B S Raja Iyengar

Carnatic Musicians
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Gamakam
Posts: 241
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 23:04

Post by Gamakam »

The response from the TKJ thread inspired me post another topic on B S Raja Iyengar.

In his case, I was not a total illiterate. I have heard his brilliant rendition of Brocheva, Kshirasagara and have also heard in those days, his 78 rpms sold like hot cakes. I even saw an advertisement of his film in one of the magazines.

However, it was a real surprise to find so many concert reviews. Interestingly, he has lived even in the 70s i've hardly come across his concerts among the veteran collectors.

I hope we could similar insights on B S Raja Iyengar as we did for TKJ.

keerthi
Posts: 1309
Joined: 12 Oct 2008, 14:10

Post by keerthi »

He was famous for his record of jagadOddhArana where he sang the second line AdisidaLE -shOdA!

this stuck in the minds of youngsters and was imitated, in jest..

he had a pliant, powerful voice, and sang in the 'Drama company' style, with a high pitch, impressive range and harmonium accompaniment..

I think there is a HMV tape ,of his famous 78 rpm record songs, including nagumOmu and kSIrasAgarashayana (both ranging from mandra P/m? to tara P/ atitara S). he also sang kuppayar's Jagadabhirama in a quaint harikatha/drama troupe species of kAnaDa.. and the garbhapurti krti KoniYaDa taramA, in vakulabharaNam, in the same style..

listening to rAja iyengar's music, we can understand the evolution/progress of Carnatic music, in the court/temple performance- theatre-stage performance - sabha performance series..
at least part of it..

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

Post by vasanthakokilam »

AIR Madras used to play his 78 RPM records in the early morning in the seventies. Not sure if that practice still exists.

knandago2001
Posts: 645
Joined: 05 Sep 2006, 10:09

Post by knandago2001 »

This is taken from a write-up on vidwan B.S. Raja Iyengar in Sruti (vol. 203). Sri. B.S. Raja Iyengar (1901- 1978) hailed from the village of Banavar near Arsikere (Hasan district) of Karnataka. His initial music training was under the guidance of his maternal uncle followed by lessons from Harmonium vidwan Shama Rau who played with the drama company of Mysore Varadachar. Later on, Raja Iyengar received advanced training from Sri. K.V. Srinivasa Iyengar, brother of Tiger Varadachariar. Iyengar’s concert debut in Egmore - Madras, was followed by a performance at the Akhil Bharat Sangeet Sammelan, held during a session of the Indian National Congress in 1927 in Madras. In a career that spanned over three decades, Raja Iyengar garnered recognition for his achievements - the Karnataka State Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1967), Gana Kala Bhooshana from the Karnataka Gana Kala Parishat (1970) and the central Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1973). Raja Iyengar starred as Narada in the film 'Satya Harishchandra' made in 1943 and directed by Nagendra Rao. Audio link to "Shantiye jeevana" from the movie (the tune of this song is reminescent of Tyagaraja's evarani)
http://www.hummaa.com/music/album/17721 ... dra+(kan)#

Manuja shareera
http://www.esnips.com/doc/db5f2680-3ef8 ... ara-Dasaru

Jagadaabhirama
http://www.esnips.com/doc/f2b74a0d-504e ... a%20dasaru

Jagadoddharana
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/c ... artist.93/

All India Radio Concert
http://www.musicplug.in/songs.php?movie ... &langid=19

Arunachalappa, a versatile harmonium and violin player, provided accompaniment the music of B.S. Raja Ayyangar. 'Jagadoddharana' (78 rpm record) provides evidence of his skills. Hailing from a weaver's family and orphaned early in life, Arunachalappa had his initial training from his football team-mate Sri. Narayanaswami and later on from Violin Sri. Puttappa. Honnappa Bhagavatar was a disciple of Arunachalappa. The story goes that at one performance, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya declined permission to a harmonium player providing accompaniment to B.S. Raja Ayyangar. Later he relented and in fact honoured the harmonium vadak with a gold medal, after declaring that he had only one gold medal for Ayyangar but after hearing Arunachalappa, he had to leave the concert for a short while to get another one for him! Likewise, Krishnaraja Wodeyar of Mysore apparently overcame his intense dislike of the harmonium when he heard Arunachalappa.
Last edited by knandago2001 on 21 Aug 2009, 20:54, edited 1 time in total.

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