V. V. Sadagopan

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

Mon ami,
His bounty has glimmers of it in the niece you are talking about, in other nieces, nephews, his children and grandchildren and great grandchildren too. Mind you, just glimmers.

His creativity is not all apparent when younger people only hear him sing a few songs now, but it was in his thinking, his zeal for making CM a joy for growing children (by his TyAgaBhArathi movement ofJai Joy) and in many more things that he did: as the tunesmith for Ambujam Krishna's first book of songs, in popularizing Bharathi, Kamban and other poets and composers. In being a professor and editor of a Music Journal and so on...

Though the time I spent in his vicinity amounts only to a few years, there's no denying that he inspired me and other children in the family and friends circle to explore the wonderful world of imagination.

He was a man ahead of his times and was an independent thinker. Of course, it all meant that he missed out on his peak years of concerts being recorded for posterity (his career as a performer wasn't that long).

Come 2015, it will be his centenary year...

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by cmlover »

VVS is perhaps the first to pay attention to Tamil Isai at a time when Tamil was almost taboo in CM!
He tuned AK/Kamban/Arunagiri/Pasurams/... and the list is long.
It is a pity those were nat taken up by the conservative CM performers!
You have inherited his talents in composing and setting the tune for some very nice Tamil songs.
Let us wait for the new generation of performers to oblige!

venkatakailasam
Posts: 4170
Joined: 07 Feb 2010, 19:16

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by venkatakailasam »

007-V.V. Satagopan-Sri Venkatesha Suprabhatam

http://mfi.re/listen/ph4y8z5yftyy4k0/00 ... bhatam.mp3

Pratyaksham Bala
Posts: 4164
Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

V V Sadagopan Adharam Neethan Endru:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EbDr6gYNY8

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

PBala,

Thanks for this. For the first time, I see a text about him in a clip which speaks about him cogently. Having lived away from India, I do not know details about all the work he did .

I do not know of the Karaikkudi kamban vizhA concert. There must have been one. Cha. Ganesan who ran it, admired his singing a kamba rAmayaNam concert for the first time in Rajaji Hall in Chennai. He was there, along with so many luminaries from the literary world. Rajaji was there too, in the hall named after him! Even thinking about that concert gives me goose bumps.

I was lucky to be around him when he spent months pouring over the verses, and then setting the chosen ones to music .

His stay in Russia as a visiting professor was in 1969, because he and Mami spent a week with us in London, on their way back to India.

I thank the person who did a very good job of writing substantially about him.

AdhAram nIdAn enRaRindEn is his own composition, with the sEsha dAsan mudrA (his guru, Namakkal Sesha Iyengar). Not all his songs have the mudrA.

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by cmlover »

Thanks PB. Thrilling to hear the Golden voice. Nice to know it is his own composition as arasi vouches.
Pl try to get more of them.
In the graphics there is a picture of himperforming accompanied by LGJ. Who are the others and which year?

Pratyaksham Bala
Posts: 4164
Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

Check this for the photograph + details:-
http://gkamesh.wordpress.com/2010/05/09 ... ic-mystic/

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by cmlover »

Thanks PB. Nice private photo!
Is the Tambura person a member of the family arasi?

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

Yes, Ranganayaki Sadagopan--his wife, who also went with him to Russia when he was visiting professor, playing the tambura for him in lectures, concerts and classes there.

I don't know how many women have traveled abroad in a traditional nine yards sari as she has. She still is very particular in keeping to her traditional ways. How well she managed her stay in Russia in the sixties! When I asked how she coped, she said, with her usual smile: they will put a hillock of greens and vegetables in front of us, and we were happy with those, the fruits and milk!
Last edited by arasi on 11 Oct 2013, 00:11, edited 1 time in total.

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by cmlover »

Thx. Bless her..

venkatakailasam
Posts: 4170
Joined: 07 Feb 2010, 19:16

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by venkatakailasam »

Through the Notes Of V V Sadagopan ....

" In a house situated on the nondescript lanes of Jalladiampet, Sowbhagyalakshmi stays opposite a temple built for the late V V Sadapopan — carnatic music singer, composer and music educationist. Singing at the temple daily, she continues to remember him decades after his demise."

Read more at:

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/ ... 494463.ece

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

VKailasam,
Thank you for posting this.

Sriram Bharathi was an ideal example of guru bhakthi. He, and after him, his wife Sowbhagyalakshmi have been tireless in carrying out VVS's mission.

His centenary celebrations start with an event in Viravanallur later this month.

In Chennai, the programs are as follows:

8th Feb: Admirers gather at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan for a seminar on him, a Tyaga Bharathi in action presentation by school children and more.

9th Feb: All day celebration at the Jalladiampet temple and Patashala.His janma nakshatra celebrated at the temple in the morning, and in the afternoon, release of VVS's thirukkuraL kIrthanaigaL and other programs..

10th Feb: A celebration at Raga Sudha Hall from 4pm onwards--family singing, brief recollections of Prof. Venkatasubramanian (his family, friends of VVS for three generations). His article appears in Sruthi magazine's Feb issue.

After a coffee and snacks break...

6pm: A lecture by Prof. N. Ramanathan.
6-30: Concert of VVS's Compositions and a few songs from the many he has tuned:
Sumitra Nitin
Charulatha Ramanujam
Ganapathy Raman

I will add more info as I receive them.
Last edited by arasi on 22 Jan 2015, 00:00, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by rajeshnat »

From the article in Indian Express wrote: Besides the songs, Sadagopan was known for his knowledge of Carnatic music. Along with Sowbhagyalakshmi’s late husband, Srirama Bharathi, who was his disciple, he brought out a book called ‘Spirals and Circles’ that explains the concept of carnatic music and thought processes associated with it.
Arasi,
Have you read the book 'Spirals and Circles' any more insights there - Is that book available, please do let us know?

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

Yes, I have read it a long time ago. Let's see if it's available with the CDs. If not, I'll get hold of a copy and it can be put up here in Rasikas.

Sriram Bharathi continued VVS's work with nAlAyira divya prabandam english translations,which were added to Dr.Jagatratchakan's scholarly book which contains tamizh meaning of each verse.

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by rshankar »

Arasi - another request, when you figure Rajesh's query - I did not know of Sri Sriram Bharati's connection to your family, but now that I know it, I was wondering if you could also enquire about a CD of kRtis he has translated from tamizh into english (may even be tiruppAvai), sung in carnatic style.

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

That's new to me, Ravi. Will do...

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by rshankar »

arasi wrote:That's new to me, Ravi. Will do...
Thank you!

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by CRama »

I saw the picture of VVS giving a concert in 1970. But surprising that there is no recording of his live concert available with anybody. Arasi madam, anybody in your family do have his live concert recording.

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

CRama,
Where did you see the picture? Would like to see it myself! The later one of his that I have seen is the one we have right here on this thread, with a lovely recollection by the author.

Live concerts of his are rare to come by. Just as photographs, there may be more, but I haven't been able to get them myself. Let's see if the festivities yield any concert of his in CD form.

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by CRama »

Madam, I referred to the link posted by PB in this same thread.
I had heard VVS as a very handsome personality having acted in films. So when I saw that picture like Tagore, I was slightly baffled. In fact, I have not seen any photo of VVS in his younger days.
I have got a portion of a radio concert. I will search for it and if you want, I will post it here.

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

Thanks! I need to do a bit more of searching too...

venkatakailasam
Posts: 4170
Joined: 07 Feb 2010, 19:16

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by venkatakailasam »

Image

Prof V V Sadagopan.PEDAGOGUE/VOCALIST
(b. Jany 29, 1915)Prof. Sadagopan was a distinguished musician-teacher who had contributed much to the science and art of music. He held highly practical and enlightened views and made a subtle distinction between Music in Education and Education in Music and supported the view that Lakshya (aesthetic perception) should precede and prevail over Lakshna (intellectual abstraction). Here is a beautiful bunch of similies from him :
' Nada is the calm Sea of Quiet Joy on which the student voyages.
The boat is his voice and it should not be leaky.Sruti is the rudder; Laya, the paddle. Raga Bhava is the sail; and imagination, the wind. 1
He had his musical tutelage with Namakkal Sesha Ayyangar and Ramanuja
Ayyangar. Was Professor, Delhi University (Faculty of Music). He founded the Tyaga Bharati' School. Was on the Experts Committee of the Music Academy, Madras and had contributed much to its deliberations. Viravanallur Vedantam Sadagopan represented Indian Music in the Centenary Celebrations of the Moscow Conservatoire, 1966. He was Founder - Director, Delhi Sangeeta Samaj. Was a regular contributor of articles and was Editor of the journal Indian Music published by it. Spirals and Circles compiled from notes and lectures of Sadagopan was released by the Music Education Mission. The book presents a master plan for teaching, singing and hearing of music. 'Has an evangelic zeal for "Music for Human Relations through integrative Music Education". He believes individual, social and global harmony can be fostered through this. A musician of high calibre.'Indian Music Journal....

This information is contained at page 257 of this link:
http://tera-3.ul.cs.cmu.edu/NASD/d23d38 ... /1308.sgml
One should have the patience to scroll through..

Incidentally, it contains very interesting information of many Artists both known and unknown...

Concert Tour : Europe.
Disc recordings. Sadagopan has composed songs under the signature 'Seshadasan' and has set to tunes many songs of Ambhujam Krishna and others..


more information is here: posted by PB earlier..

V V Sadagopan Adharam Neethan Endru .... Know more about him here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EbDr6gYNY8

Some of his songs are here: for those who have not seen it earlier...

Concert 74-Shri VV Sadagopan: Concert details:
001-Sri Venkatesha Suprabhatam
002-Entaveduko- Sarasvathi Manohari
003-Parthasarathi
004-Rama Bhajanai Seythaal Ragamaligai
005-SRI VENUGOPALA
006-Kanavendum
007-KannanMukham
008-Two Songs
010-Nadamadi
011-Aanirai meykka
012-Villinai otha puruvam....

http://myblogkumara.blogspot.in/2014/01 ... me-ii.html

Seer Sirakkum Meni-VV Sadakopan....

http://mfi.re/listen/eyj92b13kgicmsn/Se ... akopan.mp3

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by CRama »

Thank you VK Sir, for the photo of VVS and the write up. I have already got the songs.

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

Thanks again VKailasam!
All the songs you have here are from the records. CRama was asking about live concerts. VVS's career as a star concert rmusician was brief, compared to GNB and others. So, singing on stage ahead of the advent of tape recorders (wire recorders had just come in) meant we had very little. Several recordings which were made are lost to us. Our only hope is his AIR recordings. Even those, have they been taped over? God knows...:(

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by CRama »

I could locate recording of a radio concert (though incomplete). I am giving the links below. Arasi Madam, this is specially for you.

1.Varnam Saveri.
https://www.sendspace.com/file/ijlfzt

2.Parthasarathy-Madhyamavathy
https://www.sendspace.com/file/nk4ze1

3.Kamba ramayanam-Poorvikalyani
https://www.sendspace.com/file/6aqfe9

4.Sankarabharanam alapana (incomplete)
https://www.sendspace.com/file/ejvmmb

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

CRama,
I can't thank you enough! pArthasArathy we have heard him sing in the record. But that kamba rAmAyAnap pADal! How he gave a full length concert of kamban's verses, tuning them all! I repeat, that was an unforgettable event for us. He also tuned many of Bharathi's and sang them in his concerts.

I guess (I may be wrong) this was a program from his latter years. This pUrvi kalyANi song is one of my favorites, and I do not hear all the sangathis here.

The violinist is Alagiri (Kumar's father)? Just a guess. Mridangam, Madras Kannan?

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Here are some pictures Arasi asked me to post.

Image
Image
Image
Image

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by vasanthakokilam »

A few more
Image
Image
Image
Image

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by vasanthakokilam »

And finally a Collage

Image

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

Spring cuckoo,
Thanks for helping out :)

I thank Radha Dorairajan (she has helped in making a short documentary about him, and had collected pictures from various family members). She is a niece of Sowbhagyalakshmi (wife of Sriram Bharathi who continues his dedicated work at Jalladiampettai PatashAlA and temple). On the 9th of Feb, VVS's janma nakshthra is going to be celebrated all day at the temple and school.

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by CRama »

Thanks Arasi and Vasanthakokilam for the erudite pictures. Will meet Arasi at the function.

venkatakailasam
Posts: 4170
Joined: 07 Feb 2010, 19:16

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by venkatakailasam »

vk ...vintage treasure..

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by Pasupathy »

vk... fantastic pictures! Thanks. Gives me motivation to search for and post an article or two by him (Tamil) in my blog soon....

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

Pasupathy.
Thank you! Who better than you, who has achieved the nearly impossible task of digging up treasures in tamizh writings, illustrations, music related topics! I haven't been to your threads for a while. Rather occupied :(

There is a picture of a TiruvaiyARu ArAdhanA you have posted (the article mentions his concert). If I remember, I could spot him among other musicians. Couldn't enlarge the picture enough to be sure...

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

He wore khadi. The picture with the gold shawl is perhaps from the occasion of his getting the title Gana Ratna...

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Photos courtesy of Arasi and Radha Dorairajan. I am just the remote hands.

Here is another set Arasi asked me to post.

With his wife Smt. Ranganayaki
Image
Hero of Modern Youth (or Nava yuvan)! First indian film to be shot abroad (in London)
Image
With a srilankan friend
Image
With a grandchild
Image

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

Thanks, VK...
The pictures were collected from various family members. I hadn't seen many of them myself!

mahavishnu
Posts: 3341
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 21:56

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by mahavishnu »

Such amazing portraits. And what a handsome man he.

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

And I'm sure, another handsome man, your grandfather, would have played for him! Of course, I remember your great aunt very well--a lovely lady.

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by Pasupathy »

arasi wrote:Pasupathy.
Thank you! Who better than you, who has achieved the nearly impossible task of digging up treasures in tamizh writings, illustrations, music related topics! I haven't been to your threads for a while. Rather occupied :(

There is a picture of a TiruvaiyARu ArAdhanA you have posted (the article mentions his concert). If I remember, I could spot him among other musicians. Couldn't enlarge the picture enough to be sure...
Will do, Arasi. And I remember him in T.Nagar...lived somewhere close to Hindi Prachar Sabha, as I remember? Am I right?

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

Yes, in Jagadisvar Street. For some time, Honnappa Bhagavathar lived right across the street from him. At the turn, the one and only Hari Babu , the make up artiste. Dandapani Desikar, GNB and MKT living within a short distance! And many film stars resided in T.Nagar :)

Wonder if we can even find the area familiar if we took a walk there now!

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by Pasupathy »

arasi wrote: Wonder if we can even find the area familiar if we took a walk there now!
Nope! It's completely different!

My neighbour upto 1950 was Rajaji!:-) ..previously that house belonged to Kalki! :-) Very closeby, N T Rama Rao.... Hordes of Telugu fans used to arrive in buses in mornings and wait before his bungalow and prostrate in road when he came out to give darshan!:-) I have seen M K T come in rickshaw to Producer M A Venu's house later on in his last years .... Savithri and T R Rajakumari were also reasonably closeby....

Ok.... Will get ready to do a search and retrieve process.... and post a few articles by VVS ( mostly translated in Tamil from his Spirals and Circles...) over a period of time.... Perhaps including a few pictures from here, if there is no objection?

cacm
Posts: 2212
Joined: 08 Apr 2010, 00:07

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by cacm »

VERY INFOR MATIVE& INTERESTING AS I HAVE WALKED ACROSS THESE HOUSES MANY TIMES! Actually have visited GNB WHO was known for changing houses almost on a quarterly basis! Visiting him& PSP are still Highlights of my MADRAS LIFE!....ANY PICS BY ANY CXHANCE OF THE STREET&HOUSES? VKV

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by Pasupathy »

cacm wrote:.ANY PICS BY ANY CXHANCE OF THE STREET&HOUSES? VKV
Sorry..No! Only the families who lived in those houses may have some pictures.... I remember PSP --- I think he lived near Venkatanarayana Rd and later in Boag Rd (...close to Sivaji's house) .... Dandapani Desikar was also in T Nagar..... I don't remember where GNB lived in T Nagar though..... Another memory is of Ganesh &Co house in Venkatanarayana Rd..where Gandhi stayed .... writers like Chandilyan ( Bashyam) used to frequent Vani Pharmacy in Pondy Bazaar.... Nagiah started Tyaga Brahma Sabha ( Vani Mahal) ... I am forgetting DKP in Kuppuswamy St and Raman +Lakshmanan ( Tiger's students ) nearby, Papa Venkataramiah.... NSKrishnan in T Nagar and hence his statue in the present location....T S Baliah lived very closeby... well, golden days, indeed!

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by arasi »

GNB, for a few years at least, lived in Raja St?? Bhanumathi was a long time resident. PA Periyanayaki, MV Rajamma, TR Ramachandran...heritage homes are in our memory only. Leave it to the developers to raze single houses down with bulldozers :(

cacm
Posts: 2212
Joined: 08 Apr 2010, 00:07

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by cacm »

It would be nice if Chennai historian V.Sriram could be asked to list the houses GNB LIVED IN! He was precocious for changing houses, cars, etc. Someday I will write in detail what Sri.S.Rajam told me about his prepartions before going to his concerts. Both he & Maharajapuram V used to start from his house to concerts.....VKV

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by rshankar »

With so much nostalgia going around, I wonder if singing - 'anda nALum vandiDAdO?', or 'andanAl nyAbagam nenjilE', or even 'bhUlOka vaikuNThamu idi ani' in a gOSTi gAnam format will be far behind! :)

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

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by Pasupathy »

Musical Tidbits -47 ( In Tamil)
V.V.Sadagopan -1

சங்கீத சங்கதிகள் - 47
வி.வி. சடகோபன் -1

http://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2015/01/47_28.html

venkatakailasam
Posts: 4170
Joined: 07 Feb 2010, 19:16

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by venkatakailasam »

very good collections..

venkatakailasam
Posts: 4170
Joined: 07 Feb 2010, 19:16

Re: V. V. Sadagopan

Post by venkatakailasam »

An Educator with a Mission
A centenary tribute to VV Sadagopan
By TK Venkatasubramanian..

http://srutimag.blogspot.in/

Post Reply