Music Career – Theatre Music

Master Krishna made his Marathi theatre debut at the age of ten, playing the role of Lord Vitthal as a child singer-actor in the highly acclaimed musical play 'Sant Sakhubai' produced by the 'Natyakala Pravartak' sangeet mandali. His renedition of the song 'Bhaktajan sada mhanati dayasindhu mala' used to get many ‘once-more’ requests from the audience. He also played the role of the 'Sant Rohidas' in the musical play 'Raja Harishchandra' and the role of 'Narada' in the play 'Sangeet Saubhadra'. The phase of his singing and acting career continued for four years. And in 1911, he turned to full-time study of classical music under his guru Bhaskarbuva Bakhle. A few years later, he returned to the musical plays of Marathi theatre. In 1915, he joined the Gandharva Natak Mandali as a singer actor, playing the lead role of Sharada in Sangeet Sharada at Baroda, under the guidance of his guru Bakhlebuva. Following this, he played a series of roles as a singer-actor in Marathi theatre.

In 1915, he joined the 'Gandharva Natak Mandali' as a singer actor, playing the lead role of Sharada in 'Sangeet Sharada' at Baroda, under the guidance of his guru Bakhlebuva. Following this, he played a series of roles as a singer-actor in Marathi theatre.

Bakhlebuva was in charge of the music department of Gandharva Natak Mandali. However, sadly, he passed away on 8 April 1922. Now the position of music director and teacher for the drama group was vacant, and the great Bal Gandharva handed over this responsibility to Master Krishna. It was fitting that this prime disciple and much-loved performer would carry forward the glorious musical legacy of his guru in the Gandharva Natak Mandali. Bal Gandharva, though ten years older than Master Krishna, considered him his guru, after the passing of Bhaskarbuva Bakhle, and as a mark of his respect and reverence, would never sing after Master Krishna had performed at a concert. To quote Bal Gandharva from the speech that he gave at Master's 60th birthday celebrations, "Master is my guru-brother and also my guru. He has taught us so much. I am fortunate that he has set the tunes for seven of my plays. What can I say? I am very proud and fortunate that Master has given the tunes and Narayan Rao has sung them. I have said often to Master, you compose tunes that are so effective, evocative. I have been the beneficiary of your great musical abilities."

Master Krishna was a leading figure in the Gandharva Natak Mandali, playing the roles of singer, actor, musician and music teacher. He composed music for the following plays of the Gandharva Natak Mandali:

Draupadi (1920) (co-composer, and sole composer of the highly popular songs 'Virat Dnyani' and 'Pandava Samratpadala')
Nandakumar (1925)
Menaka (1926)
Vidhilikhit (1928)
Kanhopatra (1931)
Savitri (1933)
Asha-Nirasha (1933)
Amritsiddhi (1933) (Film version: Sadhvi Meerabai)

For the orgnaization Rajaram Sangeet Mandali, he composed music for:

Prem Sanyas (1939)

For Natyaniketan, he composed music for:

Kulavadhu (1942)
Kone Eke Kaali (1948)
Ek Hota Mhatara (1950)
Bhagyodaya (1957)

He also composed the music for a play written by Smt.Sumatidevi Dhanwate:

Dhuliche Kann (1959)

Master Krishna composed melodious and fitting tunes for songs that became extremely popluar: Lalana Mana from Sangeet Ekach Pyala, Ekla Nayanala from Sangeet Swayamvar, Maj Wari Tayache Prem Khare from Saunshaykallol, and Balsagar Tumhi Veer Shiromani from Sangeet Saubhadra. While Master’s name is not mentioned in the original printed version of this play, this fact has been mentioned by Master himself, his disciples and experts in the field.

Master's disciple Late Mr. Madhusudan Kanetkar speaks eloquently about Master’s qualities as a theatre composer. He says, "Master composed these tunes with great discernment and style. The listener is constantly aware of the inherent poise and balance in his compositions. It takes a very special talent and ability to create tunes that fit the words and the context perfectly in the play. Moreover, he put in great effort to teach his singers, so that the ultimate delivery on stage was flawless."

Master Krishna played some male roles and many female roles as a singer actor in the Gandharva Natak Mandali. The roles that he played in the plays of Gandharva Natak Mandali are:

Sharda - Sharda, Vallari
Ekach Pyala - Sharad
Saubhadra - Krishna, Narada, Actress (Nati)
Vidyaharana - Kach, Rasika
Swayamvar - Maharani, Actress (Nati), Krishna
Draupadi - Bhanumati
Savitri - Narada
Asha-Nirasha - Vedi Lanka
Nandakumar - Krishna
Menaka - Balmurti
Vidhilikhit - Vrinda
Kanhopatra - Shyama
Amritsiddhi - Chandravati

After the closure of the Gandharva Natak Mandali in 1934, Master Krishna was engaged full-time in other activities like music festivals, film music, patriotic songs, etc. In the year 1942-43, Master Krishna once again showed his prowess as a music composer by working on an impossibly short deadline at this time. Musician and critic Keshavrao Bhole, a friend of Master Krishna, requested him in a written letter, to compose the music for M.G. Rangnekar’s play Kulavadhu for the drama company Natyaniketan as soon as possible. They had already announced the date of the first show, booked the theatre for the performance, and there was only a week in which to compose the tunes and have the singers rehearse them! Naturally, the theatre owner and the playwright Rangnekar as well as the artists were extremely tense and anxious. Master Krishna, with his friendly and empathetic personality, understood their predicament, and undertook the challenging task of composing music for the play in such a short time. He came up with just the right compositions, with a touch of the contemporary as well as the classical in his tunes. The play Kulavadhu became extremely popular and was a great success. Particularly moving was the song in raag Bhairavi 'Bola Amrit Bola', which gained great heights of popularity. What is noteworthy is that Master set this song to tune and began rehearsals for it in just a day! The song 'Bhagyavati Mi Tribhuvani Jhale' from this play has the distinction of being the first duet to be sung on the Marathi stage.

It was thanks to these absolutely captivating tunes of Master Krishna that the Marathi sangeet-natak, musical plays, saw a revival, from the setback that it had suffered with the advent of talkies. Following this, he composed the music for Natyaniketan's plays Kone Eke Kaali, Ek Hota Mhatara, Bhagyodaya bringing a fine blend of the classical and the contemporary to his tunes. Following this, on the request of Acharya Atre, Master composed the music for 'Dhuliche Kann' written by Smt. Sumatidevi Dhanwate, the elder sister of actress Vanmala.