Tanjavur S Kalyanaraman

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

Post by abadri »

Folks,

Could we discuss the late master Tanjavur S Kalayanaraman
in this thread? I've been listening to him a lot over the
last couple of weeks, thanks to Sri Raju's munificence
(not to mention the uploads from Sri Kulkarni & Sri Rajeev
on this very forum). Also every time we talk about a
Carnatic/Hindustani twilight zone, I cannot help but immediately
jump to Sri Kalyanaraman and Sri Voleti.

All these stimuli have caused me to open this new discussion
topic.

A very unique artist indeed. To a layman like me, what's
strikingly obvious is his felicity with the rarer ragas.
I'm amazed by his ability to string together a high number of
prati-madhyama ragas, without losing the listener.
An example being the concert of GNB compositions
(on GB day with LJ/CSM) uploaded by Sri Raju.

Some of my favourites are his Kirvani, Ramapriya,
Shanmukhapriya & Subhapantuvarali. And I must mention
a Valaji (from a concert uploaded on rasikapriya.net some
months ago) that I keep going back to again and again and
again.

Below is a compilation of audio links posted on this
forum so far (apologies if I've missed out any):-
[rapidshare links deleted]

Could someone post a photo?

Finally, before yielding the floor to the experts here, I'm pasting
three relevant articles from the RMIC newsgroup below.
The first is a short bio, printed on a flyer advertising his
concert (from 1991). The next two are articles posted after
he passed away at a (relatively) young age in 1994.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Short Bio from a flyer for a Concert (1991)
-----------------------------------------

S. Kalyanaraman, a highly acclaimed senior vocalist in India, received his
initial training from his father Sri N. Srinivasa Iyer and advanced training
for over 15 years from the legendary Sri G.N. Balasubramaniam. He is noted
for having developed a unique style of rendering where he combines the rich
voice culture of Hindustani music with the gamaka style of Carnatic music.
He is also noted for his wide repertoire of songs in different languages.
Sri Kalyanaraman has compiled the notation for GNB's compositions which is
published in a book entitled "GNB's compositions". He has made a unique
contribution to Carnatic music by developing the 36 Dwi Madhyama Panchama
Varja Ragas which he has demonstrated at seminars. Sri Kalayanaraman is an
`A top' grade All India Radio artist and has performed in AIR Madras since
1949. He has trained a number of students who are themselves `A' grade
artists in AIR. Kalayanaraman has toured extensively in India and all
around the world giving concerts and participating in seminars.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

sharada.b.venkataraman Jan 20 1994, 7:55 am show options
Newsgroups: rec.music.indian.classical
From: shaus...@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (sharada.b.venkataraman) - Find messages by this author
Date: 19 Jan 94 17:32:41 GMT
Local: Wed,Jan 19 1994 12:32 pm
Subject: On S. Kalyanaraman
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

***************************************************************

The following article was written by S. I. Krishnamachari of
Woodridge, IL.

**************************************************************

The news of the death of the popular musician Shri S.
Kalyanaraman was deeply saddening. In retrospect, all that he went
after in his life was music and more of it. He did not try to
"market" his music. (There is but only one pre-recorded cassete
bearing his name). Perhaps he could have lived much longer than
sixty two, simply by taking better care of some of his personal
health problems.

He was a researcher, singer, composer, teacher, unrelenting
learner, vainika, whistler and a teacher of violin too. To this
date, he represents one can do to ply one's own voice and be the
ring-master of his own music. Intellect, analysis and faith in
classical values were the characteristics of his music. Taught
first by his father, and later by none less than GNB himself, he
acquired a singing style and personality for himself. Awards and
recognition eluded him. Nonetheless, other musicians and the
modern- minded rasikas always saw him as a star on par with GNB
himself. There are a few in the profession who believe that his
Sangeetha Kalanidhi award was long overdue.

He was an expert on voice culturing. Realizing that
traditional methods of voice culture would not work form, given his
congenital heart and respiratory problems, he had to develop one of
his own. To the best of my knowledge, he was and still is the best
musician who understood the mechanics of producing vocal sruti
suddham (precision of notes). As a teacher, he could teach the
ways of producing sruti suddham. He analyzed the voice culture of
several musicians of his time and studied its influence on one's
singing style. As a by-product, he became able to mimic the voice
and style of most of the musicians precisely.

He and the late Voleti Venkateswaralu were good friends and
admirers of each other, and held identical views on several matters
of music. Kalyanaraman held the view that all trouble-shooting in
music canbe done by taking a closer look at voice culture. Recall
Voleti's similar view on the "krishi" method (Sruti Magazine 21, pp
35-44) of problem solving. Both were fascinated by the potentials
of Hindustani music on the Carnatic concert platform. Both held
the view that Hindustani ragas ar to be rendered using the
Hindustani phrases. Kalyanaraman can be credited with the
introduction of the "taan" concept in rendering carnatic
compositions, in Ashtapadis, Meera Bhajans, and to an extent in
regular alapanaas. ("Taan" is word-less, akaara, rhythm-bound
extemporization). In the alaapanas, he used the taan concept in a
manner that can be called the " kalapramana brigas", that is,
brigas that count a given number of notes per beat. He used
3,4,5,6,8, and 10 notes to produce a zoom and unzoom effect in
alapanas. He extended it to swaram singing also. He liked his own
"tiruhu" (spiral type) brigas.

For a time, he researched in the topic of precision of
kala- pramanas (time measures) with the deliberate use of the
metronome. As a result, he could use the un-named gathis (speeds)
of 11 and 13 notes per beat in swaram singing, which he did of
course, off the stage.

He extended the Sruti-Bhedam (tonal shift of scale) ideas
to formally rhythm bound compositions. The fact that he was an
expert in the vivadi ragas (ragas containing notes that are either
too close to each other or too far apart, and thereby placing
higher demands on the singer) simply appeared to be a consequence
of his sruti suddham techniques. There is a superstition among
musicians that singing vivadi ragas takes away the peace of mind
from one's life! Statistics of Hindustani singers disproves this
entirely; they use vivadi ragas elegantly and with no problems.
Perhaps on this basis, Kalyanaraman paid little respect to this
superstition. Quite often, he used rare, vivadi and imported
ragas in his compositions. Gaavati, AhirBhairav, GangeyaBhushani,
Hemangi, VandanaDharini, Valaji, Deepavali, Lalit are a few
examples in the case. However, he never treated them lightly. If
it was easy to do, Kalyanaraman did not do it. Only, he made them
look easy!

This is not to mean that he neglected the major ragas. In
his compositions, he has used the more traditional ragas too, such
as Athana, Begada etc. He has sang the Mega Kritis in kajor ragas
in his concerts regularly. He was also very resourceful in
composing. The one in Begada in praise of Mahatma Gandhi was
composed by Swami Satvananda, tuned and sung by Kalyanaraman, all
in one day.

All of his concerts were thought out. It was not in his
elements to simply recite a song. He always added an alapana, or a
swara prastara or niraval to to every song or varnam. His
manodharma was unlimited. He attributed it to his voice culture.
" When you get there in a raga, you will see more of it".

For all his life, he taught his students without asking for
a penny! His students in India and other countries will continue to
know him as warm hearted, childlike man. His wife Bhushani, also
an accomplished vocalist, is equally a sweet lady. We are deeply
sorry for her and may God give her the strength she needs at this
time of bereavement. more of it".

S. I. Krishnamachari

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Srini Pichumani Jan 14 1994, 5:31 pm hide options
Newsgroups: rec.music.indian.classical
From: s...@quip.eecs.umich.edu (Srini Pichumani) - Find messages by this author
Date: 14 Jan 1994 20:07:47 GMT
Local: Fri,Jan 14 1994 3:07 pm
Subject: S.Kalyanaraman (SKR) - reminiscences
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Thanjavur S.Kalyanaraman, who passed away recently, was one of
the senior disciples of the great GNB and a very creative and
intelligent musician himself. Although he was much less popular
than the late MLV and received very few awards if not none, he
was very highly regarded in the musical circles and they both
were considered the torch-bearers of the GNB tradition in their
lifetime.

In 1991, when he visited the Detroit metro area for about a week,
I spent a couple of evenings listening to him ramble on music,
musical personalities, his guru, and so on while I drove him around
from his lodgings to some appliance stores and stuff. It was quite
an interesting experience.
And the manner in which he described his friend, the late Santhanam,
polishing off "aDais" by the dozen, when the two dined together, was
rip-roaring.

SKR had some original ideas/theories about voice production and was
very keen on publishing these in a collaborative effort with some
experts in the medical and scientific fields. During our conversations,
he talked about it very briefly and in an idiom entirely of his own.
I don't remember all the details but he said that KVN had perfected
the "chest" voice to a great extent. After saying this, he sang
Todi in typical KVN style phrasings and enunciation that left
me stunned by the accuracy of his imitation. Then he mentioned his
own congenital heart problem and other respiratory afflictions,
and said that he could not have survived singing all these years
had he not learnt early to use his stomach muscles for voice production
and projection. He stressed that one of the distinct
characteristics of his technique was that the voice/tone/shruti will
not "spill" when producing a pure note - I took this to mean that
he could produce pure notes of great strength and weight that would
waver very little. He remarked that with a chest voice there is
a lot of "spillage".

Another interesting thing he mentioned was that it was physically
easier for him to give an exclusive whistling concert than a vocal
concert, despite all his afflictions. For those who don't know this,
he has given quite a few such concerts - of 2.5 hrs duration -
accompanied by prominent artistes. With a twinkle in his eye,
he said that he charged a much higher fee for a whistle concert
than vocal.
Once, when a friend of mine and a "disciple"/accompanist of SKR,
K.S.Mani, played some excerpts of such a concert over the phone, it
sounded very much like a 4.5 kattai or so flute.

While driving around he whistled a few phrases of the Dikshitar
kriti "kalAvati kamalAsana yuvati" in kalAvati (~ yAgapriyA, the
31st melakarta) at my request. SKR excelled in rendering
such vivAdi rAgas and dvi-madhyama rAgas, in addition to the regular
stuff. But he exercised more caution about
rendering such rAgas now in contrast to his youthful, energetic
days since some critics had stuck him with a label that he dwells
too much on the rare stuff. In a somewhat facetious/serious
manner, he said that he had asked some of his ardent rasikas to stay
away from his concerts for the next 15 or whatever years while he
tried to make a decent living and not bother him with requests for
esoteric stuff.

SKR will be very much missed ...

-Srini.

ps: aDai is a thick south Indian crepe made from the flour
of different lentils/rice. The "Pasand" restaurant in San Jose
used to define aDai/dosai as "south Indian creep" in their menu :-)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My apologies for any typos.
Hope no one minds the very lengthy post.

Thanks.

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

three other tracks posted earlier on sangeetham.

http://rapidshare.de/files/2004549/03-k ... a.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/2005965/S_Ka ... e.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/2006320/S_Ka ... a.mp3.html
the fact that his name did not appear as a favourite artist a full 48 hours after the thread opened is ample proof for the need of such forums to spread the great stuff around.

incidentally i am just recording a sk concert with a natakuranjii rtp , which is a testimony to the great strength of talent in the lineage of gnb and his disciples.we all know about the two great rtp renderings in this raga by gnb, one each with msg and lalgudi.
i will try to put up sk's version later this week.
for the timebeing here is a sampler from that concert.
Download-Link: http://rapidshare.de/files/2393745/sk-J ... I.mp3.html

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

To the best of my knowledge, he was and still is the best
musician who understood the mechanics of producing vocal sruti
suddham (precision of notes). As a teacher, he could teach the
ways of producing sruti suddham. He analyzed the voice culture of
several musicians of his time and studied its influence on one's
singing style.
here is link where SK speaks about this
http://rapidshare.de/files/2418171/02-K ... s.mp3.html
Here he mentions about his great regard for Mehdi Hasan , and so here is a clip of Mehdi as well
http://rapidshare.de/files/2418328/Mehd ... -.mp3.html

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

here is close look at his HM approach.
i have given a comparative rendering by an artist not very well known in India.Just cannot help wondering at Sk's method of going straight into the heart of the raga.

http://rapidshare.de/files/2413995/Asta ... g.mp3.html

http://rapidshare.de/files/2413095/Shud ... 1.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/2413174/Shud ... e.mp3.html

Whether it is chandrakuans(Kandanaal),Madhuvanthi,Mohana (bhuvanatraya),Kanada,Shubhapanthuvarali (todi), valaji (kalavathi),Chenchuruti,Chakravakam(ahir Bhairav), they are always, so beautifully rendered..

aanandam
Posts: 4
Joined: 27 Dec 2005, 12:17

Post by aanandam »

hi coolkarni - can you kindly upload the link where SKR speaks again ? Thanks !

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

badri ..can you help.i am still wandering like a sufi monk from one browsing centre to another...

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

Post by abadri »

can you kindly upload the link where SKR speaks again ? Thanks !
Here you're:- [rapidshare link deleted]

aanandam
Posts: 4
Joined: 27 Dec 2005, 12:17

Post by aanandam »

Thanks coolkarni & abadri ! Much obliged. I was able to hear the great man speak. If it is not asking too much, any place where I can find his mp3's ? All the above files + The one on rasikapriya are deleted.

aanandam
Posts: 4
Joined: 27 Dec 2005, 12:17

Post by aanandam »

Guys - This link is working !

http://www.sangeethapriya.org/Downloads/SKR/

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

aanandam
Tell me which is nearest to your location
1.Chennai.
2.Bangalore.
3.California
I can tell you where to find his mp3s....

aanandam
Posts: 4
Joined: 27 Dec 2005, 12:17

Post by aanandam »

coolkarni - its Chennai

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

aanandam
you can mail me at inmech@gmail.com

shripathi_g
Posts: 356
Joined: 30 Mar 2005, 08:25

Post by shripathi_g »

Coolkarni Sir,

My nearest location is California. Can I mail you too?


Shripathi

shripathi_g
Posts: 356
Joined: 30 Mar 2005, 08:25

Post by shripathi_g »

I'm a big fan of Sri Kalyanaraman's music, especially his vivadhis. Waiting to get my hands on Chalanattai and Yagapriya that I heard once.

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

shripathi_g

Badri is a better bet for you.at california.
he should be able to help you , say after Feb 10Th.
in the meanwhile you can defintely mail me .
BTW
anandam is a close relative of kalyanraman.We had a nice meeting last week.

Ananth
Posts: 133
Joined: 14 Feb 2006, 14:04

Post by Ananth »

Hi,

I have one mind-blowing concert of SKR that starts with Teliyaleru Rama and has Devagandharee-Karuna Samudra, Devi neeye thunai -Keeravani, Palinchu-Kanthamani (he announces this) and a taan-style Ragamalika. The file name says accompanists are MSG and VR; MSG is quite obvious but mridangist is almost certainly UKS. Can someone confirm this pls? Concert took place in 1977,as per the ID3 tags.

kiransurya
Posts: 781
Joined: 13 Dec 2005, 15:58

Post by kiransurya »

Ananth
Would really appreciate if you can post Devi nee yethunai from that concert.
Kiran

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

Post by abadri »

Waiting to get my hands on Chalanattai and Yagapriya that I heard once.
Here's the one track of SKR singing Chalanattai that I have.
[rapidshare link deleted]

Ananth
Posts: 133
Joined: 14 Feb 2006, 14:04

Post by Ananth »

In 'Kalyanaraman Speaks' who is the violinist that introduces SKR?

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

Post by abadri »

In 'Kalyanaraman Speaks' who is the violinist that introduces SKR?
It's Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman

Ananth
Posts: 133
Joined: 14 Feb 2006, 14:04

Post by Ananth »

kiransurya: you can find Devi Neeye Thunai in this concert (second half i will upload soon)
http://rapidshare.de/files/13532864/SKR ... A.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/13607695/SKR ... B.mp3.html

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

Post by sriucl »

Coolkarni Sir...

Could you post ,at sometime, those 33 krithis of GNB from Kalyanaraman that you have compiled ... I have a few from the collection you gave..Would like to get the ones I missed..

Thanks

kiransurya
Posts: 781
Joined: 13 Dec 2005, 15:58

Post by kiransurya »

Ananth

Thank you..

Kiran

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

sriucl

I will be posting those 33 krithis in the GNB Thread- two or three at a time -to keep pace with the discussions.

knrh05
Posts: 162
Joined: 05 Feb 2010, 20:52

Post by knrh05 »

Ananth,
Can you upload the second half? Thanks!
kiransurya: you can find Devi Neeye Thunai in this concert (second half i will upload soon)
http://rapidshare.de/files/13532864/SKR ... A.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/13607695/SKR ... B.mp3.html

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »


vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Yes, indeed. Excellent. Thanks.

kiransurya
Posts: 781
Joined: 13 Dec 2005, 15:58

Post by kiransurya »

Cheers coolkarni. Very good stuff...

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

Post by cmlover »

Thanks coolkarni!

Lakshman
Could I request you for the lyrics Please!

Lakshman
Posts: 14019
Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 18:52

Post by Lakshman »

nI daya galgunO. rAgA: SaNmukhapriyA. Adi tALA.

P: nI daya galgunO nirupama karuNA sAgari nAku
A: sOdana laru nEnu paramAtmA pAdamE gatiyani namminA namma
C: mAdhava sOdari manjuLagAtri mahAdEva sakhi mangaLa dAyaki
nA taramerigi nannElukO nAda svarUpiNi nAveda dIrcuTaku

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

Post by cmlover »

Thank you very much LakShman!

thanjavur

Post by thanjavur »

Who is the composer of the Ashta Ragamalikai sung by SKR in this concert :

http://www.sangeethapriya.org/~vinay/TSK/TSK-TNK-VR-1/

Thanjavoor S Kalyanaraman
Violin: T N Krishnan
Mridangam: Vellore Ramabhadran
at Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai on Monday the 22nd of October 1967

01 Swaminatha-Natta
02-Nada Sudha Rasa-Arabhi
03-Paraloka-Poorvi Kalyani
04-Jesina-Thodi
05-Manilam Vazhntha-Begada
06-Thamathamika-Abhogi
07-Mokshamu-Saramathi
08-Karunai Madhi Thavazhum -Ashta Ragamalika
09-Vararaga-Chenchu Kamboji
10-Marukelara-Jayathasri
11-RTP-Nattakurinji
12-Smaravaram-Hamsanandi
13-Kandanal-Madhuvanthi
14-Thavatha-Punnagavarali
15-Thillana-Hindolam (Mangalam)

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

Post by meena »

karunai mati tavazhum is sree SKR's (Tanjavur S. Kalyanaraman) comp.

thanjavur

Post by thanjavur »

Thanks meena.
Who are the composers of the songs,

Manilam Vazhntha-Begada
Thamathamika-Abhogi

thanjavur

Post by thanjavur »

Is Manilam Vazhndha the composition by Swami Satvanada that is mentioned
in one of the earlier postings ?

Does anyone have a list of all compositions and/or lyrics by SKR ?

thanjavur

Post by thanjavur »

Sorry. Should have done better research before posting here.
The song Tamasamika talanu in Abhogi is by GNB.

Lakshman
Posts: 14019
Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 18:52

Post by Lakshman »

mAnilam vAzhvuravE is by N.S.Chidambaram aka Shuddhasatvananda.

Vocalist
Posts: 1030
Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Post by Vocalist »

Vaalee?

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

Post by padren68 »

A lovely ragamalika
SKR - MSA - YVR (1982)
http://www.rogepost.com/n/4828685077

Ragjay
Posts: 208
Joined: 12 Oct 2006, 17:10

Post by Ragjay »

I was a witness to a lament by his Guru Shri GNB that he could not spend more time with his talented disciple imparting more music to him.

new_cmfan
Posts: 77
Joined: 22 Jan 2006, 00:11

Post by new_cmfan »

Here's a song from a concert on sangeethapriya.org

http://www.sangeethapriya.org/Downloads ... Valaji.mp3

Koovi Azhaithal - i like the song, not so much for SK's singing - but more for VVS's violin. It is as though the singer was accompanying the violinist on this one. Would love to hear a solo version of the song by VVS... would be a treat to listen.

sanvenk
Posts: 7
Joined: 06 Feb 2007, 16:44

Post by sanvenk »

I would like to mention that Koovi Azhaithal is tuned by SK. Lyric is by vaali.

kmrasika
Posts: 1258
Joined: 10 Mar 2006, 07:55

Post by kmrasika »

Shri kalyANarAman has also tuned some songs of svAmi surAjAnanda. Wondered if anyone had some tracks they could share. I know one of these songs are karatinil vErenRu rUpam in hamsanAdam.

bala747
Posts: 314
Joined: 20 Mar 2006, 12:56

Post by bala747 »

I wonder if an upload of a lovely Shanmukhapriya would go amiss?

I don't know what has and what has not been uploaded before but this was my grandfather's favourite ragam and he would often 'pester' GNB's disciples (his favourite musician whom he idolised to a point of fanaticism) to sing it! He would set their renditions as gold standards and of course in his view no one else even came close.

He used to mention about S Kalyanaraman and how his music was similar to and yet different from GNB although we didn't have any recordings of him at that time and hence, until recently I didn't get to hear much of him (the granddad passed away 12 years ago). Anyway, here goes: http://www.sendspace.com/file/vm7q20

An elaborate Shanmukhapriya raga alapana.

pranavam
Posts: 14
Joined: 03 Mar 2007, 09:10

Post by pranavam »

Rasikas,

I am a new member & great fan of Shri.GNB & Thanjavur S.Kalyanaraman.

I have collected some of his songs from sangeethapriya.org & enjoying.
Can anybody please upload Shri.Thanjavur S.Kalyanaraman songs&speeches again?

thanks in advance
Pranavam

jayaram
Posts: 1317
Joined: 30 Jun 2006, 03:08

Post by jayaram »

For a recently posted SKR clip which includes a brief speech by him, see the 'Speeches at kutcheris' thread.

pranavam
Posts: 14
Joined: 03 Mar 2007, 09:10

Post by pranavam »

jayaram wrote:For a recently posted SKR clip which includes a brief speech by him, see the 'Speeches at kutcheris' thread.
Sri.Jayaram,

I did & thanks for the help.Please help me for the other stuffs.

regards
Pranavam

jayaram
Posts: 1317
Joined: 30 Jun 2006, 03:08

Post by jayaram »

(uh-oh, i can see the moderator's stick coming down on this one...:-)

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »


pranavam
Posts: 14
Joined: 03 Mar 2007, 09:10

Post by pranavam »

coolkarni wrote:http://www.sendspace.com/file/gcdyb5
Mamava Raghurama.mp3
Coolkarni Sir,

Thanks a lot. Eagerly awaiting for the other stuffs.When you have time please re-upload the other stuffs please.

regards
pranavam

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