A short essay on K. J. Yesudas
Ramesh Hariharan
Hey ack/scik folks ! I had written this stuff sometime back as a prelude to
a quiz on Yesudas on our music group (rec.music.indian.misc). One of
the music gurus on your net asked me to post this on your newsgroup. I
hope that this article spawns off more discussion on Yesudas. Also I'd
like to take this opportunity to ask serious music folks for help in
buying more Malayalam film music tapes.
Ramesh
*********
No other singer in the history of Indian music inspires as much as
awe for supreme level of accomplishment on the classical and light side as
the maestro Padmashree K. J. Yesudas. Bagging the best film singer award
in 1993 for the malayalam movie Soapanam made him the first singer ever
to get the national award four years in a row; the three other awards were
for His Highness Abdullah (1990), Bharatam (1991) and Sargam (1992). He
has already recorded more than 4000 songs for films in Malayalam, Hindi,
Kannada, Tamil, Gujarathi, Telugu and Bengali. The first of his many
national awards was for the best singer in 1972. For his outstanding
contribution to classical music, the President of India bestowed the
Padmashree in 1984. Earlier in 1976 he won the coveted 'Sur Shringar'
award.
His early musical influence was his father Agasthyan Joseph, a
singer of devotional music in the church. In his early years young
Yesudas was a serious Mohammed Rafi fan, admiring tunes from Baiju
Bawra, Dulari among other gems. Training in classical music was under
Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, whom he considers his Guru, Guide and
Godfather. Having risen to fame initially as a film singer has made his
rise to the status of a top class classical singer slow and fraught with
skepticism.
Inspite of the various accolades and awards that have embellished
his career, in person Yesudas remains extremely humble and direct. A
teetotaller, non-smoker and a down-to-earth nature, words used to describe
him were also apt for another jewel of Indian music: Mohammed Rafi. These
two singers embody the confluence of a very lovable personality with a
divine voice; their careers have been motivated not by money or other
personal gains, but by eagerness to discover the various waves of the
ocean of music.
Although his stint in hindi music was short, some of his numbers are
truly memorable. Ravindra Jain paired up with him a lot. The movie
'Chitchor' made him popular in the hindi film world with songs like 'Jab
deep jale aana', 'Tu jo mere sur mein' and 'Gori tera gaon bada pyara'. Some
other hindi movies in which his music has stood out as being exceptional
: Sawan ko aane do (Rajkamal), Alaap (Jaidev), Choti si baat (Ravindra
Jain) and Anand Mahal (Salil Chaudary).
His soul-stirring voice lends itself admirably to devotional
renditions inducing a tranquil state of mind revealing the universality
of worship, timeless beauty of bliss and the oneness of prayer. His
music has given us a great deal of joy over the years and I anticipate
more gems from the master in the future.
--
Ramesh Hariharan, Princeton U.
Nadiya chale chale re dhara Chanda chale chale re tara
Tujhko chalna hoga Tujhko chalna hoga Tujhko chalna hoga
muraly kandanchatha
: Having risen to fame initially as a film singer [Yesudas] has made his
: rise to the status of a top class classical singer slow and fraught with
: skepticism.
really? Is that the traditional style of classical music or
a mix of pop & a bit of classical?
Kumar C K
>
in 1993 for the malayalam movie Soapanam made him the first singer ever
>to get the national award four years in a row; the three other awards were
>for His Highness Abdullah (1990), Bharatam (1991) and Sargam (1992). He
>has already recorded more than 4000 songs for films in Malayalam, Hindi,
>Kannada, Tamil, Gujarathi, Telugu and Bengali. The first of his many
I was under the impressions that Yesudas had recorded much more songs than
4000. Are you sure of this number ?
And am also interested in finding out the total number of National awards that
Yesudas has got for the Best Singer (Male). You can add Megha Sandesham (Telugu) to
the list you have now.
1993 Soapanam
1992 Sargam
1991 Bharatam
1990 His Highness Abdullah
198? Megha Sandesham (Telugu)
Did he get an award for Moondram Pirai (Tamil) ???
---
Kumar C K
> Yesudas and BAlamuraleekrishNa, are probably the best Karnatic singers
> out there, in terms of their vocal abilities. Over the last 15 years,
> Yesudas has worked hard to erase some of the criticisms that pure Karnatic
> music lovers had earlier, with regard to the lack of depth in his knowledge
> as well as an occasional tendency to overdo the vocal acrobatics, sometimes
> breaking some traditional rules. I have heard him in concert several
> times from early 80's, and the improvement he has made in these areas is
> tremendous. I consider his concert down here in Southern California last
> year to be the best concert I have ever heard from anyone. He has truly
> become one of the best out there, and is beginning to get the respect that
> he deserves.
I know for a fact that he was most hated in the Madras Circle of so-called
experts on Carnatic Music.
>
> In short.. no, it is not pop music in classical style.
>
> R. Jayakrishnan, Civil Engineering, UC Irvine
>
> PS: Tell me someone who has been a better symbol of national integrity
> that Yesduas. Has sung in almost every major Indian language, known
> almost everywhere, is a Christian, but is possibly the best devotee
> of GuruvayooR and Shabarimala deities...
Some people are born to sing the praise of the lord. There was Valmiki,
TulsiDas and SoorDas and now there is Yesudas.
People go to the temples to feel holy, pure and get some mental peace and
quietness. To me that is a distant second, first is, listening to Yesudas sing a song
about Ayyappan or Guruvayoorappan. I only wish more of us Indians would be like him,
pious, respects and prays to GoD, Any GOD.
One of his best collections of devotional/classical pieces is his renderings
at Delhi, on Nov 14 or May 27, either for Nehru's Birthday or Death Anniversary.
---
R. Jayakrishnan
> jaya...@translab.its.uci.edu (R. Jayakrishnan) writes:
>
>> Yesudas has worked hard to erase some of the criticisms that pure Karnatic
>> music lovers had earlier, with regard to the lack of depth in his knowledge
>> as well as an occasional tendency to overdo the vocal acrobatics, sometimes
>> breaking some traditional rules.
>
> experts on Carnatic Music.
>
Yesudas thoroughly, but would not admit it in public, for various reasons
such as him being a christian; in fact it is difficult for many in
Madras to accept any non-brahmin malayalee singer, in my opinion.
Yesudas has done well to break into some of the cliques in Madras, though.
In 1984, I heard one of his concerts (free, that too..) at the Mani
Iyer Illam in Mylapore in front of about 100 people who looked like some
very traditional types (I can't remember how I managed to get in...:-).
I saw how they reacted to that beautiful concert; he got a PonnAda from
the Illam. Chandrashekharan, Mavelikkara and Vikku were accompanying...
Boy, they were good !
I am also reminded of a concert in a big hall near Parry's corner. He got
some of the longest applauses I ever heard. The best part was when power
went out in the middle of his VAtApi. He just started singing swaras in
UcchasthAyi, and people totally forgot about the power failure for the next
five minutes. One of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had.
Clearly the music lovers enjoyed it; however, the next day's Hindu had
a blurb on how his Hamsadhwani ragAlapanam was closer to kalyANi than
it should have been or something like that! That is how the experts are
in Madras. Yesudas is to be blamed for some reckless and cavalier singing
earlier on, which gave ammunition for the critics. He has improved
tremendously in recent years, and I am told the criticism has really
gone down.
There was a Yesudas record with the gayatri mantra in eight different ragas,
directed by Rangaswamy Parthasarathy (?), in the early 80's. I suspect
that didn't go well with many in Madras, who hated a Christian singing
something as sacred as the gayatri.
R. Jayakrishnan, Civil Engineering, UC Irvine.
PS: Didn't Yesudas get a national award for UttarAyaNam (?) in 1978 or so,
with the song, 'PatmatIrthamE uNaroo' ? Incidentally, this song
starts with Gayatri as well, though not a complete version of it.
Quite a rebellious song, with lines like 'draviccha pooNool chutti
marikkum dhaRmAdhaRmangaL..' !
Ramesh Hariharan
>In article 31...@Princeton.EDU, hari...@tucson.Princeton.EDU (Ramesh Hariharan) writes:
>I was under the impressions that Yesudas had recorded much more songs than
>4000. Are you sure of this number ?
Not really... I got this info from one of the 1990 CD's (Classical
Yesudas). I would be more sure of this was from an encyclopedia or
some place more reliable !
>And am also interested in finding out the total number of National awards that
>Yesudas has got for the Best Singer (Male).You can add Megha Sandesham
>(Telugu) to >the list you have now.
> 1993 Soapanam
> 1992 Sargam
> 1991 Bharatam
> 1990 His Highness Abdullah
> 198? Megha Sandesham (Telugu)
Make that 1982 ...
Dhil ke thkkde thukkde karukke muskuraathe
film: Dada
Yesudas won the Filmfare award for this song
1972 National award .. was for Gayathri (?)
1984 Padmashree
1976 Sur Shringar
1980 Geetanjali
Hey ! kerala folks out there should come up with more info .. apunko
itna eech maloom :-)
> Did he get an award for Moondram Pirai (Tamil) ???
Dunno !!
>
>
>---
>
>CK
>s5u...@fnma.com
Ramesh Hariharan
There is a 'Touch of classic- Yesudas' tape from a company called Sahara
This tape has a SIMPLY DIVINE song which sort of starts in the fashion
you mention .... I remember the lines....
Pavitra modaram chaththi
Soorya gaayatri ... (this is how the prelude to the song ends)
Then the song goes ...
Thumba poo vil unarna vasaram adi vasaram ...
I really thing I must've made countless mistakes in the above .. can
someone kindly lend details of this song .. it's a pity I can't read
Malayalam (I have the tape right here in my office !!)
Music gurus on this net (where are they hiding anyway ?) help :-)
Ramesh Hariharan
> Some people are born to sing the praise of the lord. There was Valmiki,
>TulsiDas and SoorDas and now there is Yesudas.
Lajavaab yaar ... thod phod :-)
>People go to the temples to feel holy, pure and get some mental peace and
>quietness. To me that is a distant second, first is, listening to Yesudas
It's all in the mind afterall
> One of his best collections of devotional/classical pieces is
>his renderings >at Delhi, on Nov 14 or May 27, either for Nehru's Birthday
>or Death Anniversary.
>
>CK
Agree.. very nice collection indeed .. it also has the Dhwani song
"Janaki jane" although sung a little differently from the movie.