Articles
Master of Yest-er years
Learning in Carnatic music takes place at two levels. One is learning the songs as imparted by the teacher, and the other is listening to the music of the great masters. The latter experience gives one an insight into how songs learned in class are taken to the next level, for concert presentation. At a philosophical level it takes one closer to the soul of music.
As part of the curriculum at Aradhana-NH, we will learn about contributions of the great masters of our era. We initiate into this important chapter with Sri.Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. Any attempt to impart or learn about Sangita Mahapita Sri. Semmangudi Srnivasa Iyer with mere words would be inadequate - a gross injustice to any endeavor in music. To understand his style, I am sharing with you MP3s of Semmangudi from my personal collections.
Evari Bodhana - A varnam in Ragam Abhogi
He served as the Principal of Swati Tirunal college of music in Trivandrum. During that time at the request of Maharani Sethu Parvathi Bai he tuned and popularised many of the Late Maharaja's Kritis.
Deva Deva - Ragam Mayamalavagaulam
M.S. Subbulakshmi revered Semmangudi as her Guru and Mentor. Semmangudi with M.S., her husband Sadashivam, Ustad Bade Gulam Ali khan and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. "Teliyaleru Rama" a duet rendering by Semmangudi, the patriarch, and M.S., the melody queen, from the album "Divine Unison"
Teliyaleru Rama - Ragam Dhenuka
Semmangudi believed in limiting Sangathis to just enough to explore the scope of the ragam. Raga alapanai, Neraval,and Kalpana swarams were concise, brisk and beautiful whetting the listeners' appetite and yearning for more.
Birana Brovayithe - Ragam Kalyani