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Lalgudi Jayaraman
By T. M. Anantharaman |
It is not as if I had not relished the music of
violin maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman
before I went abroad. Ironically, it was while speaking
to the undersecretary of Arts & Culture department
in Doha, Qatar, back in March 1984, that I realized
instrumental music had a new dimension to it. We
had approached the undersecretary for permission
to host Lalgudi’s carnatic music concert.
Fearing that the official may veto our request to
hold the concert, I had pleaded with the argument
“but its only instrumental music!” I
was trying to stress the point that as it was instrumental
and not vocal, it won’t have any references
to Hindu deities. |
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The undersecretary looked squarely
at me and asked: “Who told you that instrumental
music cannot be religious music?”
It was a revelation. The official by asking that
question opened my eyes as it were to another facet
of Lalgudi’s music. Instrument it was. But
Lalgudi, with his vocalized style of playing the
violin, could invoke a spiritual experience for
the listener.
We had organized a festival of Indian classical
music in Doha, Qatar, in 1984, and among the performances
that stood out was of course that of Lalgudi Jayaraman’s
solo concert at the Sofitel Hotel. The three-hour
concert had exquisite vignettes of various ragas.
However, Hindolam and Kalyani ragas were given space
and dimension, making them truly melodious. To this
day I can remember the standing ovation he got from
the audience at the end of the concert.
Now for a little flashback. The first time I perhaps
listened to Lalgudi Jayaraman, with focused attention
to his enchanting music, was as soon as I had landed
in Doha, Qatar. The year was 1979. Destiny brought
me to meet an ardent carnatic music aficionado.
He had a vast collection of audio tapes of carnatic
music and one day he invited me to listen exclusively
to Lalgudi’s music.
The one that swept me off my feet and took me to
stratospheric heights was Lalgudi Jayaraman exquisitely
playing an enchanting and hummable Kalyanavasantham
raga followed by the Thyagaraja composition “Nadaloludai
Bramhananda mey”, something incredibly beautiful.
How can anyone bring in such grace, such a sheen,
such perfection, such hauntingly creative ideas
to enshrine the beauty of Kalyanavasantham for ever?
Then there was a racy Bilahari piece, a heart-tugging
ragamalika including such jewels as Sindu Bhairavi,
Maund and Tilang, breath-taking in their sweep and
joie-de-vivre!
There was another album wherein he had handled with
his usual vigorously enchanting mode kritis in ragas
like Mohana Kalyani, Desh, Hamir Kalyani, Kathanakuthuhalam,
Kapi, and Pahadi. The music, to put it simply, was
bewitching and for days on end, I was humming one
or the other of these masterpieces. Truly I was
bewitched by this “stringer supreme”
if I may coin a phrase in his honour.
Over the years, my friend softened the harsh realities
of my living in the Gulf alone and made it more
bearable. Many were the Friday evenings (Fridays
are holidays in Doha) we spent together listening
to and enjoying vintage music.
Music from albums of masters like Ariyakudi Ramanuja
Iyengar, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Alathur Brothers,
Madurai Mani Iyer , Chembai Vaidyanatha Baghavathar,
and others, to many of whom Lalgudi Jayaraman was
an automatic choice as an accompanying violinist.
Automatic, because he had the knack of giving admirable
support even while enriching the concert as a whole,
adding his own scintillating touches while playing
the raga or compositions or swaras.
It’s time to refer to a Tamil phrase “Chaala
porundum” when one talks about a musical genius
Lalgudi Jayaraman being honoured with “Lifetime
Achievement Award” by the Madras Music Academy.
It literally means “truly deserving”
but countless admirers of Lalgudi Jayaraman like
me, while welcoming the recognition, feel a twinge
of regret.
For, a title like “Sangeetha Kalanidhi”,
which he truly deserved for his multi-dimensional,
path-breaking contribution to carnatic music, eluded
him. Others were honoured so by the Music Academy.
That does not redound to the Academy’s credit.
It indeed is and must be reckoned as one of the
singular misfortunes in the history of carnatic
music.
Perhaps Lalgudi Jayaraman, one of 20th century’s
brilliant violinists, does not hanker after titles
as others of his ilk do. Titles have come unasked
for this genius.
The Government of India honoured him with Padma
Bhushan in 2001.The Federation of Music Sabhas,
Chennai, conferred on him the title “Sangeetha
Choodamani” in 1971.
Others too have recognised his worth. The Sangeetha
Natak Academy recognized his contribution to classical
music with an award in 1979. The Bangalore Gayana
Samaja gave him the title “Sangeetha Kala
Ratna” in October 1997. And in 1982, the first
Chowdiah Memorial National-Level Award was given
to him by the then chief minister Gundu Rao. He
was given the title “Bharatha Jyoti”
by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan following a millennium
concert it hosted at the New York Lincoln Centre,
which won him rave reviews.
And Yehudi Menuhin, world renowned violinist, was
so taken up with mastery and Lalgudi’s expressive
skills over the violin that he presented an Italian
violin in 1965 to the Indian musical wizard after
a concert for the Edinborough Music Festival.
Talking about rave reviews I would like to refer
to one. One by Prof. S. Ramanathan, venerable musician
and musicologist, who perhaps typifies the best
in Lalgudi Jayaraman’s music with the words:
“Its ingredients are a fascinating tonal allure,
a scintillating and polished delivery, a flawless
fluency, a preternatural grasp of the ins-and-outs
of Laya, an unflagging zeal, splendid resourcefulness,
an unruffled self possession, an effortless virtuosity,
a fine sense of proportion, a tautness of texture,
an impeccable musical idiom and total creative brilliance.
In short, it is a sweet ensemble of the choicest
artistic virtues". Ultimate appreciation indeed!
Be it riveting attention of the listener with soulful
enunciation of the bhava of a raga or a composition,
be it taking you into a different dimension of innovation
by etching out unheard of melodies in new ragas,
be it giving you an insight into his rich musical
grasp with many exquisite varnams or thillanas,
he is matchless.
An anecdote I must share with readers. I used to
think that I was among the greatest fans of Lalgudi
Jayaraman’s music. Until I met my uncle some
years ago. Apparently he had met Lalgudi one day
in the foyer of the Music Academy in Chennai and
went up to him, shook his hand, and told him: “,
Ungaladuya kaiyai kulukki innekki en janma sabalyam
aayidichu sir!” (“My life’s purpose
is accomplished after shaking hands with you!”)
Incredible but true. My uncle (and there are scores
of his genre, I am sure) is the ultimate die-hard
fan of Lalgudi Jayaraman!
In conclusion, I must also share one more nugget.
Violin maestro he is indisputably. But he has also
been an excellent vocal teacher of carnatic music.
Testimony to his inimitable and charming skill in
teaching vocal music was given by none other than
Balamurali Krishna when once he referred to Lalgudi’s
vocal teaching ability by remarking: “Thank
God he has not taken to vocal music; else we all
would have had to resort to some other profession
to make our living!”
The great violinist’s extraordinary musical
legacy is carried on by his vocalist disciples:
Bombay Jayashri, S.P.Ramh, Vishaka Hari and Saketaraman,
to name some. They are making waves as among the
topnotch gennext musicians today.
He also has many disciples who play the violin,
chief among them being his son G.J.R. Krishnan,
daughter Vijayalakshmi, and noted violinist Vittal
Ramamurthy. They have carved a special niche as
excellent and exuberant musicians on the violin.
May Lalgudi’s tribe increase, so that music
is always innovative and fresh, enjoyable, memorable
and melodious. Long live Lalgudi Jayaraman, carnatic
music’s “avathara purushan” (incarnate
personified)!
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