Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
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sIrkAzhi gOvindarAjan at Guruvayur Ekadasi Annual (Chembai memorial) Music Festival rendering a couple of tribute songs sometime in the late 1970s or early 80s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlwXVA3mhk0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=codpRFe17cs
The mridangam accompaniment by Mavelikkara Krishnankutty Nair is more than good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlwXVA3mhk0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=codpRFe17cs
The mridangam accompaniment by Mavelikkara Krishnankutty Nair is more than good.
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Of all the tributes to music vidwans that I have read, I found this the most touching:
http://rasikas.org/chembai/chembailastday.html
Beautiful from first to last. It shows that Chembai was not merely a great musician but a high soul as well.
http://rasikas.org/chembai/chembailastday.html
Beautiful from first to last. It shows that Chembai was not merely a great musician but a high soul as well.
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Just before the kutcheri was about to begin... MSG adjusting the pitch of his violin to the tambura sruti being played by the sishya at the back and Alangudi looking fresh and expectant to prove his mettle yet again.
Thanks Sivaprasadji. Where was this picture taken from?
Alangudi and Chembai had the greatest respect for each other for once Chembai had rushed to Alangudi's native village on hearing that he was ill. He asked Alangudi to pray to Guruvayurappan and gave him some prasadam after having which Alangudi's illness disappeared the same day. Chembai later said to him "As long as I live, you will play ghatam for me".
I could be wrong, but going by the number of times that the MSG-TVG-Alangudi combination has performed with Chembai late in his career/lifetime, I would presume that the missing mridangist is TVG.
This picture was taken sometime between 1965-1973
The twins sitting behind Chembai are Jayan and Vijayan i.e the malayalam film music directors known together as Jayavijaya, who were earlier disciples of Semmangudi (he was the principal of the music college where they studied music initially), Alathur Brothers and BMK respectively before they became Chembai's sishyas.
Thanks Sivaprasadji. Where was this picture taken from?
Alangudi and Chembai had the greatest respect for each other for once Chembai had rushed to Alangudi's native village on hearing that he was ill. He asked Alangudi to pray to Guruvayurappan and gave him some prasadam after having which Alangudi's illness disappeared the same day. Chembai later said to him "As long as I live, you will play ghatam for me".
I could be wrong, but going by the number of times that the MSG-TVG-Alangudi combination has performed with Chembai late in his career/lifetime, I would presume that the missing mridangist is TVG.
This picture was taken sometime between 1965-1973
The twins sitting behind Chembai are Jayan and Vijayan i.e the malayalam film music directors known together as Jayavijaya, who were earlier disciples of Semmangudi (he was the principal of the music college where they studied music initially), Alathur Brothers and BMK respectively before they became Chembai's sishyas.
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dear Krisji
This is from a secular ( communist) magazine called "One India One people " 1997 issue , highlight on Karnataka state. The author categorically says that Carnatic music is music of Karnataka(?!!!!).
What is that instrument bleow the microphone??
why all Ghatamists open their shirt out during the concert?
sivaprasad
This is from a secular ( communist) magazine called "One India One people " 1997 issue , highlight on Karnataka state. The author categorically says that Carnatic music is music of Karnataka(?!!!!).
What is that instrument bleow the microphone??
why all Ghatamists open their shirt out during the concert?
sivaprasad
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Probably he meant "the Carnatic" which was the region covering much of TN & Kerala apart from the southern parts of Karnataka and Andhra.
The thing below the mic might probably be a spool recorder to record the concert.
Wikipedia says about your query "The artist sometimes presses the mouth of the pot against their bare belly, which deepens the tone of the bass stroke, and is another way to produce the "gumki" sound".
The thing below the mic might probably be a spool recorder to record the concert.
Wikipedia says about your query "The artist sometimes presses the mouth of the pot against their bare belly, which deepens the tone of the bass stroke, and is another way to produce the "gumki" sound".
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The discussion on history of flat notes vs gamakas has been moved to http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php? ... notes.html
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Girish: Thanks for pointing us to that link about the last day of Chembai. Very well written and it captures the many dimensions of him which made him the great person he was. His humor is one of a kind and brilliant. I can sense why people were so comfortable being with him. Example is his quip to Rama Marar when he wished Chembai would live for 125 years: "You don't poke your head in it. All is settled between me and Guruvayurappan.". The humor is enhanced when we can imagine his tone and style of saying that in his malayalam.
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While enjoying the above as an anecdote only and without further ado into the above fray...if any one is curious about 'The English Note', you can hear Chowdiah play a piece of it with MMI at http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/kaumaaram wrote:From a blogspot:
Conflict In Chettinad [1936]
"......Chembai now stopped singing and, with an air of insouciance, asked: "What is it you want, please?" The common response was: "We want Chowdiah to play the English Note!"
Last edited by cpblog on 18 Aug 2009, 03:09, edited 1 time in total.
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Amazing, truly vintage video (yes, video!) clip of the immortal Chembai, alongwith Chowdiah and PMI!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WXKnsN_HVg
They all look so young.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WXKnsN_HVg
They all look so young.
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It is from the movie that Mysore T Chowdiah produced. Thanks a ton for the link. Here are the excerpts of the article "Remembering Pandari Bai: by Randor Guy:
During one of her plays in Mysore City, one of the many in the auditorium was the legendary violin maestro and icon of classical carnatic music, Mysore T Chowdaiah. He had made waves creating new trends and patterns of music with his self-designed seven-stringed violin. Lured by the world of grease-paint and celluloid the successful musician had made up his mind to produce a movie and also play the lead role in it, in partnership with the noted Kannada theater person and comedian K Hiranaiah. Impressed by the young girl, her looks and performance, he cast her in his musical movie as the hero’s daughter. That was the historic Kannada film Vani (1943) and it marked Pandari Bai’s entry into cinema. She was barely thirteen. However, the movie fared badly at the box-office and the master of the bow and strings burnt his magic fingers almost to the wrist!
(The popular Kannada cinema rebel star Ambarish is Chowdaiahs grandson. This film, however, won an incredible footnote in the history of South Indian Cinema. The classical carnatic musical giant, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar appeared on-screen giving a 10-minute performance accompanied by another icon and legend of music, Palakkad Mani Iyer on the mridangam. Of course, Chowdaiah played the violin and also composed the song. Chembai, a conservative orthodox Brahmin who thought lowly of movies refused to touch the generous fee of ten thousand rupees, a fortune in its day, offered by Chowdaiah! However, after much persuasion by Chowdaiah and other friends, he accepted it but donated the money to his favourite temple in his village for making jewels for the presiding deity. Recently a print of Vani was found by Master Hiranaiah (the comedian’s son and famed Kannada theater person) and it is being reconditioned for screening.)
http://www.screenindia.com/old/archive/ ... nt_id=1966
During one of her plays in Mysore City, one of the many in the auditorium was the legendary violin maestro and icon of classical carnatic music, Mysore T Chowdaiah. He had made waves creating new trends and patterns of music with his self-designed seven-stringed violin. Lured by the world of grease-paint and celluloid the successful musician had made up his mind to produce a movie and also play the lead role in it, in partnership with the noted Kannada theater person and comedian K Hiranaiah. Impressed by the young girl, her looks and performance, he cast her in his musical movie as the hero’s daughter. That was the historic Kannada film Vani (1943) and it marked Pandari Bai’s entry into cinema. She was barely thirteen. However, the movie fared badly at the box-office and the master of the bow and strings burnt his magic fingers almost to the wrist!
(The popular Kannada cinema rebel star Ambarish is Chowdaiahs grandson. This film, however, won an incredible footnote in the history of South Indian Cinema. The classical carnatic musical giant, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar appeared on-screen giving a 10-minute performance accompanied by another icon and legend of music, Palakkad Mani Iyer on the mridangam. Of course, Chowdaiah played the violin and also composed the song. Chembai, a conservative orthodox Brahmin who thought lowly of movies refused to touch the generous fee of ten thousand rupees, a fortune in its day, offered by Chowdaiah! However, after much persuasion by Chowdaiah and other friends, he accepted it but donated the money to his favourite temple in his village for making jewels for the presiding deity. Recently a print of Vani was found by Master Hiranaiah (the comedian’s son and famed Kannada theater person) and it is being reconditioned for screening.)
http://www.screenindia.com/old/archive/ ... nt_id=1966
Last edited by kaumaaram on 11 Dec 2009, 15:41, edited 1 time in total.
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dear kaumarji
The movie has already been screened at Thrippunithura as part of MDR day 2009. I think Rajamani sir was instrumental in the screening.
I wonder how these type of movies go dormant and surface after a long time. Hope we would be able to watch GNB's Bhama Vijayam which is lying hidden somewhere!
Sivaprasad
The movie has already been screened at Thrippunithura as part of MDR day 2009. I think Rajamani sir was instrumental in the screening.
I wonder how these type of movies go dormant and surface after a long time. Hope we would be able to watch GNB's Bhama Vijayam which is lying hidden somewhere!
Sivaprasad
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ragam-talam wrote:Amazing, truly vintage video (yes, video!) clip of the immortal Chembai, alongwith Chowdiah and PMI!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WXKnsN_HVg
They all look so young.
The video has disappeared. Has anyone downloaded it? If yes, could the link be sent to me please.
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I excerpted the video clip of great CVB-MTC-PMI from a documentary about Palghat Raghu. which lasts for only 45secs. Please check if this is what you are looking for.
http://www.fileflyer.com/view/lxU8eAZ
Thanks
http://www.fileflyer.com/view/lxU8eAZ
Thanks
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Yella Venkateswara Rao, the mridangist, adds the following bit of information (read somewhere sometime back but forgot where):
"In the latter part of his life, Chembai got almost a saintly status in the eyes of his admirers. I have not seen so many people from the audience falling at the feet of any other musician in reverence after concerts at the venues, in my career".
I heard this from another source too where it was described that Chembai often seemed get the respect that is usually accorded more to religious leaders than musicians, for whenever he was seen in a temple in Kerala, people made it a point to take his blessings as well as that of the God. Wonder if anyone from that time have witnessed it.
"In the latter part of his life, Chembai got almost a saintly status in the eyes of his admirers. I have not seen so many people from the audience falling at the feet of any other musician in reverence after concerts at the venues, in my career".
I heard this from another source too where it was described that Chembai often seemed get the respect that is usually accorded more to religious leaders than musicians, for whenever he was seen in a temple in Kerala, people made it a point to take his blessings as well as that of the God. Wonder if anyone from that time have witnessed it.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Chembai at Chennai, Balamuralikrishna and TVG having a good laugh over something.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
srkris,
What an expressive picture! Even before I read your post, I wondered what the amused exchange between them was all about. Jesudas is pretty serious--singing too, it seems.
What an expressive picture! Even before I read your post, I wondered what the amused exchange between them was all about. Jesudas is pretty serious--singing too, it seems.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Arasi,
There's no Yesudas in the picture. The one next to Alangudi (ghatam) is not him.
There's no Yesudas in the picture. The one next to Alangudi (ghatam) is not him.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
I think arasi must have meant the one, who is immediate right to the tampurA player, who i feel has some resemblance to Yesudas.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Even I was thinking the same , if that is not yesudAs , who could that be?semmu86 wrote:I think arasi must have meant the one, who is immediate right to the tampurA player, who i feel has some resemblance to Yesudas.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
The one to to the right of the tambura player is K.G.Vijayan, a sishya. The tambura player is his brother K.G.Jayan.
Here is a picture with Yesudas sitting next to the mridangist observing, all smiles. The violinist is (now Padmabhushan) Dr. Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana.
Here is a picture with Yesudas sitting next to the mridangist observing, all smiles. The violinist is (now Padmabhushan) Dr. Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana.
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Re:
The website http://chembai.com reminded me that Chembai was one of the musicians of yesteryear who bridged the transition from pallavi-based concerts to kriti-based concerts based on the Ariyakudi format. Indeed one of the articles on the website describes an early concert of Chembai that starts with viribONi and meanders through ghana raga tanam, an expansive RTP, and ends perhaps with a verse from gIta gOvinda.
Did Chembai express any opinions about the transition? If the contents of his later concerts which are almost tailor-made for the kriti-based format are any indication, he must have liked/preferred the Ariyakudi format, but I wonder if he articulated any position about it.
-Then Paanan
Did Chembai express any opinions about the transition? If the contents of his later concerts which are almost tailor-made for the kriti-based format are any indication, he must have liked/preferred the Ariyakudi format, but I wonder if he articulated any position about it.
-Then Paanan
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
http://www.sangeethamshare.org/sridhara ... embai-MVI/
Are you able to hear the violin?
Are you able to hear the violin?
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Dear All,
This is my first post and I have joined this family of carnatic music lovers & vidwans a few minutes back.
My first post happens to be on Chembaival as I am forever mesmerised by his agre paschyami ( from Narayaneeyam ) in praise of Sri Guruvayurappan , which reads as
" Agre paschyami tejo nimidaara kala yavali lobhaneeyam , piyushaplavitoham tadanutadutare divya kaisora vesam , tarunya ramba ramyam parama sukha rasa swada romanchitangai , raavidam naradatyar vilasat upansihad sundari mandalicha "
which when translated would mean
" Hey Guruvayoorappa , the one who is ever so radiant and whose very form is so captivating , one who is eternally young , meditating on whose very name confers on the devotee supreme bliss & the sweetest taste , the one who is venerated perenially by Sage Narada and the one who is constantly surrounded/circumambulated by Upanishads in the form of sundaris "
I gather that there is a possibility that a recording of his last concert may be privately available. If it can be accessed by any of the rasikas & vidwaans on this forum and be shared , it would be a divine blessing for all of us. Eagerly awaiting response from the learned members on this.
This is my first post and I have joined this family of carnatic music lovers & vidwans a few minutes back.
My first post happens to be on Chembaival as I am forever mesmerised by his agre paschyami ( from Narayaneeyam ) in praise of Sri Guruvayurappan , which reads as
" Agre paschyami tejo nimidaara kala yavali lobhaneeyam , piyushaplavitoham tadanutadutare divya kaisora vesam , tarunya ramba ramyam parama sukha rasa swada romanchitangai , raavidam naradatyar vilasat upansihad sundari mandalicha "
which when translated would mean
" Hey Guruvayoorappa , the one who is ever so radiant and whose very form is so captivating , one who is eternally young , meditating on whose very name confers on the devotee supreme bliss & the sweetest taste , the one who is venerated perenially by Sage Narada and the one who is constantly surrounded/circumambulated by Upanishads in the form of sundaris "
I gather that there is a possibility that a recording of his last concert may be privately available. If it can be accessed by any of the rasikas & vidwaans on this forum and be shared , it would be a divine blessing for all of us. Eagerly awaiting response from the learned members on this.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Advocate Narendra Menon of Ottapalam in Kerala, connoisseur of arts and a great patron of Chembai was present at the last concert of Chembai and is known to have taken some memorable snaps of the concert.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
A picture of the maestro (courtesy from my mother's collection)
GNB has found something to break into laughter !
Srkris - a request to identify the person next to Chembai .
.
GNB has found something to break into laughter !
Srkris - a request to identify the person next to Chembai .
.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Is he not Sattur AGS ? If not Can be MMD also.
Thanjavooran 19 08 2010
Thanjavooran 19 08 2010
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
I think it is Sattur.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Look alikes!
Sri Sattur A.G. Subramanyam:-
http://www.carnatica.net/artiste/satturags.htm
Sri M.M. Dandapani Desikar:-
http://archives.chennaionline.com/music ... esikar.jpg
But, the one in the above post is Sattur AGS.
Sri Sattur A.G. Subramanyam:-
http://www.carnatica.net/artiste/satturags.htm
Sri M.M. Dandapani Desikar:-
http://archives.chennaionline.com/music ... esikar.jpg
But, the one in the above post is Sattur AGS.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
CIenu thanks for the photo, it is Sattur indeed, looks quite young.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
I was listening to a Chembai concert recording last night...
He does a lovely Todi alapanam.
What is unique (at least for me) was that during the alapanam, he inserts the words 'oh rama' - as part of the alapanam! He weaves it into the alapanam so seamlessly for a few minutes, then goes back to the akaram. It creates such a divine effect!
What a great vidwan he was!
I have never heard any other artiste doing anything similar.
He does a lovely Todi alapanam.
What is unique (at least for me) was that during the alapanam, he inserts the words 'oh rama' - as part of the alapanam! He weaves it into the alapanam so seamlessly for a few minutes, then goes back to the akaram. It creates such a divine effect!
What a great vidwan he was!
I have never heard any other artiste doing anything similar.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
r-t,
TVS and his 'Hari' ?
TVS and his 'Hari' ?
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Rakshamam Saranagatham-Minakshisuta-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqlDWg74LHA chembai vaityanatha bahavathar
venkatakailasam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqlDWg74LHA chembai vaityanatha bahavathar
venkatakailasam
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Agre pashyami thejo by Chembai Vaithiyanatha Bahavathar:
It is a mix by me at this link: ( lyrics provided with the Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQUhG6AViEw
venkatakailasam
It is a mix by me at this link: ( lyrics provided with the Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQUhG6AViEw
venkatakailasam
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
A few years ago during the MA's December conference, Shri TVG gave a lecdem on varieties of tanam singing and played several clips of great masters rendering tAnam. IIRC, one very short audio clip taken from the MA archives featured a younger Chembai presenting tanam in tODi rAgam - it was simply mind-blowing. If someone out there has this clip and is willing to share it, I'd much appreciate it!
Ashwin
Ashwin
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
just now I have read Venkatakailasam post in "Vaggyekaras -Lalitha Dasar" -Chembai tuning music for Lalithadasar compositions.
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
The link to that thread : http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=16228
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
I wish I could do it if initiated.vasanthakokilam wrote:The link to that thread : http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=16228
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
TS Balakrishna Sastri makes a short speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLJbCcn5L0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLJbCcn5L0
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Re: Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
dear Rasikas
Yet another GuruvayoorEkadashi and another Chembai photo
Siva
Yet another GuruvayoorEkadashi and another Chembai photo
Siva