Instrumental Innovations in Carnatic Music

Kadri Gopalnath Saxophone, 1982

Reflections by Shri R. Sachi

( Photo courtesy: The Hindu )

Carnatic music gives a prominent role to melodic instruments and instrumental innovations. Since the time of Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar, the western instrument violin has been embraced and enhanced in our music. The traditional veena and flute have undergone many innovations. In addition, the clarinet, the mandolin, the guitar, and even the keyboard have all made inroads into Carnatic music. Most importantly, the saxophone has made an emphatic entry as early as in the 1970’s, and its synonym is Vid. Kadri Gopalnath.

Born into a Nagaswara vidwan family in Mangalore (1949), Kadri was fascinated when he heard the saxophone in the Mysore Palace band. He took to the instrument, tamed it to Carnatic ways, and has an impressive list of admirers over the years, from Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer to A R Rahman. He has been conferred a doctorate by Bangalore University, the title Sangeetha Kalashikhamani from Indian Fine Arts, Chennai, and most recently the Veene Sheshanna Memorial national award. He underwent advanced musical training under Vid T. V. Gopalakrishnan (this year’s Sangita Kalanidhi designate by the Madras Music Academy.) Whereas some purists may criticise the saxophone as being less than perfect in microtonal raga and gamaka reproduction, there cannot be any debate regarding Vid. Kadri Gopalnath’s contribution to popularising Carnatic music and the instrument saxophone especially among lay audiences of this generation.

We reproduce below an extract from his concert review in the New York Times, 1987:

" KADRI GOPALNATH plays South Indian classical music on the alto saxophone. A western listener, trying to imagine this, might expect something like the sinuously bluesy playing of a few jazz saxophonists, notably John Handy, in encounters with Indian musicians. But Mr. Gopalnath's approach is quite different. He originally played the nadaswaram, a large, throaty South Indian reed instrument, and has been able to transfer the bends, slurs and quavers of the traditional instrument to the western one with remarkable thoroughness. He is more or less reinventing the alto saxophone, using it to do things neither its western classical exponents nor the jazz players who have perfected it as an expressive instrument could have imagined. "

Vid. Kadri Gopalanath has been popular among Parvathi audiences, especially youngsters and lay listeners. We are glad to share some excerpts from his 1982 concert held during Ramanavami celebrations.

Concert Details:

Kadri Gopalnath ---- Saxaphone
A,R.Krishnamurthy --- Violin
P.G.Lakshminarayan -- Mridangam on 9-4-82 at 'Parvathi'

Song List

01 Srichamundeshwari-Bilahari-Mysore Vasudevacharya *** 02 Panchashatpitharupini-Devagandharam-Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 03. Nanati bratuku- Revathi-Annamacharya *** 04. Baro Krishnaiyya- Ragamalika- Kanaka Dasa *** 05. Smara Varam varam – Bahudari- Sadashiva Brahmendra *** 06. Venkatachalanilayam – Sindhu Bhairavi – Purandara Dasa ***

2014 - K.Puttu Rao Memorial Music Festival

An Invitation

DEAR "RASIKAS"

Its getting close to that time of the Year again !

Spring-summer time and with it a celebration in Carnatic Music !

Please welcome once again to Mysore !

To the 2014 K. Puttu Rao Memorial Festival !

Music's Bylanes X : Ways of Honoring A Parent

[ 1996: K. Puttu Rao-Palghat Mani Award to Guruvayur Dorai ]
[ Lalgudi Jayaraman Presides ! ]
[ First 3 Images are all Courtesy: Percussive Arts Center,Bangalore ]
[ Music Research Library ]

Aug 21, 1955 - Visionaries All !
K.Puttu Rao with Sir. M. Viswesvaraya & Governing Council Members
National Institute of Engineering, Mysore

A Building to Behold

Among the many spectacular monuments, buildings, temples and architectural pieces that India projects in its landscape, there is one that is a great testimony to India’s modern architecture.

This is the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, one of the many attractive buildings in the design of an entirely modern city. The city as we all know is Chandigarh, and its famous architect was Le Corbusier, a French Architect.

[ Courtesy: Punjab and Haryana Government Web Page ]

We also show you (below) the very rich and attractive type of tapestry that Corbusier himself created, one to each courtroom, to cover the entire rear walls. Le Corbusier encapsulated a number of symbols of man, earth, nature, emblems of India and the scales of justice in abstract, geometric patches. They were also created in this way for acoustical reasons.

[ Courtesy: Punjab and Haryana Government Web Page ]

While readers may be wondering what all of this has to do with Music? (and Carnatic Music so down south), we just wanted to tell you of a spontaneous discovery that we made in our Internet world:

“ The High Court was the first building to be made wholly of concrete. A sum of Rs 4 Million (then) was spent on its construction. The commendable success for the completion of the building by the target date was entirely due to the able administration of Shri P L Verma, Chief High Court building under construction Engineer and Secretary Capital Project and his assistant Mr R C Singh, Executive Engineer.

The construction of this unique building, which opened a new phase for concrete construction, was done by Messrs Hindustan Construction Corporation Ltd. Bombay under the supervision of Shri K C Iyya.

It is one of the most beautiful High Courts in India with 40 spacious and luxuriously furnished courtrooms; 3 Bar rooms; a well-equipped Judges' library, a dispensary and a very good canteen. Its location in the lap of Himalayas beyond the limits of the city, beside Assembly Hall and Sukhna Lake adds to its beauty."

Amongst the many things, we just wanted to introduce you to Shri K. Puttu Rao’s First Born. With this we have come somewhat full circle in a mention of all of the nearest family members, directly or indirectly, in our pages.

Shiva and Vishnu- Aspects of the Same Divinity

Vid. Papanasam Ashok Ramani
Excerpts from "Parvathi" 1995 & 1999 concerts

A concretisation by Shri R. Sachi

We are pleased to share with rasikas worldwide excerpts from two concerts held in Parvathi in the nineties, featuring the vocalist Vid. Ashok Ramani, who is the grandson of the great composer of the twentieth century, Sangita Kalanidhi Papanasam Sivan.

Born in 1964, Ashok Ramani commenced music training at a very young age with his mother Dr. Rukmini Ramani (daughter of Papanasam Sivan). Subsequently he was under the tutelage of Dr. S.Ramanathan, Calcutta K.S.Krishnamurthy and Bombay Ramachandran. He was a disciple of Palghat K.V.Narayanaswamy for over 17 years and has been training also under Vidwan P.S.Narayanaswamy.

( Courtesy: shivanisai.org )

Ashok Ramani has produced a multimedia CD Rom and related material on the great composer Papanasam Sivan for the Cleveland Aradhana in 2001.

( Courtesy: Sruti website )

Vidwan Papanasam Sivan (1890-1973) is one of the most respected composers in Carnatic music. Coming from humble beginnings, he learnt music and Sanskrit more as a spiritual pursuit. At the request of Smt. Rukmini Devi, he taught small school children of the Besant Theosophical School in the 1930’s the basics of Carnatic music. He shone later as an exemplary composer in the Classical field as well as classical music–based films. In fact he has composed in several languages, principally Tamil and Sanskrit. Great musicians like KV Narayanaswamy, DK Pattammal, DK Jayaraman, MS Subbulakshmi, have all learnt these compositions directly from him. Even at the height of his fame, he used to lead bhajans at the Kapaleeshwarar Koil temple in Mylapore. He was awarded the Mahamahopadhyaya title for his mastery of the Sanskrit language. The Madras Music Academy distinguished itself by conferring the title of Sangita Kalanidhi on Sri Sivan in 1971.

Let us look at this beautiful composition of Papanasam Sivan in Hindolam, sung by Ramani ( text and meanings from Karnatik.com ):

raagam: hindOLam
taaLam: roopakam
Composer: Paapanaasam Shivan
Language: Tamil

pallavi

maa ramaNan umaa ramaNan
malaraDi paNi manamE dinamE
(maa)

anupallavi

maara janakan kumaara janakan
malai mEl uraibavan paarkaDal
alai mEl tuyilbavan paavana

caraNam

aayiram peyaraal azhaippinum
aayiram urumaarinum - uyar
taayin migu dayaaparan padam
tanjam enbavarai anjal enraruLum

Meaning:

The one married to Lakshmi (Vishnu) and the one married to Uma (Siva), I bow down to your feet as beautiful as a flower, my love, every day.

Father of the god of love (Vishnu), and the father of Murugan (Siva). The one who lives on the mountain Kailaash (Siva), even the one who lies on the waves of the ocean of milk(Vishnu) upon his snake, I worship you.

Even if I call you with a thousand names (done for Vishnu), even if you change forms in a thousand ways (Siva), with more loving compassion than even one’s mother, you bless all at your feet. One who surrenders oneself at your feet will not be afraid, because you will bless and take one with you.

This clearly shows that the quarrels of misled devotes about Shiva and Vishnu are extremely puerile. Both in the Vishnu Sahasranama and in the Bhagavadgita, there are ample assurances that God is one and we simply choose to worship different aspects as suitable to us.

Come, let us enjoy the great music offered by Vid. Ashok Ramani. The accompaniments in both concerts are excellent and enhance the musical experience.

Part I

Ashok Ramani ----- vocal
S.V.Narayan ------ Violin
P.G Lakshminarayan --- Mridangam
0n 14-4-95 during Ramanavami at "Parvathi", Mysore

Song List

01 Tulasidala-Mayamalavagowla)-Thyagaraja ***
02 Enduku nirdaya- Hari Kambhoji- Thyagaraja ***
03 Maa Ramanan-Hindolam- Papanasam Sivan ***
04 Maname Kanamum - Bhimplas-Papanasam Sivan ***
05 Krishna mukunda murare-Yaman-Papanasam Sivan ***
06 Sloka(Ragamalika)-Rama namam-Desh-Tanjore Sankara Iyer ***

Part 2

Ashok Ramani---Vocal

S.V.Narayan ---- violin

G.S.Ramanujam --Mridangam 

Srinath ---- Ghatam on 3-4 -99 during Ramanavami.

Song List

01 Sarasuda(Varna)-Saveri-Kothavasal V Iyer ***
02 Rama Bhakti-Shudda Bangala-Thyagaraja ***
03 Tanavari Tanamu-Begada-Thyagaraja ***
04 Charukesi RTP (Only Pallavi & ragamalika) ***
05 Saravanabhava-Shanmukhapriya- Papanasam Sivan ***
06 Aaneyu karedare-Narajanma bandaga-Madhuvanti-Purandara Dasa ***
07 Karpagame-Madhyamavati-Papanasam Sivan ***
08 Mangalam ***

The Efficacy of Prayer

Vid. K. J. Yesudas, 1992 Ramanavami, Parvathi

Reflections by Shri R. Sachi

We gladly share another favourite concert from the Parvathi Ramanavami archives, of Vid. K. J. Yesudas, held in 1992. The concert is remarkable for three reasons, viz., the voice quality of the celebrated singer, the wide repertoire of songs in so many ragas, and the the manifest affection showered by Sri K. Srikantiah in his speech.

When a prominent rasika, Justice VR Krishna Iyer, stated once that in the west, the government would have insured an incomparable voice like that of Yesudas, the vidwan is known to have responded that God Himself had insured his voice and that was enough. Vid. Yesudas makes his oft-heard comment in this concert also that all religions lead to the same God and we should not quarrel but only offer our sincere prayer. This prayerful mood is present throughout this concert.

One could well ask: why should one pray, and to whom, and what is the return on investment? Man after all does not find God until his prayers are answered. So why pray to this unknown entity? To this question, many songs in this concert offer answers, from famous saint composers. The song of Saint Thyagaraja “Teliyaleru Rama” has been discussed before in this blog ( Chitti Babu 1975 ). There the saint bemoans the worldly ways of the ritualists who are not on the true path of bhakti. Now let us see the import of the verse sung by Vid. Yesudas here from Narayaneeyam :

yOgindrAnAm thvadangEshvadhikasumadhuram mukthi bhAjam nivAsO
bhakthAnam kAmavarshadyutharukisalayam nAtha thE pAdamulam
nithyam chithasthithammE PavanapurapathE KrishnA kArunya sindhO
hruthvA nishshEshathApAn pradishathu paramAnanda sandOha lakshmim

The saint poet Bhattattiri prays to Guruvayoorappa that as the Lord’s feet have an incomparable attraction to the yogis, and become the abode of those who have attained Moksha. It is also like the wish fulfilling tree of Heaven, and grants all the wishes of the devotees. The poet pleads that the Lord’s feet should be always established in his mind, for that would dispel all his suffering and grant the greatest wealth of all, liberation.

So it seems rather certain that the devotee has to first find the prayer in his heart, and that will lead him to the Lord. It is not the other way round. Bhagavan Krishna states as much in the Bhagavadgita (9.12):

ananyAs cintayantO mAm
ye janAh paryupAsate
tesAm nityAbhiyuktAnAm
yOga-kSEmam vahAmyaham

Translation: The Lord states, “considering those who have only me in their thoughts, and have single-pointed and constant devotion to me, I shall take care of their well-being and address all their wants.”

What is noteworthy is that the true devotee who prays does not make a plea to God with a list of wants and needs. He simply has constant and unwavering devotion. God’s grace, and bliss, descend on such a true devotee.

So, come, Rasikas, let us sit and enjoy this wonderful concert!

Concert Details

K.J.Yesudas ------- Vocal
T.G.Tyagarajan ------ Violin
T.A.S.Mani -----Mridangam
M.A.Krishnamurthy ---- Ghatam
Ramanavami festival at Parvathi on 15-4-92.

Song List

01 Varnam-Sarasangi- Patnam Subramania Iyer? *** 02 Vatapi- Hamsadhvani- Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 03 Guruvina gulaama- Hamsanandi- Purandaradasa *** 04 Lavanya Rama –Poornashadja- Thyagaraja *** 05 Raghuvamsasudha-Kadanakutuhala- Patnam Subramania Iyer *** 06 Ksheerasagara-Devagandhari- Thyagaraja *** 07 Teliyaledu Rama-Dhenuka--swara ***08 RTP in Gamanasrama Raga *** 09 Tani *** 10 KS and Yesudas speech *** 11 SreeRamam-Narayanagowla- Thyagaraja *** 12 Rama Janaki jaane-Yaman kalyani- Yusufali Kacheri*** 13 En nenjil pallikondavan- Kalyani- Salem Eshwar *** 14 Mangala darshana-Anandabhairavi- Dakshinamurthy *** 15 Swami sangeeta-Abheri-Allepey Ranganath *** 16 Krishna nee begane-Yamankalyani- Vyasaraya *** 17 Gopalaka pahimam-Revagupti- Swati Tirunal *** 18 Yogeendranam-Narayaneeyam ***

Carnatic Music and its inherent strengths

Vid. Madurai Somasundaram 1977

Reflections by Shri R. Sachi

We are very glad to share a spectacular concert of Vid. Madurai Somasundaram from the 1977 Ramanavami series at Parvathi. Rasikas are quite familiar with our love for this unique vocalist. He brought to Carnatic music an energy and creativity unmatched. He exulted in the company of great accompanists. He engaged the audience in an inimitable empathy. He sang songs we wouldn’t hear from anyone else perhaps. He made up songs for the occasion at will. He wore his heart on his sleeve. He left a deep imprint on our hearts.

This concert is no exception. We are unable to catalogue the names of composers for many items. But suffice it to say that we attribute it all to Vid. Madurai Somu. Because these songs live and breathe through his musical genius. He also thrives on some excellent violin and mridangam accompaniment by the very melodious Vid. Chalakudy Narayanaswamy, and the energetic Vid. Tanjore Upendran. Not to forget Vid. Seshagiri das-Khanjira, and Vid. Krishnamurthy-Ghatam. Egged on by the redoubtable Vid. Somu, they all combine to create impactful percussion at several points in the concert.

Vid. Somu also refers affectionately to Sri. K. Srikantiah, and sings a song on the lord Srikantheshwara of Nanjangud. Vid. Somu attributes his melody-soaked music to Saint Thyagaraja’s guidance, and at once launches into Ragasudharasa. His approach elicits many bursts of encouragement and applause from the audience. If you see closely, the photo below shows the world-famous writer R.K. Narayan (bespectacled) sitting at the edge of the stage with characteristic intensity.

The major ragas in this concert are Thodi and Kharaharapriya.

At the end of it all, we can only feel bemused by the inherent richness of Carnatic music. What variety, what lyrical abundance, what an expanse of ragas and talas, what a scope for improvisation, for team work and finally spectacular peaks of aesthetic pleasure. Only a great World Cup tournament of the beautiful game football, in exuberant Brazil, can approach to being a distant parallel to our beloved Carnatic music.

Concert Details

Madurai Somasundaram -------- Vocal
Chalakudy Narayanaswamy ----- Violin
Tanjore Upendran ------------ Mridangam
Sheshagiri Das -------------- Khanjira
M.A.Krishnamurthy ----------- Ghatam
on 6-4-77 at "Parvathi" during Sri Ramanavami Music Festival.

Song List

01 Varnam- Thilang? ***
02 Vallabha Mahaganapathe-Gomethakapriya ***
03 Manasuloni-Varamu-Thyagaraja ***
04 Pasupathi Shankara-Dakshayani ***
05 Thodi alapana ***
06 Rama Bhadra Ra Ra-Thodi-Bhadrachala Ramadasu ***
07 Evarani-Devamruthavarshini-Thayagaraja ***
08 Ragasudarasa-Andolika-Thyagaraja ***
09 Kharakarapriya alapana ***
10 Chakkani Raja- KHP-Thyagaraja ***
12 Srikanantheshwara-Sindhu Bhairavi ***
13 Bhajamana Bhajare-Jhinjhuti? ***

Their Violins Sing of a Great Tradition

Lalgudi Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi Violin Duet
K PuttuRao Memorial Concert 2013

Shri R. Sachi reflects :

We are very happy to share with rasikas worldwide this beautiful concert of the well-known Lalgudi siblings. Last year witnessed the passing of the great legend Vid. Lalgudi Jayaraman. Visitors to this blog would know the deep and decades-long bond between the home of Parvathi and the Lalgudi family. It was therefore only fitting that the violin duet concert of Lalgudi Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi should be a major attraction during the K Putturao Memorial Festival 2013.

The most appropriate way to describe the music of the brother-sister duo is that their violins sing. And they sing pure Carnatic music in the Lalgudi bani. And most importantly the violins sing of a wonderful tradition in their family as well as the guru-shishya parampara of Carnatic music starting from Saint Thyagaraja.

The concert features a rich traditional Lalgudi fare, commencing with his varnam composition in Bhauli to his tillana in mishra Shivaranjani. The major selections are Kambhoji- O Rangashayi, the Thyagaraja classic and Rangapuravihara- the Dikshitar classic. Both these are dedicated to Ranganatha, the lord of Srirangam. Srirangam is one of the great temple towns of the world. This temple has attracted the inspired devotees over millennia, from Andal to Ramanuja to Kulashekhara Alwar to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Saint composers Thyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar and many others.

It is difficult, or perhaps impossible, to truly understand how the Hindu temple tradition, the bhakti movement, and the offering of classical music to the lord, have shaped the Hindu worshipper. We can only feel immeasurable pride and gratitude in respect of this tradition.

Concert Details

Lalgudi GJR Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi ------- Violin Duet
Ravishankar ------------------------ Mridangam
Shashishankar -------------------- Ghatam
on September 1, 2013 during K.Puttu Rao Music Festival.

Song List

01 Arunodayame-Bhauli- Lalgudi Jayaraman *** 02 BrovaBharama -Bahudari-Thyagaraja *** 03 RangaPuravihara –BrindavanaSaranga-Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 04 ManasunilpaShakti –Abhogi- Thyagaraja *** 05 BhajareBhajamanasa -Kannada -Thyagaraja*** 06 MaaraVairiRamani-NasikaBhushini – Thyagaraja *** 07 O Rangashayee-Kambhoji- Thyagaraja *** 08 Bhajan-Meera-Bagesri *** 09 VenkatachalaNilayam- SindhuBhairavi –Purandara Dasa *** 10 Tillana -MisraShivaranjani – Lalgudi Jayaraman ***

PS: we regret the audio disturbances at the beginning of the concert.