Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

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Semmangudi R. Srinivasa Iyer
செம்மங்குடி ஸ்ரீநிவாஸ ஐயர்
Tamil Nadu State, India
GenresCarnatic music
Occupation(s)Singer
Iyer receiving Sangeet Natak Academy award in 1953

Semmangudi Radhakrishna Srinivasa Iyer (25 July 1908 – 31 October 2003) was an Indian

Carnatic Music.[5] He was conferred with an honorary doctorate by University of Kerala in 1979.[6]

Early life and training

He was born in

Tiruvarur District. At the age of eight he started learning music from his cousin Semmangudi Narayanaswamy Iyer. This was followed by some rigorous training under Thiruvadaimaruthur Sakharama Rao, a famous Gottuvadhyam exponent, an event considered by Semmangudi as a turning point in his life. This was followed by another training stint with Narayanaswamy Iyer, during which time he learnt a lot of varnams and keerthanams. He also learned under vocalist Umayalpuram Swaminatha Iyer. [10] Then he had a musical apprenticeship with Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer. In 1926, he performed his first music recital at Kumbakonam.[11] In 1927 he gave a concert in the Madras session of Indian National Congress
, another event considered by Semmangudi as a turning point in his life, as it catapulted him into the big league of vidwans at that time. He was known for producing soulful music, highly creative and yet very orthodox, despite a recalcitrant voice.

He was instrumental, along with

Madras
from 1957 to 1960. In later life, he concentrated on concert performances and tutoring youngsters. He gave public concerts even after the age of 90.

Concert performances

Semmangudi was widely renowned for his virtuosity as a concert performer. He was famous for the meticulous planning that he put into every concert, including the choice of

raagas and duration.[citation needed] He was also widely acknowledged as a master of improvisation, particularly in the form of niravals.[citation needed
]

Semmangudi was noted for his choice of songs, speed in rendering swarams and his ability to combine choice and speed with Bhakti. Some most memorable concerts over the years had geniuses in accompaniment, including Pudukottai

Sri Ranjani raga, Chakkani Raja Margamu in Kharaharapriya
, etc.

Voice

Semmangudi was well known for his uncharacteristically nasal voice in an era when practically every prominent Carnatic singer had an impeccable voice.

Carnatic world.[citation needed
]

His singing style has been widely followed, and his most prominent disciples include

Sangeetha Kalanidhis, M. S. Subbulakshmi and her stepdaughter Radha Viswanathan, T. M. Thiagarajan, and violinist Prof. T. N. Krishnan. His senior disciples include P. S. Narayanaswamy, Sri K. R. Kedaranathan, Smt. Seetha Rajan, V. Subramaniam (a.k.a. Rajamani),Smt Parassala Ponnammal, K.J.Yesudas, Trivandrum G Seethalakshmi Ammal, Palai C. K. Ramachandran, Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma, Prof. Kumara Kerala Varma, Vaigal S.Gnanaskandhan, Smt. Meera Kedaranathan, Kadayanallur Venkataraman, V. R. Krishnan, Smt. Seethalakshmi Venkatesan, Smt. Radha Namboodri
, Smt. Visalakshi Ramachandran.

Family

At a very young age, he was married to Thayyu ammal. Thayyu ammal, he always acknowledged, was a pivotal factor in the success of his career. The entire family was run with stream line precision by Thayyu ammal, when he had to frequently travel for concerts and also spend most of his time involved in music.

  • Sons – Swaminathan, Gopalaswamy, Radhakrishnan
  • Daughters – Shantha, Dharma.
  • Grand Children – Jayaraman, Hariharan, Sreeraman, Lakshmanan, Yoga, Bala, Padma, Anandhi, Sankar, Jayashree, Srinivas, Vivekanandan, Vidya, Jagannath

References

  1. ^ "Semmangudi R Srinivasier". www.carnaticcorner.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
  2. ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Traditional Music of Tanjore, Singapore". Traditional Music of Tanjore, Singapore. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  4. ^ "The Hindu : He strode like a colossus". 20 November 2003. Archived from the original on 20 November 2003.
  5. ^ a b The Hindu-Article[usurped]
  6. ^ "D.Litt for Yesudas after Muthia and Semmangudi from Kerala University". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 29 March 2003. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012.
  7. ^ "Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer | Brahmin For Society". brahminsforsociety.com. Archived from the original on 15 April 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  8. ^ "His Life". Abhijaanaathi. Archived from the original on 15 April 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Semmangudi R Srinivasier". www.carnaticcorner.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Semmangudi R Srinivasier". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
  11. ^ Article-The Hindu[usurped]
  12. ^ Interview in Frontline, Issue Dated 24-Oct-1998[usurped]
  13. ^ Article -The Hindu[usurped]
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