Violinist T.N. Krishnan was felicitated to mark 80 years of his musical journey by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha on Thursday.
Speaking at the felicitation, mridangam exponent Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman said, “He will remain the same even when he grows as old as 90 or 100. This is because music has engulfed him and this dynamo of music has charged him.”
Describing T.N. Krishnan’s music as pristine, he said it was only this kind of music that could reach people and touch their hearts.
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“He is such a perfectionist that he can play Todi ragam for three minutes, three hours or even for three days and still capture the essence of the raga in all its beauty,” he added.
T.N. Krishnan reminisced of the time he was paid Rs. 65 by this sabha for playing with musician the late G.N. Balasubramaniam decades ago, and said he was pleased to continue playing for the sabha.
“If I still play so well, it is only because of the listeners. Had it not been for the audience, there wouldn’t be sabhas or artistes,” he said.
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Industrialist and president of Krishna Gana Sabha, Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti and secretary of Nadopasana, R. Srinivasan also participated in the function. The programme was followed by a violin concert by T.N. Krishnan and Sriram Krishnan.