Vidushi Smt. Prema Hariharan

[LGanesan]

Dear all,

On this teacher's day, I remember with reverence and gratitude, my music Guru Vidushi Smt. Prema Hariharan, who left this world in May 2021 at the age of 83. To immortalise her music, we, her students have created a multilingual, fully annotated YouTube channel called the "Prema Hariharan | Carnatic Music Archives", as a digital library featuring rare collections of her renditions (https://bit.ly/PremaHariharan). Please enjoy and feel free to share with fellow rasikas.

About Vidushi Smt. Prema Hariharan
Born on Aug 2, 1938, Smt. Prema Hariharan started learning classical carnatic music at the tender age of six. She has also obtained a Masters degree in Tamil Literature and briefly served as a lecturer of Tamil in Ethiraj College.

She represents a school of pure traditional classical Carnatic music. She has learnt from scholars and legendary musicians such as Smt. Akhila Natesan, Sri. Patthamadai Sundaram, Maharajapuram Sri. Santhanam, Tanjavur Sri. Kalyanaraman, and Sri. R.S. Mani.

She received the title of "Nadakanal" and inspired music in its pure, authentic form in her numerous disciples. She was revered for her elegant style (chaste pronunciation and phrasing, measured delineation of ragas, kritis and swaras) as well as her scholarship by artists, scholars and students.



Articles on Smt. Prema Hariharan
1 - "Guru Prema Hariharan was as graceful as her music", by Chithra Shrikanth, on May 13, 2021, The Hindu (https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... 552056.ece)
2 - "Vidushi Prema Hariharan: A Musician Of Unparalleled Excellence", by R. Ravi Iyer, on May 29, 2021, India Herald (https://india-herald.com/vidushi-prema- ... 852-65.htm)

Thank you,
Sincerely,
Lakshmi Ganesan

[rajeshnat]

@LGanesan
I just heard her name only after your post. I vaguely recollect reading the hindu post. When i heard her anandam amruthavarshini and the swaras , one can see the santhanam stamp all over the rendition of krithi . I did not know that she was the earliest disciple of maharajapuram santhanam , Also during swaras i see some clarity like GNB , may be she got from another genius SKR . Trivandrum RS Mani is a great teacher , his daughter Visalakshi Nityanand is a super brilliant singer.Pattamadai many years back some kharaharapriya was put , he was blurring with Semmangudi . All said 4 great gurus - Santhanam, SKR, RSM and Pattamadai. When i heard her bhagyaada lakshmi and shree lakshmi in abhogi, i could get a lot of overlap with MLV

I vaguely recollect her face ,she was seated once next to me in one maharajapuram rAMachandran concert in hamsadhwani , or is my memory incorrect dont know. Perhaps a great vidushi of great performance grade that we all did not have chance to hear because of her humility , possibly she did not push herself too much into performance.

Thank you Lakshmi Ganesan . You and your extended team is indeed doing a great service by creating exclusive content along with youtube like channel

[CRama]

I remember hearing her concerts many times in the Madras AIR. Once in 70s, she came to Trivandrum also.Once I got very much impressed in her RSS concert where she sang Ksheerasgarasayi in Poorvikalyani and Balagopala. Then some time in end of 90s, I was in a meeting of Bombay Tamil Sangham held in somebody's house and they were broadcasting the Tiruvayyar aradhana . It was about 7 PM and there was this heavenly alpana of Subhapanthuvarali and Ennalu Oorage by this vidushi- direct relay from Tiruvayyar. I have recorded 2-3 radio concerts also. She had a very nice voice, solid patantharam acquired from many Gurus and a good musical aethetics. I remember she was honoured in Arkay or Ragasudha hall about 3-4 years back. I attended the programme. More of her concerts should appear in yt so that the present generation of rasikas will come to know about her.

[CRama]

Just now saw the above link and has got many concerts . I will listen to them in leisure.

[shankarank]

https://youtu.be/JVZmcC_s7B8?t=225
https://youtu.be/Wh-B4va72I8?t=410

Is she the vidushi in the center of the frame in the above two timelines? Though the name is familiar, never ventured to listen to her.

And see the standard of rendition even as late as 1994. Most of the musicians in the front row are not any concert famed ones. But what a vibrant rendition.

[CRama]

Yes. She is Prema Hariharan

[rajeshnat]

https://youtu.be/JVZmcC_s7B8?t=225
https://youtu.be/Wh-B4va72I8?t=410

Is she the vidushi in the center of the frame in the above two timelines? Though the name is familiar, never ventured to listen to her.

And see the standard of rendition even as late as 1994. Most of the musicians in the front row are not any concert famed ones. But what a vibrant rendition.

One main reason is kunnakudi vaidyanathan putting talam and never slipping the meter. I used to not like kunnakudi then as i thought he was distracting then ,but now i see and hear the value that he has made.

Incidentally many years back in 1986 semmangudi tells Kunnakudi "nee orchestra conduct panra maathiri pannu"

https://youtu.be/6PWsV80aL-g?t=31

All said Thyagaraja aradhana in tiruvayaru is a wonderful place for the matured old and the young vidwans and vidushis of all shades to meet and sing . It. is just not homage , but a soulful searching. THe above is one of my favourtite aradhana to see santhanam sitting in second row behind semmangudi with the galaxy of stars like MS amma, Brindamma , madurai somu, Dr S ramanathan ,DKJ , UKS, Balachandar, T Rukmini ,Ramani , AKC Natarajan, madurai GS Mani and younger brigade of Srimushnam raja roa, Kv prasad and many many more is a master card moment

[shankarank]

True, the Ariyakudi gait footprint was present in that generation. I don't believe it to be just the tALam effect from Sri Kunnakudi. It is just that in the madyamakAlam, current generation has lost the integrity of rendering kalpita sangItam which was strong in those years. The voice and breath and all of it. They are all over extended with lots of compositions and other factors. Pancaratnams are not being sung like often as was the practice then in concerts.