The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : A welcome change: Gopalaswami

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Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009
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A welcome change: Gopalaswami

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The birth centenary celebrations of Sangita Kalanidhi G.N. Balasubramaniam were launched by the Indian Fine Arts Society on Tuesday, his 99th birth anniversary.

Delivering the inaugural address, Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami said: “After spending the past few days counting who distributed food and who distributed money, it is a welcome change [for him] to talk about a versatile and virtuous genius.”

Joining other vidwans, including Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, T.N.Krishnan, M. Balamuralikrishna and connoisseurs, Mr. Gopalaswami said GNB was a unique personality, blessed with a divine gift.

Though he was largely self-taught, he had the utmost respect for his musical elders such as Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Mr. Jayaraman said. In his address (read out by his son Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan), he said he enjoyed every moment of his long association with GNB, both on-stage and off-stage.

Prof. Krishnan said that though GNB had a commanding personality, he always allowed due consideration for his juniors and accompanists. The present generation had a lot to learn from GNB on this count.

The vidwans also talked about the innovations GNB had brought into music, creating the ‘GNB Bani,’ which was so speedy that many laymen did not understand all the intricacies. Mr. Balamuralikrishna said that in his last years, GNB consciously slowed down his tempo to ensure that the audience could follow him through all the twists and turns of his rendition.

Sudha Raghunathan, who learnt music from GNB’s disciple M.L.Vasanthakumari, lighted the lamp to mark the inauguration of the celebrations.

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