SLICE OF HISTORY Nagaswaram Rajarathnam Pillai E. Krishna Iyer Sruti Advisor Dr. N. Ramanathan and embellishing them. His ragas are has shared this article, first published such clear, impressive and soulful in Swatantra (24 April 1948), with us. pictures of melody, that once you hear them, you can neither forget them n art as in literature, that which nor mistake one for another. This makes a work noteworthy and capacity of his enables him to render enjoyable is, among other things, I successively even seemingly allied the presence of a distinct style of ragas with a difference of only one arresting quality, which is mostly swara, in their unmistakably distinct inborn. Among the fast growing multitude of present day platform forms, without mixing them up. His musicians, only a few can boast of Todi and Bhavapriya, Natabhairavi having individual styles of their and Shanmukhapriya, are only a few own. Of these few again, it is not all among many ragas that bear ample who combine a style with appreciable testimony to it. The pallavis and the imagery and classical purity. If we few kritis that he handles are saturated were to search, with an open mind, for with raga bhava. musicians who have a combination There can be no two opinions about of these essential qualities of high the uncommon richness and high art, we would be surprised to find no artistry of his kalpana or extempore vocalists, but only two instrumentalists imaginative display of the most subtle of that type. They are no other than type. Somehow, similar attempts, Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer in veena SAMUDRI ARCHIVES in many others, have come to be and Tiruvavaduturai T.N. Rajarathnam almost synonymous with unrelieved Pillai in nagaswaram. exquisite quality of tone effortlessly, galloping speed, dry briga profusion all through his performances, without Traditionally used for the delectation or plenitude of janta varisai sadhaka the slightest lapse, even in his most of large masses of people in open on the platform. Hence, much of elaborate displays. air processions and big temple halls, what passes nowadays for high class the average sound of nagaswaram On this warp of entrancing manodharma art, happens to be too is rather loud and sometimes ear- mellifluousness of sound, Rajarathnam fast music, with mechanical finish splitting. Tirumarugal Natesan, weaves his web of unalloyed classical and superficial trappings. the famous maternal uncle of melodies, with sure mastery of If Rajarathnam is an exception to the Rajaratnam, who was considered as technique and transcending art, rule here again, it is because his art, the best of an earlier generation and embroidering it with amazingly both in its foundation and super- one or two others like Chidambaram rich and varied imagery, and giving structure, is sound and substantial Vaidyanathan, were credited with the whole and every bit of it the with its emphasis on unfalling having mellowed down, to an finish of a highly polished and melodic grace and is built up with a agreeable extent, the sound of their refined style. pipes. Rajaratnam has outdone even judicious alternation of uncommonly his renowned uncle in this respect; Like most pipers, he is at his best kaleidoscopic and colourful designs and the nagaswaram tone of the in his ragas. But he stands out from of fancy in varying tempos on the one illustrious nephew, as that of his among the rest, in his clear, correct hand and soft pleasing decorations compeer, Tiruvengadu Subramania and aesthetically superior conception of all kinds, like thick and thin Pillai, almost resembles that of the of raga forms and in unfolding them, modulations of tone, glides, curves north Indian shehnai, in its softness stage by stage, with admirable sense and quavers, on the other, each in its and sweetness. The more remarkable of proportion, symmetry and balance, due place and proportion, without thing about Rajaratnam is that he both in the choice of musical phrases undue haste or overdoing of any is able to control and sustain this and fancy designs and in grouping element in dry hypertechnical 28 l SRUTI August 2015 gymnastics. Often, you can hear from him the whole gamut of a raga expounded leisurely with undulating curves and glides only all through. At times, he brings out the essence of a raga in one sweeping glide through relevant swaras and enthralls his listeners. It may be followed up by a vivacious cascade of fast rushing vakra-sancharas and briga profusion; and again right in the midst of them, by way of agreeable relief, he will sail off coolly with smooth sweeping glides or long restful karvais of enchanting melody. In fact, it is in his and traditional technique, must be an of his getting out of proper mood deft use of a rare kind of smooth glides eye-opener for doubting Thomases. through what is said to be an and graces — particularly the jaru unfortunate habit of his. gamakas (sweeping glides from one As the most gifted exponent of such Born in 1898 as the scion of a family octave to another) and the mellifluous superb art, it is no wonder he is the of four successive generations of karvais (long straight tones), in acknowledged doyen or leader of nagaswaram experts, he had his between the most scintillating the nagaswaram domain, compelling inherited talents in music developed display of imaginative fireworks, the unqualified respect of his very early in life and quickly won his that his genius comes out at its best contemporaries in the profession. He way to easy recognition and popularity and is inimitable. Such art produces is the most beloved idol of music- all around. Still in the prime of life wonderful and profound effects in loving crowds. He creates a flutter and endowed with an engaging and contrasts, carrying the listeners off wherever he goes; and if from a village piper you hear an unusual winsome personality, he is only too their feet in flights of fancy on the conscious of his towering superiority wings of colourful emotion. musical phrase or embellishment and ask wherefrom he got it, you over others in the field. As such, Above all, strange as it may seem, this will invariably be told, that it is he holds his head high without any exceptionally great and exquisite art an attempted catch of a bit of undue sense of humility and rather of Rajarathnam does not depend upon Rajarathnam’s style! likes to treat his average audiences any hybrid modernism or mechanical with a certain air of indifference or superficialities, for its appeal and But alas, such supreme art does not condescension! But he is extremely popularity. It is innocent of any come out in all his performances. affable to those who understand mixture of alien modes, Hindustani or Perhaps only two out of five concerts the real worth of his art and when otherwise. In its unalloyed classicism, of his happen to come up to that surrounded by them he rarely fails to it is a standing and shining proof, expected level. Not that this feature is reach superb heights in his art. Though that Carnatic music, when expounded due to his art being freakish or fitful, he and his art require no boosting, he in all its classical purity, has got or his being an erratic or untrained appears to delight in glorifying titles its own special beauty, abiding genius, but it appears to be the result being appended to his name. charm and appeal, and can hold its Rajaratnam Pillai in concert SAMUDRI ARCHIVES own even in the midst of the present day glamour for mixed trends and mechanised art. In short, Rajarathnam’s music is a rich feast not only to the intellect but also to the heart. If the true test of really great art is its capacity to please both exacting pandits and uninitiated pamaras, Rajarathnam’s nagaswaram music amply satisfies that test; and that he succeeds in it without sacrificing classical purity 29 l SRUTI August 2015.