ARIYAKUDI-CREATOR, INVENTOR, PRESERVER, "MOOLADHARAM"OF 20TH CENTURY CARNATIC MUSIC

[arasi]

AriyakkuDi was king, was adored and is still being adored by rasikAs. What an artiste!

However, his time had no internet, had no instant communication means. He was left alone to live his life with music in peace. No instant messaging and responses in review but a review here and there weeks after the concert when critics wrote in leisure about his expositions, in most cases.

And after decades, we still relish his music and of his disciples-KVN shining bright among them...

Just wondered. Today, when most youngsters are drawn to fusion-ish CM, the roller coaster kind, the most recent SK seems to possess many of Ari's assets! If he's very popular as Ari was in his times, so be it. That kind of jana ranjakam which Ari aimed for is what Sanjay's music is about, it seems. Something which will hopefully anchor Ari's kind of music--which may influence some young aspirants not to fall for the speedy fusion influenced CM...

[KNV1955]

Arasi

AriyakkuDi was king, was adored and is still being adored by rasikAs. What an artiste!

The new Gen don't adore Ariyakudi music. I have talked to no of guys. They prefer KVN over Ariyakudi.There is a huge adoration & following for GNB & Semmangudi music with present generation. My own assessment of Ariyakudi music is it is not as entertaining as GNB & Semmangudi music. It was serious music. He never resorted to gimmicks.He had the best manly voice I have heard in CM. The wobble in his voice was probabbly because of strained singing with poor acoustics. Listen to this recording. Sruti 3 Kattai(E). No wobble in the voice whatsoever. Perfect Sruti alignment. Effortless singing in higher octaves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVRn-X6Y4Mg

[semmu86]

No wobble in the voice whatsoever. Perfect Sruti alignment. Effortless singing in higher octaves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVRn-X6Y4Mg

Absolutely!! What a brilliant rendition! Thanks very much

[semmu86]

Have always been a great fan of Iyengar's music, majorly because of the brilliant brevity involved in whatever he sang. A friend of mine handed over some tapes of ARI's concerts and i was casually going through them when i found this brilliant bhairavi. A krithi, not much in vogue today, his voice in magnificent shape in all its manliness, the "viruviruppu" all along, the beautiful "one-avarthanam" swaras and a beautiful pattern with "gowravam" written all over it, to wind it up.

Violinist is tagged as TNK. Mrudangam, i think it could be a very young Palghat Raghu. The thoppi is so beautiful to listen to. Majestic accompaniment.

https://archive.org/details/ARITNKKoluvaiyunADE.mp3

[kvchellappa]

Kindly bring up Rajuvedala if available.

[mridangamkid]

The new Gen don't adore Ariyakudi music. I have talked to no of guys. They prefer KVN over Ariyakudi.There is a huge adoration & following for GNB & Semmangudi music with present generation.

Speak for yourself! ARI will always be a cut above any other artists for me. Though I must admit it may be a genetic trait that I've inherited from my elders

[arasi]

KNV,
Ah, sugam (a pleasure) to hear him sing anupama guNAmbudi. Thanks

I would have taken your word about the new generation (you know your stuff), but MKid declares otherwise He may not be in the majority, though...

Again, our Semmu (not as young as MKid, a married man and all that) but still young, sings Ari's glory

[kvchellappa]

Possibly, ARI in his heyday must have been grand going by the esteem in which all contemporrary artists held him. That includes SSI (who had a picture of ARI in his house prominently I believe) and GNB who was very vocal about ARI being the best. I have heard him sing Kotinatulu (recorded) and when I heard somebody else sing the same, it sounded nowhere near. Acc to Rama Varma PMI declared CM dead when ARI died!

[hnbhagavan]

Each generation feels that the previous generation is better than the current one from a third man perspective.It is true in all fields-Music,politics,sports,other professions.Though the present crop of carnatic musicians perform to their best ability,one hears people in concerts recalling good old days of semmangudi,GNB,ARI etc.
But in the formative years the contribution of stalwarts like ARI,SSI,GNB etc cannot be disputed.But it is highly creditable that a number of present day artists like Sanjay,RaGa sisters and slightly earlier ones like Vijaya Siva,OS thyagarajan etc have preserved the music tradition.