Concerts of Chembai

Concerts of Chembai were concerts performed by Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, an Indian Carnatic music vocalist of the 20th century.

Arangetram and First Paid Concerts (1904)

Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar debuted in 1904 with a two-hour concert alongside his brother, Subramanian. In 1905, the brothers held their first paid concert at a temple festival in Ottapalam, a town in the Palakkad district of Kerala. At a later concert at Kantallur Parthasarathy Temple, Anantha Bhagavatar played the violin, and Chokkanathapuram Ayya Bhagavatar played the mridanga.

Vaikom and Guruvayur Performances (1907)

A significant event in the brothers' early career was their concert at the temple festival in Vaikom, known for its annual musical performances. At the 1907 concert, their father played violin. Thereafter, Chembai made it a practice to sing at the Vaikom festival every year. After the Vaikom concert, Anantha Bhagavatar took the boys to Guruvayur, another significant temple town, where they held another concert. Guruvayur also became a regular part of Chembai's annual concert schedule. Vaidyanathan and Subrahmaniam absorbed their father's knowledge of music from an early age, as well as the family's tradition of religious life.

A Year with Kaliakudi Natesa Sastry (1909)

When Kaliakudi Natesa Sastri of Tiruvarur, an exponent of Harikatha (musical discourse), came to Chembai village, Anantha Bhagavatar and his family attended the programs, and the boys joined Sastry's troupe. Their concert in Tiruvarur (in Thanjavur district) at a guru puja festival, where Natesa Sastrigal gave a discourse, was notable because Pudukkottai Dakshinamurthy Pillai, a respected exponent of the mridangam and kanjira, heard the boys for the first time. During their time with Natesa Sastri, they performed in various places and listened to performances by musicians such as Namakkal Narasimha Iyengar, Kallidaikurichi Vedanta Bhagavathar, Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar, Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer, Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar, Madurai Pushpavanam, Tirukodikaval Krishna Iyer, Malaikkottai Govindaswamy Pillai and Pudukkottai Dakshinamurthy Pillai whenever possible. This listening contributed to the brothers' training. After a year, the brothers returned to Chembai in 1910 as more experienced musicians.

Accolades from Palghat Anantharama Bhagavatar (1911)

Palghat Anantharama Bhagavatar attended a concert in Sekharipuram in 1911 and noted the brothers' musicianship. He complimented Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar's voice and predicted a bright future for him.

Violin and Flute Training (1912)

Chembai also started learning to play the violin, an instrument he was already familiar with as his father was a violinist. He became proficient enough to accompany singers, which became useful when he lost his voice in 1952. For about a year, he accompanied flautist Anantha Bhagavatar, his sister Narayani's husband. He was also interested in the flute and learned to play well enough to perform a few concerts.

Karur Concert (1913)

Pethachi Chettiar, a patron of the arts and artists, lived in Karur (near Trichy). He conducted a festival featuring music concerts by leading musicians. Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar, a well-regarded musician and vaggeyakara, was responsible for the arrangements for this festival. Chembai wanted to attend this music festival and he and his brother proceeded to Karur. He met Muthiah Bhagavatar and expressed his desire to perform at the festival, but Muthiah Bhagavatar said that the performance schedules were prepared and could not be altered. Chembai was disappointed, but when the violin accompanist for a jalatarangam concert did not arrive, Chembai persuaded the artist to accept his services, and she agreed. The concert was a success, and Chembai was paid for his contribution. However, he stated that his only intention had been to sing and that he would value the chance to sing before such an audience more than payment. Muthiah Bhagavatar and Pethachi Chettiar were persuaded by this reasoning and promised Chembai the stage for the following day, where he performed to the appreciation of the audience.

Pondicherry Concert (1915)

He was invited to sing at a wedding in the family of Jnanaprakasa Mudaliar in Pondicherry. Until then, the brothers had given concerts mostly in and around Chembai. They had been to several places with Natesa Sastrigal and sung at his discourses, but these mini-concerts were more like interludes. The performance in Pondicherry resulted in Chembai becoming known over a wider area, leading to more concert opportunities.

Ernakulam Concert (1915)

Chembai secured a similar opportunity in 1915 when T.A.Duraiswami Iyer, a prominent citizen of Ernakulam, was conducting an annual Tyagaraja festival which attracted notable performers and listeners. Chembai went to Ernakulam and requested Duraiswami Iyer for a chance to sing, and Duraiswami Iyer agreed. Chembai sang for the allotted time and was about to leave, when the audience requested one more song, and he obliged. Here he befriended T.G. Krishna Iyer (Duraiswami Iyer's nephew), whose compositions he later set to classical music and popularized.

Thiruvavaduthurai Concert (1915)

Chembai had heard about 'Sreelasree' Ambalavana Desikar (pontiff of the Tiruvavaduturai matha) and his knowledge of music. He wanted to sing before him and proceeded to Tiruvavaduturai with his brother. At Desikar's suggestion, Chembai rendered in viruttam form the verse Kanduka madakkariyai vasamai nadattalam. Desikar prompted Chembai about the ragas he should sing, and Chembai responded. Impressed by the performance, Desikar ordered that a katcheri (concert) by Chembai be held the next day. The concert featured Azhagianambi Pillai on the mridangam.

Palakkad Ramanavami Concert (1916)

Another significant event in Chembai's early career was his concert at the Ramanavami festival in Palakkad in 1916. Pudukkotai Dakshinamurthy Pillai attended the concert and, after the festival, returned to Trichy to meet the violin maestro Govindaswamy Pillai and told him about Chembai's music. They arranged a kutcheri by Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar in Trichy, with Govindaswamy Pillai playing violin and Dakshinamurthy Pillai playing the mridanga. The concert met Govindaswamy Pillai's expectations and Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar had the opportunity to sing at various other places, with the two Pillais playing the accompaniment in most of the concerts.

First Concert in Madras (1918)

Chembai's first concert in Madras was in 1918, at the Triplcane Sangeeta Sabha. Anticipating the event, Rasikas who had heard about the young vidwan bought tickets quickly. As the concert was about to begin, the hall was full, with many listeners unable to enter. The audience became loud as the concert started, and the organisers opened the entrance doors to appease everyone. The concert featured Govindaswamy Pillai on the violin, Azhagunambi Pillai on the mridangam and Dakshinamurthy Pillai on the kanjira.

First Concert with Chowdiah and Palghat Mani Iyer (1924)

T. Chowdiah was a violinist who invented the seven-stringed violin and became popular playing it. Chembai befriended him after meeting at a friend's house in 1924. Chembai performed with Chowdiah in the Jagannatha Bhakta Sabha. It was at this concert that Chembai introduced young Palghat Mani Iyer to an audience. At a similar concert in 1926, he also introduced Palani Subramaniam Pillai, a disciple of Pudukottai Dakshinamurthi Pillai.

Inaugural performance at Madras Music Academy (1927)

Main article: Madras Music Academy

The annual meeting of the Indian National Congress was held in a different city every year. In 1927, it was held in Madras. Music concerts were arranged, and it was decided that an institution to promote classical music in south India should be started in Madras. Thus the Madras Music Academy was founded, and Chembai was invited to give one of the inaugural concerts.

See also

• Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
• Carnatic Music
• South India
• Kerala
• Indian Classical Music