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SRI CHEMBAI VAIDYANATHA BHAGAVATAR  Born
on September 1896 at Chembai, Palakkad. Chembai learned music alongwith
his brother Shri. Subramaniam from his father Shri. Anantha Bagavathar.
Chembai's father Shri. Anantha Bagavathar was a talented vocalist &
violinist. The Chembai brothers had their first concert in 1905 at a Temple
festival in a town called Ottapalam. One of the landmarks in the early
career of the brothers was their concerts at the temple festivals in Vaikom
and Guruvayur. Anantha Bagavathar took his sons with him not only to his
own concert but also to attend the concert of other musicians, providing
valuable listening opportunities to the youngsters.
Chembai's first concert in Madras was in 1918 at the Triplicane Sangeeta Sabha. Chembai's concert career took a further upswing after this concert and he gave several performances all over the south. Chembai's length of career was 70 years, starting in 1904. Perhaps, the longest of any famous musician of the South. A few of the honours bestowed on Chembai are 'Padma Bhushan' bestowed by the President of India, the Sangeet Natak Akademi award, Gyana Gandharva, Sangeeta Samrat, Sangeetha Kalanidhi, etc. The famous violinist Mysore T.Chowdiah's description of him as an 'Uttama Gayaka' - comparable to Uttama Nayika in dance - was most apt. Chembai's memory lives in the hearts of countless rasikas who have heard him. 
KONERIRAJAPURAM VAIDYANATHA AYYAR - VOCAL MAESTRO...........(1878 - 1921) Was born at Marathurai near Pandanallur and lived at Konerirajapuram. While young, he had a gruff voice not responsive to the needs and demands of classical music, its refinements and brikas. But by sheer will-power and strenuous exercise, he overcame the defect and shot into fame as one of the illutrious vocalists of Carnatic music. At the age of seven, Vaidyanatha Ayyar was put on the practice of Vedas. He had an innate passion for music and so, was placed under the Nagaswara Vidwan Kulandaivel for training. He would not miss the peformances of great artistes. He played as 'second' to Marudhanallur Swamigal and established contacts with Pandanallur Meenakshisundaram Pillai. His anxiety to learn, practise and become a great artiste was intense leading to his spreading the net for acquisition of expertise far and wide. he attracted the attention of Manpoondia Pillai, the illustrious percussionist from Pudukottai and went with him to Tirunelveli where he was given special orientation in 'laya'. The training gave his rendition a lop-sided slant to laya to the detriment of sweet, balanced music. The lure of laya leads the musicians to over-indulgence and exhibitionist acrobatics to the detriment of melody and depth. As a friend, Tirukodikaval Krishna Ayyar is credited with bringing Vaidyanatha Ayyar back to the glorious path of balanced rendition. Sathanur Panchanadam Ayyar and Talaignayar Somu Ayyar imparted to him the techniques of tanam and swara prastaram. Rich raga bhava,
delectable ragamalikas, vivid and soulful delineation of raga and marvellous
tanam, tillanas and javalis 'maintained to the very end of the concert
the high seriousness emotional uplift and subtle, spiritual elan that kept
the audience spellbound during the five hour Gitanjali. Mudicondan Venkatarama
Ayyar mentions that the great vocalist would sing in the lower octave -
mandra sthayi - with a closed mouth when loud-speakers were not there.
Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Ayyar was a COLOSSUS who reached the pinnacle
of glory by sheer will-power and unparalleled dedication.
A scholar in Sanskrit, Tamil, etc. he was a versatile harikatha exponent also. Hormally, he had his engagements for two days, his musical peformance on the first and his harikatha kalakshepam on the second day. His normal violin accompanists were Tirukkodikaval Krishna Ayyar, Subbarayar (Retta Pallavi Sivaramier's son) and Sambasiva Ayyar. Tanjore Narayanaswami Appa and Sama Rao were his mridangam accompanists. His vast repertoire, deep learning, entralling improvisation of ragas and swaras and above all the majestic grandeur of his personality coupled with dignified living, spiritual faith, innate nobility and total absence of greed took him to the pinnacle of glory as few else had. Maha had a big retinue of disciples at his house doing gurukulavasa. Over thirty persons would have their food at his house daily. An account
of the life of Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar is not complete without a reference
to the contests that were all forced on him and where he had to establish
his supremacy as if to defend the title of 'Maha', so rightly conferred
on him while so young. It should be noted that he never challenged any
musician. He was fond of singing 'Giripai'. Once he happened to her the
same song sung by Bikshandarkoil maestro. Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar was enraptured
and decided that he would not sing it thenceforth, however much he liked
it. When pressed to sing it, he would say,
Vaidyanatha
Ayyar was an institution by hmself and students flocked to him. A model
teacher, he shaped the future of many with loving care. he started playing
for harikatha maestros of the period and provided accompaniment to stalwart
musicians. Was mridanga artiste at the State Broadcasting Station, Trivandrum.
A stern teacher and taskmaster, kind personally, a wizard in his percussive
sphere, Vaidyanatha Ayyar rose from poor means to be loved and ever-remembered
by the musical world for his absolute mastery and shaping, what came later
to be called the 'Tanjore bani' of mridangam play. He believed in the bright
future of his pupils and ensured it providing them with his golden touch.
Palghat Mani once could not get at a laya combination and would not take
his meal. The guru waited till he was able to solve and get it. That was
his degree of solicitude! It was gurukulavesa in letter and spirit.
The two Sangita Kalnidhis from the percussive field are his disciples.
When he was
at Mysore, he attracted the attention of Krishnaraja Wodeyar, who honoured
him with the title of 'Tiger' and presented him with a 'thoda'. It was
unique that in spite of a gruff voice, the 'Tiger' strode like a colossus
for decades and extracted respect and honour with his superlative knowledge
and universally accepted teaching acumen. As a musician, his voice lacked
melody, ring and delicacy. But one can see in him 'a treasure house of
varied musical gems of rare brilliance'. His flights of imagination were
unlimited. His deep singing produced massive effect on the audience. Brikas,
gamakas and graces would bristle out defying his unresponsive voice. He
was a good composer of varnams, gitam, kritis, etc. 'Eediname Sudinamu'
was composed by him when C.Rajagopalachariar visited Kalkshetra in 1948
as Governor General. 'Nidu Charanamule' (Simhendramadyamam) under
the signature of Tyagaraja is actually a composition of the 'Three musketeers
of Kaladipet', the Tiger Brothers.
He was among
the leaders at the Experts Committee of the Music Academy, and his contribution
to the deliberations was substantial and weighty. He breathed 'an ineffably
noble atmosphere.' Venkatarama Ayyar believed, quite unblievably, that
lakshya (practice and usage) must receive greater attention than
lakshana (grammer and theory) and that the latter should not be
over-rated. Mudicondan Venkatarama Ayyar was master of many languages and
could play with felicity on violin, kanjira, jalatarang, morsing and bulbul.
Venkatarama Ayyar was a theorist non pareil, a musician of classical
excellence and a model guru of rare parts and wisdom.
Venkatesa Ayyar was a contented, self-respecting musician who did not believe in long travels to 'deal' in his music. He sang for atma-trpti as a nadopasaka. He trained many including the Brothers, the clarinet maestro A.K.Natarajan and the matinee-idol of yester decades, the sweet-voiced M.K.Tyagaraja Bhagavathar. Ayyar was a disciplinarian and was strict in imparting training. He had passionate devotion to Saint Tyagaraja and his songs. He founded the Sadguru Sangita Sabha at Tiruchirapalli and organised annually a ten-day Tyagaraja Utsava. He was a respected vidwan among the titans of the day like Tiger Varadachariar. Mazhavarayanendal Subbarama Ayyar and Mysore Vasudevacharya. His illustrious disciples had proved that Venkatesa Ayyar and his were great. |
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