasts.
About Nityananda Haldipur He is an ‘A’ Grade artiste of AIR and Doordarshan. He took to music at an early age and had the fortune of being taught by stalwarts like his father Niranjan Haldipur and Devendra Murudeshwar, both disciples of Pt. Pannalal Ghosh, Annapurna Devi (daughter of Ustad Aladdin Khan). Nityanand has participated in all the major events in India. In 2010, Nityanand Haldipur was given the highest award for his contribution to Indian classical music by Sangeeth Natak Academy, New Delhi.
He began serenely the Alap of Raag Puriya. The Gat in Vilambit was in Rupaka Taal. His methodical presentation, smoothly breathed life into each note of the raga. The intermittent usage of phrases like RSNSR, SNDNS, added sweetness to the melody. Druth Gat was set to Teen Taal. Totally the delineation of Raag Puriya testified the flautist’s penchant for exploring a raga to its fullest. The next thirty minutes was Raag Jhanjooti, in Madhya Laya and Druth, both in Teen Taal. He concluded the concert with a Dhun in Mishra Pahadi.
The second programme was the Karnatak vocal recital by A.S. Murali of Chennai. The first rendering Ganapathi Enna Paliso (Nata-Adi-Prasanna Venkata Dasa) was for balancing the sound system. The broadcasting part began with Smaraneyonde Saalade (Malaya Marutha-Adi-Purandara Dasa). Two ragas were taken for delineation. First was Dharmavathi with an enthusiastic alapane, followed by the Kruti Bhajana Seyarada of Mysore Vasudevacharya. He did a Neraval at Niravadhi Sukhadaayakuni, with a short Swara. The second was Shankarabharana, with another good Alapane, leading to the Kruti Enduku Peddula of Thyagaraja with a Neraval at Veda Shastra Tatvarthamulu, followed by another set of good Swara. In between he sang Kamalaambaa Samrakshatumaam (Ananda Bhairavi-Mishra Chapu-Muthuswamy Dikshitar), the first of the Navaavarana Kruti. He concluded the concert with Paalaya Shree Mantraalaya Nilaya (Yaman Kalyani-Adi-Ananda Dasa). It may be a fact that the singer is accustomed to singing in Akashavani. Therefore, there was no rapport with the audience. It looked as though he was singing to the mike.
At this juncture, I would like to point out one odd phenomenon. The auditorium was full when the programme began. But, as soon as the Hindustani recital was over, nearly forty percent of the audience, mostly Hindustani connoisseurs, just walked out en-mass, just like our opposition members in the Assembly, walking out of the hall, if the ruling party does not agree to their point of view. Nobody can force someone to listen to something, which th ey do not relish. The audience could have sat for some more time, at least as a mark of respect to the next artiste.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by S. R. Krishna Murthy / October 15th, 2013