Wednesday, December 17, 2008

thonnamkuzhy

http://jentytharian.blogspot.com/
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, November 24, 2008

Artist Van Gogh

Save this page to: del.icio.us Delicious stumbleupon StumbleUpon Reddit Reddit Digg This Digg Newsvine Newsvine Facebook Facebook

Vincent van Gogh: Biography

Revealing the life and times of Vincent van Gogh.

Van Gogh Self-Portrait Contents:

Overview: Van Gogh's life in under 500 words
Early Years: The early years of Vincent van Gogh
Later Years: Van Gogh's later years of life
Time Line: Time Line of Van Goghs Life
Mental State: Understanding the mind of Van Gogh
Influences: Those who influenced Van Gogh
His Influence: Those whom were influenced by Gogh
Short Facts: Quick Facts about Van Gogh
His Paintings: The Paintings of Van Gogh


Birth Year : 1853
Death Year : 1890
Country : Netherlands

Vincent van Gogh, for whom color was the chief symbol of expression, was born in Groot-Zundert, Holland. The son of a pastor, brought up in a religious and cultured atmosphere, Vincent was highly emotional and lacked self-confidence. Between 1860 and 1880, when he

finally decided to become an artist, van Gogh had had two unsuitable and unhappy romances and had worked unsuccessfully as a clerk in a bookstore, an art salesman, and a preacher in the Borinage (a dreary mining district in Belgium), where he was dismissed for overzealousness. He remained in Belgium to study art, determined to give happiness by creating beauty. The works of his early Dutch period are somber-toned, sharply lit, genre paintings of which the most famous is "The Potato Eaters" (1885). In that year van Gogh went to Antwerp where he discovered the works of Rubens and purchased many Japanese prints.

In 1886 he went to Paris to join his brother Théo, the manager of Goupil's gallery. In Paris, van Gogh studied with Cormon, inevitably met Pissarro, Monet, and Gauguin, and began to lighten his very dark palette and to paint in the short brushstrokes of the Impressionists. His nervous temperament made him a difficult companion and night-long discussions combined with painting all day undermined his health. He decided to go south to Arles where he hoped his friends would join him and help found a school of art. Gauguin did join him but with disastrous results. In a fit of epilepsy, van Gogh pursued his friend with an open razor, was stopped by Gauguin, but ended up cutting a portion of his ear lobe off. Van Gogh then began to alternate between fits of madness and lucidity and was sent to the asylum in Saint-Remy for treatment.

In May of 1890, he seemed much better and went to live in Auvers-sur-Oise under the watchful eye of Dr. Gachet. Two months later he was dead, having shot himself "for the good of all." During his brief career he had sold one painting. Van Gogh's finest works were produced in less than three years in a technique that grew more and more impassioned in brushstroke, in symbolic and intense color, in surface tension, and in the movement and vibration of form and line. Van Gogh's inimitable fusion of form and content is powerful; dramatic, lyrically rhythmic, imaginative, and emotional, for the artist was completely absorbed in the effort to explain either his struggle against madness or his comprehension of the spiritual essence of man and nature.



Posted by at No comments:

carnatic music

[Collapse]
Wikipedia is there when you need it — now it needs you.
Donate Now »
[Expand]
Support Wikipedia: a non-profit project.
Donate Now »
[Expand]
Support Wikipedia: a non-profit project. — Donate Now

Chembai

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
Birth name Vaidyanathan
Born September 1, 1895(1895-09-01)
Chembai, Palghat, India
Died October 16, 1974 (aged 79)
Ottapalam, Palghat, India
Genre(s) Carnatic Music
Occupation(s) Singer
Years active 1904–1974
Label(s) HMV, Inreco, BMG, Vani Cassettes

Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar (Malayalam ചെമ്പൈ വൈദ്യനാഥ ഭാഗവതര്‍‍) was an Indian Carnatic music singer from the state of Kerala. Usually known by his village name Chembai, or simply as Bhagavatar, he was born to Anantha Bhagavatar and Parvati Ammal in 1895.[1] Chembai was noted for his powerful voice and majestic style[2] of singing. His first public performance was in 1904, when he was nine. He was a recipient of several titles and honours in his performing career of 70 years (1904-1974).[3] He was known for his encouragement of upcoming musicians, and also for his ability to spot new talent.[1] He was responsible for popularizing compositions like Rakshamam, Pavana Guru, among others.[4] The music critic 'Aeolus' describes him as "the musician who has meant the most to Carnatic Music in the first fifty years of the 20th century"[5] Some of his prominent disciples include Yesudas, T.V.Gopalakrishnan, V.V.Subramaniam, P.Leela, among others.[6] Many memorial music festivals are held in his honour annually since his death in 1974, the most important being the annually celebrated Chembai Sangeetholsavam.

Contents

[edit] Early life

The family's tryst with classical music had spanned about five centuries. Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar's great-grandfather Subbier, had been the recipient of the title "Ghana Chakratanam" from a local Maharaja indicating his mastery of a special style of singing tanam. Chembai's father Anantha Bhagavatar was a vocalist and violinist.[2] Chembai learnt music from his own father, from his third year,[1] in the customary guru-sishya tradition, as a part of overall Vedic learning.

Some of the noteworthy early events that helped shape Chembai's career as a Carnatic Musician are:

Stamp issued by Govt of India on Chembai's birth centenary, 1996
Main article: Concerts of Chembai
  • His arangetram (debut concert) in Ottapalam (1904)
  • Vaikom & Guruvayur Performances (1907)
  • A year with Kaliakudi Natesa Sastry (1909)
  • Accolades from Palghat Anantharama Bhagavatar (1911)
  • Violin and Flute training (1912)
  • Karur Concert (1913)
  • Pondicherry Concert (1915)
  • Ernakulam Concert (1915)
  • Thiruvavaduthurai Concert (1915)
  • Palakkad Ramanavami Concert (1916)
  • First concert in Madras (1918)
  • First concert with Chowdiah and Palghat Mani Iyer (1924)
  • Inaugural concert at the Madras Music Academy (1927)

[edit] Release of recordings

Between 1932 and 1946, Chembai's music was captured on several phonograph discs. Those were the days before the advent of the microphone in concerts and a singer was entirely dependent on the timbre and reach of his voice for a successful concert. Chembai was uniquely blessed in this respect, for his voice which had great depth, was a special attraction.[2]

[edit] Lalita Dasar Kritis (1945)

Chembai had an old friend called T.G.Krishna Iyer in Tripunithura, who had by this time settled in Madras (now Chennai) and offered a house to Chembai on Palace Road near Santhome, in a locality called 'Lalita Nagar' he had himself developed. He had composed some 155 kritis in Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit under the mudra 'Lalita dasar' and requested Chembai to set them to music and popularise them. Chembai accepted the invitation and set the kritis to classical music, and got them published under the name Lalita Dasar Keertanaigal. He made it a practice to sing these kritis in most of his concerts. The kriti Pavana Guru in the raga Hamsanandi is one that is now famous. He also released a record containing selected kritis from Lalita Dasar's kritis like Evariki Telusunamma (Dhanyasi), Ennil Kaninda (Shankarabharanam), Pavana Guru (Hamsanandi), Varijadala Lochani (Arabhi), among others.[1]

[edit] Loss and regain of voice

In 1952, Chembai was singing in a concert at the temple town of Suchindram. In the middle of the concert, his voice chords snapped and he could not sing thereafter. The concert ended in confusion.

[edit] Performing ability and style

He could do a niraval and swaraprastara from any given point (a view attested by his disciples[7]), which bespoke of mental alertness in a concert. His empathy for his accompanists and disciples was noteworthy and he would go to great lengths to encourage them.[7]

Chembai's music had a direct appeal to his listeners. According to Mr. B.V.K.Sastri, musicologist, "The deep solid tone seeming to illuminate such model figure in his singing and the joy of the pure nada when he held on to single notes are something not easily forgotten."[8] To Chembai, the main factors that contributed to the development of a musical personality were the intuition of the musician, his sound knowledge of ragas and swaras and firm control of śruti and laya and the capacity to evolve an individual style of expression suited to one's voice and aptitude and ideas distilled through the variegated experience behind him.[8]

[edit] Disciples

He was above caste and communal prejudices ruling the roost in contemporary music world, especially in his relation with his disciples, allowing any aspiring and talented youngster to learn from him. His disciples and others who consider him their guru, include noted musicians like L. Subramaniam, Guruvayur Dorai, M.S.Gopalakrishnan, T.N.Krishnan, Palghat Mani Iyer, Palani Subramaniam Pillai, P.Leela, Coimbatore Mani Bhagavatar, Trivandrum Mani Bhagavatar, Poomullimana Raman Namboodiri, O.M.Vasudevan, Njeralath Rama Pothuval, T.V.Gopalakrishnan, V.V.Subramanian, L. Shankar, V.V.Ravi, K. J. Yesudas among others.[9]

[edit] Awards and Honours

Main article: Awards of Chembai

Chembai received various awards in his long career.

[edit] Death

He performed his last concert on 16 October 1974, at a temple in Ottapalam, which had been the venue of his first concert. He had finished his concert with his favourite song "Karunai Cheivan Endu Thamasam Krishna" (Why is there so much delay in conferring your bliss, Krishna?) and passed away shortly thereafter. Even after his demise, Chembai continues to inspire many musicians who participate in his memorial concerts.[10]

[edit] Music Festivals

Chembai Sangeetholsavam

[edit] At Chembai village

Chembai had been conducting a music festival in his native village right from 1924 onwards. This is now continued by his disciples and others in his memory. The concerts are called Chembai Smaraka Concerts and held annually in February-March in the same village.

[edit] At Trivandrum

Another memorial music festival is conducted by Chembai Memorial Trust at Trivandrum in his honour in September every year.

[edit] At Guruvayur

Main article: Chembai Sangeetholsavam

Chembai had also been conducting a Sangeetholsavam (Music Festival) on Guruvayur Ekadasi Day (mid November) at Guruvayur every year. This festival, now called Chembai Sangeetholsavam in his honour, is now being conducted officially by the Guruvayur temple Devaswom Board.[10]

[edit] At Mumbai

Chembai memorial music festival is conducted by Chembai Smruthi Gana Sabha [Mumbai] in his honour every year.

[edit] Discography

Main article: Chembai discography

Chembai has many recordings to his credit. More information about these is available at Chembai discography

[edit] Book on Chembai

Main article: Book on Chembai

Chembai Smruthi Gana Sabha, Mumbai is released a book on Chembai - "Pavanaguru" - showcasing different facets of Chembai's Music and life.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Chembai Selvam - Biography of Chembai written by LRV, 1954
  2. ^ a b c Calutta K.S. Krishnamurthi, 'Sruti' Issue 98 Nov 1992
  3. ^ MusicalNirvana - Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
  4. ^ Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
  5. ^ Aeolus, Shankar's Weekly (Journal), Dec 12, 1963
  6. ^ Chembai Memorial Govt. Music College
  7. ^ a b Chembai Vaidyanath Bhagavathar
  8. ^ a b New Page 1
  9. ^ http://www.keralahistory.ac.in/socialhistoryofmusic.htm
  10. ^ a b Guruvayur Devaswom

[edit] References

  • Sarma, L.R.Viswanatha (1954), 'Chembai Selvam', Amudha Nilayam Ltd.
  • Aeolus, Shankar's Weekly (Journal), Dec 12, 1963.
  • 'Sruti' Issue 98, Nov 1992
  • Social History of Music in Kerala

[edit] External links

Find more about Chembai on Wikipedia's sister projects:
Dictionary definitions
Textbooks
Quotations
Source texts
Images and media
News stories
Learning resources


Persondata
NAME Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
ALTERNATIVE NAMES ചെമ്ബൈ വൈദ്യനാഥ ഭാഗവതര് (Malayalam), Chembai, Bhagavatar
SHORT DESCRIPTION Indian Carnatic music singer
DATE OF BIRTH September 1, 1895
PLACE OF BIRTH Chembai, Palghat, India
DATE OF DEATH October 16, 1974
PLACE OF DEATH Ottapalam, Palghat, India
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chembai"
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, November 14, 2008

nehru

Mr. Nehru had led the Congress to a major victory in the 1957 elections, but his government was facing rising problems and criticism. Disillusioned by intra-party corruption and bickering, Nehru contemplated resigning but continued to serve. The election of his daughter Indira as Congress President in 1959 aroused criticism for alleged nepotism[citation needed], although Nehru disapproved of her election, partly because he considered it smacked of "dynastism"; he said, indeed it was "wholly undemocratic and an undesirable thing", and refused her a position in his cabinet[17]. Indira herself was at loggerheads with her father over policy; most notably, she used his oft-stated personal deference to the Congress Working Committee to push through the dismissal of the Communist Party of India government in the state of Kerala, over his own objections[17]. Nehru began to be frequently embarrassed by her ruthlessness and disregard for parliamentary tradition, and was "hurt" by what he saw as an assertiveness with no purpose other than to stake out an identity independent of her father[18].

Although the Pancha Sila (Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence) was the basis of the 1954 Sino-Indian treaty over Tibet, in later years, Nehru's foreign policy suffered through increasing Chinese antagonism over border disputes and Nehru's decision to grant asylum to the Dalai Lama. After years of failed negotiations, Nehru authorized the Indian Army to annex Goa from Portugal in 1961.See liberation of Goa. While increasing his popularity, Nehru received criticism for opting for military action.

In the 1962 elections, Nehru led the Congress to victory yet with a diminished majority. Opposition parties ranging from the right-wing Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Swatantra Party, socialists and the Communist Party of India performed well.

In a matter of months, the border disputes with China turned into open conflict. Nehru assumed that as former victims of imperialism (India being a colony itself) they shared a sense of solidarity, as expressed in the phrase "Hindi-Chini bhai bhai" (Indians and Chinese are brothers). He was dedicated to the ideals of brotherhood and solidarity among developing nations. Nehru, naively, did not believe that one fellow Socialist country would attack another; and in any event, he felt secure behind the impregnable wall of ice that is the Himalayas. Both proved to be severe miscalculations of China's intentions and military capabilities. Following reports of his intention to confront Chinese occupation of the disputed areas—summarised in a memorable statement that he had asked the Army to "throw them (Chinese) out" - China launched a pre-emptive attack.[19]

In a matter of months, a Chinese invasion of northeastern India exposed the weaknesses of India's military as Chinese forces came as far as Assam. Widely criticised for his government's insufficient attention to defence, Nehru was forced to sack the defence minister Krishna Menon and accept U.S. military aid. Nehru's health began declining steadily, and he was forced to spend months recuperating in Kashmir through 1963. Upon his return from Kashmir in May 1964, Nehru suffered a stroke and later a heart attack. He died in the early hours of 27 May 1964. Nehru was cremated in accordance with Hindu rites at the Shantivana on the banks of the Yamuna River, witnessed by hundreds of thousands of mourners who had flocked into the streets of Delhi and the cremation grounds.

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)