The world of Carnatic music got richer with the recent release of a CD containing rare compositions rendered by the Mysore violin maestro, T. Chowdiah.
The CD was recorded by his family members in the late 1960s and was recently launched at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall, said Jayanthi and Kumaresh of Home Records, who have come out with the disc.
It is interesting to know that Mr. Chowdiah’s granddaughter, Sheela, and her husband Boraiah, chanced upon some spools containing nearly four hours of live concerts of the violin legend at their ancestral home in Mysore.
The duo approached Home Records for exploring possibilities of their ‘accidental find’ to be preserved in the latest format for posterity.
According to Mr. Kumaresh, Sheela’s father, Bheemanna Gowda recorded several concerts of the violin maestro.
Mr. Gowda had got his father a German violin, and later a spool recorder from Japan, which came in handy for the family to record Mr. Chowdiah’s concerts often.
Kumaresh said the CD contains seven kritis, three of Tyagaraja, one of Mysore Vasudevacharya and three compositions by Chowdiah himself. “The Kuntalavarali kriti of the maestro has Chowdiah simultaneously singing and is a treat! The ragamalika tanam (Mayamalavagowla, Aarabhi, Hamsanandi and Mohana) and his RTP in Todi are commentaries on his deft fingering techniques, showcasing the intrinsic virtues of his creation, the seven-stringed violin that made history,” explains Kumaresh. For details, contact: 9986968742.
