T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Carnatic Musicians
cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by cmlover »

Thanks
Appropriate timing for the anniversary!

TheListener
Posts: 28
Joined: 03 Feb 2012, 04:52

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by TheListener »

Sri MKR, looking forward to more of your reminiscences.

Recently, was listening to a string of ragamalikas played by TNR (post-RTP I think). I don't remember what those ragams were, for my mind wouldn't even venture into identifying them. It simply didn't matter in those moments of awe. The beauty of whatever he played outshined other such mundane details. What an experience it was - even from a recording. And how wonderful it must have been listening to him live.

Sapthagiri
Posts: 20
Joined: 04 Aug 2012, 16:18

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by Sapthagiri »

Dear friends,Let me have the privilege to indicate in this page dedicated to TNR that I am uploading from my collection of music over past seven decades in my blog --apkoilns.blogspot.com--.Great TNR's masterpieces also find a place. Please listen and enjoy. Regards-ANSapthagireesan

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

To The Listener(Post#52).Sorry for the belated ack. Thanks for your kind remarks.To me TNR shaped my musical appreciation skills and I seldom get tired recounting his genius. An anecdote:

Circa 1954--I was studying B.Sc. in Presidency College(VKV was my Physics tutor--used to take permission from VKV to skip the Labs to attend a concert only to find out VKV had cancelled the whole class to show up at the same concert!!!!)) On a Friday riding the 21 B Mandavali Bus(I lived in mandavali) I happened to overhear a conversation between two old ladies(Chettiars) talking about a big wedding of one of their rich Chettiars where TNR was going to play on Sunday in Purasawalkam--With the three key phrases--leading Chettiar house wedding,TNR playing and Purasawalkam--in the absence of any Google or any other search engine I managed to "scout the location --a big Pandal in a big school in Purasawalkam
and "trekked" my way(anybody who knows Chennai of those days would know that from mandavali to Puraswalkam one has to take 2 or three buses and returning late at night(after the reception concert) was a risky proposition because of the lack of frequency of buses on those routes. reached the pandal around 5 P.M.--just in time for the reception concert to start--did not know anybody in the crowd--was very cordially invited by the hosts--much to my embarassment because I was a wedding-crasher and looked every inch a street urchin wandering into the wrong place. TNR was awesome(no interruptions or pauses--either the Chettiar must have been a knowledgeable rasika or a very generous patron of the Arts!!)--the concert was going on even after 8 ;30 and I got nervous about my return trek and reluctantly left the concert--when I was getting out the hosts were profusely requesting me-- a boy of 16 to stay for dinner etc--I was too embarassed(first having to crash the wedding w/o invitation and second to stay for Dinner would have been the height of indiscretion ). I excused myself and managed to reach home at a decent hour-that was the third live concert of TNR I had heard. To this day those memories haunt my mind--his genius in Raga expositions--imitated by his peers (Vocalists/Instrumentalists)-his style of raga outlines that carry the imprint of allied ragas and yet distinct enough to charm you.

The greatest lesson I learnt --which I try to follow in my own singing style --is the leisurely pace of gamakams and Kuzhaivus--there will be no flat notes--even if the Raga stipulates that there shoul be no oscillations of a Jeeva Swara he was adept in giving it the gamakam and Kuzhaivu w/o marring the spirit of the Raga--the speed and the clarity--his famous Thodi is a classic example--Note that he has brought out the Classic Thodi krithis of Thyagaraja(Jesinathella, Arakimbave) in the alapana. He had a very limited repertoire of krithis in the Gana ragas that he was fond of playing--Kalyani,Kambodhi,Bhairavi,Thodi, Sankarabharanam and yet the gamut that he covered in his Raga Alapanas brought out the phenomenal Lakshyam in his music. He was a towering Colossus and made no efforts to hide it!!!

My uncle told me a story(in 2009--he died 3 moths later @ 96) about TNR and our family. Circa 1929-- for my Aunt's wedding--TNR was arranged for the all-night Janavasam procession in Mylapore--the wedding was in Luz Church Road(where the Petachi Auditorium is currently built). One of our family elders-- a landlord in Tirunelveli and patron of the arts was a fan/fiend/patron of TNR(TNR was 30 and had already acquired both fame and notoriety!!) and he persuaded my maternal grandfather (who was a leading Bank executive at that time to arrange TNR.Given the kind of crowd my grandfather expected at the wedding he was a litle skeptical about the idea of TNR and his "alleged idiosynchrasies". However the grand uncle who had orchestrated the whole idea hit upon a novel idea-- TNR was to come 3 days before the wedding to be lodged in a private setting far away from the Hall with plenty of the "holy Liquid"--the understanding was that TNR could indulge for 2 days but should be absolutely clean and sober on the day before the wedding(the janavasam procession being in the night there was plenty of time for the "sauce" to "dry out"). TNR respected it and according to my uncle played his heart out(ofcourse TNR would not play on foot-- an open "pleasure car"(TNR's favorite expression for the foldable top!!) was arranged for him--the procession from Luz Church Road to the Kapali temple and back lasted into the wee hours of the morning--the wedding day till 4 A.M--the family and the guests barely had time to prepare for the wedding to start in a couple of hours. TNR could play his heart out whenever he willed it if he is convinced of the genuineness of the host in terms of musical tastes--ofcourse one has to be careful in not inviting any other artiste--his peers --for a Double nagaswaram idea very popular in big society weddings in those days.

Another anecdote pertaining to his sensitivity to being "clubbed" with other artistes--no matter how respectable they may have been(his signature in his letter of acceptance of a concert engagement will be a big bold NADASWARA CHAKRAVARTHI--the text itself will be only a few lines.

Anecdote in my next post---

cacm
Posts: 2212
Joined: 08 Apr 2010, 00:07

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by cacm »

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES...KEEP THIS STREAK GOING....VERY FASCINATING & INTERESTING....VKV

annamalai
Posts: 355
Joined: 23 Nov 2006, 07:01

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by annamalai »

Ramasubramanian M.K wrote:
Circa 1954--I was studying B.Sc. in Presidency College(VKV was my Physics tutor--used to take permission from VKV to skip the Labs to attend a concert only to find out VKV had cancelled the whole class to show up at the same concert!!!!))
Very interesting story. You did not drag Sri VKV for TNR concert ?
I have heard stories in my village near Tiruvarur, they used to walk 10 km to concerts of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer in some remote village, have food at the marriage and walk back well past midnight. I have also heard that TNR used to perform for Tiruvarur temple Lord Thyagaraja Vrushaba vahanam and TNR used to come decked javadhu pottu and diamond earrings (Vaira kadukkan).

My only trip to Purasawakkam in during my hostel days was to see a Kamalahasan movie on the first (release) day @ Purasawakkam and we walked back to the hostel (with several stops at tea shops along the way); seems lowbrow compared to attending a TNR concert.

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

Annamalai: I am glad I am not the only one to do such crazy things in pursuit of something philosophers might say "ephemeral" but "vital for fans like us -each in his own way--somehow the idiosynchracies of geniuses blind us to such eccentricities!!!

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by rajeshnat »

I wish I lived then to hear TNR live- how it must have been to sit from 10 pm to 2:30 AM, with a tOdi , neelambari and bowli- TNR and karaikkurichi alteast to me are the greatest. A nice write up in the hindu today.

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 609696.ece

cacm
Posts: 2212
Joined: 08 Apr 2010, 00:07

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by cacm »

[quote="annamalai"][quote="Ramasubramanian M.K"]

Circa 1954--I was studying B.Sc. in Presidency College(VKV was my Physics tutor--used to take permission from VKV to skip the Labs to attend a concert only to find out VKV had cancelled the whole class to show up at the same concert!!!!))

Very interesting story. You did not drag Sri VKV for TNR concert ?
I have heard stories in my village near Tiruvarur, they used to walk 10 km to concerts of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer in some remote village, have food at the marriage and walk back well past midnight. I have also heard that TNR used to perform for Tiruvarur temple Lord Thyagaraja Vrushaba vahanam and TNR used to come decked javadhu pottu and diamond earrings (Vaira kadukkan).

My only trip to Purasawakkam in during my hostel days was to see a Kamalahasan movie on the first (release) day @ Purasawakkam and we walked back to the hostel (with several stops at tea shops along the way); seems lowbrow compared to attending a TNR concert

MKR HAS THE UNCANNY GENIUS OF RECALLING THE BEST OF OUR DAYS IN MADRAS! I cannot even the begin to describe THE ENERGY EXCITEMENT & ELEVATED SPIRITS WHEN WE HEARD TNR; EVEN GNB& MMI HAVE VIVIDLY DESCRIBED TNR'S THODI & SUDDHA SEEMANDHINI THO' TNR USED TO ASK GNB& MMI TO SING THOSE RAGAS FOR HIM.... I HAVE TO CONCLUDE THOSE WERE THE DAYS! IF TNR HAD KNOWN about MKR' S situation he would have taken him to dinner! MMI, LGJ, & PSP HAVE done it for me! I attended MMI-LGJ- PSP concert at RAMNAD RAJA'S DAUGHTER'S WEDDING THAT WAY as well as KAPALI KOIL CONCERTS BEC. LGJ spotted me in the thousands thronging in Mada street & took me with him to the stage!...THERE IS SIMPLY NO WAY OF REPAYING THEIR KINDNESSES; FORTUNELY EVEN JUST THE MEMORIES TAKE ME TO A PARRELLEL UNIVERSE! VKV

cacm
Posts: 2212
Joined: 08 Apr 2010, 00:07

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by cacm »

[quote="annamalai"][quote="Ramasubramanian M.K"]

Circa 1954--I was studying B.Sc. in Presidency College(VKV was my Physics tutor--used to take permission from VKV to skip the Labs to attend a concert only to find out VKV had cancelled the whole class to show up at the same concert!!!!))

Very interesting story. You did not drag Sri VKV for TNR concert ?
I have heard stories in my village near Tiruvarur, they used to walk 10 km to concerts of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer in some remote village, have food at the marriage and walk back well past midnight. I have also heard that TNR used to perform for Tiruvarur temple Lord Thyagaraja Vrushaba vahanam and TNR used to come decked javadhu pottu and diamond earrings (Vaira kadukkan).

My only trip to Purasawakkam in during my hostel days was to see a Kamalahasan movie on the first (release) day @ Purasawakkam and we walked back to the hostel (with several stops at tea shops along the way); seems lowbrow compared to attending a TNR concert

MKR HAS THE UNCANNY GENIUS OF RECALLING THE BEST OF OUR DAYS IN MADRAS! I cannot even the begin to describe THE ENERGY EXCITEMENT & ELEVATED SPIRITS WHEN WE HEARD TNR; EVEN GNB& MMI HAVE VIVIDLY DESCRIBED TNR'S THODI & SUDDHA SEEMANDHINI THO' TNR USED TO ASK GNB& MMI TO SING THOSE RAGAS FOR HIM.... I HAVE TO CONCLUDE THOSE WERE THE DAYS! IF TNR HAD KNOWN about MKR' S situation he would have taken him to dinner! :-BD MMI, LGJ, & PSP HAVE done it for me! I attended MMI-LGJ- PSP concert at RAMNAD RAJA'S DAUGHTER'S WEDDING THAT WAY as well as KAPALI KOIL CONCERTS BEC. LGJ spotted me in the thousands thronging in Mada street & took me with him to the stage!...THERE IS SIMPLY NO WAY OF REPAYING THEIR KINDNESSES; FORTUNELY EVEN JUST THE MEMORIES TAKE ME TO A PARALLEL UNIVERSE! VKV :) :ymapplause:

venkatakailasam
Posts: 4170
Joined: 07 Feb 2010, 19:16

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by venkatakailasam »

Image

Concert 253-Shri T.N.RAJARATTHINAM Pillai
“ Our own PIED PIPER” His birth day to day-27-08-2014
Listen at:
http://myblogkumara.blogspot.in/2014/07 ... rt-ix.html
Concert details:
01_raguvara_nannu_panthuvarali_
02_samaja_varagamana_hindolam_
03_kalyani_
04_aaragimpave_thodi
05_nannupaalimpa_mohanam_
06_aalapanai_shanmukapriya_

satyabalu
Posts: 915
Joined: 28 Mar 2010, 11:07

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by satyabalu »

டி.என்.ஆரின் ஜென்ம சாபல்ய கச்சேரி

(இன்றைய தினமணி)

சுமார் 60 வருஷங்களுக்கு முன்பு என்று எனது நினைவு. பரமாச்சாரியார் தஞ்சாவூர் ஜில்லாவில் திக்விஜயம் செய்து கொண்டிருந்த நேரம். மாயவரத்தில் பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பட்டணப் பிரவேசத்திற்கு ஏற்பாடு செய்திருந்தார்கள். பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பட்டணப் பிரவேசம் என்று சொன்னால் யானை, குதிரை எல்லாம் முன்னால் ஊர்வலமாக வரும். பரமாச்சாரியார் பல்லக்கில் வருவார்.

தருமபுரம் மடம் வழியாக பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பல்லக்கு வந்தது. அங்கே பூர்ணகும்ப மரியாதையுடன் தருமபுரம் ஆதீனத்துக்கு விஜயம் செய்தார் அவர். பண்டார சந்நிதி அவரை கெளரவம் செய்து மடத்திற்கு அழைத்துச் சென்றார். பிறகு மயிலாடுதுறைக்குள் நுழைந்தது பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பட்டணப் பிரவேச ஊர்வலம்.

நாகஸ்வர சக்ரவர்த்தி டி.என்.ராஜரத்தினம் பிள்ளை பெயரில் மட்டுமல்ல, நிஜமாகவே ஒரு ராஜாவைப் போல வாழ்ந்தவர். அவருடைய லெட்டர்பேடில் "அகில உலக நாகஸ்வர சக்கரவர்த்தி திருவாவடுதுறை ராஜரத்தினம் பிள்ளை அவர்கள்' என்றுதான் அச்சிடப்பட்டிருக்கும். கப்பல் போன்ற ஸ்டுடிபேக்கர் காரில்தான் பயணிப்பார். இந்த சந்தர்ப்பத்தில் வெளியூரில் கச்சேரி செய்துவிட்டு திருவாவடுதுறை திரும்பிக் கொண்டிருந்தார் டி.என்.ஆர்.

அந்த நாளில் மாயவரத்தில் பிரபலமான காளியாக்குடி ஹோட்டல் அருகில் உள்ள மணிக்கூண்டு வழியாக சென்று கொண்டிருந்த டி.என்.ஆர். கூட்டத்தைப் பார்த்துவிட்டு "என்ன விசேஷம்?' என்று வினவினார். பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பட்டணப் பிரவேசம் வந்து கொண்டிருக்கிறது என்றும் அடுத்த தெருவில் இருக்கிறது என்றும் கேள்விப்பட்டவுடன் வண்டியை ஒரு ஓரமாக நிறுத்தச் சொன்னார். சட்டையைக் கழற்றினார். அங்கவஸ்திரத்தை இடுப்பில் சுற்றிக் கட்டிக் கொண்டார். மணிக்கூண்டு அருகில் நின்று கொண்டு நாயனம் வாசிக்கத் தொடங்கிவிட்டார்.

இவரது நாயன சங்கீதம் காதில் விழுந்தவுடன், "ராஜரத்தினம் வாசிப்பு போலிருக்கிறதே, அங்கே போங்கோ' என்று பரமாச்சாரியார் உத்தரவிட்டு, பட்டணப் பிரவேச ஊர்வலத்துடன் பல்லக்கு மணிக்கூண்டை நோக்கி நகர்ந்தது. இதைத்தானே ராஜரத்தினம் பிள்ளை எதிர்பார்த்தார்! அவருக்கு பரம சந்தோஷம். உற்சாகம் தாங்கவில்லை. அடுத்த ஒன்றரை மணி நேரம் மணிக்கூண்டு அருகில் நின்றபடியே வாசித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தார் டி.என்.ஆர். மாயவரம் நகரமே அங்கே கூடிவிட்டது.

பரமாச்சாரியார் ராஜரத்தினம் பிள்ளையின் வாசிப்பை மெய்மறந்து கேட்டு ரசித்தார். அவருக்கு ஒரு சாத்துக்குடி பழத்தை ஆசிர்வாதமாக வழங்கினார். சாஷ்டாங்கமாக விழுந்து நமஸ்கரித்து விட்டு நாகஸ்வர சக்ரவர்த்தி சொன்னார்- "இந்த ஜென்மா சாபல்யம் அடைந்துவிட்டது!'

- ஆஸ்திக சமாஜம் நரசிம்மன்

cacm
Posts: 2212
Joined: 08 Apr 2010, 00:07

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by cacm »

A TYPICAL ASTHIKASAMAJAM NARASIMHAN RECOLLECTION! WE NEED HIM TO WRITE MORE OF THESE EXPERIENCES AS HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO LIVED THRU' THOSE GOLDEN TIMES OUTSIDE OF MADRAS! VKV

pattamaa
Posts: 749
Joined: 22 Nov 2009, 10:24

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by pattamaa »

nice recollection...

SrinathK
Posts: 2477
Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by SrinathK »

Some snippets of that legendary Thodi : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJqbyKPVLlM

This I believe is the higher pitched Timiri Nadaswaram. The swara shuddham and range is amazing and I can here where so many plain note and heavy gamaka brighas were inspired from 8-) . This is the first time I've ever heard a high pitched nadaswaram. So far I have only read and heard of it. From what I have read in V Sriram's book "A Carnatic Summer", the lower pitched "Bari" that TNR switched over to was a notorious instrument to tame and brought a lot of false notes in the hands of many other players. Some one please clarify if this was indeed what happened.

Now the thodi in vocal (OMG! What brighas!) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGIacJj_HSs


rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by rajeshnat »

TNR said then "Singing for AIR alone will not get them fame". I guess if he was living today he would have really felt give me one Margazhi concert in Mahautsav celebrations that gets beamed in television instead of 100 concerts for a year , i will keep the count of rasikas and then keep it steady from there on.
Write up on TNR that was published in The Hindu dated Dec 18th,2017.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/t ... 828183.ece

SrinathK
Posts: 2477
Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by SrinathK »

Wonder why no one's noticed just how many of TNR's recordings are up on YT?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wedhSve8lY&t=1724s

shankarank
Posts: 4042
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by shankarank »

Interview with TNR - 1951:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8H_GCH41sw

He dwells on lakshya and lakshana. "Lakshya sangIta is appreciated by many at large. Those well versed in lakshana come to find faults , they are waiting for faults. And faults too happen and they derive their enjoyment from finding that" He is particularly not dismissive of them.

Talks about BANi. "BANi is not defined in either lakshana grantAs or by musicians themselves. Depending on time, place and circumstance, it is defined by rasikas . Whatever style appeals to rasikas they name it as a bANi".

In the larger/grander sense: "there is kaRnATaka BANi which is essentially made in ThanjAvur" and it is synonymous with ThanjavUR BANi. It is due to the birth of tri-mUrti vaggEyakkaras in ThanjAvUr. The development of sweetness and appeal of music is owed to them only. Then there were cinnayya, ponnayya, sivanandam, vaDivElu - the naTTuvaNAr. Various samasthAnams like Mysore, tiruvidAngUr(Travancore), Sethupati(Ramanathapuram), pudukOTTai, eTTayapuram even if they patronized the art, still all of it is included in the tanjAvUR bANi ".

He credits ViNA DhanammAL, his teacher ThirukoDikkAval Krishna Iyer, malaikOTTai Govindaswamy PiLLai, Madurai Ponnuswamy (nAgasvaram) for the development of music then! Madurai Ponnuswamy is the only nAdasvara vidvAn he mentions by name.

He recalls how ThirukkODi kaval krishna iyer fixed his bEGaDa ni which was plain when rendering the vaRNam.

So for him, ThanjavUR is an "universal"!

"Any susvara is karnAtaka sangIta. apasvara (dissonance) and apalaya (lack of rhythmic integrity) are there , but they are like durdEvatAs. SangIta has to be done as a upAsana"

Asked about jAVaLis and how they are not accepted in lakshana - He plays a jAVaLi recording - not there in this recording. "jAVaLi is susvara" and he accepts them! No discussion on content , no controversies mentioned or even acknowledged on content! - Pure and simple!

As regards reach of music: "The vocalists prior to his time were singing to the only about a 100 strong richer patrons in sabhas, before then in samasthanams. The larger common populace received their music only through the nadasvara vidvAns playing in temple festivals, bhajana sampradayas, bhagavata mELAs, Theru koothu, and other dramaturgy. S.G. kiTTappa's dramas were attended by him and Govindaswamy PiLLai. They will pick up musical ideas from the renderings there!

Instrumental vs vocal music: "Any instrumentalist must be a vocalist. An instrument's lakshya is to follow vocal singing and sound like vocal. The reverse is NOT so great! Vocal has prominence in this form of music"

Cauka (slow) kAlA singing: " All music must be built on the cauka kAla as the base. " When asked will that be gained by instruction - "One needs Gnana, gurukula vasam, talai yezhuutu (luck or play of chance in life). Gaining knowledge - or Gnanam is paramount. A success is not gaurenteed and depends on circumstances." The interviewer is surprised to hear this from TNR given how turita (tamizh!) kAlam (or dRta) his renditions are.


Pasupathy
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Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: T N Rajarathnam Pillai

Post by Pasupathy »

2021. சங்கீத சங்கதிகள் - 326
திருவாவடுதுறை விசிட்: இசையில் சிறந்தவன் எல்லோரிலும் சிறந்தவன்!
ரமேஷ் வைத்யா
https://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2022/08/2021-326.html

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