Topic started by Shyam (@ a060-0994.snfc.splitrock.net) on Mon Aug 28 01:00:28 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I have been an ardent fan of M.L. Vasanthakumari and of her sishya lineage. Kanyakumari's violin (an RTP in thodi) led me to start listening to instrumental music. I would love to hear about her career and achievements, and your opinions about this extremely talented violinist.
Thanks.

Responses:

• From: Suhas (@ 203.197.75.69) on: Mon Aug 28 07:50:37 EDT 2000
  
  
  Hi shyam
  
  I also like Kanyakumari's violin.But when you listen to MSG,TNK ,Lalgudi and then compare it with Kanyakumari's style you will probably come to the conclusion that she is Very Very good but not great.But She has age on her side and I have listened to her accompanying Kadri in a live concert.She played Aberi so superbly that words cant describe.she displays no manerisms on stage, no cheap thrills - just pure music.
  She also has a talented son so we can hope that the GNB-MLV shishya parampara shall continue.
  
  Bye
  
  
• From: nandini (@ nas-112-126.nashville.navipath.net) on: Mon Aug 28 20:21:51 EDT 2000
  
  AK's shishya Embar S Kannan is one of my Fav's. He's just so good!!!! I have yet tp listen to both of them play together. They do it quite regularly.
  
  
• From: Shyam (@ nandi2.lsa.berkeley.edu) on: Tue Aug 29 15:48:54 EDT 2000
  
  There are 2 cds
  Silken bows of Kanyakumari and O Raajeevaksha where they play together very well. These are from Koel. www.koelmusic.com
  Another one is sacred gems of thyagraja by inreco its a ghanaraga pancharatnams. Its good too.
  Shivashakthi is an HMV cd where Kanyakumari plays violin duet. I wonder how they do that
  
  
• From: Nadopasaka (@ adppp30.buffnet.net) on: Tue Aug 29 20:49:14 EDT 2000
  
  She is also responsible for some kind of 'ensemble' or orchestra of violins. Perhaps several violins all at once, a Karnatic string n-tet. I do not, however, believe she is a 'violin' student of MLV.
  
  
• From: Shyam (@ chaikoff6.lsa.berkeley.edu) on: Wed Aug 30 20:17:59 EDT 2000
  
  She did not learn thew violin from MLV, she was a student of MS Gopalalakrishnan or Chandrasekharan or both.
  
  
• From: suhas (@ 203.197.54.180) on: Wed Aug 30 22:21:27 EDT 2000
  
  
  I Don't think she learnt from MSG.She definitely learned from M Chandrasekharan.
  In fact, I might be wrong here, but I dont think MSG has many disciples other than his daughter.A pity, if the Parur Bani will be lost because of lack of a rightful heir.
  
  
• From: Nadopasaka (@ akppp28.buffnet.net) on: Wed Aug 30 23:07:30 EDT 2000
  
  Suhas, on a somewhat lighter note, One good daughter ( or son ) can keep the 'bani' alive. Why is MSG's daughter not considered a 'rightful' heir/heiress ? I must confess being a little less fulfilled with the staccato nature of the 'gayaki' style of MSG. (ditto for MLV)
  
  
• From: suhas (@ 203.197.75.63) on: Thu Aug 31 11:46:43 EDT 2000
  
  Hi Nado,
  
  If you are not happy with MSG's style I would certainly like to know what you think of Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan.
  
  Regards the question of heir, I am a bit dissapointed that MS teaches no one.I almost expect that after an artist has spent some years at the forefront he should devote the later years of his life to nurturing new talent.
  I have read an interview of MSG in which he said that he did not teach anyone because youngsters today show no application.I dont think this is a proper excuse ; how does Lalgudi find commited youngsters.
  __________
  Regards the staccato nature of MSG's bani, there was a great flute player called Shastry who also had a staccato style of playing.This bani was called the Shastry Bani as compared to the Mali Bani which is vogue today.The point I am making is - such a style of playing is an integral part of Karnatik music.
  Mathematically,
  1 Lalgudi + 1 MSG + 1 TNK >>> 3 Lalgudi's or 3 MSG's etc.
  (why there is place even for one Kunnakudi)
  
  
• From: Nadopasaka (@ ahppp20.buffnet.net) on: Thu Aug 31 13:03:26 EDT 2000
  
  LalgudiJI has an extended reach out to many talented youngsters based on his family etc. There is also room for vocalists and different instrumentalists in their parampara. I am still working on my approach to MSG. ( haven't heard this KunnakudiV )
  
  
• From: Ravi Kiran (@ 202.86.161.17) on: Thu Aug 31 13:04:13 EDT 2000
  
  speaking of violin banis - i feel TNKs bani even though less forceful (compared to MSG or Lalgudi) ..is so rich with melody.
  his todi especially is very haunting.
  i remember reading that as a child, TNK used to listen to a lot of rajaratnam pillai. the influence is really noticeable in his todi atleast.
  
  
• From: Subramaniam (@ grilka.wellsfargo.com) on: Thu Aug 31 16:21:54 EDT 2000
  
  Suhas,
  Parur bani should be alive with MS Anantharaman's sons. MA Sundaresan is a fantastic violinst, with lotsa vyavaharams too. Heard him giving some excellent accompaniments to Balaji Shanker, TVS etc.
  Oops...deviating from the main topic I guess...
  
  
• From: Subramaniam (@ grilka.wellsfargo.com) on: Thu Aug 31 16:22:16 EDT 2000
  
  Suhas,
  Parur bani should be alive with MS Anantharaman's sons. MA Sundaresan is a fantastic violinst, with lotsa vyavaharams too. Heard him giving some excellent accompaniments to Balaji Shanker, TVS etc.
  Oops...deviating from the main topic I guess...
  
  
• From: suhas (@ 203.197.75.29) on: Thu Aug 31 23:21:40 EDT 2000
  
  
  Nado,
  
  Are you ready to spend 50 Rs? Please check out KUnnakudi.You will be amazed, why this guy is even called a Carnatic musician.And his manerisms on stage make even Sivamani seem like a really quite guy.But I guess he has played an imp role in attracting youngsters to classical music.You can listen to him at www.musicindiaonline.com
  
  Ravi,
  
  TNK is brilliant .I always think that he is a better version( am I saying something riduculous) of Dwaram.The same easy bowing , te same melody filled style.I will try and upload a few pieces of TNK at the sruthi-laya site.
  
  Bye
  
  Suhas
  
  
• From: Ravi Kiran (@ 202.86.161.114) on: Fri Sep 1 13:46:15 EDT 2000
  
  sorry if this is a digression.
  but almost all violinists of yesteryears took up solo playing only after having accompanied all the leading vocalists of that era.
  however the offsprings of these violinists do not seem interested in doing so.
  i have not heard lalgudi gjr krishnan or vijayalakshmi or sriram krishnan (s/o tnk - he accompanied tnk in the 1996 academy concert and played brilliantly!!) accompanying anyone.
  the parur descendants however still accompany.
  
  
• From: Nadopasaka (@ aeppp32.buffnet.net) on: Fri Sep 1 14:31:58 EDT 2000
  
  RaviKiran, I don't think it is a digression. Kanyakumari has indeed paid her dues as 'second fiddle' to the vocalists over the years. Perhaps the descendants of the marquee names see the economics of solo playing more clearly.
  
  
• From: suhas (@ 203.197.75.180) on: Fri Sep 1 16:06:04 EDT 2000
  
  
  I feel that accompanying actually increases a violinists versatality.A friend of mine actually accompanies SSI , MMI , MSS etc when he listens to their recordings.
  A real pity if economy is the only consideration in the minds of youngsters.
  
  
• From: Shyam (@ a060-0721.snfc.splitrock.net) on: Sat Sep 2 13:44:37 EDT 2000
  
  I was under the impression that Veena E.Gayathri was one of MSG's students at an advanced stage of learning after learning from her father "Ashwathama".
  
  
• From: Shyam (@ a060-0721.snfc.splitrock.net) on: Sat Sep 2 13:51:09 EDT 2000
  
  Also, about Kanyakumari, she has accompanied Balamurali so many times on his audio releases. SOme of his swara passages are so fast its amazing to me how she manages to play it almost exactly as it was vocally rendered by MBK. She has also accompanied DKJ in a few concerts.
  I also read in sruti that in the early 70s, MLV refused to sing for the AIR programme if Kanyakumari was not to allowed to accompany her. This was because at that time kanyakumari was a B grade artist. With certain raga alapanas, I find Kanyakumari's alapana to be more appealing than MLV's, e.g an RTP in Bhairavi, Saramathi alapana for Mokshamu, subhapanthuvarali for Ennallu. Another rare piece of Thodi alapana accompanying MLV for Uma gaathyayani by Vijaya Vittala Daasa, just mesmerizing.
  
  
• From: Bharath (@ ) on: Thu Oct 23 17:03:12
  
  KanyaKumari does not have a son as Suhas mentioned but she does have a very talented nephew Srikanth and ofcourse many students who follow her style.
  
  
• From: balasrikanth (@ ) on: Sun Oct 10 06:06:50
  
  i feel very sorry to say that msg and narmadha
  are not teaching violin to the one who asks them.
  a good violinst should light their knowledge to every one who requires.i think that the both does not do the same.
  
  
  

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