Shashank Charms Audience with Soulful Flute Music

Hyderabad: Arguably the leading flautist in Carnatic music, Shashank did everything to zealously guard the huge expectation of the audience that preceded him at the venue. So was it on Wednesday when he presented a two-plus hours of a top- notch concert for Kalasagaram.

Shashank was accompanied on the violin by H.N. Bhaskar and on the mrudangam by Patri Satish and ghatam player Giridhar Udupa was there for back-to-back performances.

A near houseful audience mid-week was the result of the labour of love of the Kalasagaram team -mainly Sethuraman, Ramamurthy, Ramesh Kailasam, Shubha, Rama and Siva Sankar - what was more endearing was the unequivocal appreciation and applause for each of the artists on stage.

From the Adi talam varnam of Patnam Subramanya Iyer in Todi raga, to 'Varamu' (Sudha Hindolam): Manasuloni Marmamu (Latangi): Mariveredikkeveraru (again of Patnam Subramanya Iyer, in Karaharapriya) and a ragam tanam pallavi which included multiple ragas like Mohanam, Saveri, Poorvi Kalyani, Durga, Behag, Hamsadhwani, Hamsanadham to the very popular Chinajiri Kiliye a Subramanya Bharati raagamalika in Kaapi, as well as Maand, Vasanta, Tilang, Hindolam, Neelamani, Neelambari, Valaci, Madhyamavati, Shashank represented class.

Never tempted to needless speed or artless pyrotechnics, Shashank built a steady tempo and revelled in a laidback speed. Instrumentalists tend to, or are tempted to, showcase their mastery by playing up speed at the cost of the beauty of the presentation.

Shashank would have none of this. Take his Manasuloni Marmamu, for instance.

Before doing the swaras, he kept to his own mild speed: no train to catch, no flight to take. With his Latangi, he elevated with artistic mastery the lower octaves - captivating and engrossing.

This was a man in complete know of the nuances of the raga and the route of accentuating its strengths. His ragam tanam pallavi was not only laced with multiple ragas - oh! So many!! - but the pallavi was played in Khanda Triputa to Adi talam. All this was the magic on the flute.

The raga interpretations, the neravals and the swaras - brilliant as they were - found magical match from Bhaskar on the violin. As an accompanying artist, Bhaskar ran his singles beautifully, played authentically and won the constant applause of the audience. The thani avarthanam in two talas reflected the class of the percussionists.

This flute-filled evening will echo long in the ears of the audience.