IMC-197 SYAMA SASTRY - INDIAN MUSIC CLASSICAL SERIES VOL-02
krishna rao khanapur
SYAMA SASTRI (Telugu: శ్యామ శాస్త్రి; Tamil: ஷ்யாமா சாஸ்திரி; IAST: Śyāma Śāstri; 26 April 1762 – 1827) or Shyama Shastri was a musician and composer of Carnatic music. He was the oldest among the Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two.
EARLY LIFE AND CAREER
Syama Sastri, whose birth name was Venkata Subrahmanya Iyer, was born on 26 April 1762 in a Tamil speaking Smarta Vadama Brahmin family to Visvanatha Iyer and Vanalakshmi. He was also known as one of the trinity of Carnatic music. To later generations, he is better known by his adopted name Syama Sastri or by his musical mudra (signature) Syama Krishna. He was born in Tiruvarur, in what is now the state of Tamil Nadu. He received his instruction in the vedas, astrology, and other traditional subjects early on and learned music from his maternal uncle. He was later trained in music by Adiappayya, a noted durbar musician of Thanjavur.
Although Śyāma Śastri did not compose as many Kriti’s as his two prolific contemporaries, his compositions are still well known due to the literary, melodic and rhythmic proficiency observed in them. It is said that he composed about three hundred pieces in all.