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Revision as of 20:14, 16 September 2006 by Srkris (talk | contribs) (→External links)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The celebrated Carnatic musician and composer Sri Madurai T. N. Seshagopalan was born at Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, India in 1948. His first music teacher was his own mother, and he later studied under Sri Ramanathapuram C. S. Sankarasivan. He holds a degree in Science from Madras University and a degree in music from Madurai University where he later served as professor of music. As well as being a master of veena and harmonium, he is a renowned exponent of harikatha.
Seshagopalan's fame has not been just within the boundaries of India. In 1984 he was invited to sing at the Adelaide International Festival in Australia (and included performances Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and New Zealand). In 1987 he was India's cultural ambassador to Russia. He has performed in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Bahrain and Sri Lanka and has visited and performed in the United States of America numerous times.
A musical genius, Seshagopalan has been endowed with an enchanting and melodious voice which has captured the heart and soul of music lovers in India and the international arena. He renders the most intricate ragas with mellow grace, subtlety and absolute ease. His raga renditions are woven with unique sangathis and brikhas which spice up a performance. He is very well known for his breath-taking sweep in all aspects of Carnatic music - Alapanas, Neraval, Kalpanaswara prastharas, Ragam-Thanam-Pallavis, Kirthanas, Thirupugazhs, Thukkadas and ragamalika virutams.
A master of swara compositions, Seshagopalan continues to increase his stupendous repertoire with compositions of his own. He is noted for his own elegant Thillana compositions, devotional Bhajans, Namavalis and Abhangs.He is equally at home with North Indian ragas and has participated in several Jugalbandis.
Seshagopalan's singing technique has the knack of transferring and communicating the most intricate musical expression with ease, simplicity and aesthetic charm. Blessed by the Goddess Meenakshi, presiding deity in the temple in Madurai, Seshagopalan is indeed a musical marvel. He is a mercurial musician and on a good day his indefatigable spirit and untiring intellect carries him through to the heights of unfettered expression.
Titles and laurels
- TIRUPUKAZH MANI in 1964.
- GANA BOOPATHI by the Tamil Sangam of Olavakod in 1967.
- KALAI MAAMANI by Tamil Nadu Govt. in 1984.
- ISAI SELVAM by Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, Mr. Karunanidhi.
- The celebrated Carnatic musicians and composer SANGEETHA KALA SAAGARAM by Sri Jayendra Saraswathi of Kamakoti
- PADMA BHUSHAN in 2004.
- Sangeetha Kalanidhi 2006 awarded by Music Academy,Madras.
What Others say
1 "...the recital presented a picture of Seshagopalan as a real vidwan. His rendering of kedaram and sriranjani followed by the songs ‘ananda natana prakasam’ and ‘bhuvinidasu’ was replete with instinct, intuition and aesthetic orientation. The music was marked by fresh nuances, enticing raga images and sensitive reflections. The brief alapana-s moved on fragrant swaroopa and the songs on wonderful lyrical cadences."
2 "Seshagopalan's urge for engaging the audience with an intellectual interpretation of rare raga-s came into active play during his exploration of rasali through a stimulating raga survey. His endeavour to impart a distinctive identity to this raga through phrases drawn profusely from the classical composition to succeed it enabled the audience to extend enthusiastic listening. The piece, "aparadhamulanorva" of Tyagaraja rightly succeeded it in an attractive diction with a short and satisfying session of swara rendition.
3 "With his strong tonal timbre, it was no surprise that T.N.Seshagopalan could journey down and forth in his excursionist adventures in raga vinyasam, neraval and prayoga-s of permuted combinations of swara-s, as he displayed in his concert. It was a vigorous and spirited recital ... His ragam-tanam-pallavi in hamsanandi ... made everyone sit up and listen. The ragam itself was taken through its boundaries exhaustively.... In line with his own inclination for swarabedam he did a smart incursion, deliberate and permissible perhaps, into hindolam on rishabam, and with equal facility repaired back to hamsanandi. The pallavi, written and tuned by himself was on Lord Ayyappa,: "vikasita mukham ... harihara sutham sadha bajeham".