Carnatic Violinist, Vocalist & Composer Lalgudi Gopala Iyer Jayaraman. At the age of 12, he started his musical career as an accompanying violinist to Carnatic musicians before rising as a prominent soloist. His style is distinguished by its chastity of rendition and the ease with which he communicates the ethos of the music. It is marked also by an optimum choice of tempo, gamakas, and other musical nuances. Through his work as a musician, composer, and teacher, and by his ceaseless innovation, he has given a new dimension to Carnatic music on the violin. He is proficient both as a solo performer and accompanist.
He expanded the style of violin playing by inventing a whole new technique that is designed to best suit the needs of Indian Classical Music and establishing a unique style that came to be known as ‘Lalgudi Bani’. Jayaraman composed several ‘Kritis’, ‘Tillanas’ and ‘Varnams’ and dance compositions, which are a blend of Raga, Bhava, Rhythm and lyrical beauty. Lalgudi’s instrumental talent comes to the fore in the form of lyrical excellence. He brought the most-sought-after vocal style into violin, and his renditions exhibit knowledge of lyrical content of the compositions.
Lalgudi actively and scientifically learned to self-critique his performances and dutifully wrote detailed reviews after each concert, a habit encouraged by his father and guru. He was loath to experiment on stage in his solo concerts and almost always planned to the last detail, leading a certain critic to tout them as being intellectual rather than emotional in spirit, but Lalgudi’s spontaneity and innate musical genius were often seen when he accompanied leading vocalists.
His accompanying wizardry and quick responses to the various challenges posed by the main artistes remain unsurpassed. His accomplishments are numerous but chief of them is the fact that he was the first to bring international attention to the Carnatic style of violin playing. He also introduced a new concept of musical ensemble with violin, venu (flute) and veena in 1966, and gave several outstanding concerts.
Jayaraman earned several titles, such as ‘Nada Vidya Tilaka’ by Music Lovers’ Association of Lalgudi in 1963, ‘Padma Shri’ by the Government of India in 1972, ‘Nada Vidya Rathnakara’ by East West Exchange in New York, ‘Vadya Sangeetha Kalaratna’ by Bharathi Society, New York; ‘Sangeetha Choodamani’ by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai in 1971; State Vidwan of Tamil Nadu by the Government of Tamil Nadu and Sangeetha Natak Academy award in 1979 etc. The First Chowdaiah Memorial National-Level award was given to Sri Jayaraman by the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
