T.N. Krishnan

[srikant1987]

Has this ever been an issue in Indian violin circles? I am assuming people are just as comfortable with it as percussionists are with animal skin on their drums.

Srinath has mentioned that the sArangi uses gut strings too.

[SrinathK]

Dear mahavishnu, on a side note it's a bad, bad world we live in -- the same extends for mridangams & kanjiras, the whole dairy industry, and everything made of leather -- shoes, belts, car upholsteries, bags, wallets, clothes -- not to mention silk fabrics. In fact the same extends to plastic bags, rubber tyres, fireworks (!!), toothpaste, shampoos, refined sugar (!!), brake fluids, creams and gels, ink toners, photographic film, perfumes, crayons and even the very computers and electronic devices we use to type these posts! And more than 350 pharmaceutical products -- Insulin, cortisone, heart valve transplants, surgical gloves (!!), capsules... In all about 98% of an animal is used somewhere or the other and since they are all natural products they are biodegradable and improve the biodegradability of synthetic products -- gut strings & mridangam skins are only a part of the story. You know that the glue that is used in violins & pianos or most wooden instruments that essentially keeps them from falling apart is also an animal product?

By going vegetarian or vegan or avoiding plastic bags, we can avoid some of this, but that's about it. Many synthetic substitutes for animal products are in fact worse for the environment because of their highly toxic and non-biodegradable nature. So maybe the only option left for us now is to turn to the Bhagavad gita, "sarva dharmaan parityajya maam ekam sharanam vraja aham tvam sarva papebhyo mokshayisyaami ma suchah" (Surrender to God alone and do not grieve)

Anyway, coming back on topic. At least for violin strings, plenty of synthetic options are available now although they will always have to be compared to gut. In fact gut is quite costly and I think it's more affordable abroad than here. TNK sir's beautiful sound is due to how he has evolved his bowing technique in the era of gut strings -- for great musicians their sound is almost like a patented product so I believe that once they've settled on a good set they'll mostly keep it unaltered throughout their career.

Gut has been the preferred (and mostly the only available) choice for musical instruments for more than two thousand years! The yazh used it (narambu), the sarangi has always used it and gut strings have always been available long before Pirastro came into existence. Harps discovered from sites of old roman towns had gut strings that could still produce some sound despite being buried for 2000 years or so.

[mahavishnu]

Srinath, thanks for your detailed response.

[rshankar]

-- Insulin, cortisone,

Not really true - Insulin is made using rDNA technology from E. coli - the bacteria secrete it into the supernatant media, from which the peptide is purified. Way back when, we used to have bovine and porcine insulins on the market (extracted from pancreata of cows and pigs respectively) that were very highly immunogenic. Not so anymore. I think insulin can also be made using a yeast system as well.
Cortisone is typically synthesized in chemists' labs.

[srikant1987]

Of course, I realise that TNK is the major reason for TNK's sweetness of tone

Here's what TNK says about it:

I was [asked] whether I’ve played a Stradivarius. I promptly replied saying I have and it’s worth every bit of the hype that it’s given. But the nuances of the instrument will be known only to me; the audiences will only know that the music is good. However, it isn’t about the beauty of the instrument or the clarity it gives, as much as the way I play it. It’s similar to a driver who is in a Jaguar, after driving a Maruti. While the driver himself will be astounded by the change in quality, the passengers will only know that it is excellent, without knowing why or how. But the passengers will only have a good experience if the driver is good, irrespective of which car it is.

-- http://www.highonscore.com/tete-a-tete- ... n-krishnan

[arasi]

Srikanth,
Thank you! So well put, not a surprise, coming from TNK!

Read the interview too. The interviewer mentioning Aryagudi Ramanuja Iyer was amusing to read

[srikant1987]

It is remarkable how much easier it is to SING his music, and how hard it is to play on the violin!

THAT is what we call gAyaki playing! =)

[srkris]

Vintage TNK-TVG recording
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOcRa0JnY60

[harimau]

You know that the glue that is used in violins & pianos or most wooden instruments that essentially keeps them from falling apart is also an animal product?

The violins are in India are glued together with Fevicol, much to the dismay of Mr Wimmer, a gentleman from Santa Barbara who came to Chennai last year at the instance of Lalgudi GJR Krishnan to conduct a workshop to train Indian technicians on the nuances of repairing violins. He finally found a shop in Chennai that had a supply of horse glue, the preferred material for use in musical instruments.

Right now, the second such workshop is going on in T-Nagar with half a dozen technicians learning from Mr Wimmer.

Perhaps this workshop will become an annual affair.

[SrinathK]

Never mind, I haven't seen anyone yet who can cut me a proper bridge. Last time I did that exercise, it resulted in one ruined Aubert 3 star and it was cut so bad that it felt like I was playing on steel bars instead of strings. I borrowed a friend's violin only to find that the strings (ahem, solid metal bars) were so high above the board I couldn't even press them down properly and I wondered, "How in the world does this guy manage to play concerts with THIS and not break his tendons?"

I've played on a couple of instruments that have also been properly set up. It's effortless by comparison. You feel like the violin guides you right to where you want to play.

[rajeshnat]

writeup on this great vidwan Prof T N Krishnan dated Dec 07,2018
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... 680704.ece

[rajeshnat]

The year was 1980 , sangeetha kalanidhi was given to Prof TN Krishnan. Atleast that year there were moments when Lalgudi Jayaraman was not happy is what we all heard. About 5 to 10 years back i heard from a senior musician who is not any more that TM Thyagarajan then was not happy that he was passed . The very next year 1981 TMT got it . Semmangudi had a great say then.

Surprise after 39 years we are now having parthasarathi swami sabha honouring Prof TN Krishnan with the Sangeetha kalasarathy . Incidentally this year they have given to TNK, Guravayoor Durai and TV gopalakrishnan. Nice of this lovely Prathasarathy sabha a 100 year old sabha to honour great artists.

When the name TNK pops i have an imagery of he playing Keeravani . How beautifully he plays that raga . kudos to Prof TN Krishnan on his sangeetha kalasarathy -2019.

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Rajesh: While the main points of the "backdrop" you have mentioned are factually correct there were more nuances and pushes and pulls involved as told by my late father K.S.Mahadevan. While this forum may not be the appropriate space to regurgitate the issue, the bottom line is that SSI did not come out ahead despite the fact that two of his disciples were to be the contenders. The issue was handled acc to my late Dad in a "ham-fisted" way by MA(what else to do you expect from this body anyway!!). TMT was more hurt because in my opinion and in the opinions of other contemporary artistes,he was an epitome for "THOZHIL DHARMAM"

.

[shankarank]

Here is an energetic concert : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCbYByZvCvU.

This predates the forum and the video ID did not turn up in search.

[shankarank]

Meeting of the legends TNK and PMI:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlJvfE2X7nE

Interesting positioning of purAkumba sambhava muni vara in vAtapi. Full of Verve!

[K Nagarajan]

TN Krishnan
Vellore G Ramabhadran
45 RPM - Columbia - 1965
kaligiyunte gada - keeravani

https://youtu.be/9VK_PZUR5j8