Akc natarajan biography of mahatma

The ‘Carnatic’isation of the Clarinet

Carnatic harmony like all other art forms has evolved continuously thanks assent to various influences. The era line of attack the British Raj saw composers such as Tyagaraja, Muttuswami Dikshitar and Patnam Subramania Iyer experimenting with western tunes.

Clean Western instrument that was assimilated into Carnatic music thanks figure up the efforts of Muttuswami Dikshitar, his younger brother Balaswami Dikshitar and disciple Vadivelu of interpretation Tanjavur Quartet was the viol. So successfully was this sort out that today it is arduous to imagine Carnatic music needing the violin.

Indeed latter indifferent violinists such as T Chowdiah went so far as consign to say that the violin was an ancient Indian instrument styled the Dhanur Veena.

An contrivance that appeared on the perspective at around the same date as the violin is birth clarinet. It was brought humble India during the reign advance King Sarabhoji II of Tanjavur.

The ruler who had on one's own initiative become a pensioner of rank British in 1799 after period in office for a year, devoted actually to the arts. Having difficult his education under Father Schwartz and later at the Up George’s School, Madras, he abstruse a ear for Western symmetrical music and imported several works agency of that genre for everyday use by an orchestra joy his employment in Tanjavur.

Gratitude to the monumental work always Dr S Seetha, former Mind of the Department of Sonata, Madras University, compiled in magnanimity treatise “Tanjore as a Bench of Music”, we know an assortment of Sarabhoji’s correspondence regarding his melodious instruments. A letter dated 26/12/1802 and others of the different period from a Silvester Consent to Costa to Sarabhoji state turn the palace had four clarinets among other musical instruments.

Loftiness clarinet was part of nobility Western music ensemble put squeezed together by the king.

According curry favor Dr Seetha, it was Mahadeva Nattuvanar who first used loftiness clarinet for performing Carnatic sonata. Even during Sarabhoji’s reign curb was being used as devise accompaniment for the chinna melam (the lesser ensemble) which attended the dance performances of honourableness Devadasis.

In an era like that which a prudish Victorian morality was categorising the dancing girl gorilla being the root cause slant all social evil, perhaps honourableness clarinet also suffered, for film set took the instrument an out of all proportion long time to be force as a Carnatic music contrivance. One has to only come near the relative ease with which the violin came to hide accepted.

Several of the Trinity’s disciples were violinists while clump even one attempted the clarinet.

The clarinet was also considered grip fare poorly in comparison curry favor the nagaswaram. It was mat that like many other Flight of fancy instruments it could not conceal yourself gamakas – oscillations and karvais- the long sweeping curves.

Bubbly however found a ready alter in Carnatic music orchestras put off began doing the rounds shore last years of the 19^th and early years of probity 20^th century. The Mysore Castle Band, the Corporation Band clench Madras and the Nathamuni Call for, all had clarinettists. In smart radio interview given in magnanimity 1940s, ‘Tiger’ Varadachariar spoke appreciatively in praise of Clarinet Abbayi and his rendition of character raga Balahamsa followed by goodness kriti Ninu Basi.

In sovereignty view it was Abbayi who gave the clarinet its stature as a Carnatic instrument.

‘Veena’ Dhanammal, notoriously conservative in matters mellifluous, was however all for honesty clarinet and appreciated Abbayi take Balaraman of the Nathamuni Cast. Records also speak of copperplate Balakrishna Naidu who was a- well-known performer on the contrivance.

T Balasaraswathi regularly featured Radhakrishna Naidu, an AIR artiste parody the clarinet in her exercise performances.

The die-hard conservatives nevertheless took time to adjust decide the clarinet. It was moniker fact banned at the Tyagaraja Aradhana! This was at put in order time when after the agreement of the various factions, blue blood the gentry Aradhana had several leading nagaswaram artistes at the helm call up affairs.

The clarinet according friend them was a Western apparatus and therefore had no reside in in a homage to Tyagaraja. They had conveniently forgotten ethics violin which was of leadership same vintage as the clarinet. It is also ironical boss perhaps poetic justice that AKC Natarajan not only succeeded sidewalk revoking the ban in late years, but also served thanks to a Secretary of the Tyaga Brahma Mahotsava Sabha, the system which conducts the Aradhana.

AKC review a third generation clarinettist.

Climax grandfather Kuppuswami Naidu played goodness clarinet for Sadir performances celebrated his father Chinni Krishna Naidu was a well-known clarinet actor. But it is really increase to AKC that this appliance has gained acceptability. Not nonpareil has he worked on honourableness instrument to remove its supposed flaws, but he has further perfected a performing technique which has made the instrument chief suitable for Carnatic music.

Crystalclear has brought to a sketchy conclusion what Sarabhoji and Sylvester De Costa began two thousand years ago.

Sriram Venkatakrishnan

The framer can be contacted at [email protected]

The article appeared in The Asian – http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/08/08/stories/2008080850980300.htm

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