Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar

Carnatic Musicians
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srkris
Site Admin
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 03:34

Post by srkris »

Hello Everyone,

Can you share your thoughts on Ariyakudi please. I will also contribute whatever I know.

Here is a picture of Ramanuja Iyengar
Image

divakar
Posts: 197
Joined: 26 May 2005, 06:06

Post by divakar »

Dear srkris,

It is nice to see a thread on Ariyakudi. I was wondering how come there was no discussion on sangeetham forum about him, his music or contribution to CM.
Let me write what I read about him. He was the one responsible in setting the present kutcheri paddhathi (short in duration yet containing all the necessary items), which is followed by all musicians. I read that it was Poochi who had the idea but was implemented by ARI.
My impression about his music: He is like a Reference/Standard book for CM. All his renditions of ghana ragams are exemplary, especially Thodi and Bhairavi. One striking example of his style of rendition can be seen with KVN singing and TNK playing the raga sindhubhairavi. there may be more but this is my observation from what little I have listened.
I will be happy to learn more about him from others.
-divakar

pramodh
Posts: 33
Joined: 27 Mar 2005, 00:23

Post by pramodh »

That is a great photo. It looks like ARI, MVI, Alathoor Sivasubramania Iyer (squeezed in!) and SSI. Holding the tambura on the second row is GNB.

meena
Posts: 3326
Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

Thanks to Ramakrishnan for the photo. I guess it is from the 1950s. From whom I can identify are: ARI, MVI, Alathoor Sivasubramania Iyer, SSI in the front row and GNB (with thambura) and Alathoor Srinivasa Iyer (behind SSI). Very nice picture indeed.
-

kutty
Posts: 149
Joined: 21 May 2005, 08:23

Post by kutty »

Dear Sri SRK

About ARI, I want to share with the readers a few things.

I was told that he knew more than 100 krithis/songs in the raagam thodi itself.

He was one of those few vidhwaans who used to sing knowing the meaning of what he was singing. Once he was approached by a rich person of Chettinaadu to perform at the marriage reception of his daughter and ARI also agreed to do so. He had been paid advance. As promised,he was performing on that particular day when this person requested ARI to sing "Manasu Swaadheenamaina" in ShankarabharaNam which was not agreed to by ARI. The person expressed his displeasure stating that ARI was supposed to sing what his Rasika wanted. For this he was replied that the song under reference was not suitable to be sung on an auspicious day like marriage when the young couple was about to start a new life. ARI promised to sing to the heart content of the person that song later on any other day.

Unfortunately this sort of principle is not adhrered to by some of the vidhwans who used to sing songs/krithis that are unsuitable for a happy moment. I have personally heard a vidhwan singing at a marriage reception songs like "Piravaa Varam Thaarum" or "Manamae KaNamum" or "Vaazhvil KaaNaa Samarasam" etc.

Kutty

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

here is a photo , which i love .. of Ariakudi with Madurai Mani iyer.
Download-Link: http://rapidshare.de/files/2347332/ARI_MMI.jpg.html
I got it from one Mr Laxmi Subramaniam many years ago .It is such a wonderful snap of the two stalwarts , one whom I admire and respect and the other whom i simply Love.
I am not sure if the paucity of concert recordings(of Ariakudi) is responsible for this , but somehow there is such a contrast in the effects created by these two artists.
with Ariakudi, the more I listen, the more Hungry I feel at the end -for his music.just when I seem to be getting a peep into his soul, the shutters come down with a clang!
with MM iyer, there is a kind of fullness , a kind of satisfaction that I have been treated like a king.a full exposure to his thoughtprocess, sorrowful or otherwise.
Everytime I see this photograph, Ariakudis SUBRAMANYAYA NAMASTHE-with all its grandeur sets up the frame for me , as compared to MM Iyers Thookiya Thiruvadi in Sankarabharanam .

TN Krishnan in tow in both the cases -
respectfully following the vocalist in one case
and a shadow like response in all those mournful variations of Ethaniyo Piraivi in the other.

inconsequential
Posts: 124
Joined: 22 Mar 2005, 00:10

Post by inconsequential »

dear kulkarni

thanks a million for the picture. also, you simply spoke my mind on the 2 great stalwarts. truly sad we have only a small no:of recordings of the elder stalwart

regards

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

coolkarni sa'ab,
I have a live concert recording of ARI,s that I am SURE you have: it is in aac format. In the VERY unlikely event that you do not have this, will it be possible to email these to you?
Ravi Shankar
varNam - bEgadA endharO - Sri apparAma - panthuvarALi
evaranI - dhEvAmrithavarshani marivErE - AnandhaBairavi
srInArada - kAnadA kalithIra - thOdi nidichAla - kalyANI mArubalka - srIranjani
RTP - Part 1 and Part 2 sonnadorvani - KamAs Ongi ulagaLandha - sinDHuBairavi Hari Bhajan - sinDHuBairavi

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

rshankar
what is aac format please?
email will pose problems.will not reach me due to size restrictions.
please upload it on rapidshare.com and post the links here.
thanks in advance.

abadri
Posts: 183
Joined: 08 Jun 2005, 00:04

Post by abadri »

AAC/m4a format (from http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central-mp4.htm)
Successor to mp3, m4a is a container that can store many sub-formats, of which the main would be Advanced Audio Compression (AAC). Also using .m4a is Apples Lossless format (ALAC), this format is like WinZip for audio and looses no audio quality to compression (unlike aac and audio tracks purchased from Apples iMS store). There are also .m4b files, these are identical to .m4a except the iPod knows to use them as audio books and allow book marking.

Adding ID tags to mp4 has standardized on the Apple iTunes format. Files ending in .m4a are audio content only, .mp4 can contain both audio and video, .m4v are video files.

Apple supplies protected mp4 files in a .m4p format from its online audio store (whilst dBpowerAMP cannot decode these see Forum for details on fair use). Files ending in .aac are raw audio files.


To answer Sri Ravi's question, Winamp can play both aac and m4a files. I don't know how many portable players support them.
If not one can always convert them to mp3s using dbpoweramp with the appropriate codecs (all available at the link above).

Thanks.

meena
Posts: 3326
Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

the winamp 'latest' version plays aac and m4a files.

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

Just uploaded ariakudis concert with tnk-uks on the x drive.
a thanksgiving upload to Mr Lakshmi Narasimhan who has hosted the X drive for our use at this forum.
in the same breath I would also like to thank the other two members who offered the use of their x Drives for this forum.

Mr Lakshmi Narasimhans X drive will be available for a year from Now.

I will comeback on the password issue to the team members after a word with Lakshmi Narasimhan .

meena
Posts: 3326
Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

Sir Lakshmi Narasimhan thanku very much.

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

I second meena's vote of thanks to Lakshmi Narasimhan as well as the others who offered generously their storage spaces.

rsrini
Posts: 8
Joined: 23 Jun 2005, 15:24

Post by rsrini »

Can I please get the link to Lakshmi Narasimhan's xdrive account? Thanks.

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »


rajesh74
Posts: 1
Joined: 11 Jul 2005, 19:42

Post by rajesh74 »

Dear Sir,
The above link doesn't work for me.
Can you please report the correct one.

Thanks

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »


Sivaraman
Posts: 151
Joined: 17 Jan 2006, 19:10

Post by Sivaraman »

I marvel at the virtuosity and creativity of the Late and Great Maestro, ARI, who was the first musician to give structure or paddhathi to carnatic concerts.Even today, after half a century one can appreciate the genius of his music. Here is a zipped file of his live concert.The accompaniments are the other greats:TNK on violin and PMI on mridangam

http://rapidshare.de/files/12560789/Ari ... r.zip.html.

Sivaraman.

sumram99
Posts: 164
Joined: 18 Feb 2006, 05:37

Post by sumram99 »

This concert of great maestro ARI is a treat! Thank you. Is it KVN giving vocal support?

Sivaraman
Posts: 151
Joined: 17 Jan 2006, 19:10

Post by Sivaraman »

I also think that it is KVN in vocal support, since he was the prime disciple of ARI.
Glad that you enjoyed the concert.Will post more such concerts of the masters, if the forum members so desire.
Sivaraman.

vasanthakokilam
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Thanks Sivaramanji. Great concert. Thanks.

murthyhmg
Posts: 268
Joined: 11 Feb 2006, 09:48

Post by murthyhmg »

Great music. Thanks. Sometime back i downloaded Ariakudi's Subramanyaya Namaste from some Japanese site. The album is Thirumagal065. 27 minutes. Singing and voice quality are superb. If any of u are interested i can upload.

vrbadri
Posts: 64
Joined: 29 Oct 2005, 03:45

Post by vrbadri »

murthyhmg,

If it is not copyrighted, can you kindly post the same?
Thanks,
Badri.

srkris
Site Admin
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 03:34

Post by srkris »

Ariyakudi, Chowdiah and Mani Iyer

Image

srkris
Site Admin
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Post by srkris »

Ariyakudi, TNK, Mani Iyer

Image

bala747
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Joined: 20 Mar 2006, 12:56

Post by bala747 »

ARI has to be a vidwan whom I can never appreciate beyond a certain level. I don't know, his singing just sounds too contrived and devoid of spontaneity to me and it often seems to me that its PMI Who is carrying the show. Also, to me a kutcheri with 10 different major ragas not even reaching 2 1/2 hours is like eating a only a mouthful of dishes at a huge buffet. Not satisfying (work with my analogies here please!!)

I don't know. I would rather hear SSI (who idolised ARI), or Somu, MDR any day.

Mahesh
Posts: 62
Joined: 06 Jul 2005, 17:07

Post by Mahesh »

I agree with Bala, I've never been able to appriciate his concerts, maybe because there are only a very limited amount of his concerts in circulation.

Oh, in the first pic above, I *think* it's [a young] KVN on the thambura.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Post by rajeshnat »

I know a well known vocalist with whom I sometimes discuss about CM. Once I told him .
I understand that ARI is credited with the Kutcheri structure , that is a phenomenal achievement.Apart from that I feel he was just lucky to be born in 1890, and since brightest stars like GNB/MMI/SSI/PMI were born in 1910's hence I postulated that age group difference of + 20 years has been the reason for these later stars to awe the musical aspect of Ariyakudi.I compared Shri Ariyakudi like the eldest male child in a family, where SSI/MMI/PMI/GNB's are the younger siblings .

The vocalist said , you have not fully understood ARI much . He is the only musician to sing all RAgas in <u>pure Absolute terms(everything in exact proportion , no overdoing and staying long in one RAga and there is always a sense of Viruvirrupu( a sense of urgency)).

Perhaps many rasikas like me find him little less appealing and hyper esoteric (In one concert singing atleast 3 ghana ragas like Bhairavi,Todi,KalyAni and Shankarabharanam...) . But maybe the performing community connects better ! For sure I need more time to fully assimilate ARI.

sriucl
Posts: 65
Joined: 12 Nov 2005, 16:52

Post by sriucl »

The reason for more songs in his concerts was due to the fact, that he was too good in assessing the audience and would lower his standard of performing by being simple and short with ragas and swarams and sing more songs instead.

But in the chamber concerts and small private gatherings, my guru recalls, that he had many occasions just listening to him sing in a small hall of 30/40. Those concerts and his performance used to be so good , a contrast to his more public/temple and esp.marriage concerts singing. His ragas would be quite long and more interesting swarams then.

Srivathsan

param
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Joined: 21 Oct 2005, 14:19

Post by param »


jaisree
Posts: 42
Joined: 02 Mar 2006, 00:23

Post by jaisree »

A live concert album of Shri. Ariyakudi with TNK and PMI is being relased by Carnatica on Dec. 3rd, along with a live concert recording of Ariyakudi's disciple Alleppey Shri. P. Venkatesan. There will also be a concert performance that day by Shri. Venkatesan accompanied by Shri. MA Sundareswaran, Shri. Raja Rao and Shri. Sundarkumar.
(See http://rasika.carnatica.net)

vsnatarajan
Posts: 44
Joined: 28 Nov 2006, 21:01

Post by vsnatarajan »

coolkarni wrote:Ariakudis SUBRAMANYAYA NAMASTHE-with all its grandeur sets up the frame for me , .
Dear Coolkarni.
is there any chance you may have ARI's Ariakudis SUBRAMANYAYA NAMASTHE?. I have renderings from other legends like Chembai, GNB and the immitable DKP.

There is an anecdote where kanchi Swamigal invited ARI and requested him to sing this song.
would apprecaite ur reply

padren68
Posts: 126
Joined: 26 Oct 2005, 20:31

Post by padren68 »

Sri VS Natarajan
Pls check this link:
http://www.sangeethapriya.org/Downloads ... svpmi.html
This has the kriti you requested.

padren68
Posts: 126
Joined: 26 Oct 2005, 20:31

Post by padren68 »

If the link does not work, let me know I will u/l and send u the link to your email.

vsnatarajan
Posts: 44
Joined: 28 Nov 2006, 21:01

Post by vsnatarajan »

padren68 wrote:If the link does not work, let me know I will u/l and send u the link to your email.
Dear sir,

the link you mentioned does not work.
is there any way you can point to some other resource?
Apprecaite your help.

meena
Posts: 3326
Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

vsnatarajan

i just checked u can d/l the file from megaupload.com or individual tracks (right click and save)

jaisree
Posts: 42
Joined: 02 Mar 2006, 00:23

Post by jaisree »

Here's the Ariyakudi 3-CD album that will be officially released on Dec. 3rd:

http://carnatica.net/shoppingarcade/Prd ... php?id=196

vsnatarajan
Posts: 44
Joined: 28 Nov 2006, 21:01

Post by vsnatarajan »

hi thnaks.
have to buy that.
But no Subramanyaaya namasthe there
the other links are all dead.

let me see.

meena
Posts: 3326
Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

Deleted
Last edited by meena on 06 May 2008, 05:09, edited 1 time in total.

vsnatarajan
Posts: 44
Joined: 28 Nov 2006, 21:01

Post by vsnatarajan »

Dear Meena.

I frankly had given up on hearing this ARI rendering of this Dikshidhar's magnum opus.(rather one of his many)

Thanks for giving me the link. i just down loaded it and listening to it

stumbled on this site by destiny and relishing it.

Appreciate your help.

Good day to you

mohan
Posts: 2806
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 16:52

Post by mohan »

Does anyone have the details about the controversy between Ariyakudi and Papanasam Sivan regarding Karthikeya Gangeya in Thodi?

meena
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Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

Deleted
Last edited by meena on 07 May 2008, 01:17, edited 1 time in total.

drshrikaanth
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Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

Excellent article Meena. Has that endearing personal touch. Thanks for posting it.

srkris
Site Admin
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Post by srkris »

Excellent article, its a huge article in today's newspaper (front page of magazine section)

mahesh3
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Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 21:32

Post by mahesh3 »

Whether it was his ..............Or the "fractional non-alignment of sruthi."

First, with intense discipline and practice he developed a large repertoire: it is rumoured that he knew the most number of songs, almost a hundred, in thodi alone!

That could very well have described the TNS of today...he must know atleast a 100 songs in thodi....
Last edited by mahesh3 on 14 Jan 2007, 10:45, edited 1 time in total.

baboosh
Posts: 140
Joined: 12 Aug 2006, 17:34

Post by baboosh »

Though Ariyakudi was credited with the designing of present Katcheri paddathi,Veenai Dhanammal and Rangaramanuja iyengar who compiled the Kritimani malai were not very happy about that.When somebody quipped to Dhanammal that Ariyakudi was given a title as "sangeetha ratnakara"she had a dig that she thought it was a name of a book.

meena
Posts: 3326
Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

DRS

:)

vsnatarajan
Posts: 44
Joined: 28 Nov 2006, 21:01

Post by vsnatarajan »

how I wish he was in this generation.

God comes in all forms to uplift us, through the venerable ARI too.

so much to tread and travel to reach, even mortal heights for me

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