Being called one of the trinities of the Female musicians of the Carnatic music world is frankly a poor view of recognizing her standing in the music scene of her time. By all means, she was and continues to be one of the greatest musicians in the Carnatic music world.

In the seventies, my exposure to her music was AIR just as it was for other musicians as well. I did have an opportunity to listen to her at Hubli while doing my engineering undergraduate days. The memories are pretty vague but I do remember that ‘Mohanam’ was one of the main ragas at the concert. Then it was radio and records that was the source of her music – not being a Chennai resident or even a Bangalore resident, I had no other opportunities to listen to her. Then came the concerts on the TV – unlike the others, her approach to showcase her students like Charumati or Sudha added to some great memories.

In the mid 80’s while living in the US, I managed to get a bunch of her concert recordings from a bunch of sources. One concert that completely blew me away was a concert from the 60’s at Music Academy in which she sings a fantastic ‘chetularA’ in bhairavi and then and RTP in tODi – pallavi in a 4-kalai adi talam, then in 2-kalia and then 1-kalai. I would like to thank Ashok Madhav of Pittsburgh (a composer that many of you will recognize) for sharing this concert. I am sure you will have the same experience listening to this concert which starts in the middle of the navaraga varnam with Tiruvellore Subramaniam, Tanjavur Krishnamurthy and unknown person ghatam. The recording quality of this concerts also happens to excellent.

• varNam – navarAgam
• rAmanannu brOvarA – harikAmbhoji
• nee kElanA – dEvamanohari
• kamalaMbAm bhajarE – kalyANi
• ellE iLam kiLiyE – bEgaDA
• chEtularA – bhairavi
• vara rAgalaya – senjukAmbhoji
• mArakOTi sundara – bahudAri
• RTP – tODi
• various

After numerous listens to this concert, I have to say that I have listened to it quite a few times and would consider it as one of her gems 🙂 Hope you feel the same way too.

The recordings of her are over a period of time and the quality of recordings vary widely too; it took me quite a while to decide on the set to post on this page; it is still in work in process.

Sruthi had an issue devoted to her and one of things that I recollect is comparing her to the Australian great Doug Walters (she was a great cricket fan), whose idea of warming up before going to bat was to stretch for couple of minutes, throw a few darts and declare himself ready; apparently she had the same approach when it came to practice !!

The recordings are in no specific sequence, but I am starting with the older ones first.

At Colombo 1957

• aruLpurivAi – hamsadwani
• kAlakAlan – aTANA
• sAmajavaragamana – hindOLam
• iDaupadam tookki – kamAs
• tAmadamEn swAmi – tODi
• slOkam

at Perambur 1960

• varNam – tODi
• Ekadantam – bilahari
• mAmava sadA – kAnaDA
• lAlisidalu – Arabhi
• neevErA – bEgaDA
• yagyadulu – jayamanOhari
• evarimATa – kambhOji
• kandA vandaruL – bhimplaAs
• kaNNAra kanDEn – varALi
• RTP – tODi
• various

• varNam – kEdAragowLa
• vinAyakA – hamsadwani
• sAdinchanE – Arabhi
• bAlakrishnan – dhanyAsi
• rAkA sasivadanA – takkA
• srinivAsa tava – karaharapriyA
• kripayA pAlaya – chArukEsi
• sri viswanAtham – chaturdasa rAgamAlikA
• RTP – kalyANi
• various

• varNam – kalyANi
• nEnendu – karnAtaka bEhAg
• venkatEsA ninnu – madyamAvati
• sri jAlandara – gambheera nATTai
• nagumOmu – AbhEri
• nee dayavAy – bhooshAvaLi
• natajana – simhendramadyamam
• kanchadaLAyadAkshi – kamalAmanOhari
• nenaruncinAnu – mALavi
• saravaNabhava – kannaDA
• RTP – kalyANi
• various

• varNam – bhairavi – aTa
• vAtApi – hamsadwani
• jagadAnandakArakA – nATa
• Ananda naTamAduvAr – poorvikalyANi
• sri pArtasArati – suddhadhanyAsi
• tiruvaDi charaNam – kAmbhOji
• anupama – aTANA
• RTP – kalyANi
• various

• vinAyakA – vEgavAhini
• rAgasudhArasa – AndOLikA
• himAdrisutE – kalyANi
• prANanAta – nATakurunji
• prakkala nilapaDi – karaharapriyA
• sri sankara – nAgaswarAvaLi
• mAmava meenAkshi – varALi
• endanEramum – sAmA
• vararAgalaya – senchukAmbhOji
• RTP – kAmbhoji
• various

• vAtApi – hamsadwani
• rAma nannu brOvarA – harikAmbhOji
• mAmavatu sri – hindOLam
• muripamu – mukhAri
• panchAsadweepa – karnataka dEvagandhAri
• nannubrOvu lalitA – lalitA
• saravaNabhava – kannaDA
• paramukha – kAnaDA
• RTP – kAmbhOji
• various

• varNam – tODi
• sri mahA gaNapatE –
• ika nainanA – pushpalatikA
• sanakari neevE – bEgaDA
• samAnarahitE – sArangatarangiNi
• nAn oru vilayATTu bommayA – jOnpuri
• kaddanu vAriki – tODi
• rAmachandram – vasantA
• RTP – karaharapriyA
• various

• varNam – bhairavi – aTa
• vinAyakA – hamsadwani
• chAla kallalADu – Arabhi
• rAmanAtham – pantuvarALi
• iDadupAdam – kamAs
• ninnE namminAnu – tODi
• rAkAsasivadana – takka
• RTP – mOhanam
• various

• varNam – navarAgam
• vinAyakA – hamsadwani
• O rAjeevAkshA – Arabhi
• rAmaanAtham – pantuvarALi
• manasulOni – malayamArutam
• kA vA vA – varALi
• ninnE namminAnu – tODi
• yagyadulu – jayamanOhari
• RTP – mOhanam
• various

• swAminAta – nATa
• apparAmabakthi – pantuvarALi
• kartikEya gAngEya – tODi
• kamala charaNE – amrutabehAg
• RTP – mOhanam
• various

The three RTP’s in kalyAni and then mOhanam is simply coincidence !!

so so recording quality

• gajavadana – sriranjani
• sri jAlandara – gambeera nATa
• hariharaputram – vasantA
• tappaganE – suddhabangaLA
• rAmA neevADu – kalyANi
• RTP – naTabhairavi

• nAradamuni – pantuvarALi
• evaritO – mAnavati
• dayarANi – mOhanam
• sarvAntaryAmi – bhairavi
• ODanu – sArangA
• sallarE – Ahiri
• ennaga manasu – neelAmbari
• tavadA sOham – punnAgavarALi
• jO jO – reetigowLa

• varNam – tODi
• sri gaNapati – saurashtram
• ika nainana – pushpalatikA
• tolijanma – bilahari
• sAmagAnalOla – hindOLam
• bAgAyanayyA – chandrjyOti
• chintayamA – bhairavi
• mariyAda kAdayyA – bhairavam
• srinivAsa – Anandabhairavi
• krupajoochutaku – chAyAtarangiNi
• RTP – hamsAnandi
• various

• varNam – kalyANi
• vinAyakA – chakravAgam
• entnErchinA – suddhadhanyAsi
• vijayAmbikE – vijayanAgari
• En paLLi konDeer – mOhanam
• marugElarA – jayantasri
• koluvai – bhaiaravi
• paramapurusham – lalita pamchamam
• RTP- nATakurunji
• various

• vAtApi – hamsadwani
• dinamaNi – harikAmbhOji
• rAmanAtham – pantuvarALi
• rArA rAjeeva lOchana – mOhanam
• chandrasEkaram – natabhairavi
• RTP – tODi
• various

• varNam – kEdAragowLa
• namAmi – hamsadwani
• dAriNi – suddhasAvEri
• meenalOchani – dhanyasi
• etudA nilichitE – sankarAbarNam
• sridara pAhi – jayantasri
• murugA – harikAmbhOji
• RTP – shanmukapriyA
• various

• praNamAmyaham- gowLa
• seetammA – vasantA
• enta nErchinA – suddhadhanyAsi
• nAradamuni – pantuvarALi
• sivakAma sundari – mukhAri
• tAmadamEn – tODi
• ETi lOchanAlu – kiraNAvaLi
• brOchEvArevurA – kamAs
• parAmukamElarA – suraTi
• RTP – keeravANi
• various

• varNam – tODi
• namAmi – hamsadwani
• entarA – harikAmbhOji
• akshayalingavobhO – sankarAbaraNam
• parAkumaDada – sAvEri
• RTP – madyamAvati
• various

• vAtApi gaNapathim – hamsadwani
• jagadA nandhakArakA – nATa
• SObillu saptaswara – jaganmOhini
• O RajivakshA – Arabhi
• nAradamuni – pantuvarALi
• parama pAvani – aTANA
• bAlagOpala – bhairavi
• sAmagAna lOlE – hindOLam
• various

• varNam – mOhanam
• sri ganapathini – saurashtram
• jaya jaya swAmin – nATa
• nAradamuni – pantuvarALi
• gaNa naya – rishabapriyA
• annapoorNE – sAma
• sri venkatagirisa – suraTi
• sri viswanatham – chaturdasa rAgamAlika
• RTP – bhairavi
• various

details to be listed

with Tiruvellore Subramaniam and Krishnamoorthy Rao

with T M Prabhavati (vocal support), Tiruvellore Subramaniam

Concerts with A Kanyakumari on violin

with Charumati (vocal support), A Kanyakumari, Krishnamoorthy Rao and K M Vaidyanathan – AIR

• Ekadantam bhajeham – bilahari
• sArasa daLa nayanA – kamAs
• paradEvatAm – dhanyAsi
• EkAmbranAtham – poorvikalyANi
• chandrasEkaram – mArgahindOLam
• jamboopatE – yamunAkalyANi
• sri viswanAtham – chaturdasa rAgamAlika

• varNam – bhairavi – aTa
• namAmi vigna – hamsadwani
• manasA manasA – vardhani
• sAramEgAni – pantuvarALi
• sridhara pAhi – jayantasri
• sri viswanAtam – chaturdasa rAgamAlikA
• kaNNA kAttaRuL – madyamAvati
• varada nipuNa – poornachandrikA
• RTP – karaharapriyA
• various

• varNam – tODi
• gam gaNaptE – hamsadwani
• dinamaNi vamsa – harikAmbhOji
• paralOka bhaya – mandhAri
• rAgasudhArasa – AndOLikA
• vA murugA vA – bEgaDA
• sri viswanAtam – chaturdasa rAgamAlikA
• kamala charaNE – amritAbehAg
• RTP – karaharapriyA
• various

• varNam – kalyANi
• saraNu siddhi vinAyakA – saurashtram
• enadarO mahAnubhAvulu – sri
• ADinaya kaNNA – mOhanakalyANi
• nannupAlimpa – mOhanam
• annapoorNE – sAmA
• RTP – karaharapriyA
• various

• mAlmarugA – hindOLam
• gajavadanA – bEGaDA
• bhajare rE – AbhEri
• nijadAsa varada – kalyANi
• azhaga azhaga – suddhadhanyAsi
• ETi lOchana – kiraNAvaLi
• RTP – nATakurunji
• various

• varNam – bhairavi – aTa
• Ekadantam – bilahari
• sObillu – jaganmOhini
• sAkEta nagara – hari kAmbhOji
• neelOtpalAmbikAyAm – kannaDagowLa
• sAmagAnalOlE – hindOLam
• RTP – shanmukapriyA
• various

• varNam – AndOLikA
• vara vallabha – hamsadwani
• vijayAmbikE – vijayanAgari
• sri chakrarAja – sivasakti
• samAnarahitE – sArangatarangiNi
• santatum ninnE – valaji
• varada nipuNa – poorNachandrikA
• mamAkulEswaram – tODi
• sri viswanAtham – chaturdasa rAgamAlikA
• nenaruncinAnu – mALavi
• RTP – shanmukapriyA
• various

• varNam – mandhAri
• sri gaNapati – saurAshtram
• sri mahAgaNapatE – AbhOgi
• anupama – aTANA
• rAmanAtam – pantuvarALi
• mAtA innum – sriranjani
• chandrachooDa – rAgamAlika
• RTP – subhapantuvarALi
• various

• varNam – tODi
• gaNanAyakam – rudrpriyA
• sEvE srikAntam- mOhanakalyANi
• rAgasudhArasa – AndOLikA
• vA murugA – bEgaDA
• RTP – tODI
• various

• varNam – tODi
• gaNanAyakam – rudrpriyA
• endarO mahAnu bhAvulu – sri
• neekkuDu – AbhOgi
• manasAramatitani – sAramati
• himAdrisutE – kalyANi
• nArAyaNA – suddhadhanyasi
• rAsE harimiha – rAgamAlikA
• various

• varNam – hindOLam
• sharaNu janakana – bilahari
• rAmanAtham – pantuvarALi
• azhagA azhagA – hindOLam
• nannupAlimpa – mOhanam

• nEnendu – karnATaka behAg
• kAngEya – hamirkalyANi
• panchashtdweepa – karnATaka dEvagAndhAri
• anupam – aTANA
• evarimATa – kambhOji
• rAma nee – kalyANi
• bAgayya – chandrajyOti
• unnaDiyE – bahudAri
• kaddanuvAriki – tODi
• RTP – mOhanam
• various

• ninnEnera namminAnu – pantuvarALi
• RTP – tODI
• thillanA

• varNam – navarAgamAlikA
• sharaNu janakana – bilahari
• bhajararE rE mAnasa – AbhEri
• mariyAdakAdayyA – bhairavam
• mOkshamu galadA – sAramati
• mAravairi ramaNi – nAsikAbhooshaNi
• bAlagOpAla – bhairavi
• sAma gAna lOlE – hindoLam
• various

• rAmanannu brOvarA – harikAmbhOji
• nee kElana – dEvamanOhari
• kamalAmbAm bhajarE – kalyANi

with others on violin

with VV Subrmaniam and Krishnamurthy Rao

• varNam – tODi
• paripAlaya – pantuvarALi
• anupamaguNAmbudhi – aTANA
• sankari neevE – bEgaDA
• panchAshatpeeTavAsini – AbhEri or karnATaka dEvagAndhAri
• kaNamum maravAdE – sAma
• aTukAdarA – manOranjani
• dEvakitAn – rAgamAlika
• jojo rAmA – reetigowLa
• RTP – karaharapriyA
• various

Assorted Stuff

• tEDi tEDi alaindEn – tODi
• alapana/tanam – mOhanam (incomplete)
• En paLLikonDeerayyA – mOhanam
• Aru paDai – hamsAnandi
• Muffled RTP – keeravAni
• manasA manasA – vardhani
• RTP – harikAmbhOji

Some more concerts in no particular order

with A Kanykumari, SV Raja Rao & G Harishankar – US (1980)