GUESS THE NAME OF THE VIOLINIST

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Rasikas,

After a very long time (due to ill health), I am posting an enjoyable music for all of you to enjoy.

You may have to guess the name of the violinist.

The download link is given below.
RAAG JOG http://www.badongo.com/audio/27354661

S.NAGESWARAN.
17.06.2012.

[Lakshman]

From the style I would guess it is smt.Rajam.

[rshankar]

Sri Nageshwaran, sorry to hear you were unwell. Glad to know you're better.

[rshankar]

The violinist could also be Smt. Kala Ramnath...

[mahavishnu]

But knowing Sri Nageswaran, I would guess that it is Sri MSG in one of his uniquely Parur hindustani moments. Since the recording quality/reproduction is reasonably good, we could probably rule out Parur Sundaram Iyer himself.

However, Smt Rajam and Kala Ramnath are both very appropriate guesses.

[uday_shankar]

However, Smt Rajam and Kala Ramnath are both very appropriate guesses.

Not quite .

Probably Narmada Gopalakrishnan. Here's a run down of the options:

1) It's not Parur Sundaram Iyer because an electronic shruti box is used !

2) It's neither N Rajam nor Kala Ramnath because:
a) their bowing is different; their sound is very different between each other as well as from this recording.
b) N Rajam would use a much more prominent shruti than this barely audible electronic tambura
c) Like most Indian violin solos they play around 2 to 3 kattai shruti (D or E).
d) There is a lot of audience noise.
e) Another reason that's explained below

The most important feature of this recording is that it is played in 6 kattai shruti (A), quite unusual for a violin in HM and CM. Yet it does not sound shrill or harsh in the madhya sthayi in the beginning (later for some reason everything is being played in the taara sthayi). Why ? Because it is an octave lower! How ? By transposing the tuning. Here's how it works:

Normally Indian violin is tuned as (starting from the lowest string) SA-PA-SA'-PA'. In this current transposed tuning it is tuned as (starting from the lowest string) PA-SA-PA'-SA'. This means that the mel Sa is an open string (the thin violin E string) which you can hear clearly. This kind of tuning restricts the lower octave but enables easy traversal to the athi-taara-sthayi shadhja (same position as taara sthayi panchama on a normally tuned violin).

In this recording, mostly everything in the drut is played in the taara sthayi but if you notice it starts getting very shrill above the athi-taara sthayi shadja.

I've only seen Narmada Gopalakrishnan play with this tuning, that too with effortless ease, while accompanying female singers and chitravina (5 kattai and above).

[rajeshnat]

This could be Venkataramanujam or Balaji (Grandfather or father of Violinist B Ananthakrishnan)

[uday_shankar]

Excellent guess Rajesh. I think you're the winner.

[Shivadasan]

Dear Uday,

It was not necessary to go through all the analysis you had undertaken.

Firstly, all the top notchers are out of the picture because of the freqent imperfection in sruthi and and inefficient fingering technique. It could be only a disciple of these stalwarts. Not the masters.

Next, whose disciple ? Most of the phrases used are from Rajam's concerts. The tarana is the patnet of Rajam. Only Balaji takes liberty to modify her style. I do not know whether any of the disciples would deviate so much from her style.
Shivadasan

[uday_shankar]

Shivadasan sir, thanks !

The "analysis" is only to throw multiple pieces of "evidence" together and arrive at the truth orthogonally .

I am curious though, why the PA-SA-PA-SA tuning has been used, since Smt. Rajam doesn't. I am certian of this since I can hear the open thin E-string produce the Sa. Normally that would produce Pa. Perhaps the player prefers to play in 6 kattai, in which case adopting standard Indian violin tuning would make it shrill and harsh.

[Sam Swaminathan]

It is definitely not MSG Sir or Rajam Madam. It is certainly not Narmada or Kala Ramnath. Any body else, it could be, but I don't know their playing that much...

But good one, Nageswaran Sir....let us keep playing the guessing game!

[Shivadasan]

Dear Uday,

It appears that it is Balaji who uses a number of modified violins. Possibly he is using a 5 string violin and that is one is hearing the sound of higher S string.

Shivadasan

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Rasikas,

Thank you all for responding to the query” Guess the name of the violinist”.

I thank Sri R.Shankar for his concern about my health and Sri Venkatakailasam for his kind enquiries about my heath over Phone.

Coming to the topic, the violinist name is B.Anantharaman, Son of Sri V.Balaji.

Sri Balaji is the son of Sri K.Venkataramanujam, carnatic violinist and contemporary artist of Sri MSG and Lalgudi Jayaraman.
Sri venkataramanujam joined in the AIR New Delhi. After retirement, he joined as the dean in the Benaras University. Sri VKV taught carnatic violin to Sri Balaji and B.Ananthakrishnan, the first son of Balaji.

Sri Balaji joined the Benaras University and learnt Hindustani violin under the tutelage of DR.N.Rajam. Later, Balaji joined as a lecturer in violin at the Benaras University and now he is the head of the Department for violin as associate professor and still working in BHU.

Balaji and U/S are friends for more than 10 years.

One of the notable disciples of Balaji Is MR.Jilles Apap of France, a child prodigy in western classical music.
After listening to one of the cassettes of DR.N.Rajam for nearly 10 years, he was
Very much attracted to the Hindustani music. He came down to India and learnt carnatic music from Sri VKV and Hindustani Music from Balaji in violin.
MR.Gilles Apap used to visit Varnasi for 5 years and learn violin for 4 months every year.

B.Anantharaman [Age 15 years and studying in 12 th standard] and his family were in Chennai for the sacred thread ceremony of Anantharaman
on 14.06.2012. ON 13.06.2012, there was a reception in which
Anantharaman played the Hindustani raga Jog for 45 minutes with the table accompaniment by Sri Aidthya of Chennai. Even though I have informed may Rasikas of our forum and some of my personal friends to attend the concert,
Sri Ganeshkanth only attended the concert.

After this violin concert, a short concert of Abhangs by Bairavi, daughter of Balaji was there. Sri Anantharaman accompanied on the violin [That is why the violin was tuned to 6 kattai ]and sri Adthya on the tabla.

After this, a carnatic vocal concert of Sri Madhavan, [relative of Balaji] was there.
Sri Madhavan is a graded artist of AIR. With his open throated voice, the entire audience enjoyed the music.
After a very good alapana in kamas . During the alapana, Sri Balaji also joined
As a vocalist and a very good Hindustani Sancharas were sung by Balaji.
During the krithi “ Brochevarevarura, Mridangist Arjun Ganesh also joined.
A good Thani Avarthanam by Mridangam and Tabla was enjoyable.
The concert ended with a few thukkads [Sindhubairavi alapana in Hindustani style
By Balaji was excellent] and mangalam.
The whole programme was enjoyable.

Initially the Tabla artist had assumed that his accompaniment will be with amateur musicians of Anantharaman and Bairavi. He was very much impressed by the mature playing of Anantharaman and Bairavi’s singing.

He immediately arranged a chamber concert at his residence and the small audience enjoyed the music.

Anantharaman played Todi[Subhapanthuvarali] and Bairavi sang Suddha kalyan and few other Ragas.
Bairavi will be joining Dharwar University for the advance training in Hindustani music.


I am sorry that I had to write a long report about the family of Sri Balaji.

The various points taken in the thread will be answered in my next report.
S.NAGESWARAN.
24.06.2012.

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Rasikas,

Most of the Rasikas have mentioned that the style of play is from DR.N.Rajam’s school [V.Balaji, Kala Ramnath].

B.Anantharaman learnt violin playing from his father Sri V.Balaji. Naturally, we are able to recognize the sancharams in the raga as that of Rajam’s style.

I always used to wonder how the Bani of any great artist is intrinsically embedded in the mind of the disciples.

Of course, there are some imperfections in Anantharaman’s play while playing the violin.
We must understand that he is a young boy still learning to play perfectly in the days to come.

However, we must appreciate the build up the raga from the vilambit , to medium speed and very fast execution in the end. Special mention must be made about the excellent way he had played fast notes with jumping notes.


Sri Balaji confirmed that the tuning of the violin was at 6 kattai to facilitate him accompanying her sister Bairavi’s vocal. Balaji had also confirmed that the tuning was SA-PA-SA-PA and not PA-SA-PA-SA [Uday Sankar’s query].

Sri Sivadasan’s comments were correct and I am wondering as to how he was able to confirm that of V.Balaji’s playing [If I am correct, there is not any U-TUBE Video Available].
I would like to speak to Sri Sivadasan on this point.

It will take some more time for me to process the balance recordings of Bairavi and Sri Madhavan’s concert which was most entertaining
and also the concert held at Adithya’s home.

S.NAGESWARAN.
24.06.2012.

[Shivadasan]

Dear Nageswaran,

From childhood I was greatly attracted by violin and the Violin trio were my heros during my adolescent period. Life took me to North where I had opportunity to hear Hindustani music and meet Hindustani musicians. I have heard, Jog, Datar, Zahoor Ahmed and others and Rajam’s style was refreshing. I had listened a lot of her music and the music of their family members and disciples. While in North I came across Balaji and heard him. I could assess he had an air independence about him and went on innovating both his music and instruments. So I concluded that it could be only him. I have not heard his son as yet.

Shivadasan

[uday_shankar]

Balaji had also confirmed that the tuning was SA-PA-SA-PA and not PA-SA-PA-SA

Okay, but did he mention that there was an extra string as speculated by Shivadasan sir ? That would explain my position. I am quite certain that a thin metal string like the E string of a normal violin is producing a mel-Sa; a large part of the music is being played on that single string. This would be impossible with a Sa-Pa-Sa-Pa tuning of a standard 4 string violin. It would be possible, for example with a Sa-Pa-Sa-Pa-Sa tuning of the 5 string violin or having an extra string on an entirely different stem attached to the violin, like the picture shown of Mr. Balaji.

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Uday_Shankar,

MR.Balaji had confirmed that only a 4 stringed violin was used in the jog raga concert.

S.NAGESWARAN.
26.06.2012.

[uday_shankar]

Thanks Nageswaran sir. Hmm...something does't quite add up . I'll listen to it again and tell you exactly.

[ganeshkant]

That was an evening spent in listening to some good music.True to a function in a musician's family there were many extempore concerts.Except for the concert by Master Anantharaman along with his sister Bhairavi the mini concert by Madhaavan and Mr.Balaji's joining with his daughter and with Madhavan for a jugal bandhi happened just on the spot.When Mr.Balaji told that it was because of the presence of Mr.Nageswaran and me that prompted him to do all these was really heart warming.Mr.Balaji was v.good in vocals be it the Sindbhairavi where he sang all the 12 notes in succession to demonstrate its beauty or his kamAj jugal-bandhi with Madhavan where he sang an excellent svara avartanam of KeeravANi...Only anguish is I couldn't listen his violin playing.

B.Anantaraman has a deftness that defies his age.He has a ever smiling face and is much relaxed.He has just given his X exam he told me.The Jog he played that evening was enjoyable and commendable.Bhairavi was able to bring out small sangatis and gamakams and brighas despite her bold and thick voice.The BhimplAs natyageet she sang was excellent.

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Rasikas,

The second part of the reception function, Miss Bairavi, daughter of V.Balaji
Sung some Abhangs.

The download link is given below.

However, the songs come as streaming and Track NO.s is jumbled. Kindly bear with me.

Rasikas may give their opinions.

BAIRAVI HINDUSTANI ABHANGS SUNG ON 13.06.2012. 27.06.2012

http://soundcloud.com/s-nageswaran/sets ... ni-abhangs

S.NAGESWARAN.
29.06.2012.

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Rasikas,

I had received the Bio data details of the young Hindustani violin Prodigy
Sri B.Anantharaman, Miss Bairavi Balaji [Son and daughter of Sri V.Balaji from Varanasi] And Sri Balaji’s biodata also. By E-Mail.

I wanted to post the above details in our website through tiny.com after reading the guidelines posted in our website by our Admin Sri Ramakrishnan.

However, the upload failed mentioning that it is a mixed file of JPG and text.

I requested our Admin to help me in uploading the same.

Sri Ramakrishnan had successfully uploaded the bio data of Sri B.Anantharaman and given me the link to be posted in our website. I am really thankful to our Admin Sri Ramakrishnan.

The download link is given below.
http://www.tinyuploads.com/download/file/FzQWJ7

S.NAGESWARAN.
18.07.2012.

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Rasikas,

The concluding part of the concert at the reception of Sri B.Anantharaman’s sacred thread ceremony held on 13.07.2012 is given below. Sri Madhavan, A Graded artist of AIR and cousin of Dr.V.Balaji gave excellent carnatic music with B.Anantharaman on the violin, and Mr.Adhithya on the tabla.

Later on Dr.V.Balaji joined in singing a jugalbandi [Hindustani] during the Kamas krithi. Meanwhile Sri Arjun Ganesh, mridangist also joined in the concert.

The download links of Sri Madhavan’s concert is given below. 1.01 KarpagaManohara Valaji Madhavan.mp3 http://www.mediafire.com/?vb34n9q8p5hi6kl 2.02 Orajupuju Kannadagoulai.mp3 http://www.mediafire.com/?5gkc87pr0cgd509 3. 03 Vanchatho Karnranjani.mp3 http://www.mediafire.com/?7fbabwkmjlgdaff 4. 04 Brocheva Kamas.mp3 http://www.mediafire.com/?6v9poll4t02v8s2 5. 05 THANI AVARTHANAM.mp3 http://www.mediafire.com/?a9mt33ddj9us9b6 6. 06 DeviMeenalochani Paddeep.mp3 http://www.mediafire.com/?b1ampklna9egpqn 7. 07 Pavamana Mangalam.mp3 http://www.mediafire.com/?0848ue7uhkwamny
The various concerts at the reception were very enjoyable. In spite of the fact that I have informed many Rasikas of our forum, only our Rasika Sri Ganeshkanth attended the concert.

Enjoy the music and post your feedback in the thread.

S.NAGESWARAN.
21.07.2012.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Excellent music of a great tradition! Thanks Nageswaranji for the uploads.

[ganeshkant]

It is good to listen the recording which is as impeccable as it was in live.I think "karpakamanOharA" is in "malayamArudam".