“I gave my first solo violin concert in Thiruvananthapuram in 1939, as a young boy of 11. The venue was a place called Ananda Lodge, which I think was in Chalai,” reminisces Tripunithura Narayanan Krishnan [T.N. Krishnan, as he is known in the classical music circle].
Relaxing at the home of a friend, after performances in the city, the violin virtuoso talks about his strong ties with the city, his early years and his tradition of music.
He was a student at SMV and Model schools in the city, already playing his way into peoples’ hearts. For, he had begun his training under his father, A. Narayana Iyer, when he was all of three! “I used to listen to my father teach his students; so all that music was stored in my head. All that was needed was to transmit it to the fingers, strings and bow. And to practice, of course, under the strict guidance of my father, following a rigorous routine that began with four hours per day, increasing to eight, as I grew up – no compromises, no questions asked!” reminisces Professor Krishnan.
The virtuoso’s daughter, Viji Krishnan, walks in to join the conversation, after a visit to Panamoodu Devi temple. Well-known in her own right, Viji’s rich talent and expertise at the bow makes the violin sing. When training under both her grandfather and father, did the strict routine apply to her, as well? Yes, indeed – as it did for her brother, Sriram Krishan, also a reputed violinist.
In addition, Viji has learnt Western classical music on the piano and later mastered Western bowing and fingering techniques as well. “This was just so that I could enhance my skills and knowledge. But I remain rooted in the Carnatic tradition that has been handed down to me,” she says.
Her understanding of the Western style has perhaps helped her to reach out better to Western audiences and the younger generation as well. Her celebrated album ‘Malabar to Morocco’ is contemporary in style and is a fusion of sorts. “My sole goal in making this album is to engage youngsters,” avers Viji. Young people – her son’s friends, for instance – enjoy the music she plays to them at home, she says. “But they shy away when invited to a classical concert. To them, it is just not ‘cool.’ So I re-invent what I know to get them hooked,” she says with a laugh. All the tracks in the album have a traditional raga base.
“In the bygone days, people used to just listen to the music. Today, listeners are much more informed. They come equipped with a lot of theoretical knowledge. So it is not enough if you just play or sing well – you have to be prepared to answer the questions that they may shoot at you!” says Krishnan.
And talking of audiences at concerts, Viji takes a different look at why they tend to be sparse in recent years. “A traditional kutcheri begins at six in the evening and goes on till nine at night. Among today’s working people, who has the time or the energy to rush to the venue right after work and stay there for a good three hours?” she questions. “So, we need to adapt to the changing times – start later and end later. By present standards, the night is still young at nine and people have their own means of going back after the concert. The duration too, needs to be shortened. In Northern India and in the West, such changes are coming into effect. In the United States, I have seen school kids being brought to classical music concerts, where they stay just an hour for the main part. This way, they are able to enjoy and appreciate, without the risk of pushing too much of a good thing, too soon, down their throats,” emphasises Viji, striking some very relevant notes there.
This is where the efforts carried out by organisations like SPICMACAY, come across as appropriate, opines Krishnan. “I am ready any time to play for a young audience, to pass on our legacy,”’ says the sprightly octogenarian. He has passed on the legacy to his grandchildren and would love to share the stage with them; but not until and unless enough practice has been dedicated to attain that level of perfection.
To underscore that point, Kamala Krishnan, his wife, reminds him of the times when his father, who was 90, insisted on diligent practice from his 65-year-old son!
[T.N. Krishnan was in the city to perform at Sree Neelakanta Sivan Sangeetha Sabha Trust’s 41st Aradhana Music Festival 2016. He also played for SPICMACAY at the Government Women’s College.]
