What's common to an industrialist, a U.S.-returned entrepreneur, an Ayurvedic doctor and a software professional? Besides a shared passion for Carnatic music, these aficionados have an enviable collection of recordings of rare concerts.
Their personal archives include recordings of concerts of yesteryear artists as well as recording of outstanding concerts of contemporary musicians.
Their efforts have ensured that these rare recordings are now not only available to thousands of rasikas, who would otherwise have been denied a chance to listen to them, but also the musicians themselves.
“Violin maestro Lalgudi G. Jayaraman wanted a few recordings of his concerts. I gave him a solo concert, two concerts he performed with his sister, two concerts he played for Alathur Brothers, and a few concerts with Madurai Somu and M.D.Ramanathan,” says S.L. Narasimhan, who runs a software company.
“A lot of other musicians have also borrowed recordings of their own concerts from me,” he adds.
Mr. Narasimhan's collection includes recordings of concerts of stalwarts such as Kancheepuram Naina Pillai, Veena Dhanammal, Tiger Varadhachariar and T.N. Rajarathinam Pillai. His recordings help organise evenings devoted to a single legend.
He says he does not record anyone's music without their knowledge. “I don't have any recordings of the concerts after 2000. In fact, I don't have any recording covered by copyright.”
Cleveland Sundaram, a patron of Carnatic music, received recordings of old masters from friends, but his forte lies in the collection made through his own recordings beginning in 1969.
“I started recording concerts of musicians when they performed in the U.S. I would always get permission from the musicians before recording. Now I have digitised them,” says Mr. Sundaram, whose collection runs into thousand of hours.
Mr. Sundaram, one of the main organisers of the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, considers the concerts of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer in Mumbai accompanied by Lalgudi Jayaraman, and a New York concert performed by flautist N. Ramani along with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Tiruchi Sankaran, the best among his collection.
He confirms that Mr. Jayaraman, who was against the idea of recording his concerts, now feels that he was perhaps wrong.
Both Mr. Narasimhan and Mr. Sundaram say they are ready to share their collection with any music lover, provided it is not commercially exploited.
The 6,000-hour-long recordings of R.T. Chari, the Managing Director of Tag Corporation, have already become part of The Music Academy-TAG Digital Listening Archives.
Recalling the days when many collectors were reluctant to share their music recordings, Mr. Chari says he bought a special tape recorder and converted long tapes into small tapes. “While making a copy for the owner, I also made one for myself,” he says.
‘Vintage concerts'
Mr. Chari's collection includes many thematic concerts, organised specially by him. Some of these collectors even organise ‘vintage concerts' playing these recordings for a select audience.
For instance, fans of Madurai Mani Iyer would gather one evening and listen to a scintillating concert of the ace singer like they would listen to a live concert.
Nagercoil-based Ayurvedic doctor L. Mahadevan can boast of an unique collection. “When it comes to nagaswaram, I have quite a few rare recordings. I have a huge collection of Karukurichi Arunachalam, Thiruvidaimaruthur P.S. Veerusami Pillai, Vedaranyam Vedamurthy, Kottur Rajarathinam and Thirumeignanam Natarajasundaram Pillai, who was known for playing pallavis and mallaris at break-neck speed,” he says.
Mr. Mahadevan, who has recorded all the great concerts performed in temples and marriages in Kanyakumari districts, says he has fantastic recordings of Thanjavur S. Kalyanaraman. “Come home and take whatever you want,” says the doctor grandly, when asked if he would share his possessions.
