Lalgudi Jayaraman

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Lalgudi Jayaraman · Lalgudi Gopal Jayaraman was born in 1930 and died in 2013. He was an Indian violinist, singer and composer in Carnatic music, the classical music of South India. Together with M.S. Gopalakrishnan and T.N. Krishnan he was counted among the violin trio of Carnatic music. His father taught him the tradition, which goes back through four generations to the composer Tyagaraja. At the age of twelve he began as an accompanist to singers, before becoming a celebrated soloist.

Music and breakthrough

Jayaraman developed his own way of playing the violin, known as the Lalgudi Bani. He brought the style of the human voice to the violin. He wrote kritis, tillanas and varnams, compositions that connect melody, rhythm and text and are popular with Bharatanatyam dancers. In 1966 he introduced an ensemble of violin, flute and veena. He was also the first to bring the Carnatic violin to international attention. Yehudi Menuhin was so impressed after the Edinburgh Festival of 1965 that he gave him his Italian violin.

Influence

For his work he received, among other honours, the Padma Shri in 1972 and the Padma Bhushan in 2001. His children and pupils continue his work. His influence lies in a violinist who put Indian classical music on the world map both as a soloist and as an accompanist.

Listening

• 
  Jagadananda Karaka (Tyagaraja) · Lalgudi Jayaraman, 1993

Discography

Studio albums

• 1970Violin Solos of Carnatic Music
• 1971Violin • Venu • Veena
• 1983South Meets North
• 1990Violin Virtuoso
• 2006Melodic Strings
• 2006Violin
• 2007Violin
• ?Thillanas and Selected Kritis