Untitled Flashcard Set
Unit – 6
Life Histories
A. Vīṇa Kuppayyar
Introduction:
Period: 1798 - 1860
Vīṇa Kuppayyar was a Telugu Brahmin and was born in Tiruvottiyur, near Chennai, and was known as Tiruvottiyur Kuppayyar too. Kuppayyar had his initial training under his father and became a versatile vidwān both in vocal and on the Vīṇa. Vīṇa Kuppayyar was honored with the title of 'Gāna Chakravarti'.
His father, Sambamurti Śāstri was a famous vocalist and vainika and people would say, 'Sāmbadu (Sambamurthi) should sing and Sambadu (Lord Siva) should listen' - Sāmbadu Vayinchavala, Sambadu Vinavala. As was the father, so was the son in the field of music. Kuppayyer was one of the most distinguished disciples of Tyāgarāja. He lived with Tyāgarāja for several years and learnt the art of music and composing. Kuppayyer later moved to Chennai and sought the patronage of the local ruler Kovur Sundara Mudaliar.
A scholar in Sanskrit, Telugu, Kuppayyer was a genius in composing bhajan - divyanāma kirtanas, Varṇas, Krithis and Tillānās. He was very proficient in Vīṇa himself that it became synonymous with his name. Since he was very proficient in Narayana Goula raga he was called "Narayanagoula Kuppayyer" and being a vocalist too was called "Paata Kuppayyer. Kuppayyer composed his songs in Telugu language and has left behind a number of popular Krithis. He composed a variety of Krithis, ranging from the simple to sophisticated. His Tana Varṇas are shining examples for Varṇas, for; they beautifully bring out the sketch and essence of the raga. His creative abilities were remarkable and being deeply devoted to his family deity, he adopted 'Gopaladasa' (meaning, servant of Krishna) as his signature. The theme being generally devotional, he used Telugu as his Language.
One day, he was playing on the Vīṇa of his guru surreptitiously in his absence. When Tyāgarāja entered, he was surprised to hear captivating music and brilliant play on Vīṇa with remarkable felicity and competent fingering. When he found that the player was none other than his own disciple, he was most agreeably astonished. He immensely liked the disciple and pleased him by going over to his house at Tiruvottiyur and singing 'Venugopalaloluni' (Kedaragoula) in praise of the family deity of Kuppayyer and also by staying at the Madras house of Kovur Sundara Mudaliar, where Kuppayyer enjoyed the status of asthāna vidwān, for seven days and made a magnificent display of the potential and intricacies of Devagandhari raga.
VīṇaKuppayyer later shifted to Muthialpet in Madras. Kovur Sundara Mudaliar was his primary patron and enjoyed the status of asthānavidwān there. His fame and popularity were such that eminent musicians like Vadivelu of Thanjavur used to visit him frequently and take part in festivals and bhajans conducted by him regularly.
Like Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar he kept a big retinue of disciples, undergoing gurukulavasa at his house (free accommodation, food, dress, education and training - all included). His son Tiruvottiyur Tyāgayyar, Kothavasal Venkatarama Ayyar, Sitaramayya and Fiddle Ponnuswami Pillai were among his disciples. Kuppayyer trained a lot of disciples, who carried forward the legacy of Tyāgarāja, helping to spread his Krithis.
His popular Compositions:
Varṇas like Karunimpa (Sahana), and Intachala (Begada) .. Adi
Krithis such as Vinayaka (Hamsadhwani) ..Adi
Koniyaadinanaapai ..Kambhoji ..Adi (chouka)
His important Sishyas were: Pallavi Sitaraamayya, and Fiddle Ponnaswamy. Children: Tiruvottiyur Tyāgayyar, who later blossomed as a great composer in Karnatic Music.
B. Tiruvottiyur Tyagayyar
Period:1845-1917
He belonged to the 19th century. He was the son of Tiruvottiyer Vina Kuppayyer. He was born in the year 1845.
As he was born to Vina Kuppayer after Saint Tyagaraja came to their house, Tiruvottiyur got his first name. As he was living in Mutyalapeta, Madras… he was also called “Mutyalapeta Tyagayyar”. Since he showed excellent ability in Swara Kalpana, he was called “Swara Simha” Tyagayyar.
Like his father, Tyagayyar was an accomplished musician and composer. He composed Kirtanas in 108 ragas, in Ghana ragas and published them in the book called “Sankirtana Ratnavali”. Another work of his, “Pallavi Swara Kalpavalli”, has a collection of pallavis. This was a great service to the music world.
Even after his father’s death, he continued to conduct concerts and music festivals where big vidwans were invited to his house. With his devotion towards Saint Tyagaraja, he composed a Kriti in praise of him.
Apart front the 108 kritis in ghana ragas, he composed many compositions, like varnas, ragamalikas, and kritis in many janya and apurva ragas. A list of his compositions is given below:
Intha Mofi Jese (Adi talam, Saranga ragam, varnam)
Saraguna nannelu (Adi talam, Madhyamavati ragam, varnam)
Saraswathi Nanneupudu (Rupaka talam, Kalyani ragam, kriti)
Some of his important disciples include Tiger Varadachary, Sangita Rao, Devara, Nellore Raghavaraju, Piratla Sankarayya. He died in 1917.
C. Patnam Subrahmanya Iyyer
Period: 1845 – 1902
Patnam Subrahmanya Iyyer belongs to the period 18–19 century. His grandfather Bharatam Panchanada Śāstri was an Asthāna vidwān in the court of Sarabhoji Mahārāja. His son Bharatam Vaidyanatha Iyyer, happens to be father of Patnam Subrahmanya Iyyer. This family belongs to Tamil ashtasahasra Brahmin community.
Subrahmanya Iyyer had his initial training in music from Melattur Ganapati Śāstri and later from Manam buchavadi Venkata Subbayyer. Along with music he was proficient in Sanskrit, Telugu and Tamil languages. He made his Voice melodious by sādhana (immersing himself in neck deep water) and this proves that he was a man of great will power. He got married at the age of 32.
Subrahmanya Iyyer's popularity as a performer started from his 35th year. Since he was living in Tiruvottiyur and later settled in Chennapatnam, he was called Patnam Subrahmanya Iyyer. Raga bhava is the essence of his performances or his compositions.
He has composed in Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit languages. The Sangati variations in his compositions are always attractive. He is adept in composing chiṭṭaswaras in his compositions. His signature is 'Venkateśwara', 'Varada Venkateśwara', 'Adi Venkateśwara', 'Śri Venkateśwara', and Śri Varada Venkateśwara'. It is known that he had composed 100 compositions including Varṇas, Krithis, Jāvalis, and Tillānās. Raga Kadanakutuhalam was brought to light in the music world by him, and his composition 'Raghu vamsa' has received innumerable applause. He has composed compositions to Ādi, Desādi, Rupaka, Jhampe and Cāpu Talas.
Mahavaidyanatha Iyyer and Subramanya Iyyer were great friends, who lived in neighboring streets in Tiruvottiyur. They used to take up only one concert a week and it is said that they would perform and receive gifts only from Maharajas and Zamindars, and not from the general public.
Many People used to appreciate Subrahmanya Iyyer's rendering of 'Darinitelusukonti in Suddha saveri', 'Nadopasana in Begaḍa', and 'Bhavanutha in Mohana. His expertise in singing Begaḍa raga (sang for 3 days: 1st day – Ālāpana, 2nd day – Tānam and 3rd day – Pallavi) fetched him the title 'Begaḍa Subrahmanya Iyyer'. He was the only vidwan who could compose and sing a Pallavi in the 128 aksharas Simhanandana Tala. It is said that he rendered only Tyāgarāja compositions in his concerts, and when asked to sing his own compositions, he would render one or two in the end of his concert. Once, somebody requested him to compose in Kalyāṇi raga, it is said that he said: Saint Tyāgarāja has composed in this raga in all colors and there is nothing left for me. Such was his humility and respect towards elders. After a year he composed 'nijadasa varada' in Kalyāṇi.
It is said that Subrahmanya Iyyer was a very committed teacher. He would patiently rectify students' mistakes and see that they got them correct. Ramnadhapuram Srinivas Iyyengar, Tiger Varadachary, Mysore Vasudevachary, Kakinada C S Krishna swamyayya, Tiruvadi G Narayana Swamy, were some of his known disciples.
Once, as he was singing in one of his disciple's house, leaning to a pillar, after some time, due to his valiant voice, the sympathetic vibrations generated in his singing shook the pillar and everybody were shocked.
Some of his popular compositions are:
Yevvaribodhana (Abhogi ragam. Varnam ..Adi talam)
Raghu vamsa (Kadanakutuhalam ragam ..Adi talam)
Anudinamu (Begada ragame .. Rupaka talam)
Paridana (Bilahari ragam ..Khandacapu talam)
Patnam Subrahmanya Iyyer reached the abode of God on 31st July 1902 in Tiruvottiyur.