G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Carnatic composers (other than performing vidwans)
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Pratyaksham Bala
Posts: 4164
Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

The link given in #471 opens the tinypic site; but it takes time to show the image.

The image is not visible in rasikas.org site as it is 1600 pixels wide. The limitation is 1440 pixels.

So, the tinypic image was copied, taken to photoshop, and the size was reduced. The revised smaller size image was taken again to tinypics, and the resultant link was posted in #474.

(May be, there is a simpler way out!)

sivachinta1965
Posts: 189
Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 11:32

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by sivachinta1965 »

Dear Balaji
Thanks a lot.
Sivaprasad

sivachinta1965
Posts: 189
Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 11:32

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by sivachinta1965 »

Dear Rasikas

GNB as Narada in Sati Anasooya 1940 Tamil Movie

Image

Sivaprasad

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by CRama »

Sivaprasad, Thanks for digging this old posture and bringing to us.

sivachinta1965
Posts: 189
Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 11:32

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by sivachinta1965 »

Dear CRamji

Can somebody get some information on the music photographer who took the photo of GNB taking a pinch of Snuff which appeared in Indian Express in 1994-95. His name is Mr... Rao

Thanks

Sivaprasad

Pasupathy
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Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by Pasupathy »

A review (in Tamil ) of GNB's first Radio Concert!
சங்கீத சங்கதிகள் - 105
ஜி.என்.பியின் முதல் ரேடியோக் கச்சேரி!
“ நீலம் “
http://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2017/01/105.html

Pasupathy
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Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by Pasupathy »

Musical Tidbits - 127
A Tamil Article by GNB ( 1946)

768. சங்கீத சங்கதிகள் - 127
ரசிகரின் மனோபாவம்
ஜி.என்.பி.

http://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2017/07/768-127.html

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by parivadini »

Pasupathy wrote: 13 Jul 2017, 17:43 Musical Tidbits - 127
A Tamil Article by GNB ( 1946)

768. சங்கீத சங்கதிகள் - 127
ரசிகரின் மனோபாவம்
ஜி.என்.பி.

http://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2017/07/768-127.html
HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO UNEARTH SUCH TREASURES SIR!

Pasupathy
Posts: 7868
Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by Pasupathy »

>>HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO UNEARTH SUCH TREASURES SIR! >>

:-)

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by SrinathK »

A case study in evolution :

First up, a sAvEri from the 1930s : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYK7IORQNow

My thoughts -- Talk about raw mangoes. GNB's early voice reveals the quite an influence of Tiger Varadachariar and it's super-manueverability is ridiculous. There's a distinctive ring to his voice and it sometimes crosses over to a bit of nasality. Now, I really wonder if this was actually the way CM was sung on stage in the early 20th century for mike-less concerts or was this just a gamaka stripped, sped up technique vocalists used to fit their rendition into 3 min and 15 sec of plate run time.

Because if you listen to the Vasudevayani track from 1940, already you hear a Kalyani which is far closer to it's mature form. Again a 11 or 12 min recording is probably not representative of a more elaborate live concert exposition. By this point GNB's voice timbre and phrases are now truly his own, though he still has the ring in his voice (but no more the nasality).

Then, another sAvEri, 30 years later, from the early 60s : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt4TORt8iHM&t=27s - a more introspective and moving version. Look at the depth of phrasing and the gamakas on this one and the depth in the lower octave.

At this point, the recording tech had caught up to fully capture a 60 min RTP at the very least, and this comes from a live concert.

By the 1950s I notice that the old ring disappeared over time from GNB's voice and it became deeper and heavier. In the 60s, despite ill health, the phrasing in the ragas continued to mature and get ever more intricate.

This is typically the way the male voice evolves after the voice breaking agonies of one's teenage years.

These features are not unique to him. By the 1950s and 1960s, virtually all Carnatic recordings of all artistes show that the music settled into a gamaka maximal form. And consider this, the playing techniques of violinists also changed with the arrival of the then next gen prodigies in the 1950s and 60s. There's even a theory that the violin in turn influenced vocalists gamakas' more than expected.

Therefore the big question is -- was the gayaki style really that minimalist a hundred years ago? Did the G2 of Thodi get to it's present shape only in the last 50 years or so? (Yeah, I know CM is still evolving even now, but I'm stopping at GNB's times).

I'd advise rasikas to buy the millenial collection of GNB and any albums released of his available concerts -- it's almost like a snapshot of an artiste's evolution across time (and the evolution of music recordings or CM itself). The tragedy is the wealth of musicality in a GNB concert was never captured adequately owing to a sheer paucity of recordings. When I hear about Palghat Raghu and LGJ having accompanied GNB in almost 2000 concerts, I can scarcely imagine just what I missed.

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by SrinathK »

Here's a rare recording of GNB singing a scintillating shloka in kharaharapriya, rishabhapriya, ranjani and sindhubhairavi. The brighas are electrifying and beautifully structured with stupendous replies from Lalgudi Jayaraman on the violin. It vanished off the tube sometime back, but it's back.

This is only the second of 2 recordings of GNB's kharaharapriya and the only one out there featuring rishabhapriya and ranjani.

It's followed by smaravAram. The concert from which this was extracted is labelled 1964, but it's probably likely to be earlier. This concert is one of GNB's best on tape - featuring AndOlika, subramanyaya namastE, and an RTP in Shanmukhapriya where GNB has explored all 3 octaves. LGJ's accompaniment is the special highlight.

https://soundcloud.com/user461654480/g- ... maravaaram

narayan
Posts: 383
Joined: 05 Oct 2008, 07:43

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by narayan »

SrinathK wrote: 03 Sep 2017, 21:08 Here's a rare recording of GNB singing a scintillating shloka in kharaharapriya, rishabhapriya, ranjani and sindhubhairavi. The brighas are electrifying and beautifully structured with stupendous replies from Lalgudi Jayaraman on the violin.
...
https://soundcloud.com/user461654480/g- ... maravaaram
Thanks much for this. One should use certain adjectives sparingly. Scintillating and stupendous seem just right to me, here.

SrinathK
Posts: 2477
Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by SrinathK »

Here's a rasika sharing his memories :-
G.N.B. - My Idol

Some Personal Glimpses and a Humble Encomium

Dr. P. Rajagopalan

(Dedicated with respect and admiration to the memory of the Genius)

Much has been said and written about the legend that was G.N.B., his life, his personality, his music, his versatility and his achievements in the short span of his life. So the reader may wonder why I am carrying coal to New Castle by writing another article on this extraordinary musician who strode like a colossus among the greatest musicians of his time. It is because, as an ardent devotee of his music for over seven decades, I never had a chance to pay my tribute, in any form, to him or to his memory in a public forum.

Thousands of admirers of G.N.B. were and are aware that those letters stood for Gudalur Narayanaswamy Balasubramaniam but to me those represent the Genius Nadhopaasaka Balasubramniam. I firmly believe that geniuses are born and not made and everybody who is familiar with G.N.B.’s music would agree, without any reservation, that he did belong to that exclusive club. I hasten to add that by this remark I mean no disrespect to the famous musicians of his time who were giants of the profession. Since I am neither a musician nor have any expertise in carnatic music, I will restrict this article to my own humble impressions of his magnificent music gleaned from four of the many concerts of his I was fortunate to attend.

Although I always enjoyed carnatic vocal music from my childhood and was familiar with the names of the musical greats of the late thirties through All India Radio, I never had a chance to listen to any of them live until December 1939 when my brother, Sri. Ramabhadran (SAFE), and I chanced to visit the famous Exhibition held every year at the sprawling Congress grounds in Teynampet. I was nine years old then and my knowledge of carnatic music was so rudimentary that I thought, if I could be a trifle facetious, that Kalyani and Vasantha were names given to girls. The truth of the matter is that I could not identify either of those ragas (or any other raga for that matter) whenever and wherever they were elaborated. Anyway, when my brother and I walked through the portals of the exhibition, we were struck by a rich and commanding voice that wafted over the din. Curious to see who it belonged to, we followed the voice to a makeshift theatre that was filled to capacity. From a distance we could discern a group of musicians ensconced on a dais. The vocalist was a strikingly handsome man sitting ram-rod straight, resplendent in pure white clothes with diamond studs sparkling from his ear lobes. What attracted me to him was his uniquely captivating voice the like of which I had never heard before. It was at once sonorous and soothing, dazzling and daring, lilting and sensual, and it wrapped me in a cocoon of absolute bliss from which escape was impossible; verily like the ‘Chakra Vyooham’ into which Abhimanyu was drawn but did not know how to break out. I cannot recall who his accompanists were or what krithis he sang on that occasion but they scarcely matter because I became a slave to his divine music just from that moment. Since then I had the good fortune to have attended many of his concerts and listened to a few over the radio until his shocking and untimely demise in 1965, except for a period of six years from 1955 when I was in the States to get my Doctorate and carry out post-doctoral research. En passant, I have to mention here that one of my greatest regrets is that I missed G.N.B.’s music during that long period when he was at his glorious best! The other one is that I never had a chance to meet and get to know him.

I would like to share with the reader the impact that four concerts of the great genius, that I was fortunate to be present at during various stages of my life, had on me. The first one was in 1945 at Kumbakonam whither my family and I had moved two years earlier during the World War II mass exodus (euphemistically called ‘evacuation’) from Chennai. It was the year of the ‘Mahamakam’ festival which is celebrated once in 12 years on a grand scale at Kumbakonam during which a series of concerts featuring great musicians of the time were held. Two such musicians were G.N.B. and Madurai Mani Iyer whose concerts were arranged on successive days. Just two weeks before the festival, a rumour to the effect that Madurai Mani Iyer had passed away after a brief illness spread around like wild fire casting a pall of gloom over the entire concert series and leaving carnatic music lovers stunned. However, within 24 hours the news that Mani Iyer was alive and recovering from a serious illness was announced over the radio and published in the newspapers. While the good news came as a great relief to the experts and laymen alike, no one was sure whether Mani Iyer would be fit enough to perform on the scheduled day. In the event, he not only fully recovered but went on to give an outstanding concert marked by a terrific aalapana of Kamboji and the fabulous rendition of his favourite krithi ‘Kaana kan kodi vendum with remarkable niraval of ‘Maanikkam vairam muthal’ followed by cascade of lilting swaras. The following day was G.N.B.’s turn. He was 35 then and in fine mettle and I was nearing 15 with a slight improvement in my ability to recognize a few popular ragas. After a breezy varnam, G.N.B. built up a terrific tempo leading to Kamboji which he took on as though it were a challenge to Mani Iyer’s rendition of it the day before. Every appealing facet of this grand raga was unravelled step by step in as much minute and loving detail as a Flemish diamond expert would invoke in cutting and polishing a raw diamond to brilliant perfection. The krithi chosen was ‘Ma Janki’ the pallavi of which starts off on a higher octave than most of the other compositions in that raga. In his typical madhyama kala tempo he rendered the song with his inimitable sangathis leading to an exhaustive niraval at ‘Raja raja vara’ in three octaves followed by a spectacular swaraprasthara which brought the house down. Those two concerts by the stalwarts were the talk of the town for days with the experts not being able to decide which was better! Again, I cannot recall who the accompanists were for either of the artistes.

The next concert was at New Delhi 1949 when I was in my first year of M.Sc. course at the University of Delhi. The maestro’s accompanists were T.N. Krishnan (he was Master Krishnan then) and Palani Subramania Pillai. Early on in the concert he elaborated the raga Andolika. Although I was, by then, familiar with two songs, ‘Raga sudharasa’ and ‘Sevikka vendum ayya’, in that terrific raga, I had never heard an aalapana of it before. In one word, it was stunning! The difficult high notes were reached with gay abandon and at lightning speed bedecked with amazing brigas, leaving the audience spell bound. The coup de grace was delivered with an amazing array of swaras following a beautiful rendering of the krithi. The great and gifted accompanists were scarcely able to keep pace with the torrent but they did manage beautifully! After a couple of whirlwind songs, the genius unleashed a mind-boggling campaign for the conquest of Mount Begada the like of which one comes across but once in his or her life time. Although born of the majestic Sankarabharanam, this precocious offspring is, in my opinion, more captivating than the parent offering enormous scope for manodharma. According to one of the biographies of Maha Vidwan Patnam Subramania Iyer, he once sang Begada for three days without repetition of phrases and that from then on he came to be known as Begada Subramania Iyer! One of his disciples, the famous Vidwan Tiger Varadhachariar was known for his detailed and beautiful rendering of this raga. No wonder then that G.N.B., who had a brief tutelage under Tiger, had imbibed the nuances of Patnam’s Begada through the former. This was quite apparent in G.N.B.’s organized and carefully planned approach to the summit. Unlike the mountaineer who moves fast to establish an advanced camp before his slow ascent to the summit, G.N.B. began the raga in a leisurely tempo in the lowest octave to build a base camp reflecting the raga’s grandeur. The advance camp was set up via medium tempo and middle octave after breath-taking and detailed negotiation of the intricate passages, nuances and subtleties of the raga. By then there was pin-drop silence in the hall. The final blitzkrieg to the summit was brilliantly conceived and consummately executed and G.N.B. took the entire audience with him to the summit for them to enjoy the glorious vista of the indescribable thaanam and pallavi replete with ragamalika swaras that followed. In all, he spent about 75 minutes on that R.T.P. and to this day I am reminded of that incredible Begada whenever I hear it sung!

The third concert was at the new T.T.K auditorium of the Music Academy in December, 1961, with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Palani Subramania Pillai as accompanists. I had just returned from my sojourn in the States to learn that the great man was recovering from a bout of serious illness. G.N.B. did look a little haggard and there was apprehension pervading the atmosphere of the auditorium. However, with the varnam it vanished like the morning dew and the maestro regaled the audience with a scintillating three-minute sarva laghu swara korvai at the end of the Hindolam krithi ‘Manasuloni marmamu’ and an enthralling elaboration of the Kalyani raga as he alone could. The krithi chosen was Saint Thyagaraja’s ‘Nee mahima pokada tharamaa’ which was rendered spiritedly with an amazing niraval at ‘sura sevitha sreenivaasaa’ laced with brigas followed by a spectacular swaraprasthara in which Lalgudi and Palani joined with gusto to a thunderous ovation!

The last one was at Bombay in 1964 when I was a Senior Research Scientist at CIBA Research Centre located in the suburb of Goregaon. The Shanmugananda Sangeetha Sabha which organized it, usually schedules two concerts by a visiting musician on successive days to accommodate its 4000 members. However, because of G.N.B.’s delicate health, Sri. T.V. Ramanujam, the President of the Sabha at that time, decided to hold only one concert instead. Needless to state that the cavernous hall was filled to capacity. The maestro’s accompanists for that concert were Chowdiah, Palghat Mani Iyer and Swaminatha Pillai (son of the legendary Pudukottai Dakshinamurthy Pillai) on the Kanjira. When I saw G.N.B. on the stage he looked frail and my heart was filled with remorse. But the concert turned to be one of his best probably because of the following reasons: First, he was inspired not only by the presence of his old friends Chowdiah and Palghat Mani Iyer but also of Swaminatha Pillai who was playing for him for the first time. Secondly, his good friend and admirer, Sri. Ramanujam, was present to cheer him on. Thirdly, the audience of over 2000 eager fans. So he rose to the occasion. Although his voice did not have the range it used to traverse, it was still robust enough for him to explore the raga Mohanam at length to unfold its beauty. The fetching composition, ‘Sri Rama ramanee manohara’ was rendered lovingly with the niraval at ‘Athulitha divya guna’ and an intricate swara pattern as if to challenge the masters of laya on the stage to which they responded brilliantly and together with Chowdiah made Mohanam a memorable experience! However what made the concert especially memorable, is the krithi, ‘Parama krupa saagari, in Yedukulakambodhi which G.N.B. sang toward the end after an outstanding R.T.P. in Kamboji. It is a great composition in Sanskrit and the way he rendered it was intensely moving, sad and poignant as if he sensed that he did not have long to live. Curious to learn whose creation it was since it did not carry any ‘mudra’ of the composer, I asked somebody in the audience and was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was G.N.B.’s own! Although I was familiar with his compositions in ragas Amritha Behag, Saranga tharangini, Kaanada and Ranjani by then, I had never heard G.N.B. sing any of his own compositions in his concerts. So the Bombay concert is very special to me because I was fortunate to be present at the only concert which gave me an idea how his compositions would sound when he himself rendered it!

Before closing this article, I would like to share the opinions of two of G.N.B.’s famous disciples, Dr. M.L. Vasanthakumari (M.L.V.) and Sri.Tanjore S. Kalyanaraman, of their illustrious Guru. Both of them had stayed with me and my family in Garden City, NY, for a few days during their concert tours of the States and Canada in 1976 and 1978, respectively, organized by the Carnatic Music Association of North America (CMANA) of which I was the President then. Besides their regularly scheduled concerts, I had arranged chamber concerts consisting entirely of G.N.B. krithis by them at my residence. Remembering the Yedukulakambodhi krithi I had heard sung by her Guru himself, I requested M.L.V. to include it in her concert. The day before the event, M.L.V. wanted to go over the krithi once or twice because she had forgotten a couple of lines of it. My family, myself, her daughter and her accompanists sat around her to listen to her practise the song. She was in a joyous mood and started singing the pallavi of the krithi when she suddenly stopped and began to sob uncontrollably. Tears started flowing freely and we were anxious to know what was bothering her. She took a few minutes to compose herself and then turned to me and said, ‘Mama, I have never wept for anything in my life, but this song reminded how great my guru was in every aspect of his life and so I could not control myself”. She then went on to assure me that she would do justice to this song in the concert but I told her firmly that that was out of the question. Sri. Kalyanaraman and I had long discussions about his Guru, his music and his personality and on one occasion I asked him why he chose G.N.B. to be his mentor. Back came the spontaneous and unhesitating response: “Because he was a genius”. That succinct statement says it all!

Although the Genius is no longer with us, his divine music reflecting his incredible Gnaanam, Nayam and Bhaavam will for ever endure!

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by rajeshnat »

Lovely writeup of GNB thank you srinathk . I did not know that MMI rumour in 1945. I have seen Dr Rajagopolan . I have not talked with him at all . I have little relationship with his extraordinary brother Safe Ramabadran who must be the biggest fan of GNB.

It is just not that GNB showed his class as a vidwan or a vaggeyakkara , but he groomed a new generation of rasikas like CMANA Rajagopalan and Safe Ramabadran to setup sabha and propagate the art , but for this extreme passion those who are born after GNB era would not have enjoyed this much music. Among all musicians certainly GNB rasikas rule in the role of carnatic stewardship. I have heard families moving to mayavaram to fear worldwar II bombs, but did not know few of them went 35 kms south to kumbakonam . If they hear in kumbakonam on two consecutive days GNB and MMI , what more they need that too manikkam vairam and mA janaki, even mahamakham is not such a big event in kumbakonam, the lakes in mahamagham must have been purely stormbodhi. Kudos to Rajagopalan sir who wrote interesting abbreviations like Genius Nadhopaasaka Balasubramaniam and Gnaanam Nayam Bhaavam - i was only aware of Great New Baani

vsn69
Posts: 152
Joined: 02 Oct 2017, 17:30

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by vsn69 »

SrinathK wrote: 06 Jan 2016, 12:36 By G.N. Balakrishnan.
Imbibing greatly from those whom he admired most, like ARIYAKUDI , his mentor , for his concert tradition, whom he adopted as his Manasika Guru, MAHARAJAPURAM for his vivacity, TNR , for his virtuosity and imagination , and he established a distinct style of his own, named after him as GNB BANI, which is said to be an amalgam of all these great stalwarts, as also the music of MAHA VAIDYANATHAN IYER and PUSHPAVANAM, whom my father considered as the ULTIMATE IN MUSIC.
Fate plucked away Sri Pushpavanam's life when he was just 28, yet to read that GNB's father thought Sri Pushpavanam as the ULTIMATE IN MUSIC is amazing.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by rajeshnat »

vsn69 wrote: 10 Oct 2017, 09:42
SrinathK wrote: 06 Jan 2016, 12:36 By G.N. Balakrishnan.
Imbibing greatly from those whom he admired most, like ARIYAKUDI , his mentor , for his concert tradition, whom he adopted as his Manasika Guru, MAHARAJAPURAM for his vivacity, TNR , for his virtuosity and imagination , and he established a distinct style of his own, named after him as GNB BANI, which is said to be an amalgam of all these great stalwarts, as also the music of MAHA VAIDYANATHAN IYER and PUSHPAVANAM, whom my father considered as the ULTIMATE IN MUSIC.
Fate plucked away Sri Pushpavanam's life when he was just 28, yet to read that GNB's father thought Sri Pushpavanam as the ULTIMATE IN MUSIC is amazing.
VSN69,
The author GN Balakrishnan says his father GNB says pushpavanam was ultimate in music . You have mistaken GNB father GV Narayanaswamy Iyer said , he may have said but the author does not say so.

vsn69
Posts: 152
Joined: 02 Oct 2017, 17:30

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by vsn69 »

rajeshnat wrote: 10 Oct 2017, 13:06
vsn69 wrote: 10 Oct 2017, 09:42
SrinathK wrote: 06 Jan 2016, 12:36 By G.N. Balakrishnan.
Imbibing greatly from those whom he admired most, like ARIYAKUDI , his mentor , for his concert tradition, whom he adopted as his Manasika Guru, MAHARAJAPURAM for his vivacity, TNR , for his virtuosity and imagination , and he established a distinct style of his own, named after him as GNB BANI, which is said to be an amalgam of all these great stalwarts, as also the music of MAHA VAIDYANATHAN IYER and PUSHPAVANAM, whom my father considered as the ULTIMATE IN MUSIC.
Fate plucked away Sri Pushpavanam's life when he was just 28, yet to read that GNB's father thought Sri Pushpavanam as the ULTIMATE IN MUSIC is amazing.
VSN69,
The author GN Balakrishnan says his father GNB says pushpavanam was ultimate in music . You have mistaken GNB father GV Narayanaswamy Iyer said , he may have said but the author does not say so.
Sri GNB would not have heard Sri Pushpavanam as he passed away in 1920. GN Balakrishnan refers to GV Narayanaswamy Iyer.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by rajeshnat »

vsn69 wrote: 10 Oct 2017, 17:05
Sri GNB would not have heard Sri Pushpavanam as he passed away in 1920. GN Balakrishnan refers to GV Narayanaswamy Iyer.
VSN69,
GN Balakrishnan is younger brother of GNB . you are right sir . I just mined our forum to see the GN Balakrishnan id is gienbee and he has made few posts

gb_rajasekar
Posts: 42
Joined: 22 Mar 2005, 07:11

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by gb_rajasekar »

Dear Rasikas,
thank you for a wonderful rememberences of my father Shri GNB. These statements still bring tears to my eyes. My nephew just posted a Shamugapriya RTP last week in Facebook page. It is of 75 Minutes or so. One of the two available on tapes. We are still searching for the Karaharapriya kirthanai as reminisced by Shri Lalgudi which he had accompanied in Perambur Sangeetha Sabha

Though he was a well known Carnatic musician his knowledge of other music systems was quite astounding. I once heard his colleague Shri HMV Raghu mention that he used to speak often with Shri Handel Manuel producer of western music on various aspects of it. We were very used to have many visitors from overseas coming during season to discuss music with him and he would give a comparative study on the two types of music.

Thanks once again

G.B.Rajasekar

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by rajeshnat »

gb_rajasekar wrote: 11 Oct 2017, 13:07 I once heard his colleague Shri HMV Raghu mention that he used to speak often with Shri Handel Manuel producer of western music on various aspects of it.
G.B.Rajasekar
GBR Sir
Just keep talking to HMV Raghu and get any more interesting anecdotes. For all those who donot know Handel Manuel , he is a pianist , collaborator and conductor and has brought western music particularly to chennai . Handel's son is Viji Manuel , the legendary piano artist who has been the one key right hand of isaignani illayaraja .

Lalitharam ramachandran - parivadhini - gamakam,
I am sure you are there , may be you may know the details of the conversation of GNB and Handel as you were also in touch with HMV Raghu.

Ramgopal
Posts: 7
Joined: 07 Dec 2017, 12:11

Re: Sr GN Balasubramaniam's compositions

Post by Ramgopal »

Dear Sri Rajasekar garu
Namaskaaram!
My mother in law Smt NC Rajyalakshmi is doing research in music and was looking for Vidwaan Sri GN Balasubramaniam's compositions. Would it be possible Sir, for you to kindly direct me to any site that might have the lyrics and notations for his compositions? She was specifically looking for Sama Gana Lole.
My humble regards to you.
Ramgopal
gb_rajasekar wrote: 19 Feb 2006, 07:14 Dear Rasikas,
Thanks for all the compliments about my father. We in the family are definitely not sure about Vandanadarini and later on it was confirmed by many people that it was his composition. The first we heard it was by a disciple of Sri S.Kalyanaraman. Then the plausibility improved , and as i had written earlier and quoted by Meena,
my father never kept any record of his compositions. I do have a handwritten manuskript of some compositions in a notebook, where there are notations for some compositions he learnt and also a few he wrote- possibly in his later years.

i will try and post a sample when i return to Bangalore tomorrow, as I am in Mumbai today.

Some of the Rare - ragas or his discovery ( use of the word creation is dubious as I am not sure a raga can be created) - composing and naming.. like the stars in the galaxy.

are

Amrita Behag.
Siva Sakthi ( Indication of the nine swaras as in the nine peedas of the Srichakram and - see the number nine even in the name of the raga and the nine swaras in the avohanam and avarohanam)
Chandrahasitam
chayaranjini
Gavati ( a Hindustani raga- first heard by him sung by Sri Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saheb-- he first made a signal tune _ filler between programs on the radio- with this raga and then made a varnam- the carnatic version of the same and with vakra prayogas...)

As quoted by Meena, there are no proper records and all pieces -- really as he never wrote it down,, only dictated them to his disciple of the moment with the notations and taught them when his disiciples wanted to hear them.. this also not in his own handwriting as it was very bad similar to a doctors prescription.. my grand father used to joke that if my father wrote a letter to him, he had to come and read it to him himself.

As per TRS, he once changed the wording of one song after hearing TRS suggestion about the propriety of the meaning of a word...

As per TNK, he used to sing and show it to him. I think he used them as a sounding board. I have met a disiciple of Sri Dr. S. Ramanathan in Bangalore , who knew a few of his compositions as Dr S.Ramanathan had taught them to her..

There are three of his published compositions, the latest being the one released on 13th November with a foreword by Dr M. Balamuralikrishna.

More on Vandanadarini-- he used this raga in the ragamalika Sonnathai Seithida -- released when he was quite young.. you also find quite a few rare ragas in his ragamalika slokas like Ahiri etc..

Sri Lalgudi said that he has accompanied my father when he sang an elaborate Karaharapriya... in Perambur sangeetha sabha..

Quite a few collectors maintain that there is another Karahapriya is available with someone,, we are still searching for that rarity.. he never sang the raga as he felt there is nothing left for him after the treatment given to it by Sri Semmangudi.

There are a few lecdems of his compositions and I will try to upload them with the help of Sri Kulkarni, by MLV, TVR and also a joint concert by TVR and SK during the release of the second volume of his compositions in 1971.

I have the copies of all the 3 books and I can give notations of any particular song to those interested. I will also try to upload the notation as written by him.

Rgds
Rajasekar

parivadini
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Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by parivadini »

Translation of my book on GNB is out. Interested can order here: http://www.sruti.com/index.php?route=pr ... uct_id=479

VISHNURAMPRASAD
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Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by VISHNURAMPRASAD »

WELCOME TO A LISTENING SESSION OF THE MUSIC OF GN BALASUBRAMANIAM (1910-1965)
ON 1 MAY 2018 AT 6.30 PM AT RAGASUDHA HALL, LUZ, CHENNAI 4, PRESENTED BY LALITHARAM. ALSO ON SALE, PRINCE OF MUSIC TRANSLATED BY V RAMNARAYAN FROM THE TAMI ORIGINAL BY LALITHARAM


arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

GNB Remembered Today

Post by arasi »

Thanks to Pasupathy as always :) From his blog, on GNB's remembrance day--a review by 'Kalki' Krishnamurthy on the fourth of August, 1944:

GNB'S VOICE AND STYLE

Even great men are given to changing their opinions, and here I am, changing mine too about music which I held two years ago. I then wrote in a review that with Sri.G.N. Balasubramaniam, one of the four concerts he gives is bound to be good. Now I change my tune to: out of four, three are bound to be a winning affair!

Within the past two years, his abilities have grown threefold, and I am delighted. The reason is, the way in which he sings now--mainly because of the changes which have happened in his voice and musical pANi.

Imitation diamonds shine when they are new. Gradually, they show their true nature--that they are merely copies of a gem. Diamonds on the other hand are found in a dull state. As they are cleaned and faceted, they radiate colors and sparkle. There are vidvans who at first shine, and like artificial diamonds, their voices fade. It's not often that we find voices like true diamonds which as time goes by, get honed.

We should rejoice in the fact that this precious thing has happened with two of our meritorious vidvans. This miracle has happened with Madurai Mani Iyer and GNB. Four years ago we regretted that if only these treasure houses of music also possessed sweet and bhAva-filled voices! Now, to our delight, we find that both their voices are rich with sweetness and bhava and they reach up to even moments of finesse with nary a slip.

GNB's voice wasn't this seasoned in sukha bhava two years ago. You were disappointed when you concluded that in two out of four concerts the voice didn't cooperate, the third didn't make the mark because his style was replete with brighas. One problem about...(continued in the next post)
Last edited by arasi on 01 May 2018, 23:59, edited 1 time in total.

arasi
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Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by arasi »

brigha-rich music is that they should fall right in the right place and time in the pidis they employ. If not, fans would conclude that the concert wasn't up to the mark. That too, if the voice gave trouble and 'spoke English', the concert failed. It didn't regain its quality, however much the vidvan tried to bolster it up.

Rajaji said once about music in general: Sangita yuddha is tougher than war which is conducted with tanks and bombs. You may win a war after losing one. In the war of music, if you once fail, beware!

What Rajaji spoke about in general about music can aptly be applied to brigha-oriented pani.GNB has marched past all these obstacles, and it was well demonstrated in his Mylai Sangeetha Sabha concert on 4-8-44.

How much we desire CM to be what it's supposed to be with its salient features! They were all there in GNB's alapana. We saw the svarupa of Bhairavi fully in it. From the majestic sound emanating from the nabhi. We witnessed his imagination which blended at will with amazing ease, traversing space. karvai-s which blended with sruti sparkled here and there. Briga-s were measured and gem-like.

On top of it, we marveled at the way GNB's voice has gained a fine quality and dimensions. I once heard a upanyasaka say that there aren't any singers now who can sing in three sthayi-s. As if to disprove it, GNB unleashed a few tricks. In the bhairavi alapana, he stayed at tara sthayi madhyama, and the audience went 'ha ha'! Then, he went up to panchama for a karvai. 'Ha, ha, ha!', went the crowd. Did he stop there? No! He went up to daivata. Now, the listeners who were gasping, lost their breath! Only when GNB descended down did they respire with relief.

A well known secret is: when Palghat Mani Iyer plays, any concert gains more points. Still, there is a special affinity in these two musicians performing together.The music is enhanced and in turn, the music heightens the fine mridangam playing.

As if to add beauty to the concert, Sri. Chowdiah's majestic violin nadam and Sri. Venu Naicker's 'jilu jilu' khanjira lifted the concert.
Last edited by arasi on 02 May 2018, 00:43, edited 2 times in total.

arasi
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Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by arasi »

Sorry for the truncated text, but no words were lost in it.

Now, thanks to Pasupathy again, and in advance too. Could you kindly bring the wonderful sketches which were there?

Pasupathy
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Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by Pasupathy »

Image

A photo by Vikatan artist ' Maali' ( 1938)
Last edited by Pasupathy on 02 May 2018, 02:34, edited 3 times in total.

Pasupathy
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Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by Pasupathy »

Image

Sketches of GNB by Vikatan artists 'Maali' ( 1935) and 10 yrs later by " Silpi" .
Last edited by Pasupathy on 02 May 2018, 02:37, edited 1 time in total.

Pasupathy
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Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by Pasupathy »

Image
A sketch by 'Gopulu' in Vikatan ( 1956) .

Thanks, Arasi. For those who want to tackle the original Tamil article by Kalki ( written in 1944) , here's the link;
https://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2016/05/74.html

thanjavooran
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Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by thanjavooran »

Arasi ji and Pasupathy avl,
In one word Thanks.
Thanjavooran
02 05 2018

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by rajeshnat »

You can move all these posts to GNB thread please

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=302&p=334291#p334291

kvchellappa
Posts: 3598
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 13:54

Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by kvchellappa »

Sanjay Subrahmanyan
‏He passed away in 1965 on this day. He was easily the biggest reason I started singing. My greatest inspiration! His music lives on! GN Balasubramaniam- Ragasudha Rasa https://youtu.be/q3310g275hI via @YouTube

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by SrinathK »

Lalitharam gave a superb presentation on the music of GNB at Raga Sudha Hall, Luz yesterday.

Writeup here : viewtopic.php?f=13&t=31182

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by SrinathK »

Lalitharam gave a superb presentation on the music of GNB at Raga Sudha Hall, Luz yesterday.

Writeup here : viewtopic.php?f=13&t=31182

RSR
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Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: GNB Remembered Today

Post by RSR »

http://youtu.be/fgMVmJvMiQw
rare video of KAMBOTHI viruttham by GNB in Sakunthalai film
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"காம்போதி ராகத்தில் வேறு ஒருவருமே கையாண்டிராத வகையில் இரண்டு நிமிடத்திற்கும் சற்றுக் குறைவான நேரத்தில் அந்த ராகத்தின் அனைத்து லட்சணங்களையும் குழைத்து ஜிஎன்பி பாடியுள்ள "எனை மறந்தனன்” என்று தொடங்கும் விருத்தம். அதைக் கேட்பதற்காகவே அந்தக் காலத்து நாதஸ்வர வித்வான் திருவிடைமருதூர் வீருசாமி பிள்ளை மீண்டும் மீண்டும் சகுந்தலை திரைப்படத்தின் அந்தக் காட்சியை மட்டும் பார்த்தாராம். மேலும் மகாராஜபுரம் சந்தானம் தனக்கு இசை கற்பதற்கான ஆர்வம் வந்ததே அந்த காம்போதி விருத்தத்தைக் கேட்ட பிறகுதான் என்று கூறியிருக்கிறார்."
( there were only 3 songs by GNB in Sakunthalai film. ( one solo viruttham and two duets , nothing too great )
but the solo viruttham is accalaimed to be great.
gist: in a way no one else had handled, GNB had rendered the Kambodhi viruttham, bringing out all its beauties within just two mintes. It seems that the nagaswaram vidvan Thiruvidaimaruthoor Veerusami Pillai used to see that film again and again just for this song and Maharajapuram Santhanam has said that he got interested in learning CM only after hearing that viruttham. "
(from a page in website yet to be filled up https://sites.google.com/site/carnaticg ... ubramanyam)

SrinathK
Posts: 2477
Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by SrinathK »

An old review in the Hindu from the archives, Dec 29, 1951.

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 502263.ece

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by shankarank »

A rendition of his compositions by disciples TVR and SKR.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_fQr93xfbs

Undoubtedly KaraikuDi SrI R Mani on Mridangam.

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

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by vasanthakokilam »

merged the 'GNB Remembrance' thread from General discussions to the GNB thread

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by shankarank »

A cross reference of my comments on the pantuvarAli kriti in the lyrics thread of tala/laya section.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=17780&p=335194#p335194

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by SrinathK »

Some of GNB's albums released on Youtube (official channels) are available here :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k0At5SD60A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgEpgmEitOs (This is the one AIR usually plays)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh1DQYfRcN0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm2WvE51sfI&t=599s (This is an amazing set. The meenakshi mE mudam dEhi has become my favourite rendition of his)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7jh3EYixR4&t=17s

SrinathK
Posts: 2477
Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by SrinathK »

Lots of recordings of GNB's compositions were shared up here in the distant past. But back then internet and cloud technology wasn't up to today's times and these recordings vanished as they had come.

Request rasikas to go through these composer and musicians threads and re-share what they used to share.

SrinathK
Posts: 2477
Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by SrinathK »

I stumbled upon an old book from 1956 by GNB on a few select compositions here :

http://musicresearchlibrary.net/omeka/items/show/2638
https://www.dropbox.com/s/e8xu8j75m6qp4 ... 4.pdf?dl=0

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by rajeshnat »

SrinathK wrote: 14 Jul 2018, 12:06 Lots of recordings of GNB's compositions were shared up here in the distant past. But back then internet and cloud technology wasn't up to today's times and these recordings vanished as they had come.

Request rasikas to go through these composer and musicians threads and re-share what they used to share.
Srinathk
I have a lot of recordings where the main source of karanakaratha coolkarni .I especially donot miss anything on MMI -SSI and GNB . you can reach me and i will give you all of that to you . It is just way too much work to cherry pick and give it to you

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by rajeshnat »

On May 01st,2018 , laltharam with support of vishnuramprasad ,(i call lalitharam as musical grandson of GNB and VRP is musical grandson o MMI.) did a fantastic Lecdem. Those are chronicled in this thread .
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=31182
Check #1 (srinathk), #4 to 7(rajeshnat) and # 16(crama) posts on attending live lecdem. The above thread is a GNB within GNB.

K Nagarajan
Posts: 138
Joined: 09 Jul 2015, 22:19

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by K Nagarajan »

Please share 'Maragatavallim' in Kambodhi sung by Sri.GNB.

I have heard present day musicians talk about this rendition
but I have not had the chance to listen to it.


K Nagarajan
Posts: 138
Joined: 09 Jul 2015, 22:19

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by K Nagarajan »

Thanks a lot for sharing the link.

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by SrinathK »

Today being GNB day, a special treat for all of you - a 4 hour concert, from 1965!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiBM2AKKoZ4

This recording is the real deal - 4 hours and 16 min! Still haven't listened to it in full - but GNB's manodharma is on another level in this one. Nothing on earth suggests he only had a couple of months left at this point. This is an unbelievable performance.

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB)

Post by shankarank »

VidvAn SrI Sanjay subramhaNyan on GNB:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7gSbFoxzew

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