Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Remembering musicians of the recent past
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kvchellappa
Posts: 3598
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 13:54

Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by kvchellappa »

Sad.
Chitravina Ravikiran
@ravikiranmusic
Shocking to hear about the premature demise of master saxophonist Shri Kadri Gopalnath. RIP

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

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by CRama »

Shocking to hear the news. Heartfelt condolences to his family and disciples. Om Shanthi.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by rajeshnat »

Condolences to his family and sishyas. Om Shanthi. He was 69.
https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top- ... 67578.html

pattamaa
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Joined: 22 Nov 2009, 10:24

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by pattamaa »

Sad . Rama Rama Rama rama

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by SrinathK »

My condolences. His demise was untimely and he was a one of a kind talent who took an instrument like the saxophone and overcame its limitations to produce the kind of music he wanted. In most of the receptions and even some restaurants I went to, his music would be playing somehwere in the background. His cassette was playing for my school bell at one point. As a boy I would admire his rapid fire duets with A Kanyakumari on the violin and his sax-thavil duets. He also learnt the nagaswaram from his father in his early years.

The saxophone 🎷 is mourning its loss today. Aum Shanthi.


Sachi_R
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Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by Sachi_R »

Sad to hear of the passing of Sri. Kadri Gopalnath. Just last Saturday, during Navaratri, I sat inside the Sringeri temple during the night Pooja. The junior swamiji was holding the darbar. The music was provided by four saxophone players, perhaps two couples. They did use tavil.
Next morning too, no nagaswaram, only Sax.

I had a long discussion with my family on how I felt terrible that nagaswaram has been usurped by the Sax.

This is a sordid story. But there is a silver lining. One man who promoted the Sax like no other and elevated it to its present popular status in Carnatic music was Sri. Kadri Gopalnath. I do hope he will be reborn as a great nagaswaram player and resurrect that art too.

🙏🙏🙏

aaaaabbbbb
Posts: 2273
Joined: 31 Jan 2010, 14:19

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by aaaaabbbbb »

It is a sad day today. Sorry to know that Sri Gopinath Sir has attained the feet of Nadabrahma.

May God grant solace to his family and students and multitude of admirers.

Rest in peace.

gardabha_gana
Posts: 1033
Joined: 24 Dec 2006, 07:44

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by gardabha_gana »

Deep and heartfelt condolences. He got more folks interested in carnatic music and was an ambassador. Not an easy instrument, but elevated it as a wind instrument in carnatic music. His playing in Duet (Tamil film) won him many admirers. He was a regular visiting artist in the bay area in 90s - along with Vid. Kanyakumari (who had a special violin). I believe he was ailing for a while. Hope Nagaswaram/Clarinet/Saxophone/Mandolin/Veena/Flute find more faithful practitioners in Carnatic music.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by rajeshnat »

detailed obituary note from THe HIndu
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... 654170.ece

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

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by rshankar »

Heartfelt condolences to his family! As someone said, he “tamed” the sax to make it an instrument of Carnatic music. May his AtmA attain SAnti!

thanjavooran
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by thanjavooran »

Shocking to hear the news. Heartfelt condolences to his family and disciples. RIP
Thanjavooran
12 10 2019

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

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by arasi »

May his soul rest in peace...
He brought newness to the music scene in two ways: mastering and presenting the sax in CM idiom and drawing more listeners to CM music halls. Srinivas with his mandolin and Kadri Gopalnath with his saxophone. And his stage presence! Wore flamboyant clothes and made his music even more festive. For all that, seemed like a simple soul--a country boy who made it in the metropolis and performed around the world...
Condolences to his family, friends and fans.

shankarank
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Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by shankarank »

He leaves a footprint in far flung places - a worthy disciple Prashant Radhakrishnan ( IIRC the name) used to be in Phoenix? - and then some reverberations with couple of youngsters in Dallas who learnt from the latter.

Condolences to the near and dear!

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by rajeshnat »

Very nice tribute from Lalitharam in Tamil , from Tamil edition of The Hindu
https://www.hindutamil.in/news/opinion/ ... ath-4.html

I was thinking most of us only noticed with him in the tamil film duet of 1990s. Atleast putting that clip from that most interestiing point.
https://youtu.be/83_1VvQwyqI?t=114

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by arasi »

Lalitharam,
nalladOr soRchithiram--a well-deserved homage to Kadri in well-chosen words. Your assessment of a one of a kind artiste who had the heritage, thirst and the acumen for innovation captures the essence of this musician.
You are a valuable asset in today's CM and literary world. vaLarga :)

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by arasi »

A translation follows. Corrections welcome.
Last edited by arasi on 15 Oct 2019, 00:01, edited 1 time in total.

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by arasi »

Kadri Sri Gopalnath

By observing the past few centuries of history, we can see that as time went by, several western instruments had made their entry into the world of Carnatic music. They even became an integral part of it. It started with the violin, then clarinet and the mandolin. Kadri Gopalnath has been instrumental in adding saxophone to the list.

Born into the nagaswaram tradition, he learnt to play the instrument from his father. When he was fifteen, he first heard the sounds of the saxophone at the Mysore palace where the band played. He was smitten by its sound. When a musician picks up a new instrument, he would have a few forerunners to emulate, a path to follow. Rare are those who take to a new instrument and play it--that too with no guidance whatsoever from any pioneer player, .

When you think of it, the saxophone isn't an instrument meant for indian music at all. It is ideal for playing individually sounding staccato notes in western music. It is extremely difficult to play gamakAs, the very soul of indian music on it.

A musical Challenge
The debut performance of an artiste usually takes place in his/her teen years. A dozen years had elapsed between Gopalnath's listening to the first strains of a saxophone and his arangETRam (ranga praveSa). He was a twenty-eight old when he debuted.
He went about making three important changes with the instrument hence: 1-with the traditional sax, you can play 3.5 octaves, Most cm kritis can be played within 2 octaves; the AlApanas and KalpanA svaras too. Realizing this, he eliminated a few keys in the instrument and made it easier to play. 2- changing the metal joints to rubber made the gamakA playing easier. 3- he changed the leather tabs to soft felt paper.
He thus traversed the rough road of playing CM with this instrument in spite of knowing its limitations. He experimented with it, and had the guts to amend it to suit the CM mode.

Bold Experiments
We have to view Kadri's impact against the time period for a backdrop. Sukumar Prasad, a gifted guitar player was beginning to give CM concerts with this new instrument. Prasad, started giving cm concerts with a guitar. what we can hear of it now proves to us that he played it expertly. Yet, there was a lot of resistance then for this from the sabhas and listeners of cm. Prasad had to quit performing. It's astounding that in such a climate, Gopalnath strove and succeeded in establishing the sax s a suitable instrument to play cm on! Additionally, this Karnataka artiste succeeded in finding a foothold in Chennai, the bastion of CM. This would have been impossible but for his persistence and resolve and ardor.
The CM world will remember him as a path maker for those who play(ed) cm with western instruments like the keyboard.
Last edited by arasi on 15 Oct 2019, 09:42, edited 1 time in total.

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by arasi »

(contd)

Entry into Cinema

There's no doubt that Gopalnath's life was changed when he played music in the film Duet, released in 1994. He was already an A grade AIR artiste, had played at the Music Academy and other prominent sabhas, and had performed widely abroad.
His music in the film made many listen to him then on. Its vivaciousness and his bringing out mellowness from a majestic instrument made many listen to him, spellbound. His mandra sthAyi prayOgAs, an amalgam of depth and gentleness transported them. His defying the clock while staying on one top note moved them. They looked forward to the experience over and over.
I should also add that in the many concerts I have listened to him in person, he did not play anything which he played on the screen, and he did not play any film music at all.

Simplicity and Humility

In the year 2000, while he was at the height of his fame, he looks back on his journey and states: by my efforts and my guru's grace, I have done sAdhakA with this instrument, by making changes to suit our music. There are still some hurdles. For instance, I can't play sAdhAraNa gAndhAra with ease yet. For someone who was at the peak of his career, expressing clearly his need to travel the road even more to improve his art-- that with such candor, is a rare thing in a field where pomp and circumstances abound.
Some critics mention his not handling rAgAs like tODi, dhanyAsi and sahAna. I feel that it was because of the very limitations of the instrument rather than the artiste's skill in playing it.
Though he played initially with another sax player and the tavil and morsing, as time went by, he played with violin, mridangam and morsing as accompaniment, in a style of his own. More importantly, he gave vidushi Kanyakumari equal status on the stage and thrilled the rasikAs with rAgAs like mohanam,, abheri, kalyana vasantham and so on which would stand the test of time, no dobt..
We now witness that in the past twenty five years, hundreds of saxophone players have evolved, particularly in Karnataka. They play it at celebrations at home and at temple festivals as a mangala vAdya, at par with nagaswara.
Amidst his busy schedule of concerts, Kadri did not fail to train disciples like G.Ramanathan, son of his guru TVG.
Even if you set aside all his achievements, you can see that his music attracted even those who had no interest in classical music at all--especially the youth. For that reason alone, he would live on.
Last edited by arasi on 15 Oct 2019, 09:47, edited 1 time in total.

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by rshankar »

Arasi: awesome translation of LalithaRam’s inspired prose! Thank you!!

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by arasi »

Ravi,
Thank you :)

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by rajeshnat »

super arasi , nice and great translation. tx to you and lalitharam.

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

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by arasi »

Rajesh,
Thanks. Kadri Gopalnath's musical journey is inspiring. Lalitharam wrote a lovely piece in beautiful tamizh. If not the tamizh, at least the substance of it had to reach those who cannot read tamizh, I felt.

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: Kadri Sri Gopalnath

Post by parivadini »

@arasi - I did send you a private mail through the forum. Hope you had a chance to see it :-)

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