G. N. Balasubramaniam

Gudalur Narayanaswamy Balasubramaniam (6 January 1910 – 1 May 1965), popularly known as GNB, was an Indian Carnatic singer. He, along with his contemporaries Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Madurai Mani Iyer, are referred to as the 20th century male trinity of Carnatic music. He innovated the art through emphasis on laya control and reducing the gamakas which eventually made Carnatic music appeal to the lay and the learned alike.[1] He was also a Tamil film actor.

G. N. Balasubramaniam
G. N. Balasubramaniam and M. S. Subbulakshmi in the 1940 Tamil film Shakuntala
Background information
Born(1910-01-06)6 January 1910
OriginGudalur, Mayavaram, Tanjore District, Madras Presidency, British India
Died1 May 1965(1965-05-01) (aged 55)
Madras, Madras State, India
GenresCarnatic music - Indian Classical Music
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1920–1965
In this Indian name, the name Narayanaswamy is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Balasubramaniam.

Balasubramanian was born in Gudalur, a small village near Mayavaram in Tamil Nadu. He was the son of G V Narayanaswamy Iyer, who was a keen student of music. Throughout his younger years, he observed with utmost attention the techniques of the musicians of his day. Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar became his manasika guru and inspiration. While his father dreamed of living in a villa at Luz Church road through GNB becoming a successful lawyer, the musician in GNB made way for greater goals in life. He completed his BA (Hons) in English Literature at the prestigious Christian College, Chennai, and took up a short music course at Annamalai University. under the guidance of T S Sabesa Iyer, but discontinued due to ill health. However, he joined the diploma course in music under Madras University in the first batch and Tiger Varadhachariar was the principal. Within 2 years, he was ready for concert performances. He gave his first concert in 1928.

Career

He acted in films, including Bama Vijayam (1934), Sathi Anusuya (1937),Sakuntalai (1940), Udayanan Vasavadatta (1947) (with Vasundhara Devi, mother of Vijayanthimala) and Rukmangadhan (1947). In "Sakunthalai", he appeared as Dushyantha, alongside the vocalist M.S. Subbulakshmi. M.S. Subbulakshmi was fascinated by his music and embraced his style completely in her early years as mentioned in the book M S - A Life in Music by TJS George. After a short stint in the film industry, GNB returned to the Carnatic music fraternity, until his passing in 1965.

He composed over 250 krithis, most in Telugu with a few in Sanskrit and Tamil.

GNB also invented new ragas. He taught a number of students during his active years. Most famous among them are M. L. Vasanthakumari, Radha Jayalakshmi, Tanjore S. Kalyanaraman, Trichur V. Ramachandran, T. R. Balu, T.S.Balasubramanian, and Ragini.[1]

GNB worked as the Deputy Chief Producer of Carnatic Music, in A.I.R Chennai for a number of years alongside Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer who was the Chief Producer for Carnatic Music and Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna who was the Producer for Light Music. GNB joined the Swathi Thirunal College of Music, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala as Principal in March 1964.

His health deteriorated and worsened after a major stroke in the late 1950s. He died on 1 May 1965, aged 55.

CompositionTypeRagaTalaLanguageOther Info
Amboruha PadameVarnamRanjaniAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Bharama BaluniKrithiHamsanadamAdiTeluguIn praise of Parashakthi
BhuvanatreyaKrithiMohanamAdiSanskritIn praise of Sasta
Enn ManathamaraiKrithiRitigoulamAdiTamilIn praise of Shakti
Entho MuralidaKrithiKanadaRupakamTeluguIn praise of Shakti
Gathi VeravaramaKrithiBhairaviMisrachapuTeluguIn praise of Kamakshi
Intha Paraaku NeeveKrithiBhairaviAdiTeluguIn praise of Bhairavi
Kamala CharaneKrithiAmruthabehagAdiSanskritIn praise of Shakti
Karimukha VaradaKrithiNaataiAdiSanskritIn praise of Ganesha
Karuna Jooda RadhaKrithiSahanaAdiTeluguIn praise of Parashakthi
Kavalai EllamKrithiSaraswatiAdiTamilIn praise of Shakthi
Madhurapuri KalyaniKrithiPurvi KalyaniMisrachapuSanskritIn praise of Shakthi
ManasaragaKrithiAbhogiAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Marivere GathiKrithiMalaviAdiTeluguIn praise of Prashakthi
Maravakune NinnuKrithiArabhiAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Nakabhaya VaraKrithiNaataikurinjiRupakamTeluguIn praise of Parashakthi
Nee CharanambhujamunuKrithiKeeravaniAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Nee Daya RaadaaVarnamAndolikaAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Nee Padame GatiKrithiNalinakanthiRupakamTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Nee SamanamevaruKrithiShubhapanthuvaraliAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Nirvadhi SukhadayakiKrithiMalayamaruthamRupakamTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Paritaapamu IekaKrithiShanmukhapriyaAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
ParaanmukhamelaKrithiKaanadaAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
ParamakrupasaagariKrithiYadukulakambhojiRupakamTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Ranjani NiranjaniKrithiRanjaniAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Sada Palaya SarasakshiKrithiMohanamAdiSanskritIn praise of Shakthi
Santhathamu Ninne KorithiniKrithiValajAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Saraswati NamostuteKrithiSaraswatiRupakamSanskritIn praise of Saraswati
Shankara MahadevaKrithiDevamanohariAdiTeluguIn praise of Shakthi
Chakra Raja NilayeKrithiSiva SakthiAdiSanskritIn praise of Shakthi
Shivananda kamavardhaniKrithiKamavardaniAdiSanskritIn praise of Shakthi
Vara Vallabha RamanaKrithiHamsadhwaniAdiSanskritIn praise of Ganesha
gollark: · · ·
gollark: There *is* a difference between useful criticism and people just telling you you're terrible somehow.
gollark: is the definite article.
gollark: I have somewhat wondered if I have that, since I can't focus very well on things, context-switch between tasks a lot, and procrastinate heavily.
gollark: If you just want fairly high altitude, balloons or something?

See also

References
  1. "GNB, the good friend". The Hindu. 23 May 2003.

Compositions
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.