A Semmangudi tribute concert highlighted the distinct features of his bani
The choice to open the evening with 'Merusamana' in Mayamalavagowla was not surprising. This Tyagaraja kriti, which compares Rama to the immovable Mount Meru, was one of Semmangudi's well-recognised openers, rendered in the chowka kala. For Semmangudi, Mayamalavagowla was never just a beginner's raga. In 'Merusamana', he demonstrated how a foundational raga could carry immense musical authority.
His rendition of the piece was known for its deliberate pacing, especially the notable silence between pallavi and anupallavi. This moment, a breath of space before the percussion joined was observed in this concert too. Shriramkumar's violin paused and so did the percussion, only to re-start as the anupallavi began, creating a space that many rasikas would instantly recognise as Semmangudi's signature style. The niraval and kalpanaswara at 'Gala munanu sobhillu' followed. There was a clear transition from keezh kala to mel kala swaras, separated by a precise, short pause and the percussion elevating it.
The second piece, 'Nenendu vedakudura' in Karnataka Behag, a composition seldom heard in recent times, especially after Semmangudi's era, brought a gentle lift to the concert's momentum. It's hard to think of a Semmangudi concert without Karaharapriya. The raga was almost second nature to him and true to the tradition, it unfolded with an alapana that brought out its innate karuna rasa, with the singer and accompanists totally engrossed in the music. When most in the audience expected Neelakanta Sivan's 'Navasiddhi peruvaalume', the musicians pleasantly surprised them by rendering Tyagaraja's 'Rama nee samanamevaru'.The niraval at 'paluku paluku teneloka' was seeped in melody.
After a run of Tyagaraja compositions, Muthuswami Dikshitar's 'Amba nilayadakshi' in Nilambari was presented and offered a moment of contrast. The chowka kāla tempo brought out the raga's gentle sway and the percussionists responded with thoughtful strokes. A segment of kalpanaswaras followed.
Semmangudi's contributions to Carnatic music are many, but his role in bringing Swati Tirunal's compositions into mainstream concert repertoire stands out in particular. His deep sense of devotion and musical insight gave these kritis a strong footing on the concert stage. Echoing that lineage, the concert next featured the lively 'Gopanandana valarippu' in Bhooshanavali.
Thodi, for many rasikas, is strongly linked with the voice of Semmangudi, a raga that he returned to often, each time with a new intensity. 'Rave himagiri', the swarajati by Syama Sastri, was presented next. The alapana was carved through Thodi's maze of curves and layered intricacies. A special touch came during the kalpanaswara, where the inspiration drawn from the original chittaswara structure created a sense of continuity between the composer and the performer.
Encompassing all the trikalams, starting from the keezh kala and ending with the mel kala, the tani avartanam elevated the mood of the entire concert. Arun's clarity and precision on the mridangam was meticulously followed by Guruprasad on the ghatam. The simple yet aesthetic korvais, embedded with variations in a simple thathikitathom phrase — were a treat to laya admirers.
The 'Peru lenna mata' in Kapi, a rakti raga, was taken up next. Semmangudi's fondness for rakti rāgas is well-known. He made this javali, composed by Dharmapuri Subbaraya Aiyyar, his own.
'Sapashya kausalya' in Jhonpuri arrived like a familiar face in the crowd. With the switch to madhyama śruti, the Chenchurutti thillana brought in the sparkle of laya and melody that Semmangudi himself relished in closing moments. The mangalam 'Rama chandraya janaka rajaja manohara', wrapped up the evening.
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The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
T.M. Krishna pays homage to Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer at his 117th birth anniversary concert
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer strode Carnatic music world like a colossus and today, he is rightly hailed as the Sangeetha Pithamaha. He continues to inspire many young musicians. His worthy and well-known disciple T.M. Krishna recently performed a concert as part of the Sangitha Kalanidhi Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Birth Anniversary Series, organised by Naada Inbam. Acceding to a request by his co-artiste K. Arun Prakash, at the start of the concert, Krishna shared memories of Semmangudi. He said 'For many, it is the keerthanas such as 'Maaru balka', 'Meru samaana', 'Chaala kalla', and 'Sapasyat kausalya', viruttams, Shloka such as 'Shringaram kshitinandini', and especially his second speed (rendaam kaalam) kalpanaswaras that are deeply etched in the mind. But I wish to highlight something slightly different — what is not often spoken about is the mind behind the musician. Semmangudi's music was so full of life that we forget how much thought and intention has gone into crafting that music. Performance was just one part — the deeper layer was the thought, which we experienced often only in the classroom.' Talking about what a great analyser of music Semmangudi was, Krishna said, 'He thought deeply about ragas, about the appropriateness of his every rendering, and this is evident even in the few interviews available online. Time and again, he returned to one idea 'Raga Sangeetham'. For him, raga was the life and breath of Carnatic music. When we think of Carnatic music in the 20th century, there is an aural landscape within which we imagine it. The person who epitomised that landscape was Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. There was never a moment in his music where listeners were doubtful whether he was within that landscape. Regardless of the raga he sang, the moment he began singing, Carnatic music resounded. That power came from the sheer depth of thought behind every musical choice.' In pursuit of musical integrity Krishna reflected on the commonly used term, 'thinking musician,' and how it is often used quite frivolously. 'All musicians think — it is essential. But what Semmangudi brought was something more: the ethics of musical thought. This was not about his ego or showcasing skill — it was about what served the music best. That objectivity, that selfless pursuit of musical integrity, was invaluable. Even at the very end of his life, Semmangudi was in search of something new in music.' Among many memories, one particularly stayed with Krishna. He recalled, 'When Semmangudi mama was ill and admitted to hospital, my wife Sangeetha and I went to see him. When he saw us, he softly said, 'Bhayama irukku' (I am afraid). The natural assumption was that he feared passing away. So, we instinctively replied, 'Mama, kavala padatheengo. Onnum aagathu' (Don't worry. Nothing will happen). But mama said, 'Athillai. Sangeetham maranthu poyidumnu bhayama irukku' (It is not that. I am afraid I will forget music). That is the kind of commitment and devotion we need — not just in music, but in whatever we do in life.' What followed was a concert that was a fitting and moving tribute from a disciple to a guru. Such a performance cannot be a mere patchwork quilt. Careful planning, abundant intuition, sensitivity and an infallible sense of proportion are necessary for its success. And Krishna is gifted with these qualities, naturally. Tyagaraja's Asaveri kriti 'Lekana ninnu' with which he began, set the tone for the evening. The kriti was embellished with kalpanaswaras at the pallavi. Raga Karaharapriya was a favourite of Semmangudi, and Krishna rendered an appealing alapana of the raga for the Neelakanta Sivan composition, 'Navasiddhi petralum'. Subsequently, he took up a detailed elucidation of Devagandhari. Any raga in Krishna's hands shows his never-ending quest for excellence. He chose a rarely heard Dikshitar kriti, 'Vadanyeshvaram bhajeham sada' and rendered it in a sedate chowka kala, distilling the raga's essence effectively. Semmangudi rendered this song at his Music Academy recital in 1966. Then came the Ananda Bhairavi composition by Swati Tirunal, 'Pahi tarakshu puralaya mamayi'. The swaras that Krishna rendered had a lingering effect. The main raga of the evening was Sankarabharanam. Following an exhaustive alapana, Krishna provided a glimpse of the tanam, and the rest of it was left to violinist Akkarai Subhalakshmi to complete. As a co-artiste, Subhalakshmi is always in tune with the vocalist, making a mark as a successful accompanist. Semmangudi's favourite pallavi Krishna took up Semmangudi's favourite pallavi, 'Chakkagani bhajana jese variki takkuva galada Sri Rama dinadinamu' in Adi tala. It was a simple, yet melodic pallavi, and beautifully conveyed the essence of the lyrics. Unlike the increasing tendency to indulge in speed and over-embellishment by musicians, Krishna showed restraint and adroitness both in the pallavi and kalpanaswaras, especially in the higher tempo. Thani by K. Arun Prakash on the mridangam, and N. Guruprasad on the ghatam was indeed as it ought to be a continuation and part of the RTP. Both of them enriched the concert through their intelligent playing. Krishna then continued with a viruththam in Mayamalavagowla, Sahana, Hamir Kalyani, and Kapi and back in the reverse order. 'Maulau ganga shashaankau' the Sanskrit verse was written by Appayya Dikshitar in praise of Nataraja of Chidambaram. This was a staple at Semmangudi's concerts. Another of the maestro's favourite that came up next was 'Sa pashyat kausalya' in Jhonpuri, composed by Panchapakesa Sastri. The khetrayya padam in Sahana that Krishna sang was 'Meragadu rammanave naa saamini'. But he commenced the padam from the anupallavi, 'Muratopu seyaka muvvaGopala samini'. T.M. Krishna concluded his tribute recital with 'Sakhi praana sakhuditu jesene', a javali by Dharmapuri Subbaraya Iyer and Sadasiva Brahmendral's 'Pibare Ramarasam' in Yamuna Kalyani.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
Vishnudev's musical expertise came to the fore in his recent concert
K.S. Vishnudev exhibits stage dynamics along with a fine display of vidwat and aesthetics — by aesthetics I mean his excellent judgement of how and to what extent to present a raga or a kriti. This applies to his RTPs too. He recently performed a concert for the Patri School of Percussion at Srinivasa Sastri Hall. He began with 'Siddhi Vinayakam' (Shanmukhapriya also known as Chamaram, Muthuswami Dikshitar). The artiste chose the line 'Prasiddha gana nayakam' for swaraprastara. Next, the singer took up a Tyagaraja kriti 'Rama ninne namminanu' in raga Husseni, where the saint-composer pleads for Rama's grace. Following this, the vocalist presented a splendidly wrought 'Janani ninnuvina' (Ritigowla, Subbaraya Sastri). This kriti has a beautiful swara-sahitya. A filler 'Sarasa sama dana' (Kapinarayani, Tyagaraja) breezed in before the ragam tanam pallavi. The pallavi is an example of a palindrome in the sahitya, in the notes and in the tala. The tala was in a complex pattern: 3,4,5 beats and followed by 5,4,3 in reverse order. Before the pallavi 'Sarasa nayana sarasa sarathara ratharasa', the singer and the violinist came up with a well-etched Sarasangi alapana and tanam. After niraval and trikala in the pallavi, Vishnudev rounded it off with kalpanaswaras. Violinist Varadarajan essays were soaked in melody. The tani that followed showcased the skill of young mridangist Advaith Ilavajhala in his arangetram performance. A disciple of mridangam vidwan Patri Satish Kumar, he tried to rise up to challenges even as senior kanjira artiste Nerkunam Sankar handled with finesse complex rhythms.
The Hindu
31-07-2025
- The Hindu
A Semmangudi tribute concert highlighted the distinct features of his bani
Not all legacies are loud. Some settle in silence, in the grain of a raga, in the pause before a swara. It's hard to describe what Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer's music felt like unless you have sat in front of him and listened. For those of us who have heard him through recordings and anecdotes, tribute concerts are the closest we can get to his art. This month at the Music Academy, yet another such evening marked his 117th birth anniversary, featuring Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath. She was accompanied by R.K. Shriramkumar on the violin, Arun Prakash on the mridangam and Guruprasad on the ghatam. The choice to open the evening with 'Merusamana' in Mayamalavagowla was not surprising. This Tyagaraja kriti, which compares Rama to the immovable Mount Meru, was one of Semmangudi's well-recognised openers, rendered in the chowka kala. For Semmangudi, Mayamalavagowla was never just a beginner's raga. In 'Merusamana', he demonstrated how a foundational raga could carry immense musical authority. His rendition of the piece was known for its deliberate pacing, especially the notable silence between pallavi and anupallavi. This moment, a breath of space before the percussion joined was observed in this concert too. Shriramkumar's violin paused and so did the percussion, only to re-start as the anupallavi began, creating a space that many rasikas would instantly recognise as Semmangudi's signature style. The niraval and kalpanaswara at 'Gala munanu sobhillu' followed. There was a clear transition from keezh kala to mel kala swaras, separated by a precise, short pause and the percussion elevating it. The second piece, 'Nenendu vedakudura' in Karnataka Behag, a composition seldom heard in recent times, especially after Semmangudi's era, brought a gentle lift to the concert's momentum. It's hard to think of a Semmangudi concert without Karaharapriya. The raga was almost second nature to him and true to the tradition, it unfolded with an alapana that brought out its innate karuna rasa, with the singer and accompanists totally engrossed in the music. When most in the audience expected Neelakanta Sivan's 'Navasiddhi peruvaalume', the musicians pleasantly surprised them by rendering Tyagaraja's 'Rama nee samanamevaru'.The niraval at 'paluku paluku teneloka' was seeped in melody. After a run of Tyagaraja compositions, Muthuswami Dikshitar's 'Amba nilayadakshi' in Nilambari was presented and offered a moment of contrast. The chowka kāla tempo brought out the raga's gentle sway and the percussionists responded with thoughtful strokes. A segment of kalpanaswaras followed. Semmangudi's contributions to Carnatic music are many, but his role in bringing Swati Tirunal's compositions into mainstream concert repertoire stands out in particular. His deep sense of devotion and musical insight gave these kritis a strong footing on the concert stage. Echoing that lineage, the concert next featured the lively 'Gopanandana valarippu' in Bhooshanavali. Thodi, for many rasikas, is strongly linked with the voice of Semmangudi, a raga that he returned to often, each time with a new intensity. 'Rave himagiri', the swarajati by Syama Sastri, was presented next. The alapana was carved through Thodi's maze of curves and layered intricacies. A special touch came during the kalpanaswara, where the inspiration drawn from the original chittaswara structure created a sense of continuity between the composer and the performer. Encompassing all the trikalams, starting from the keezh kala and ending with the mel kala, the tani avartanam elevated the mood of the entire concert. Arun's clarity and precision on the mridangam was meticulously followed by Guruprasad on the ghatam. The simple yet aesthetic korvais, embedded with variations in a simple thathikitathom phrase — were a treat to laya admirers. The 'Peru lenna mata' in Kapi, a rakti raga, was taken up next. Semmangudi's fondness for rakti rāgas is well-known. He made this javali, composed by Dharmapuri Subbaraya Aiyyar, his own. 'Sapashya kausalya' in Jhonpuri arrived like a familiar face in the crowd. With the switch to madhyama śruti, the Chenchurutti thillana brought in the sparkle of laya and melody that Semmangudi himself relished in closing moments. The mangalam 'Rama chandraya janaka rajaja manohara', wrapped up the evening.
