Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar

Carnatic Musicians
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kaumaaram
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Post by kaumaaram »

I had posted the short RTP in Bhairavi (under RTP thread), rendered by Chembai. Here are the links for the entire live concert:

http://rapidshare.de/files/14971999/05- ... a.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/14972139/04- ... i.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/14972230/03- ... o.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/14972384/02- ... i.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/14972436/01- ... a.mp3.html

I would request Srkris to give us details of the accompanying artists.

Kaumaaram

srkris
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Post by srkris »

The violinist and mridangist are most probably MSG and TVG. I dont think there is any ghatam or morsing.

It is a commercial recording, by the way.

mantra
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Joined: 27 Nov 2005, 07:17

Post by mantra »

I see that the file sizes for the Live Chembai concert are too small. Is the link correct or am I the only one facing this problem?
Regards
Shyam

vrbadri
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Joined: 29 Oct 2005, 03:45

Post by vrbadri »

Shyam,
The sizes are in kiloBytes....earlier the website used to show them in bytes.
Badri

srkris
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Post by srkris »

A rare 78rpm disc going on sale in eBay:

Image

http://tinyurl.com/zrctz

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

and the best offer is by Srkris
Once
Twice
Thrice.
And the LP is sold to Ramakrishnan..(who else !)

Congrats Srkris.
BTW I wonder if you have noticed that these recording companies have started marketing the LP versions on CDs .The CD box is a big one ,made to look like a LP cover with all the details of the Recording , date other details.Some kind of a collectors version.
I saw these at Music world last week.

srkris
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Post by srkris »

Coolkarniji,

No, fortunately or unfortunately, I am not a bidder.

BTW, see this http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/02/stories ... 690200.htm

I havent seen them (the big packs which you mention containing LP recordings released on CD). Did you see them in MW at Spencer Plaza?

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

yes.at spencer plaza.on the top row in the classical section

kaumaaram
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Post by kaumaaram »


kaumaaram
Posts: 380
Joined: 14 Oct 2005, 17:38

Post by kaumaaram »

The violinist and mridangist are most probably MSG and TVG. I dont think there is any ghatam or morsing.

It is a commercial recording, by the way.
Thanks a ton Srkris. I picked up certain concerts from my friend in mp3 format and was not aware that this was a commercial recording. I have deleted the links in line with the objectives and rules of the forum.

Kaumaaram

kaumaaram
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Post by kaumaaram »


vasanthakokilam
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Post by vasanthakokilam »

The Chembai staple Karuna_Cheivan is nicely rendered once again. I guess there are a few songs that Chembai has made his own. Is it because he had unearthed them and after his stamp on it with his unique style, no one dared to touch it for fear of not measuring up to Chembai? I am listening to Karuna_Cheivan after quite a long time and what a refreshing song it is in the hands of Chembai and Co. I have few songs that do something to me at a deep enough place in me which is hard to describe and this song is one of them.

meena
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Post by meena »

chembai

the LP label reads- ragamalika sloka any idea/info as to which sloka etc.

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

in the pantuvarali there is a pure anusvara aalapana of the raga (which quite sometime ago Ramakrishnan wrote about) which is a very special feature of Chembai. It is so delightful and not any othe artiste does that!

meena
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Post by meena »

cml/chembai

is that 'special feature'- hum pita gamakam?


kaumaaram
thanks again for sharing with us.

vasanthakokilam
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Post by vasanthakokilam »

Let me pretend to be scholarly here... ;)

Gumpita gamakam:

Belongs to vocal music and is called Humpita by Govinda Dhikshtar. It is a two dimensional gamaka indicating both an upward and a downward movement. Eg. A note of a siren.

I have not listened to the Chembai piece that CML pointed to ( I soon will ) but does the effect chembai produces match the above definition.

vasanthakokilam
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Post by vasanthakokilam »

Well, Chembai sings with a closed mouth...then that will be a

Mudrita gamaka : a note sung with a closed mouth

And now I get Meenaji's 'pun' :) ;)


srkris
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Post by srkris »

Meena... the disc image above says the ragamalika starts as "Venimuley..."

Here is the recording http://gente.chueca.com/recordsunlim3/broadcast.mp3

meena
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Post by meena »

chembai
thanks a lot for the clip and info. I missed reading on the label.

cml
any luck with the sloka text/author?

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

chembai
Come on give us the otherside too! Don't cheat us! This is pristine chembai!

meena

I was going to ask you! Am trying hard and after the second part will attempt to transcribe. All that i now have is the blissful anandabhairavi!

kaumaaram
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Post by kaumaaram »

CML,

Possibly, Srkris might give you the second part today. Let us wait (but of course, impatiently!).

Kaumaaram

meena
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Post by meena »

kaumaaram wrote:

Will upload the rest one by one.
am waiting ;)


kaumaaram
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Post by kaumaaram »

chembai
Come on give us the otherside too.......
CML : What is the duration of a 78 rpm - both sides? Will it be atleast for about 10 minutes?

Kaumaaram

param
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Post by param »

wrong message posted here

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

The regular ones used to play about 2.5 mins per side. The longer playing ones (that is why they were called LP, played close to 3.5 mins per side). This one appears to be a regular 78rpm.

srkris
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Post by srkris »

The full ragamalika viruttam...

http://www.box.net/public/242teufyjd

meena
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Post by meena »

thanks
kaumaaram/chembai

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

vENImUlE viracita ghanashyAma pi~njAva cUDO
vidyullEkAM valayita iva pItAMbarENAM
tvAmAlingan marakatamaNi sthaMbha gambhIra bAhu
tvabhrE tiShtat taruNa tulasi bhUShaNO nIlamEghAM

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

I guess this is by AcArya Madhusoodana sarasvati in his section on advaita siddhi...

meena
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Post by meena »

cml thanks

kaumaaram
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Post by kaumaaram »

wrong message posted here
Guruji,

Yes, but it is incidental and remotely related (in a typical lawyer's language)!

CML/Srkris: Thanks a ton.

All,

The track containing the "kolapureswari" rendered by Chembai is a composition of Seetharama Sastry and NOT otherwise as mentioned in the track of the AIR concert. Similarly,the raga for the song "Tripurasundari" is Amruthavarshini and NOT Sunadhavinodhini. Regret inconvenience.

Kaumaaram

vasanthakokilam
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Post by vasanthakokilam »

I am a bit nervous about asking this question since it is about CVB alapana, so I would like to add a disclaimer that I am a huge fan of CVB.

OK, here it is. I was listening to the thodi alapana in

03. Amba Nathu - Thodi - Adi - Pallavi Gopala Iyer.mp3

that was part of the CVB-MSG-TVG-TN Balappa-Dholak concert.

That alapana sounded different from other 'typical' thodi alapanas. I sensed Thodi for sure but it had several passages that I could not tightly associate with thodi. This is mostly due to my narrow scope in knowledge of the entire spectrum of Thodi. I am curious if others hear it that way and would like to learn from others in general about Chembai's conception of Thodi and other ragas in alapanas.

kaumaaram
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Post by kaumaaram »

VK,

The rendition was indeed cardinally different from other forms. The reason in my estimate is that Chembai has adopted an instrumental style of rendering it (as opposed to a vocalist style). There are certain nuances that an instrumentalist could deliver which a vocalist cannot (for instance due to limitations relating to speed, depth, sound, frequency, longevity of tone, etc). Chembai, by virtue of his mastery over the instrument, Violin, must have adopted his imaginative prayagoms on the violin to be manifested in his vocal rendition. That I believe, must have given you a different perception. But then, as you rightly maintained, it is indeed Todi and nothing but Todi.

I also notice that Chembai has been innovative in many areas - choosing rare compositions, encouraging new composers, singing kalpana swaras with ease on rare ragas like karnataka devagandhari, karnataka kapi, etc. He must have been a rebellious militant trying to break traditions by innovations and creativity. It drives home the point that those who have not learnt under Chembai had possibly missed something in their lives. [You can also say that the elimination process is based on the law of averages - not all have had the opportunity to enter and study in the sprawling campuses of IITs, IIMs, etc].

Since the instruments have a definite advantage on certain counts as stated above, if you really want to understand the unique prayoga in this raag, I commend that you listen to TNK's rendition of RTP in this raag. You will also notice that this artist, by virtue of being an accompanist to almost all the masters of carnatic music, makes a complete journey adopting all the styles, viz., chembai, ariyakudi, gnb, semmangudi and so on.

Kaumaaram

srkris
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Post by srkris »

VK,

Kaumaaram is right that Chembai sometimes tries to bring in the complexities of instrumental music into vocal singing.

In the Shanmukhananda Hall concert with Anantharaman and Raghu (in 1964 I think, though wrongly documented as 1966) please listen to the Pantuvarali alapana. He constantly challenges Anantharaman and prods him to try newer phrases, all the while himself demonstrating vocally how he wants it to be done.

In the miniature Bhairavi RTP (8mins RTP), listen to the Tanam. Picturise how it will be played on the veena... (he sings it like how a tanam is played on a veena). I am of the impression that he always sings songs by following the method followed by vainikas... you can observe this best in tanams, although if you closely observe the way he elongates certain phrasings, it is clear that he always uses the veena bani as his base, even while singing kritis and swaras.

My two cents... :twisted:

vasanthakokilam
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Post by vasanthakokilam »

kaumaaram, srkris:

Thanks for the insights. I did not know those aspects and at that level of detail and so your replies have been very educational for me. I went back and listened to it and I am beginning to see what you two are getting at.
I will pay attention to that side of Chembai's alapanas. The particular place in the alapana where I perceived Chembai's todi to be a bit different is when he sings with his mouth closed ( 'hum'pita gamaka, borrowing Meenaji's joke ).

In addition, usually, the violinist has a different take on the alapana in the beginning when playing along side the vocalist, extending or completing the vocalist's thoughts, right? But in the Todi piece under discussion, I am now noticing that MSG does not stray too far away from Chembai's alapana, pretty closely reproducing Chembai's. From what you have written, if Chembai is using the instrumentalists' bag of tricks, MSG probably figured to just go along with Chembai. ;) But when MSG gets his turn, he does his own thing as usual.

Thanks.

vasanthakokilam
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Post by vasanthakokilam »

We have been talking about the alapana of that Thodi piece, but I need to say a few words about the 'Amba Nathu..' performance itself. It is just brilliant. It is a very dynamic rendition, and soaked in classicism. The thodi gamaka with the wide oscillations within the correct upper and lower bound when sung in a full throated and uninhibited manner of Chembai is a great treat.

meena
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Post by meena »

vk

the humpita gamaka is no joke!!!
i was/am serious ,when cml mentioned 'pure anusvara aalapana of the raga-special feature of chembai' .


and pl vk u too can just call me meena :) thanks

Chembai
for past few weeks/mths "THE chembai site" is down, can't access any page i get- '404 error message' and
'The requested URL /carnatic/chembai/newsevents.html was not found on this server'.

vasanthakokilam
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Post by vasanthakokilam »

Meena,

OK, no pun intended then ;) You were probably referring to another aspect of Chembai gamakam as opposed to the 'humming' like thing he does.

Actually I tried this 'hum'pita pun to a fellow CM friend ( who even knows what a Mudrita gamaka means without referring to the books ). It took him a few seconds to get it and had a hearty laugh after that. So, the horse is out of the barn.. ;)

Just to set the record straight... I am referring to Chembai's singing with the closed mouth as 'hum'pita. The official name for that gamaka is Mudrita. ( hope I did not mudrita the waters, oh I mean..muddy the waters too much ;) )

kaumaaram
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Post by kaumaaram »

The listings are:

Vol 1: Sarasinjanabha - Varnam - Kambhoji
Vatapi - Hamsadwani
Vol 2: Samagana Vinodhini - Hamasanandhi
Para Mukha Melara - Suruti
Madhava Mamava - Neelamabari
Sarasamula - Kafi
Vol 3: Ramaneeyada - Karaharapriya
Thillana - Chenchurti

Vocal Support: Jaya Vijaya; others not indicated. Recorded at Srikanteeswaran Temple, Trivandrum on 20th Feb 1969.

Kaumaaram

vasanthakokilam
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Post by vasanthakokilam »

I was listening to a Chembai performance of Subramanyaya ( Kambhoji ). The filename I have is 04-Chembai-Lalgudi-Subramanyaya.MP3. I think this was posted by coolkarniji in the Lalgudi tribute series. It is an excellent piece though it is not complete. Does anyone have a link to the full performance of this song by Chembai ( either this instance or another )?

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

vk
will check up later today.
Just returned from a whirlwind tour of karnataka.

had the pleasure of meeting / talking to a few forum members .

Mysore Narahari
(where i went in search of Mysore based concerts)
Bangalore - Darshan ,
Harikesa (who hosted me for a night)
Rajasekhar (who was at my side right through my stay in
bangalore-
Boy ! His hospitality is beyond words!!)
and of course
Our "Composers Home" in Malleswaram.

;)

srkris
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Post by srkris »

Wow, if there is a celebrity in our forum, it must definitely be Coolkarniji. ;)

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

May I ask what the 'Our Composer's Home' is ? You mean DRS's ;)

kiransurya
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Post by kiransurya »

Wow Coolkarni

You are quite popular ;)
BTW isnt our composer`s(DRS, unless you are referring to someone else that I dont know) home in London? :?

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

Yes.It is indeed DRs'sHome That I visited .
Was treated to some glorious Gulab Jamoons , "Chakkulis "and some great conversations with his parents and sister.

a memorable visit indeed.

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

Ha Ha
While we get the cybersweets in the land of the virtual reality You get the real ones too! You sure would have told his parents how high we regard his scholarship and contributions and they should be legitimately proud of their offspring. VaLLuvar neatly summarizes:
"makan thanthaikku aaRRumuthavi ivan thanthai
ennORRaankol enum chol"
(the highest compliment a son/daughter can ever give to his/her parents is the saying from folks 'how much puNyam they must have done to get an issue like this')

srkris
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Post by srkris »

Image

Chembai and Semmangudi

srkris
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Post by srkris »

Image

Chembai

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