M.S. Subbulakshmi - The Concert Album - 3 LP-Box - P.1970

M.S. Subbulakshmi - The Concert Album
EMI Odeon - S/MOAE 2012-14 - P.1970





Disc 1 [S 5012]



Side A 

A1 Viriboni - Varnam - (Bhairavi — Ata) P. Adippaya 7'18
A2 Vidulaku (Mayamalavagula — Adi) Tyagaraja 7'38
A3 Sogasuga (Sriranjani — Roopakam) Tyagaraja 6'57

total time: 21'40

Side B 

B1 Menakshi Memudam (Purvikalyani—Adi) Muthusvami Dikshita 17'11
B2 Venugana (Kedaragaula—Roopakam) Tyagaraja 4'50

total time: 21'45





Disc 2 [S 5013]




Side A 

A1 Tera Tiyaga Rada (Gaulipantu—Adi) Tyagaraja 3'17
A2 Bhogindra Sayinam (Kuntalavarali—Khanda Chapu) Svati Tirunal 3'32
(A3a-Tanam & vln solo intro 2'43)
A3 Paratpara Paramesvara (Vashaspati—Adi) Papanasam Sivam 7'05
A4 Hariharaputram (Vasanta—Khanda Ekani) Muthuswami Dikshita 6'24

total time: 22'35

Side B 

B1 Akhilandesvari (Dvijavanti-Adi) Muthuswami Dikshita 5'22
(B2a-Tanam & vln solo intro 3'22)
B2 Palintsu Kamakshi (Madhyamavati—Adi) Syama Sastri 9'08
B3 Vara Narada (Vijayasri—Adi) Tyagaraja 3'06

total time: 20'35




Disc 3 [S 5014]



Side A 

A1 Enati Nomu Phalamo (Bhairavi—Adi) Tyagaraja
a) vcl, vln intro 7'43, b) song composition 10'45, c) tani avartanam 5'25)

total time: 23'45

Side B 

B1 Tsallare  (Ahiri—Misra Chapu) Tyagaraja 4'04
B2 Naneke Badavanu (Behag—Jhampa) Purandaradasa 3'29
B3 Tillana - Svati Tirunal 3'29
B4 Annapoornashtakam (Ragamalika) Sankarachariya 3'45
B5 Jagadisa (Nadanamakriya—Adi) Svati Tirunal 2'51
B6 Nada Vindu Kaladi Namo Namah (Senchurutti—Adi) Arunagirinathar 3'21

total time: 20'40




Radha Viswanathan, vocal support
V.V. Subramaniyam, violin
T.K. Moorthy, mridangam
V. Nagarajan, kanjeera
T.H. Vinayakram, ghatam

This wonderful 3 LP Box in  concert format with one of my absolute favourite singers should more than make up for the last couple of days “missing” posts. I had forgotten to set the dates right of a few pre-edited posts and as I was rather busy I am sorry to say I forgot to check. I am still busy so please excuse my inattentiveness that may go on for another couple of weeks. I will still try to post regularly but if there is a couple of days missing now and then I hope you understand.
So excuse my sparse comments, but I am sure I will be forgiven as soon as you start listening to these records! I Hope you enjoy!



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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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Sulamangalam Sisters - Murugan Devotional Songs

Sulamangalam Sisters - Murugan Devotional Songs

EMI India S/33ESX 6031 - P.1970

Side A

A1 Sri Mahaganapathe

A2 Swararagasutha

Side B

B1 Panchashadpeedaroopini

B2 En Indha Mounam

B3 Arbuthamana pazhaniappa

B4 Kandan mel kaadal

B5 Nalamyavum tharuvai muruga

B6 Mamaduraiyil

I have little to add about the music of this record, except that it is one of the best Sulamangalam Sisters I have heard. A beautiful mix of Carnatic Classical and Carnatic Devotional "Filmi" songs. I wholeheartedly recommend it. And it makes me "triply" happy as it has a little story. It belongs to a very special batch of recordings. I wrote the following in one of my comments to one of the previous postings on Carnatic Devotional Music:

"As I have friends traveling to India that will for the first time see and stay in places I love and that they have been loving from a distance. They travel to meet with another wonderful friend and all this is because of music! I have over the last month on and off been thinking about how best to make this travel and congregation an auspicious one and as I wanted to be there myself but only can travel later in the year I was thinking of some way that I also could be part of their adventure and therefore we are all going to have this Carnatic spring!

Over the following days we shall see not only posts of my own records but also some contributions by my friends! There will be several more devotional albums and soon to follow, there is at least one more Sulamangalam Sisters!

(This post contains that very album!)

The record was spotted and secured by the good Arvind and sent over the great water and ripped and digitally fondled by good Costis with very little help from the lazy dog zwan but whose overseeing I am sure was crucial to the whole undertaking! This eventually led to these digital likenesses finding their way through the myriads of protocols on the internet to finally land with us here!

I am confident you will enjoy many of them!

It will be my great pleasure to be with you on your journey and to bring other travellers in music along with us!"

That is what I wrote, and what the Carnatic Spring postings mean, is that for the duration of my friends journey that starts today (on what numerological seems to be very special date 2011.02.22 and as I hope an auspicious one!) I will play mostly Carnatic music at home and burn incense for their safe passage and for the first week there will only be posts with Carnatic music here at Luobaniya!!

Thank you so much Costis for the rip and the photos made just before leaving and thank you Arvind for finding the records taking good care of them and passing them on to a good future!

I propose that we keep doing this "digital trinity offerings" later and on a more regular basis!

But to make it clear to everyone else, that are not specifically into Carnatic Devotional or Classical Music, you may rest assured I am not going to stop posting music from other traditions! There will be music interspersed in the course of posting from most all over the world. I may even go to Europe when it gets a bit warmer here. I still have not finished posting Deben Bhattacharya's field recordings but they will come, as will the Bärenreiters, Esperance, BAM, and all the others! I have not forgotten! I just have too many things I want to share with you at the same time. Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, African, South East Asia, they will all come back but now it is this glowing warming of the Carnatic Spring that will shine over all of you!

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Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan - (From Radio Pakistan)

Bade Ghulam Ali Khan - (From the Archives of Radio Pakistan)

EMI - His Masters Voice - LKDR-1 - (No date)

Side A

A1 Raag Bhopali - Khyal in adachautala & Tarana in teen taal

Side B

B1 Raag Kamod - teen taal

B2 Pahadi - popular folk composition in Kaherva taal

"These three items were obtained from the original recordings made by Radio Pakistan and were edited under the supervision of Munnawar Ali Khan, able son of late Bade Ghulam Ali Khan"

This is what we can read on the record sleeve. However it is also true that this is a Pakistan pressing, and the time this record was made, it usually meant that the quality of the pressing was inferior to that of the indian pressings. The record is in mint condition only played a couple of times and it is still rather full of hiss and clicks because of the bad pressing. I usually don't filter much but I did a bit more for this one as I absolutely love Bade Ghulamn Ali Khan since the first time I heard him in back the sicxties when beginning to try to understand the rich traditions of classical singing. I find the Bhopali khyal to be most enjoyable even though there are some passages that strain the ear some. Fortunately the Kamod has fared a bit better and the pressing is not so bad for that piece. I hope you will enjoy it nevertheless for the good music it brings. I will post some more Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in the coming period so you will get to hear many delightful pieces by this great master!

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EMI Pathé - Arabesques 2 - Muhammad Sabsabi - Qanun

Muhammad Sabsabi - Arabesques 2 - Qanun - Chitare classique au Liban

EMI Pathé -2C 066-95.158 - P.1974

Side A

A01 Kurdi 5'15

A02 Bayati 4'40

A03 Nahawand 5'35

Side B

B01 Saba 7'15

B02 Rast 8'10

Music ▼ +

EMI Pathé - Arabesques 1 - Munir Bachir - Luth classique en Iraq

Munir Bachir - Arabesques 1 - Luth classique en Iraq - 'Ud (Récital Oriental)

EMI Pathé - 2C 066-95.157 - P.1974

Side A

A1 Méditations sur le Maqam Classique Chedd-'Araban 22'30

Side B

B1 Méditations sur des Nagham-s traditionelles d'Iraq 22'00

I am sure many already know this artist well. I am more a fan of his brother Jamil, but I am not that happy about the 'Ud "in concert" and have rather "simpler" tastes. I enjoy more the occasional Ud taksim in a takht or the role of accompaniment to vocals better. Judge for yourself. Jamil did wonderful oud playing accompanying Selima Murad, but more on that later.

So, anyhow lets start with volume one. Munir Bashir...

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