Chingelpet Ranganathan

Carnatic Musicians
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rajanp
Posts: 58
Joined: 19 Nov 2007, 13:39

Post by rajanp »

Aum Gurunathar Thunai.

Can Rasika members express their experiences of this great vocalist,
He was along with Sri Trichy J Venketaraman the chief disicples of Late Sri Alatahur Venketesa Iyer and the Alathur Brothers.
He is a Pallavi and Thirupugazh specialist.
For many years he was primarily accompanied by Late Sri M N Kandaswami on mridangam,
this was a death bed wish by his guru Sri Alathur Venketesa Iyer.

When i studied vocal from him in 1981 he was still teaching the 35 alankara method, and also was a very strict and great teacher.

I have many recordings of him from those years.

Aum

Rajan Padiachi

Dikshitar
Posts: 14
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 18:13

Post by Dikshitar »

If there is one Maha Vidwan who did not get the recognition he truly deserves, its CR. To call him a 'Pallavi expert' is an understatement. He is a true genius. His control over laya and the arithmetic is probably unparalleled today. Sri TRS is probably someone who fits into the same league . What is remarkable is the complete humility with which he carries himself even now.

I had the privilege of learning under his guidance during my initial years before Vaigal Sri Gnanskandan and Sri TRS now

- V Shankaranarayanan

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Post by rajeshnat »

Once in an asthika samAjam concert, he sang a kanulu tAkani(R N) - kalyAna vasantham- T, the neraval was for 15 minutes and it was beautiful. Never heard such a longish or even a neraval in kalyAna vasantham.

s_hari
Posts: 872
Joined: 20 May 2007, 18:45

Post by s_hari »

Dear Shankaranarayanan - welcome to rasikas.org! Nice nick name...

-hari

erode14
Posts: 726
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 21:43

Post by erode14 »

The madhyama kAla niraval he did at 'yAdhava kula muraLi' (sAmaja vara gamanA) for nearly 35,40 Avarthanams are still ringing in my ears, when I had the privilege of accompanying this maestro in a concert.

He sang an impeccable shankarAbharaNam and he sang a certain sangathi in AlApanai (pidi) which was greater than the greatest and even shrI ranganAthan mAmA stopped for a while and sang it again and enjoyed it while all of us were having goose pimples.

praNAms to shrI mAmA

Dikshitar
Posts: 14
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 18:13

Post by Dikshitar »

Hari, thanks. Hope to be a regular contributor. Great forum and an informed set of people to interact with.

RajeshNat. Will try and post a tirupugazh pallavi concert that he sang at Saraswati vaggeyakara trust. Really mesmerizing stuff.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Post by arasi »

Welcome, Dikshitar. Our member list of performing artistes keeps growing! Missed your concert last season. Hope to hear you this time.
Please do share CR's music with us and and a sample yours too.

Rasika911
Posts: 521
Joined: 09 Mar 2009, 06:11

Post by Rasika911 »

rajanp wrote: When i studied vocal from him in 1981 he was still teaching the 35 alankara method, and also was a very strict and great teacher.

I have many recordings of him from those years.
Sir, can you please elaborate on his 35 alankara method?
Also if the recordings are not commercial please share with us so we can all enjoy :)

He is an incredible artise. I have heard his charsur album so many times. His kalyani is magnificient. Even at this old age his music is sublime.

rajanp
Posts: 58
Joined: 19 Nov 2007, 13:39

Post by rajanp »

Aum


Many colleges and gurus these days teach the seven basic alankaras only,
In the grand old days gurus use to teach all 35 alankaras, and thats what i learnt from him in 1981.

He also taugh a very beautiful Purnachandrika Ata Thala Varnam.

Indeed he is very humble and great humility.
I have given the recordings to his son and duaghter in law in Chennai.

I recorded in private the a session of thevaram , thirupugazh Tamizh Isai, it was soul stirring.

Aum

Rajan Padiachi
South AFrica

Rasika911
Posts: 521
Joined: 09 Mar 2009, 06:11

Post by Rasika911 »

Wow Purnachandrika Ata Thala Varnam...whose composition is it? Is there any recording availible?

rajanp
Posts: 58
Joined: 19 Nov 2007, 13:39

Post by rajanp »

Aum


Rasika911

It is Patnam Subramaniam Iyer
i have not heard other artistes render it

But it is very very good

Aum

Rajan

raghavt
Posts: 224
Joined: 10 Jun 2007, 11:56

Post by raghavt »

All,

If an aspiring student wants to master laya aspects (be it a vocalist, accompanist or percussionist) just go to Sri CR and practise with him, learn under him for say 6 months to 1 year. Its more than enough. There are numerous examples of such artists, those who are now top performers.

~ Raghav

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

Post by keerthi »

TVS occasionally sings the patnam pUrna candrika varNam 'ikanEla/ikanyala' Someone somewhere in some thread has mentioned this varNam before..

Dikshitar
Posts: 14
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 18:13

Post by Dikshitar »

Sri CR will be presenting a Thematic Thirupugazh Based concert @ Saraswati Vaggeyakara Trust. The program is on 5-Oct-09 (Monday), 6:30 PM @ NGS Mini Hall. He will be accompanied by Sri MA Sundareswaran (volin) & Sri R Ramesh (mridangam).

I have updated the same under the Music & Festivals as well. I'm sure it will be a treat for the connoisseurs.

- V Shankaranarayanan

Rasika911
Posts: 521
Joined: 09 Mar 2009, 06:11

Post by Rasika911 »

Dikshitar wrote: Will try and post a tirupugazh pallavi concert that he sang at Saraswati vaggeyakara trust. Really mesmerizing stuff.
Please do :)

Lakshman
Posts: 14019
Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 18:52

Post by Lakshman »

Here is the text of the varNa.
ikanElanE (varNa). ragA: pUrNacandrikA. aTa.

P: ikanElanE vAnitO celimi intirO cAlu pommanavE
A: itaDu nannElukO mOsamu jEsina Adi venkaTEshvaruDu gAdaTE
C: pagavAri bOdhana vinnavADE gadA

rajanp
Posts: 58
Joined: 19 Nov 2007, 13:39

Post by rajanp »

Aum


Dear Rasika911, Thanks for that update
It will be great if you can post recording.
was he in good health

Aum

Rajan

jayachAmarAja
Posts: 52
Joined: 25 Oct 2005, 00:06

Post by jayachAmarAja »

Chengalpet Ranganathan Mama' student Shri Karthik Subramanian has created a "test" webpage for Mama @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chingleput_ranganathan , which will be migrated over to a regular webpage from wikipedia. Inputs/feedback from rasikas are welcome. Please send them to Karthik @ ckarthik.sr@gmail.com

Regards, Sridhar.

raghavt
Posts: 224
Joined: 10 Jun 2007, 11:56

Re: Vidwan SRi Chengleput Ranganathan -Vocal

Post by raghavt »

Heared that Sri CSR passed away, today morning. :( :( ;( The process has begun.... Can this not be changed? Great People should stay alive forever.... wishful thinking

kedharam
Posts: 419
Joined: 28 Sep 2008, 23:07

Re: Vidwan SRi Chengleput Ranganathan -Vocal

Post by kedharam »

A very sad day indeed. will miss his pallavi demonstrations.

tkb
Posts: 695
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:14

Re: Vidwan SRi Chengleput Ranganathan -Vocal

Post by tkb »

our sincere condolence.

venu sundar
Posts: 158
Joined: 19 Oct 2009, 22:23

Re: Vidwan SRi Chengleput Ranganathan -Vocal

Post by venu sundar »

Apropos Chingelput Ranaganthan is no more of Mylapore Tmes NET edition I pen these lines!.A great teacher Ranga Sir was a very well equipped and versatile teacher of music.Ranga Sir is respected for his perfection and methodology which is the root cause for many young musicians.Tradition bound Ranga Sir was always aiming at the perfection and carried the flag of Carnatic Music very sincerly.Ranga Sir won many honours but was always simple and down to earth.Ranga Sirs knowledge of Music was abundant and he always shared it with his students freely.Ranga Sirs family is very much dedicated to Carnatic Music and he was the cause for the same.Ranga Sir never ever attempted to show off his skills in the modern era o music where artificial exposition is the order of the day.A very great artist and GURU Ranga Sirs contributions like many others was not equally appreciated and recognised.Ranga Sir is no more but live by his MUSIC! We pray for his eternal peace now!

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

Chingelpet Ranganathan

Post by shankarank »

If there is V&V thread already - Mods can merge this one into it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsZs3zGYaVs

I listened to first two songs by his Daughter -in-law? in the concert that followed - a good exposition of naDai variations. Can be seperately reviewed in the concert section.

My only memory of him is a single concert - A Purandaradasa thematic @ IIT CLT again 25+ years back. While I appreciate the thematic pursuits, this was done because Kannada Sangha in the campus sponsored it. Not a single kriti of Trinity was rendered!

ARI insisted on one tyAgarAja kriti when singing in Tamil isai sangam!

Vidvan R Ramesh on the Mridangam kept complaining about A/C affecting his Mridangam Sruti. I think he would not have if it was a normal concert.

I am very much missed his true music! I understand sometimes what TMK complains about - but the wrong way.

The sAdhakam of various musicians arriving at the traditional concert format itself is a divine providence. Within that all composers can be honored - giving them the rightful place. I would say a wrong representation of a composer is more a disservice to the composer.

People of various southern states - who are willing to listen to music for 3 hours should have the open mind to appreciate music irrespective of language.

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