Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar - Carnatic Classical Vocal in Telugu & Sanskrit

Chembai Vaidyanata Bhagavatar - Carnatic Classical Vocal - in Telugu & Sanskrit

EMI Columbia - S/33ESX 6027 - P.1969

Side A

A1 Rakshamam — Gambeeranaatai 5'44

A2 Bantureethi — Hamsanadham 4'08

A3 Manavyala — Nalinakanthi 4'16

A4 Enthavetukondu — Saraswathi Manohari 7'01

Continuos tracks as on the LP, total time 21'10

Side B

B1 Manasayetulo — Malayamarutham 8'36

B2 Ramaniyada — Karaharapriya 12'27

B3 Narayaneeyam — Slokam 1'27

Continuos tracks as on the LP, total time 22'55

Here is some more great singing by Chembai who came from a family that was in the musical tradition for more than 500 years. Born in 1895 and performing for the first time already 1904 when he was only nine years old. By 1920 he was one of the top singers and T. Chowdiah the famous violinist adored him and for a long time they were a great combination together. When he was at his peak he was considered one of the three pillars of Carnatic Music along with Ariyakkudi T. Ramanuja Iyengar and Maharajapuram R. Visvanatha Iyer.

In 1932 he cut his first disc for Columbia and went on to record a great many "plates" for them, also this LP is on that same label. He was said live very frugal and to have been very generous spending most of his earnings supporting the temple of Guruvayurappan after a wow he had taken when an ayruvedic doctor had restored his voice there. Many were the musicians who got their first break with him and among the ones he helped along the way was two mridangam players first Phalgat Mani Iyer and later Palani Subramania Pillai both went on to become very famous. The latter may very well have been saved by Chembai as he was left handed and had a very hard time getting concert engagements because of the traditional placement of the musicians on the stage. Very few violin vidwans would accept to sit on the left side of the stage counted from the audience as neither their bow technique nor their visages would be on a favourable display.

Chembai had indeed a very long career and this record is from his last period when he came back after a longer retreat from recording and poor health only allowed him a few more years to live. He died on October 16, 1974 in Ottappalam where he had given his first temple concert. On the last day of his life too, he gave a superb concert, comprising his favourite songs in the same temple. At the end of this, as he sttod in the sanctum an admirer is said to have remarked that the Bhagavatar should live for 125 years, Chembai turned around and said that it was a matter between him and his Maker and that it had already been decided. Having returned to his place of stay he sat down for his evening prayers and passed away during the meditation. His grieving wife followed him six months later.

(Most of the above info culled from Indira Menon and Sriram V.'s writings on Carnatic Music)

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Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar - Carnatic Classical Vocal in Telugu & Sanskrit

Chembai Vaidhyanatha Bhagavatar - Carnatic Classical Vocal in Telugu & Sanskrit
Columbia - S/33ESX 6063 - P.1972


Side A

A1 Vara Narada — Vijayasri 4'15
A2 Ingaadhaya Radha — Chakravaham 18'00

Side B

B1 Samagana Vinodhini — Hamsanandhi 7'00
B2 Ksheerasagara — Devagandari 9'55
B3 Rara Muralidara - Guruvayorappan Song — Vijayanangari 4'20

accompanists:
Dr. L. Subramaniam, violinT.V. Gopalakrishnan, mridang

Alangudi Ramachandran, ghatam

You have no idea how much I like to finally be able to post some really magnificent Carnatic Male Vocal. Here is for some reason a part of the music I listen to the most. There will be a few more male singers coming in the following days!

This is the music I have found to be the most satisfying for my well being, and why hesitate to use words like healing, as in some mysterious way it truly is! This intense constantly glowing inner sound resonating in all directions, permeating every inch of the very substance around me. Music that maybe is not surprising or revealing, but manifest and constant, assertive and firmly embedded in a tradition larger than the individual. Music that promotes the good and makes me want to be a part of mankind. Spiritual music bearing witness of the struggles of the human soul to attain the divine. The love and goodness of cultivating ones heart and mind as one, and invoking the humble practice of selflessness.

"The bell metal voiced"

Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar (1895-1974)

Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Tamil: செம்பை வைத்தியநாத பாகவதர்) was a Carnatic music singer from the Indian state of Kerala. Known by his village name Chembai, or simply as Bhagavatar, he was born to Anantha Bhagavatar and Parvati Ammal in 1895. Chembai was noted for his powerful voice and majestic style of singing. His first public performance was in 1904, when he was nine. He was a recipient of several titles and honours. He was known for his encouragement of upcoming musicians, and also for his ability to spot new talent. He was responsible for popularizing compositions like Rakshamam, Pavana Guru, among others.The music critic 'Aeolus' describes him as "the musician who has meant the most to Carnatic Music in the first fifty years of the 20th century" Some of his prominent disciples include Yesudas, T. V. Gopalakrishnan, V.V.Subramaniam, P.Leela, among others. Many memorial music festivals are held in his honour annually since his death in 1974, the most important being the annually celebrated Chembai Sangeetholsavam.

from the Wikipedia, read some more here

"Chembai Vaidyanatha Iyer was one of the leading practitioners of Carnatic Music in the period usually referred to as the 'Golden Era'. Old timers are enthusiastic in pointing out that he, along with Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar & Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer formed the 'Modern Trinity of Carnatic Music', the trio who were responsible for keeping up the concert tradition in the vacuum caused by the departure of the titans in the beginning of the 20th Century before the entry of the bright young stars such as Musiri Subramania Iyer, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, G.N.Balasubramanian, Madurai Mani Iyer and the female-trio comprising of M.S.Subbulakshmi, D.K.Pattammal and M.L.Vasanthakumari, who took to the stage later. But what made Chembai different from them was his voice, that booming, metallic, powerful voice which never seemed to depart from sruti.

It is not very hard to imagine why Chembai, as he was popularly called, was phenomenally popular. With a knowledge of the art deeply acquired and with a voice that earned him the fame of 'Bell Metal Voiced Bhagavatar' with its power and majesty yet sweet and melodious, Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar rose to supreme heights, taking vast audiences to rapturous delights in a span of about 70 years of performance expertise. Born in a family of musicians, whose traditions ran uninterruptedly for over two centuries, and being a great grandson of 'Chakra Tanam' Subba Iyer, who was a contemporary of Saint Thyagaraja, Chembai had music in his blood. A deeply religious man, music in his family was taught and learnt as part of Vedic instruction. He had his early training under his father and equipped himself fully to give an independent performance even at the age of nine. A humble man, he attributed all his success to his favorite God - Guruvayurappan. "

Quoted from webpages created in his honour.

You will find more detailed biography and some anecdotes,

words by other musicians and much more to read on

those webpages here

The accompanying musicians on this album:

Dr. L. Subramaniam, violin

T.V. Gopalakrishnan, mridang

Alangudi Ramachandran, ghatam

Great ghatam player but very hard to find any good pictures of!

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