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Collections: Instrumental, Vocal and Cine Music

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T v ramprasadh

T V RAMPRASADH
Many many happy returns of the day

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T. V. Ramprasadh (b. Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, May 13, 1969) is one of the prominent Carnatic classical vocalists of India.


Musical lineage and style

After his training from Mahalakshmi Natrajan (Bombay) and Sharada Satyanarayana, Ramprasadh received his advanced training from maestros like Padma Bhushan P. S. Narayanaswamy, Sangita Kalacharya S Rajam, T. V. Gopalakrishnan and R.R. Keshavamurthy


In Ramprasadh's rendition, the purity of the classical form is maintained and his music is an amalgamation of the Semmangudi/ PSN school and the school of S Rajam (student of Ambi Dikshitar), who is a torch bearer of the Dikshitar baani.

Performer
T. V. Ramprasadh gave his first concert at the age of 11.

Ramprasadh's concert tours abroad have taken him to the US, UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Singapore, Malaysia etc.

An 'A-grade' All India Radio Artist, his programmes have been broadcast on radio and television in State, Zonal, and National networks

Ramprasadh's music is available on labels like the Kosmic Music, Music Today, HMV, the Times Music, Amutham Inc of US, Lahari, Sangeetha etc.

Teacher

TVR has trained students in India and other countries. He has conducted workshops and undertaken teaching assignments in UK, US, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria and Malaysia.


Awards


Asthaana Vidwaan of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram
Gana Kala Shree from the Karnataka Gana Kala Parishath
Naada Vallabha by Naada Sudha, Chennai
Gaayana Gandharva by Delhi Kannadiga Sangha
Gaanakala Vishaarada by Karnataka Cultural Association of Southern California, Los Angeles
Best Vocalist award by the Madras Music Academy, Krishna Gana Sabha, Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai
Youth Excellence Award by Rotary Club of Chennai West
The All India Best Carnatic Singer by Sangeetayan, New Delhi


Music spokesperson


As a consultant for the Times of India, Ramprasadh worked with school children inr Bangalore through the Newspaper in Education – a series of Music awareness programmes for schools in Bangalore

Ramprasadh has been a guest lecturer/performer for Mudhra- a series of music appreciation programs for the masses held in Chennai

He has presented lectures in forums like the Rotary International, Universities in United States of America, Germany, France and radio and television networks in India and abroad

He has contributed articles to music and dance magazines




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chJY1y0-__I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y0BSfaYvW0

TV Ramprasadh, Carnatic Vocalist, Performing Carnatic singer, Carnatic concert musician, Chennai carnatic vocalists, Bangalore performing Karnatic singer, performing Carnatic vocalists, Chennai Carnatic singers, Chennai Karnatic vocalist, TVRamprasad



Source: Indhira Jayaram Rao
 
Neyyattinkara vasudevan

NEYYATTINKARA VASUDEVAN

Fondly remembered with respects

Neyyattinkara Vasudevan (1940–13 May 2008) was a Carnatic music vocalist from Kerala in south India. The Padmasree-winning Carnatic vocalist and disciple of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Ramnad Krishnan, he combined tradition and innovation in his widely acclaimed career.

Vasudevan born in a village near Neyyattinkara in southern Travancore, and did his formal music studies from the Swati Tirunal Music College, Thiruvananthapuram, chiefly under Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. He also did advanced studies under Ramnad Krishnan. He passed Ganabhushanam in 1960 and Sangeetha Vidwan in 1962.

He worked as assistant professor at the RLV College of Music, Thrippunithura, for nearly a decade before joining All India Radio as an A-grade staff vocalist in 1974. He retired in 2000 and was later ranked ‘A Top’, the highest honour given by AIR to classical musicians.

Awards
Padma Shri in 2004
Swati Puraskaram in 2006

He passed away on 13 May 2008 in Thiruvananthapuram aged 68.


Neyyattinkara Vasudevan - Gangeya Vasana - Hamir Kalyani

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_uYpCud77k

Uploaded on Aug 28, 2011





Source: Indhira Jayaram Rao
 
Geyam Hari Naamadheyam Mazha

Geyam Hari Naamadheyam Mazha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev-D3DrHaIQ

Published on Apr 23, 2013
Geyam Hari Naamadheyam, geeyamharinamadeyam, geyam harinamadeyam, Malayalam Film Song from the Film Mazha. Mazha (Malayalam: മഴ, English: The Rain) is a 2000 Malayalam film directed by Lenin Rajendran starring Biju Menon, Samyuktha Varma and Lal. The film is based on the novel Nashtappetta Neelambari by Malayalam novelist Madhavikkutty. This song "Geyam Hari Nama Dheyam" won Yusufali Kechery the National Film Award for Best Lyrics in 2000. The music is by Ravindran. Singers Yesudas and Asha G. Menon
 
Sri 139th Thyagaraja Aradhana 1986

Sri 139th Thyagaraja Aradhana 1986

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rsI17n6i3E

Published on Jan 21, 2013
This was recorded by me in a VHS video cassette in the year 1986.
Twenty years later, in 2006, when I had the facility of converting from analog to digital form, I captured the video from the cassette and uploaded the digital version in the website of "Sangeethapriya". Ever since it has been in circulation in the net through various people. This is a better quality video capture than the one uploaded earlier in Sangeethapriya. .This should be useful for the posterity. One could see a number of old music stalwarts in the congregation.
 
"Bala Sarasa Murali" (Oothukkadu Venkatakavi)


"Bala Sarasa Murali" (Oothukkadu Venkatakavi)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N88ETS6kd-U&feature=youtu.be


Shangu Chakra Gadha Padmam

Published on May 13, 2012

Sri Bala Krishna (Therazhandur Style) Seva at my Home Thirumaligai (Sanctum) during Krina Jayanthi Utsavam 2011. Accompanying Saptaratna Krkthi is rendered by Sri. Ravikiran Ensemble.

The images and clips used in this Video are of my Home Deities during Prayer Observance (Sanctum). The audio/sound recordings are used where ever necessary without any commercial intentions or monetary benefit according to "Fair Use" and mainly for educating audience into Vaishnavism, Dravida Vedam (Divyaprabandham), Works of Acharyas, Sanskrit Vedic Hymns, Shlokas, Mantras, Carnatic and Devotional music by providing visuals for better appreciation and for listening pleasure & spiritual realization. Most of the Shlokas, Mantras, Vedas and Divyaprabandhams are available in Public Domain and is recited in all Vaishnava Temples & 108 Divyadesams.

My Home Thirumaligai hosts Sriman Narayana with his Consorts Sridevi-Bhudevi, Sri Mahalakshmi , Sri Yoga Narasimha, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha, Sri Dolai Kannan (Bala Krishna), Sri Aandal, Sri Ram Parivar, Sri Ramanuja , Sri Manavalamamuni & Sri Satyanarayanaswamy. All Alangarams, Daily rituals (Thenkalai Nithyanusandhanam Sampradaya) and Kainkariyams are performed for the Lord including all auspicious events. Panchaparva Seva & Thirumanjanam (Holy Bath) is performed on Ekadesi, Amavasya, Purnima and when Revathi Star is in Ascendence.

Ootthukkadu Venkata Kavi The Great!! (Telugu: ఊత్తుక్కాడు వెంకట కవి,Tamil: ஊத்துக்காடு வேங்கட கவி, Sanskrit: वूत्तुकाडु वेंकट कवि) (c.1700 - 1765 CE) was a prominent composer of Carnatic music. He lived in South India in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu. Also known by the name Oothukkadu Venkatasubba Iyer, he is attributed to over 400 compositions. These were handed down from generation to generation by the descendants of the composer's brother's family. Venkata Kavi's compositions reveal that he was a complete master of the science and art of music in all senses of the term -- melody, rhythm or lyrics and was eloquent in Sanskrit and Tamil. He was proficient in a variety of musical forms such as the kriti, tillana and kavadichindu. He used talas and themes that not many other Carnatic composers have preferred to handle. His compositions are a blend of a high degree of scholarship on a variety of subjects and inspired expression. Several pieces also reveal his humility, reverence for the great personalities before his times and the high state of bliss that he probably experienced almost ceaselessly. His works scarcely contain autobiographical notes and show that he had reached great spiritual and philosophical heights. His works also reveal the proximity he felt towards God and show his deep devotion.

His Saptaratnas (seven gems = seven songs) are similar in style to Tyagaraja's pancharatnas (five gems) in their musical structure consisting of the main refrain (pallavi), a contrasing section (anupallavi) and a series of other sections (charana) in medium tempo (madhyama kala) that can be rendered as swara and sahitya.
 
Sri Kamakshi Navavarnam || Bombay Sisters || Carnatic Classical

Sri Kamakshi Navavarnam || Bombay Sisters || Carnatic Classical

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWwIQa2Cm1I

Published on Feb 20, 2015
Listen to Sri Kamakshi Navavarnam, by the Bombay sisters, C. Saroja and C. Lalitha, are a Carnatic music singing duo.
 
Raga Souveera on Violin by Jayadevan - Instrumental music

Raga Souveera on Violin by Jayadevan - Instrumental music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXRZpOaRr1c

Published on Jun 6, 2014
Violin recital of Raga Souveera or Raga Sowveeram of Carnatic Music. Raga Souveera is a popular Janya Raga derived from the main raga Suvarnangi.
 
A. R. Rahman Receives Honorary Doctorate

A. R. Rahman Receives Honorary Doctorate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKZb3Vmh7GM

Published on Oct 29, 2014
In recognition of his extraordinary contribution to the arts, A.R. Rahman received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music on Friday, October 24, 2014.

A two-time Academy Award winning composer, A. R. Rahman has helped redefine contemporary Indian music. He has sold more than 150 million albums featuring music from more than 100 film soundtracks across many languages, including scores for films such as Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Couples Retreat, Jodhaa Akbar, and Million Dollar Arm, among many others. Rahman has been bestowed with the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, two of India’s highest national civilian honors, in recognition of his contributions to music. In 2009, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Rahman recently announced initiatives to establish a tradition in western classical music in India and embarked on an ambitious venture to set up the KM Music Conservatory and the KM Music Symphony Orchestra based out of Chennai, India. He plans to provide a platform for non-mainstream music through his music label, KM Musiq.
 
Mysore Vasudevachar

Mysore Vasudevachar

Fondly remembered with respects
Mysore Vasudevachar (May 28, 1865 – May 17, 1961) was an Indian musician and composer of Carnatic music compositions who belonged to the direct line of Thyagaraja's disciples. Vasudevachar's compositions (numbering over 200) were mostly in Telugu and Sanskrit.


Source: Indhira Jayaram Rao

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpbrJvLS0yo
Published on Jun 7, 2012
Sri Senkamalavalli Thayar - Mahalakshmi (Periya Piratti aka Cosmic Mother) Seva at My Home Thirumaligai (Sanctum) during Paryer Observances 2012. The accompanying Carnatic Krithi in Raga Gowri Manohari is rendered by Smt. Nisha P. Rajagopal & Composed by Mysore Vasudevachar.
 
T.K. Jayaraman

T.K. Jayaraman

Fondly remembered with respects on his birth anniversary

T K. Jayarama Iyer, recipient of both the President's award and the title of Sangeeta Kalanidhi conferred by the Music Academy of Madras, was a distinguished violinist and a wellknown musicologist. Born in 1894 in Tanjavur district, well-known for its musical giants, in a family of violinists and Harikatha performers, he took to music as bees to nectar. Attracted to jalatarangam in his early years, he learned to play this instrument under the great Anayampatti Subba Iyer and started giving recitals in various places in South India. Realising the limitations of this instrument, he reverted to the violin, which was anyway his first love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-5rQ4p5oHw

Published on Nov 3, 2013
An exquisite Nattakurinji Ragam followed by Thanam and Pallavi



Source: Indhira Jayaram Rao
 
Padma Shri M. D. Ramanathan.

Padma Shri M. D. Ramanathan.


(May 20, 1923 – April 27, 1984 -92nd Birth Anniversary)

M.D. Ramanathan was a colossus in the Carnatic world. May 20 is MDR Day



M. D. Ramanathan (MDR) was born in Manjapara, Palghat District, Kerala on 20 May 1923.

Ramanathan's musical knowledge was highly respected among fellow musicians. He received the 'Padmasri' in 1974, the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1975 and the Indian Fine Arts Society's 'Sangita Kala Sikhamani' title in 1976. He was a member of the Madras Music Academy's Experts Committee for many years. He was coveted for the Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi award in the 1983-84 season but the politics within that institution did not grant him the honour. Some have suggested that he be granted the award posthumously.

He did it with his outstanding knowledge of sangita, which was sharpened under the tutelage of Tiger Varadachari, in the serene atmosphere of Kalakshetra. His musical voyage was supplemented by the education he received even in those days --- he was a science graduate from the Victoria College, Palakkad. His hunger for learning languages including Sanskrit, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada, helped him interpret the compositions on the concert platform.

In his own compositions, he used the mudra ‘Varadadasa', which brought out his gurubhakti for Tiger Varadachari.


A witty person, he used to say after reluctantly singing one of his own compositions in a concert that it was his ‘kapithvam' rather than ‘kavithvam'. However, he did not think it fit to sing his own pieces due to his respect for the Vaggeyakaras.


M D Ramanthan Hit Songs: M D Ramanthan Albums Top Songs - Music Albums on Gaana.com

Best of MD Ramanathan

Best Of M D Ramanathan - Vol 1 Songs - Carnatic Movie Songs - Raaga.com

His music, his soul - The Hindu
M. D. Ramanathan - a brief biography
 
D Pasupathi:

D Pasupathi:

Hailing from Vandavasi, Prof. D. Pasupathy enrolled into Kalakshetra as a 14-year-old and had the fortune of learning from such stalwarts as Tiger Varadachariar, Buladur Krishnamurthy Sastrigal, Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer and Mysore Vasudevachariar. He also learnt the nuances of veena playing from Kalpagam Swaminathan, besides training in Bharatanatyam and nattuvangam.

After his post-graduate diploma, he was part of Kalakshetra’s faculty. He then moved to Tirupathi where he retired as the principal of the Sri Venkateswara College of Music and Dance, a TTD institute. At the behest of Rukmini Devi Arundale, Pasupathy returned to Kalakshetra and was its vice-principal till he retired in 1992.

Among his other major achievements are his music compositions for Annamacharya kritis and several Kalakshetra dance dramas including ‘Panchali Sabadam’ and ‘Tirukural Bharatham.’ An A-Top Artist with AIR, Pasupathy has performed all over India and abroad.

Listen to Pasupathi Songs


Latest Hindi Songs - Top Hit Hindi Music - Hindi movie mp3 songs - Saavn WAP music on mobile


Scholarly approach - The Hindu
 
Emmanuelle Martin - The Sacred Music of South India

Emmanuelle Martin - Emmanuelle Martin - The Sacred Music of South India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsNlMIf3CYg


Published on May 21, 2014
Performance at the Sea of Glass - Center for the Arts in Tucson Arizona, April 24, 2014- with Lavanya Raman on the violin and Sharatchandra Bhargav on the mridangam.
 
Kala ramnath

KALA RAMNATH


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCoZ8aXemp0

Published on Sep 25, 2014



Wishing KALA RAMNATH ( born 29 May 1967) Indian Classical Violinist, on her Birthday today.. She belongs to the Mewati Gharana. She was awarded the Rashtriya Kumar Gandharva Sanman in 2008 and the Pandit Jasraj Gaurav Puraskar in 1999.


Kala Ramnath is the first child of Malathy and T.N. Mani in Chennai, India. Ramnath was born into a family of prodigious musical talent, which has given Indian music such violin legends as T. N. Krishnan and N. Rajam. Her father, T.N. Mani was a musician, well known for his contributions to Indian film music.


At the age of two and a half, Ramnath was initiated into violin and vocal training by her grandfather, Vidwan Narayan Iyer. She represents the beginning of the seventh generation of violinists in her family. It has been said that her grandfather bribed her to practice by offering her sweets and candy.


She started performing from the age of 14 when her aunt presented her in concert. Ustad Zakir Hussain is noted complimenting her for playing just like her aunt Dr. N. Rajam, but asked who would like to listen to a copy when the original is still around. This irked young Ramnath, who was interested in leaving her mark in the musical world.


For fifteen years she studied with the Mewati vocal maestro, Pandit Jasraj. This has brought a rare vocal emotionalism to her art. Her violin playing is characterized by an immaculate bowing and fingering technique, command over laya, richness and clarity in sur. She has revolutionized the technique of playing the violin by taking this instrument so close to vocal music that today her violin is called The Singing Violin.


Ramnath has performed at all the major music festivals in India, as well as the most prestigious stages throughout the world, including the Sydney Opera House, London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall to name a few.


Due to her rigorous training in the classical tradition she comfortably forges musical alliances with artists of renown from different genres around the globe incorporating elements of Western Classical, Jazz, Flamenco and traditional African music into her rich and varied repertoire.


Ramnath is a sought after artist to work and experiment with orchestras like the London Symphony and London Philharmonic and world music legends like Ustad Zakir Hussain, Kai Eckhart, Edgar Meyer, Bela Fleck, Terry Bozzio, Abbos Kossimov, Ayrto Moreira, Giovanni Hidalgo and rock legend Ray Manzarek of the Doors to name a few.


‘Raga Afrika’, ‘Global Conversation’ and recently ‘Elements’ are all bands Ramnath has founded along with her fellow world music artists.


Ramnath regularly lectures and conducts workshops all around the world. A few worth mention here are the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music in Netherlands, University of Giessen in Germany and the Weill Institute in association with the Carnegie Hall in New York.


She is keen to enrich the lives of under-privileged and sick children through music in the form of her foundation, ‘Kalashree’.


Hollywood Films;

Ramnath also has been involved in the background score of the Hollywood films, notable among them being Blood Diamond working with composers like James Newton Howard and George Acogny.


Awards and Recognitions:

Grammy nominated for her album ‘Miles from India’

Recognized as one of the fifty best instrumentalists of the world by the prestigious ‘Songlines’ Magazine
Album ‘Kala’ selected again by ‘Songlines’ magazine’s one of the 50 best recordings of the world
The first Indian violinist to be featured in the violin Bible, ‘The Strad’, a solo essay in the ‘Encyclopedia – Rough Guide to World Music’ for her contributions in the field of violin in Music

Out of her several recordings best selling albums, Kala’ and ‘Samvad’ were ‘Top of the World’ in the charts for the year 2004, ‘Yashila’ for 2006 and ‘Samaya’ for 2008.

A Top Grade Artiste in India's Radio and Television


Source
VENKATA RAMAN G
 
Dr. G. BABY SREERAM

Wishing Dr. G. BABY SREERAM ( born 30 May 1972) Carnatic Vocalist, on her Birthday today.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joPu12nO6wY






Dr. G.Baby Sreeram was born into a musical family in Thiruvananthapuram. Her first Guru was Smt.Ananthalakshmi Venkitaraman, who was the direct disciple of her grand father Sri Bagavatheeswara Bhagavathar. She then went on to receive the Cultural Scholarship instituted by the Govt.of India. She continued her studies in Music under Sangita Kalanidhi T.M.Thiagarajan and later on under Sangita Kala Aacharya Sri.P.S.Narayanaswamy.



She received DIRECT "A" from AIR, Trivandrum in 1997, and then opted to settle in Chennai since 1992.. She did her M.A.Music (Rank holder in the year 1994), from Kerala University She has completed her Ph.D, in music on the topic "An analytical study on Bhashanga Ragas" under the guidance of Dr.B.Pushpa, from Kerala University in the year 2004.


A full time musician, she is doing concerts regularly in Sabhas. She has performed in other countries such as Cleveland, Dubai and Malaysia and also participated in National Seminars of Music in Universities, and conducted classes for Music Departments on different themes. Being a composer, she has composed many Varnas, Swarajathis, Kritis, Tillanas, and some of them are recorded and preserved in SAMPRADAYA - an archeological music library, in Chennai.


She has formed a group SAMARPANA for the students of music. Every month the group does thematic presentations. The group has nearly 30 dedicated students who are very enthusiastic to learn more and does quality research work on various themes. Last month their group visited Kovur Temple and sang Kovur Pancharatna Krithis in the temple premises.


Inspired by Sri Sethalapathi Balasubramaniam, who was the direct disciple of Sri Papanasam Sivan, she has developed a special liking towards Viruthams. She is able to preface most of her Tamil songs with appropriate Viruthams that would continue to ring in your ears, even after any concert of hers gets over.



She plans to release a book on her compositions and also plans to celebrate Muthuswamy Deekshitar Jayanthi as a 12 hour Akhandam, which would include maximum number of Deekshitar compositions. This is to be organized by her group SAMARPANA.



Dr. G. Baby Sreeram , Carnatic Vocalist, Tamil Nadu, India - Sabhash!
 
Sri T R Mahalingam- Sive Pahimam Kalyani-

Sri T R Mahalingam-

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Tributes to Flute MALI or T R MAHALINGAM, full name Tiruvidaimarudur Ramaswamy Mahalingam (6 November 1926 – 31 May 1986) renowned Flautist who revolutionised the style of flute-playing in Carnatic Music, on his Death Anniversary today.



TRM was born in Tiruvidaimarudur, Tanjavur district in Tamil Nadu to Ramaswami Iyer and Brahadambal. His parents named him after Mahalingaswamy(Shiva), the deity of the nearby Hindu temple. He had an elder sibling Devaki and started learning singing music from his maternal uncle Jalra Gopala Iyer, who ran a famous music school. At age five, he observed other boys playing the flute and secretly, against his father's wishes, he picked up a flute and learnt to play, in three speeds, the Viriboni Varnam in Bhairavi raga entirely by himself. As a boy, T.R. Mahalingam had the ability to play any song he heard after listening to it only once. As such, he quickly advanced through his music training.


Mali was the founder of the popular style of flute playing followed today by the Carnatic flautists. Before Mali, the style of flute playing was called Sarabha Sastri style, popularised by Sarabha Sastri's disciple, Palladam Sanjiva Rao, and did not have any gamakas and involved playing the flute in discrete bursts. T.R. Mahalingam had breath control that enabled him to blow any single note over 40 seconds. This breath control let Mali give great volume to the lower octaves as well as the higher octaves. Mali introduced new fingering techniques, and a grip on the flute that came to be known as the "parrot clutch or the cross-fingering style ", allowing greater control. His style of continuous flute playing provided gamakas, and an ability to better imitate the human voice.

In Carnatic music, instrumental music seeks to emulate vocal singing which is considered the ideal, and it was only with Mali's style did all the nuances of Carnatic music become possible to be expressed on the flute. His style prevailed over the Sarabha Shastri style whose last follower, Ramachandra Shastri, a disciple of Palladam Sanjeeva Rao, died in 1992. The loss of Sarabha Sastri style is only an academic loss and Mali's style of playing remains to this day unparalleled.

Mali's techniques came into greater prominence under Dindigul SP Natarajan T.S.Sankaran, N. Ramani, B. N. Suresh, N. Kesi and have been carried forward by Mr.Viswanathan (son of Dindigul SP Natarajan) and students including Prapancham Sita Raman, B.G. Srinivasa, C.M.Madhuranath, B. Shankar Rao and B.M Sundar Rao.


T.R. Mahalingam's technique also led to a redesign of the bamboo flute: He made his flute reeds thicker and the holes smaller- producing a warm, rich tone. Also, unlike others before him, Mali drilled eight holes in the flute. "It was the eighth and extra hole that helped provide Mali with the extraordinary control he had on the instrument." – Prof. P. Sambamurthy, musicologist.


His first concert was in 1933 at the Thyagaraja festival in Mylapore, at the age of seven. At the concert, two stalwarts in the audience, Parur Sundaram Iyer and Musiri Subramania Iyer, were so impressed that they left the concert to bring ponnadai (shawls) to drape around the boy's shoulders, a great honour usually reserved for Carnatic music veterans.

After this successful debut, his father put him on a hectic touring and performing schedule, leading to resentment on the boy's part. It was also hard to persuade well-known musicians to accompany him.

However, within a very short time, Mali was being accompanied by some of the best accompanists in the realm, including Chowdiah, Papa K.S. Venkataramaiah, Kumbhakonam Azhagianambi Pillai, and Tanjor Vaidyanatha Iyer. Later in his career, he worked with the legendary Palghat Mani Iyer and Palani Subramaniam Pillai. Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar once picked up the violin to accompany Mali. However, it was Palghat Mani Iyer who's pairing with Mali became the most well known. "Only Mali gives me work for my hands" – Mani Iyer.


"When Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer was asked to list the great geniuses of Carnatic music, he thought of only three names: T.R. Mahalingam, T.N. Rajarathnam Pillai and Palghat Mani Iyer. That Mali came first to the mind of the aging grandsire of music spoke eloquently of his unquestioned virtuosity on the flute."- V. Sriram, Carnatic Summer.


"Mali says he sees God within five minutes of playing – he thinks it is meaningless to continue after that and stops."


Mali also enjoyed challenging his accompanists with difficult musical progressions, and tricking them into making mistakes. The only accompanist he gave full rein to was the elder violinist Papa Venkataramaiah, whom he considered his mentor. He himself was an accomplished violinist, and claimed to be better on the violin than on the flute. He was also responsible for the initial encouragement to T N Krishnan's career.


Awards:

Mali mentioned many times that he did not care for any praise or awards for his music, ideals that he upheld to the very end. Shortly before his death, he was awarded India's highly prestigious Padma Bhushan for music in January 1986, which he flatly refused.


After moving to Bangalore in 1955, he went to seclusion in 1958, playing very infrequently. From 1980 to 1985 he lived in the United States, with his wife. In 1985, T.R. Mahalingam decided to return to India, and after a short time in Bangalore, he died of a cerebral haemorrhage in 1986 at the age of 59, leaving behind him an indelible mark that changed the face of Carnatic music on the flute forever.


Source: Venkata Raman G



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrUsahB6-bs&list=PLz2iLTqMdqmebwX4sibSdcBvydEzr3Qjo&index=2

Published on Aug 25, 2014
Sri T R Mahalingam- Sive Pahimam Kalyani-Live concert- accompanied by Smt.T.Rukmini-violin, Sri Trichy Sankaran-mridhangam, Sri. Srimushanam Raja Rao-kanjeera- circa 1978
 
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