News

'Carnatic Summer' a book on the lives of twenty exponents of Carnatic Music, authored by music afficianado V. Sriram is being released this week. Says Sriram, "If Carnatic music is still heard all over the world and makes an emphatic statement of survival, it is because of a few great artistes who bore the artform aloft amidst crisis and threats. Much has been written about their art and the way they presented it. But, very little has been written about their lives and their lifestyles, which must have had a significant bearing on their art."

With innumerable anecdotes, the book looks at the lives of musicians Ariyakkudi T. Ramanuja Iyengar, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Maharajapuram R. Viswanatha Iyer, Musiri Subramania Iyer, Semmangudi R. Srinivasa Iyer, G. N. Balasubramaniam, Madurai Mani Iyer, Alathoor Brothers, Brinda-Muktha, M. S. Subbulakshmi, D. K. Pattammal, M. L. Vasanthakumari, Dwaram Venkataswami Naidu, T. Chowdiah, Kumbhakonam Rajamanikkam Pillai, Papa K. S. Venkataramaiah, T. N. Rajarathinam Pillai, T. R. Mahalingam, Palghat T. S. Mani Iyer and Palani Subramania Pillai.

Author Sriram, along with Carnatic vocalist Sanjay Subrahmanyan, run the website www.sangeetham.com, devoted to Carnatic music. The duo organise heritage walks in the city that focus on locations connected to Carnatic music, during the December music season. An avid writer, Sriram, is also the Contributing Editor of Sruti, the classical music and dance magazine.

The book is to be released on Dec. 12, at Hotel Connemara, Chennai. The 332 page book, published by East West Books (Madras) Pvt. Ltd. is available at a special price of Rs.250, at Kutcheri Buzz.

Click here to read an extract from the book.

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