A light music treat
The CD contains several popular songs including Palagummi's all-time hit `Mansayera Madhava'.The Hindu on Friday, Jun 17, 2005
Sharada Ashoka Vardhan a senior officer of the Information & Public Relations Department on deputation to AIR is a talented writer, extending her activity into lyrical writing besides being a short story writer, novelist and playwright on women's issues. She won the Telugu University's literary award for drama writing. All India Radio had broadcast a number of her songs, mostly tuned by veteran composer Palagummi Viswanatham. She decided to put some selected songs into a CD album in deference to the wishes of her late husband Ashoka Vardhan, who also hailed from a family of literary figures and freedom fighters Though he did not live to see it, Sharada had brought out the CD with a sentimental touch aided by the quality music composed by Viswanatham. Among the hundreds of songs she had rendered, Manasayera Madhava that she penned during her youth became an all-time hit on AIR channels with the listeners It was tuned by Viswanatham, who was music producer of AIR Hyderabad, at that time. He had set it in Mohana ragam and the lyrical content is quite attractive because it views Lord Krishna from different angles especially from the viewpoint of his consort Satyabhama and devotee Radha. This song was the choice of noted AIR singer Vijayalakshhmi Sarma to get into radio through audition. She passed it and then rendered the same song in her first-ever broadcast over radio and later went on to become a playback singer in films too. In fact, she earned the sobriquet — `Manasayera Madhava' Vijayalakshmi. Therefore, this CD gained that pallavi as its title. There are, in all, nine songs including Manasayera Madhava,rendered by Vijalakshmi, one of the major attractions of the CD. One notable aspect is that Palagummi set each of the songs in different ragas.
Bhava Geethaalu - Saradhakrutulu Courtesy : Smt Sarada Ashokvardhan - copyright holder
Eereyi ilaage nilichiponi reflects a different angle of Madhura Bhakti Set in Dwijavanti to keep to the mood of the theme, with the maiden's craving for the Lord's company, it is rendered by Surekha Murty. A mellifluous singer, she also renders Evariki Teliyadulu . set in Bilahari. This also reflects Madhura Bhakti. Mohanakrishna is not only a renowned classical vocalist but also a good singer of light classical songs. His rendition of Rama ninne korinaanu, a song that is different from the general thematic concept of the CD. The song just describes the qualities of Lord Rama. Nitya Santhoshini, a young, dynamic and up-and-coming playback singer of Telugu cinema, has a major presence in the CD, by rendering three songs of different appeal but all on the Madhura Bhakti theme. Manasulona vunnadee, Pilichina palukavadela and a lullaby Jolapadi jokottedi.
Pilichina is a song with naughty expression, like "are you afraid of coming nearer to me, that I may tie you to one end of my sari". Kalyanavasantham provides correct mood to this song. Manasulona Vinnadee is rendered in Kalyani. Manasu dochinna komali went for a talented male voice, Vinodbabu who is also there in the orchestral part playing the keyboard . This was set in Kanada. It is more a love song. Another highlight of the CD is Yenta sogasugade written in a new folk trend. And Misr Khamas suits it well. The heroine compares her Lord to the moon. Haimavati, another popular singer who teaches light music at Telugu University renders this song emotively. Besides Vinod Babu, others in the orchestra are Dattatreyulu (flute), Meduri Srinivas (veena), Sivasankar and Pawan Kumar on tabla. . Perhaps, the songs could have been called geyalu and not krutulu. For copies of the CDs, contact Sharada Ashoka Vardhan on 27803666.