B. Vijayagopal’s recital was about lyrical raga exploration and nuanced accompaniment
Flautist B. Vijayagopal performed a recital at the Venuganam festival, showcasing a blend of traditional ragas and collaborative accompaniment. The concert featured a variety of compositions from renowned composers, highlighting the expressive potential of the flute.
Why it matters
It highlights the preservation and evolution of Indian classical music traditions through curated cultural festivals.
Mudhra’s five-day Venuganam festival, held from September 2 to 6 as part of the Janmashtami celebrations, returned for its third edition with a thoughtfully curated tribute to the flute. The festival’s second day featured flautist B. Vijayagopal with B. Ananthakrishnan on the violin, Vijay Natesan on the mridangam and Tiruchi Krishnaswamy on the ghatam.
Vijayagopal opened with a compact sketch of Kamalamanohari. Though brief, the alapana was sufficiently evocative to establish the raga’s contours before moving to Muthuswami Dikshitar’s ‘Kanchadalayatakshi’. The flute and the violin found a natural conversational space, with Ananthakrishnan responding sensitively to Vijayagopal’s phrases, while the mridangam and ghatam provided a firm, unobtrusive rhythmic foundation. A well-placed set of kalpanaswaras neatly tied the piece together.
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