T. Brinda
Encyclopedia
Thanjavur Brinda was one of the representatives of the Veenai Dhanammal school of Carnatic Music
. She was primarily a vocalist, although she also played the Veenai
. She is affectionately referred to as 'Brindamma', by her fans.
Brinda had much of her initial training from her mother Kamakshi. This training was in the Veenai Dhanammal style, a style of Carnatic Music
known for its unhurried, alluring movements, as also for its use of intricate gamaka
s (graces) in the handling of raga
s (modes). Additionally, Brinda trained for a substantial length of time under Kanchipuram Naina Pillai, whose style of music was marked by agility and robustness in laya (rhythm). After her training under Naina Pillai, Brinda learnt from her aunt Lakshmiratnam. Veenai Dhanammal, who was also Brinda's grandmother, herself taught her some compositions. Brinda absorbed both the sublime and intricate Dhanammal style and Naina Pillai's fast paced masculine music and blended them seamlessly into her singing.
Her peers and music connoisseurs regarded her as a person of superlative musical knowledge. She was an expert at rendering raga
s that featured complex patterns and subtle gamaka
s, such as Begada, Mukhari, Sahana, Suruti, Varali and Yadukulakambhoji. She was a repository of Kshetrayya
padams and javalis (romantic compositions rich in musical content) and many rare compositions of the Trinity of Carnatic Music
and Patnam Subramania Iyer
.
Many talented and popular musicians were attracted by Brinda's musical scholarship and expertise, and trained under her. Carnatic Music
ians such as Sangeetha Kalanidhi
s Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
, M.S. Subbulakshmi and R K Srikanthan
have learnt from her. The musicians Ramnad Krishnan
, Aruna Sairam, Chitravina Ravikiran, B. Krishnamoorthy Chitravina Ganesh, K. N. Shashikiran, Kiranavali Vidyasankar, and B. Balasubrahmaniyan have been Brinda's full-time students. Her grandson and direct disciple Thiruvarur S. Girish is also an accomplished Carnatic musician. In her earlier years, Brinda performed extensively with her younger sister, T. Muktha and in her later years, with her daughter Vegavahini Vijayaraghavan. Brinda did not wish to record commercially, hence only private recordings of her performances are available. Brinda was also a visiting artist at the University of Washington
, Seattle from 1968-69 and 1977-78.
Brinda received many awards, including the Sangeetha Kalanidhi
award, considered the highest honour for a Carnatic musician, in 1976.
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
. She was primarily a vocalist, although she also played the Veenai
Veenai
The veena is one of the most ancient string instruments of India. Its origin can be traced back to the ancient yazh, a stringed instrument, similar to the Grecian harp. Bharata, in his Natya Shastra, explains the theory of the 22 sruti-s in an octave with the help of two experimental veenai-s.The...
. She is affectionately referred to as 'Brindamma', by her fans.
Brinda had much of her initial training from her mother Kamakshi. This training was in the Veenai Dhanammal style, a style of Carnatic Music
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
known for its unhurried, alluring movements, as also for its use of intricate gamaka
Gamaka
Gamaka also known as Kaavya Vaachana is a unique form of storytelling by singing. This originated in Karnataka, India. One person reads a stanza of a poem with highest emphasis on meaning, applying suitable raga or a Dhaati usually matching the emotion of the poem. Another person then explains...
s (graces) in the handling of raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
s (modes). Additionally, Brinda trained for a substantial length of time under Kanchipuram Naina Pillai, whose style of music was marked by agility and robustness in laya (rhythm). After her training under Naina Pillai, Brinda learnt from her aunt Lakshmiratnam. Veenai Dhanammal, who was also Brinda's grandmother, herself taught her some compositions. Brinda absorbed both the sublime and intricate Dhanammal style and Naina Pillai's fast paced masculine music and blended them seamlessly into her singing.
Her peers and music connoisseurs regarded her as a person of superlative musical knowledge. She was an expert at rendering raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
s that featured complex patterns and subtle gamaka
Gamaka
Gamaka also known as Kaavya Vaachana is a unique form of storytelling by singing. This originated in Karnataka, India. One person reads a stanza of a poem with highest emphasis on meaning, applying suitable raga or a Dhaati usually matching the emotion of the poem. Another person then explains...
s, such as Begada, Mukhari, Sahana, Suruti, Varali and Yadukulakambhoji. She was a repository of Kshetrayya
Kshetrayya
Kshetrayya was a prolific Telugu poet and composer of Carnatic music. He lived in the area of Andhra Pradesh in South India. He composed a number of padams and keertanas, the prevalent formats of his time. He is credited with more than 4000 compositions, although only a handful have survived...
padams and javalis (romantic compositions rich in musical content) and many rare compositions of the Trinity of Carnatic Music
Trinity of Carnatic music
The outstanding group of composer-musicians of Carnatic music which included Tyāgarāja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, are commonly referred to as the Trinity of Carnatic music....
and Patnam Subramania Iyer
Patnam Subramania Iyer
Patnam Subramania Iyer was a composer and singer of Carnatic music. Subramaniya Iyer followed the traditions of the great composer Tyagaraja. He has left behind almost one hundred compositions....
.
Many talented and popular musicians were attracted by Brinda's musical scholarship and expertise, and trained under her. Carnatic Music
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
ians such as Sangeetha Kalanidhi
Sangeetha Kalanidhi
Sangeetha Kalanidhi or Sangita Kalanidhi is the title awarded yearly to an expert Carnatic Musician by the Madras Music Academy. This honour is considered one of the highest awards in Carnatic music.-----Sangeetha Kalanidhis:-External links:*...
s Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer is considered to be one of the greatest Carnatic vocalists of the twentieth century...
, M.S. Subbulakshmi and R K Srikanthan
R K Srikanthan
Rudrapatna Krishnashastri Srikantan is a vocalist of the Karnataka Sangeeta tradition of South Indian music.- Family background and early life :...
have learnt from her. The musicians Ramnad Krishnan
Ramnad Krishnan
Ramnad Krishnan was a vocalist in the Carnatic tradition. He did his schooling in Ramnad in Madras Presidency.He learned music from Ramnad C S Sankarasivam. He served on the faculty of Government College of Carnatic Music in Madras.He was also a visiting Professor at Wesleyan University...
, Aruna Sairam, Chitravina Ravikiran, B. Krishnamoorthy Chitravina Ganesh, K. N. Shashikiran, Kiranavali Vidyasankar, and B. Balasubrahmaniyan have been Brinda's full-time students. Her grandson and direct disciple Thiruvarur S. Girish is also an accomplished Carnatic musician. In her earlier years, Brinda performed extensively with her younger sister, T. Muktha and in her later years, with her daughter Vegavahini Vijayaraghavan. Brinda did not wish to record commercially, hence only private recordings of her performances are available. Brinda was also a visiting artist at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, Seattle from 1968-69 and 1977-78.
Brinda received many awards, including the Sangeetha Kalanidhi
Sangeetha Kalanidhi
Sangeetha Kalanidhi or Sangita Kalanidhi is the title awarded yearly to an expert Carnatic Musician by the Madras Music Academy. This honour is considered one of the highest awards in Carnatic music.-----Sangeetha Kalanidhis:-External links:*...
award, considered the highest honour for a Carnatic musician, in 1976.
External links
- A four-part article on Brinda and Mukta
- An article on Brinda from The Hindu, newspaper.
- Video Clippings of T Brinda
- MP3 Clips of T Brinda