Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

Who has not heard him and who does not believe that he has left an indelible mark on the listening community. The bar he has set in terms of quality of music, disciples, longevity and of course his shrewdness in the worldly affairs (other terms can be used too ;-)) is pretty high.

I came to Boston in summer of 1982 (first time to the US), a great place it was to live then and today too. Within a few weeks I got to listen to Bhimsen Joshi at Harvard University and then a couple of months later got to listen to B N Suresh; He was accompanied by a very young Mysore Nagaraj and Praveen if my memory serves right. And there was Sriguha recording the concert on a spool tape. Needless to say I befriended him and then visited his house a few weeks later. We talked about music, his time in Boston, his involvement with the music association where he was the man recording all the concerts at Boston etc. It was a great conversation while listening to some of the music he had recorded.

Then he pulled out a cassette saying ‘you have got to listen this’, popped it in and started playing. And it was ‘teliyaleru rama’ by Semmangudi followed by ‘nenaruncinanu’ and then RTP in varali. It was simply out of the world with Lalgudi and UKS. It goes without going that i got him to make a copy of the concert and thus started my obsession with building up a collection.

Here is the concert that is supposedly from the 60’s and with a high recording quality.

With Lalgudi Jayaraman and Umayalpuram Sivaraman – fabulous concert

  • dEva dEva kalayAmidhE – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • sri dakshinAmoortE – sankarAbarNam
  • ninnu cheppakAraNamEmi – mandhAri
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • birAna brOva itE – kalyAni
  • ksheeNamai – mukhAri
  • teliyaleru rAmA – dhEnukA
  • nenaruncinAnu – mALavi
  • RTP in varALi
  • various

By the way I see no point in breaking the concert into individual pieces; somehow the effect of the concert is lost in my view.

In those days, making a copy was quite time consuming because you were recording at the pace of the concert (fast dubbing was not an option and some involved Spool to tape). So getting a copy meant that the giver would have to spend a lot of time in making copies and very few people would allow anyone else to touch their equipment.

The next SSI concert that came into possession was the 1967 Music Academy concert which has Lalgudi and Tiruchi Sankaran. That was when I came to know about Mr. Ruben who had recorded that concert and somehow someone had managed to get a copy of that !! You can hear him at the very start of the concert. The recording I got has the bass turned up all the way and the result is that the mridangam overpowers the violin which can be barely heard in some places.

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Tiruchi sankaran – Music Academy 1967

  • mEru samAna – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • mAkelara cichAramu – ravichandrikA
  • mAnamulEdA – hamirkalyANi
  • ksheeNamai – mukhAri
  • dhayalEni – nAyaki
  • evarikai avatAramu – dEvamanOhari
  • tulasi jagajanani in  sAveri is unmatched. (great tani)
  • various

Later in life, I was fortunate to get the notation for tualsi jagajanani (handwritten by SSI) and learnt the composition too – combination of using the notation and listening to this concert.

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Tiruchi Sankaran

  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani
  • mahAlakshmi – mAdhavamanOhari
  • teliyaleru rAma – dhEnuka
  • pankajalOchani – kalyANi
  • ksheeNamai – mukhari
  • tyAgarAja yOga vaibhavam – Anandabhairavi
  • akhilAndEswari – dwijAvanti
  • kanakana rucira – varALi (much of it has recording problems)
  • mArubalka – sriranjani
  • sri venkatagirisa – suruTi
  • RTP – sankarAbaraNam
  • various

Came to know much later that this was at the Shanmukananda Hall in Mumbai.

Fantastic ‘mArubalka’; Unfortunate that the tani is cut off which was sounding so good.

In the Sruti articles it was mentioned that Semmangudi sang mArubalka pretty much in every concert in the 30’s and 40’s.

with M S Gopalakrishnan, C S Murugaboopathy and unknown ghatam player

Being a huge MSG fan, I was delighted to get hold of this concert. The mridangam player was documented as Vellore, but it did not seem right; Many years later, people who could identify mridangam players concluded that it was CSM. The venue was also documented as KGS, but the duration of the concert and the talking in the concert by SSI did not seem to make it KGS. Someone concluded that it was somewhere in Kerala.

One sentence – Fabulous concert

  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani
  • mOsabOgu vinavE – gowLipantu
  • lOkAvana chaturA – bEgaDa
  • sArasAksha paripAlaya – pantuvarALi
  • enduku peddalavalE – sankarAbaraNam
  • pari pAlincu – suddhasAvEri
  • dwaitamu sukamA – reetigowLa
  • padivi nee – salagabhairavi
  • gOvardana gireesam – hindOLam
  • RTP –  keeravaNi
  • Two slokams and both are outstanding – hamsanandi gives you the goosebumps
  • SSI is in full swing while talking to the audience

with T N Krishnan, Umayalpuram Sivaraman and Vinayakaram – Music Academy 1964

  • mahAgaNapatim – nATa
  • tyAgarAja pAlayAsumAm – gowLa
  • narasimha mAmava – Arabhi
  • mAmava meenAkshi – varALi
  • nAma kusumamula – sri
  • vinarAdana manavi – dEvagAndhAri
  • janani – reetigowLa
  • ksheenamai – mukhAri
  • muthukumArayyanE – sankarAbaraNam
  • RTP –  keeravaNi
  • various

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and T K Murthy – Music Academy 60’s

  • varNam – Anandabhairavi
  • dEva dEva kalayAmidhE – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • nEnundu vedakudurA – karnATaka behAg
  • moyyAr taDam – poorvikalyANi
  • nee bhajana gAna – nAyaki
  • sri dakshinAmoortE – sankarAbarNam
  • dwaitamu sukamA – reetigowLa
  • sri mAtrubhootam – kannaDA
  • RTP – kAmbhOji
  • vanitaru – husEni
  • karunAsamudrA – dEvagAndhAri
  • various

with TN Krishnan – Kalasagaram, Secunderabad (70’s)

  • vallabha nAyakasya – begaDA
  • dinamani vamsa – harikAmbhOji
  • siva siva siva enarAdA – pantuvarALi
  • kamAkshi – bhairavi
  • mariverE – shanmukapriyA
  • harihara putram – vasantA

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Umayalpuram Sivaraman (starts midway)

  • dinamani vamsa – harikAmbhOji
  • ADamODi galadE – charukEsi
  • amba nannu brOvavE – tODi
  • kelati mamAhrudayE – aTANA
  • RTP – bhairavi
  • various

with M S Gopalakrishnan

  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani (hindustani leaning alapana!!)
  • ksheeNamai – mukhAri
  • hariharaputram – vasantA

with T N Krishnan

  • pahimAm sri rAjarAjeswari – janaranjani
  • teliyaleru rAmA – dhEnuka
  • janani – reetigowLa (incomplete)

with Lalgudi Jayaraman & Tiruchi Sankaran – AIR Concerts

  • mahAgaNapatim – nATa
  • tyAgarAja pAlayAsumAm – gowLa
  • narasimha mAmava – Arabhi
  • sri krishNam – tODi
  • sri bAlasubramanya – bilahari

with T N Krishnan (avg recording quality)

  • bhAvayE sArasabham – keervANi
  • mOhanamayi – yadukulakAmbhOji

with T N Krishnan and Vellore Ramabhadran (??)

  • dEva dEva kalayAmidhE – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • talli ninnu – kalyANi
  • diwakara tanujAm – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • seetamma mAyamma – vasantA

with T N Krishnan

  • nee dayarAdhA – vasantabhairavi
  • chetasri bAlakrishNam – dwijAvanti
  • RTP – tODi
  • various

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Tiruchi Sankaran

  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani
  • dinamani vamsa – harikAmbhOji
  • Ananda naTamAduvAr tillai – poorvikalyANi
  • akhilAnDeswari – dwijAvanti
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • ranganAyakam – nAyaki
  • padavi nee – sAlagabhairavi
  • ardhanAreeswaram – kumudakriyA
  • RTP – shanmukapriyA
  • various

Assorted set – No clue how I landed this one

  • enduku nirdaya – harikAmbhOji
  • nannubrOva – AbhOgi (incomplete)
  • sankarAchAryam – sankarAbaraNam
  • gajavadanA – tODi

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Tiruchi Sankaran – Krishna Gana Sabha 1972

  • varNam – suruTi
  • brOchEvArevare – sriranjani
  • siva siva enarAdhA – pantuvarALi
  • dwaitamu sukamA – reetigowLa
  • pankaja lOchana – kalyANi
  • kamAkshi – bhairavi
  • nenaruncinAnu – mALavi
  • akhilAnDeswari – dwijAvanti
  • RTP – varALi
  • various

with Lalgudi Jayaraman, Vellore Ramabhadran and V Nagarajan

  • dEva dEva kalayAmidhE – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • ilalO praNatArti – aTANA
  • swararAgasudha – sankarAbaraNam
  • mAnava janma – poorvikalyANi
  • subramanyEna – suddhadhanyAsi
  • nArada guruswami – darbAr
  • bhuvinidAsuDanE – sriranjani
  • yEtAvunar nErchitivO – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • nee dayarAdha – vasantabhairavi
  • various

From AIR Concerts

  • with Lalgudi Jayaraman
    • sarasijanAbha – tODi
    • budhamAsrayAmyaham – nATakurunji
  • with M S Gopalakrishnan
    • nannubrOva – AbhOgi
    • rAvE himagirikumAri – tODi
    • moyyAr taDam – poorvikalyANi

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and ???

  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani
  • dEva dEva kalayAmidhE – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • mA jAnaki – kAmbhOji
  • siddhi vinAyakam – shanmukapriyA
  • vinarAdhana manavi – dEvagandhAri
  • janani ninnuvinA – reetigowLa
  • ksheeNamai – mukhAri
  • chEta sri bAlakrishNam – dwijAvanti
  • nenaruncinAnu – mALavi
  • RTP – kalyANi (incomplete)

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Umayalpuram Sivaraman – Music Academy 1968

  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani
  • gurulEka eTuvanTi – gowrimanOhari
  • padavi nee – sAlagabhairavi
  • enduku peddalavalE – sankarAbaraNam
  • marivErE – Anandabhairavi
  • mArubalka – sriranjani
  • RTP – tODi
  • various

with M S Goplakrishnan, Palghat Mani Iyer & Dakshinamurthy Pillai – Music Academy 1961

Not the best of the recordings

Very good concert with Mani Iyer playing some great stuff.

  • siddhivinAyakam – shanmukapriyA
  • dAriNi – suddha sAveri
  • neemadi challaga – Anandabhairavi
  • moyyArtaDam – poorvikalyANi
  • mArubalka – sriranjani
  • sAntamulEka – sAmA
  • padavi nee – sAlagabhairavi
  • sri bAlasubrmanyAya – bilahari
  • vimala kamala – neelAmbari
  • RTK – sri krishnam bhaja – tODi
  • aravinda padamalar – kApi
  • various

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Tiruchi Sankaran – Music Academy 1965

  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani
  • dinamani vamsa – harikAmbhOji
  • Ananda naTamAduvAr tillai – poorvikalyANi
  • akhilAnDeswari – dwijAvanti
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • RTP – shanmukapriyA
  • various

With Lalgudi Jayaraman and Tiruchi Sankaran

  • dEva dEva kalayAmidhE – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • diwakara tanujam – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • kana kana rucirA – varALi
  • akhilAnDeswari – dwijAvanti
  • ksheeNamai – mukhAri
  • tappaganE – suddhabangaLA
  • O rangasAyi – kAmbhOji (rAgam, tAnam and kriti)
  • various

with M S Subbalakshmi, Lalgudi Jayaraman and U K Sivaraman – Kalki Gardens 1967

  • sObillu sptaswara – jaganmOhini
  • sri rAmam – nArayaNagowLa
  • ennagAnu rAmabhajana – pantuvarALi
  • evarikai – dEvamanOhari
  • ksheeNamai – mukhAri
  • lEkanA – asAvEri
  • enduku peddalavalE – sankarabaraNam (parts of the kriti missing)
  • samaraNE sukamu – janaranjani
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • chEta sri – dwijAvanti
  • various

Semmangudi + M S Subbalakshmi – House concert with no accompaniments

  • sri dakshinAmoortE – sankarAbarNam
  • endarO mahAnu bhAvulu – sri
  • rAvE himagiri – tODi
  • sri lakshmi varAham – AbhOgi
  • saki prANa – senjuruTi
  • mAyE twamjAyE – tarangiNi
  • entarA ni tana – harikAmbhOji
  • yEnATi mOmu palamu – bhairavi
  • ennaka manasuku – neelAmbari
  • teliyaleru rAmA – dhEnuka
  • evarimATa – kAmbhOji (incomplete)

Semmangudi + M S Subbalakshmi + KS Narayanswami – House concert with no accompaniments

  • teliyaleru rAmA – dhEnuka
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • dEva dEva kalayAmidhE – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • sri dakshinAmoortE – sankarAbarNam
  • chakkani rAjamargamu – karaharapriyA
  • rAmajOgi – kamAs
  • saki prANa – senjuruTi
  • hiranmayim – lalita
  • ennaka manasuku – neelAmbari (incomplete)

Assorted Collection

  • ranganAyakam – nAyaki
  • agasteeswaram – lalitA
  • sri pArthasArati – suddha dhanyasi
  • rAvE himagiri – toDi (swarajati)
  • kAmAkshi – yadukula kAmbhoji (swarajati)

New Additions (Dec 16, 2018)

I spent a couple of weeks going thru the other recordings that were on my disk (was long overdue). For sure, there is substantial level of overlap in terms of compositions and ragams in the concerts below, but as you would agree withe, no two concerts are the same even if the items are the exactly the same. The stage, mood and so many other factors influence the concert and that is what I look for in listening to the compositions I have already heard before.

Hope you enjoy these. Let us start off with a assorted collection of compositions considered as infrequently sung by him.

  • AnandAmkarshiNi – amrutavarshiNi
  • jayati jayati – kamAs
  • kA vAvA – varALi
  • kAsi visAlaAkshi – poorvikalyANi
  • mAmava padmanAbha – varALi
  • meenAkshi mEmudam – poorvikalyANi
  • ninnuvinA marigaladA – reetigowLa
  • panchAsayaka janakan – neelAmbari
  • pari pAhi – mOhanam
  • pari pAhi gaNadipa – sAvEri
  • pArukuLLE nalla nADui – jOnpuri
  • satatam tAvaka – karaharapriya
  • smaratinumAm sadayam – behAg
  • sri nArada – kAnaDA
  • suguNamulE – chakrvAgam

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Karaikudi Mani – Music Academy 1972

  • saraseeruhAsana – nATa
  • siddhivinAyakam – shanmukapriyA
  • diwAkara tanujam – yadukula kAmbhOji
  • gurulEka – gowrimanOhari
  • paripAlaya – pantuvarALi
  • ksheenamai – mukAri
  • harihara putram – vasantA
  • rAmachandrEna samrakSitOham – mAnji
  • amba nannu brOvavE – tODi
  • RTP – sAvEri
  • various

Sengotta

  • deva deva – mayamalavagowla – roopakam -swat
  • enduku nirdaya – harikambhoji – adi – tyg
  • siva siva siva – pantuvarali – adi – tyg
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi – m chapu – ssas
  • kannatandri – devamanohari – adi – tyg
  • harihara putram – vasanta – kanda eka – MD
  • cheta sri – dwijavanti – roopokam – MD
  • ramajogi – kamas
  • sri lakshmi – abhogi – adi – MD
  • teliyaleru rama – dhenuka – adi – tyg
  • RTP – kalyANi
  • slokam – ragamalika
  • appan avataritta – karaharapriya –
  • smarasundaranguni – paras
  • mAyE – tarangiNi – MD
  • various

with T N Krishnan & U K Sivaraman – Bangalore

  • saraseeruhAsanapriyE – nATa – Adi – puliyur doraiswami ayyar
  • dEva dEva – mayAmALavagowLa – roopakam – swati tirunal
  • marivErE – Anandabhairavi – misra chapu – syama sastry
  • Ananda nadamADuvAr – poorvikalyANi
  • divAkara tanujam – yadukula kAmbhOji
  • appan avadaritta – karaharapriyA
  • nenarunchinAnu – mALavi – adi – tyg
  • koluvamaragada – tODi – adi – tyg
  • RTP – sankarAbaraNam
  • various

with T N Krishnan & U K Sivaraman – Banagalore 1982

  • deva deva – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • O rangasAyi – kambhOji
  • teliyalEru – dhEnuka
  • birana brOva – kalyANi – t triputa
  • ranganAyakam – nAyaki
  • harihara putram – vasantA
  • vinarAdana – dEvamanOhari
  • RTP – varALi
  • various

with T N Krishnan

  • sri satya nArAyaNam – subhapantuvarALi

with L Shankar & Guruvayur Dorai (Oriental Records)

  • sAdinchanE – Arabhi
  • teliyalEru rAmA – dhEnuka
  • narasimha Agaccha – mOhanam
  • appan avataritta – karaharapriyA

with L Subramanian & Palghat Mani Iyer (Oriental Records)

  • brochEvArevarE – sriranjani
  • diwAkara tanujam – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • gOpanandana – bhooshAvaLi
  • mAmava sadA – kAnaDA
  • bhAvayAmi raghurAmam – rAgamAlika
  • mOhanamayi – yadukula kAmbhOji
  • various
  • dinamani – harikAmbhOji
  • teliyalEru rAma – dhEnuka
  • rAma katha – madyAmavati
  • siva siva siva – pantuvarALi
  • mariverE – Anandabhairavi
  • sri kAntimatim – hEmavati
  • ksheenamai – mukhAri
  • nee daya rAdA – jayantasEna
  • RTP- sankarAbaraNam
  • various
  • narasimha mamava – Arabhi
  • sri satyanarayanam – subhapantuvarALi
  • sri rAmam – nArayaNagowla
  • padivini – sAlagabhairavi
  • EmAnaticcEdivO – sahAna

with T N Krishnan & U K Sivaraman

  • gajAnanayutam – chakravAgam – adi – MD
  • mariverE – Anandabhairavi – m chapu – SSAS
  • entavEDu – saraswatimanOhari – adi – tyg
  • moyyar taDam – poorvikalyAni – m chapu – tiruvembavai
  • nagumOmu – AbhEri – adi – tyg
  • tulasi jagajanani – sAvEri – roopakam – tyg
  • divAkara tanujam – harikAmbhOji – adi – MD
  • prakkala nilapaDi – karaharapriya – m chapu – tyg
  • praLaya payOdicalE – ragamalika
  • sAketa nikEtana – kannaDA
  • RTP – nATakurunji

with Lalgudi Jayaraman

  • intaparAka – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • enduku nirdaya – harikambhOji
  • teliyalEru – dhEnuka
  • birAna brOva – kalyANi
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • brOva bArama – bahudAri
  • hari hara putram – vasantA

with Lalgudi Jayaraman & Palghat Raghu

  • intaparaka – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • mA jAnaki – kAmbhOji
  • nAma kusuma mula – sri
  • pankaja lOchana – kalyANi
  • paluku kanDa – navarasa kannaDA
  • koluva maragada – tODi
  • Emani vEgintunE – husEni
  • various

with T Rukmini, Tanjaore Upendran & Manjunath – Bangalore 1975

  • dEva dEva – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • teliyalEru rAmA – dhEnukA
  • mA jAnaki – kAmbhOji
  • birAna brOva – kalyANi
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • rAma katA – madyamAvati
  • sri venkata – suruTi

with V Thyagarajan & U K Sivaraman – Music Academy 1965 (doubtful)

  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani – adi – MD
  • dEva dEva kalayAmitE – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • birAna brOva – kalyANi
  • tyAgaraja yOgavaibhavam – Anandabhairavi
  • entavEDu kondu – saraswati manohari
  • rama nee samAnamevaru – karaharapriya
  • teliyalEru rAma – dhEnuka – adi -tyg
  • manasuvishaya – nATakurunji – adi – tyg
  • mAmava meenAskhi – varALi – m chapu – ssas
  • nenaruncinAnu – mALavi – adi – tyg
  • RTP – sankarAbaraNam
  • avadooru – kamas
  • parulenna – kApi
  • slokam – ragamalika
  • bhAvayAmi – ragamailka
  • various

with Lalgudi Jayaraman

  • sooryamoortE – saurashtram
  • vallagAdanaka sita – hari kAmbhOji
  • sObillu – jaganmOhini
  • nAmakusuma – sri
  • needu charaNa – kalyANi
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • seetammA mAyamma – vasantA
  • sri kAntimatim – hEmavati
  • RTP – sAvEri
  • various

with Lalgudi Jayaraman & Vellore Ramabadran – AIR National Program

  • varNam – suraTi
  • pAhi tarakSu – Anandabhairavi
  • enta bhAgyamu – sAranga
  • kaddanu vAriki – tODi
  • sri dakshinAmoortE – sankarAbaraNam
  • kElati mamAhrudaye – aTANA

with Pappa Venkataramaiah, Palghat Mani Iyer and Alangudi Ramachandran

  • ElAnee dayarAdu – aTANA
  • paripAlaya saraseeruha – pantuvarALi
  • sObillu – jaganmOhini
  • pankaja lOchana – kalyANi
  • evarani – dEvamrutavarshiNi
  • sri bAlasubramanya – bilahari
  • gati neeyE enDru – tODi
  • various
  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani
  • birAna brOva – kalyANi
  • dAriNi – suddhasAvEri
  • manasulOniu – hindOLam
  • nagumOmu – AbhEri
  • sri bAlasubramanya – bilahari
  • ranganAyakam – nAyaki
  • mA jAnaki – kAmbhOji
  • kanakamaya – husEni

with Lalgudi Jayaraman & Palghat Mani Iyer

  • bhavanuta – mOhanam
  • pankaja lOchana – kalyANi
  • naDaci naDaci – karaharapriya
  • nee dayarAda – vasanta bhairavi
  • nA jeevadAra – bilahari
  • ksheenamai – mukhAri
  • maravakavE – sAmA
  • RTP – tOdi
  • various

with Lalgudi Jayaraman & U K Sivaraman – Navaratri Mandapam

  • pArvati nAyaka – bowLi
  • smara hari – sAmA
  • janani mAmava – bhairavi
  • various

with T N Krishnan & U K Sivaraman – Navaratri Mandapam

  • bakta parAyaNa – sankarAbaraNam
  • sarisanAbha murArE – tODi
  • jaya jaya padmanAbha – maNirangu
  • pAhimAm sri rAjeswari – kalyANi
  • ??? – neelAmbari

with T N Krishnan, Vellore Ramabadran & Vilvadri Iyer – Music Academy 1956

  • nee bhajana – nAyaki
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • gyAna mosagarAdA – poorvikalyANi
  • lEkana – asAvEri
  • mArubalka – sriranjani
  • amba neelAyadAkshi – neelAmbari
  • chakkani rAja – karaharapriyA
  • seetammA – vasantA
  • RTP – kalyANi
  • various
  • sooryamoortE – saurAshtram
  • mAmava sadA – kAnaDA
  • teliyalEru rAma – dhEnukA
  • paripAlaya – pantuvarALi
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • sri venkaTa – suruTi
  • ksheenamai – mukhAri
  • tunga tarangE – kuntalavarALi
  • amba nannu brOvavE – tODi
  • nenaruncinAnu – mALavi
  • RTP – kalyANi
  • various

with Lalgudi Jayaraman

  • varNam  – AbOgi
  • siddhi vinAyakam – shanmukapriya
  • ranganAyakam – nAyaki
  • ksheenamai – mukAri
  • agasteeswaram – lalita
  • kAmakshi – bhairavi
  • paripAlaya – pantuvarALi
  • paripalinchumani – suddha sAvEri
  • rAma katha – madyamAvati
  • RTP – sankarAbaraNam
  • sri pArtasArathi -suddha dhanyasi
  • marubAri – kApi

with T N Krishnan

  • gajavadana – tODi
  • nee bhajana – nAyaki
  • pankaja lOchana – kalyANi
  • RTP – bhairavi

with Lalgudi Jayaraman & Vellore Ramabhadran – 1964

  • vallabha nAyakasya – bEgaDA
  • mOsabOgu vinavE – gowLipantu
  • pankaja lOchana – kalyANi
  • santAna rAmaswAminam – hindOLavasantam
  • neemati challaka – Anandabhairavi
  • diwAkara tanujam – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • rAmA nee samAnamevaru – karaharapriyA
  • bAlasubramanya – bilahari
  • nAdupai – madyamAvati
  • sri chandrasEkaram – sankarAbaraNam
  • parulenna mATa – kApi
  • slOkam

with Lalgudi Jayaraman & U K Sivaraman – AIR

  • cAlakallalADu – Arabhi
  • ninne jeppa – mandAri
  • pArtasArati – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • murugA murugA – sAvEri
  • sri kAntimatim – hEmavati

with ??, Palghat Mani Iyer & Vilvadri Iyer

  • gurulEka – gowrimanOhari
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • sAdincanE – Arabhi
  • birAna brOva – kalyANi
  • ksheenamai – mukhAri
  • ardanAreeswaram – kumudakriyA
  • sri mAtrubootam – kannaDA
  • kannatanDri nApai – dEvamanOhari
  • nAdupai – madyamAvati
  • RTP – mOhanam
  • various

with T N Krishnan & Palani Subramanya Pillai

  • vallabha – bEgaDA
  • sooryamoortE – sowrAshtram
  • dinamanivamsa – hari kAmbhOji
  • gNana mosagarAdA – poorvikalyAni
  • chakkani rAja – karaharapriya
  • gOvaradana girisam – hindOLam
  • nagumOmu – AbhEri
  • gajavadanA – tODi
  • pari pAlincu – suddhasAvEri
  • RTP – bhairavi
  • various

with Lalgudi Jayaraman, Palghat Raghu & V Nagarajan

  • padavi ni – sAlaga bhairavi (starts midway)
  • RTP – kAmbhOji

with various accompaniments – AIR

  • tyAgarAja pAlayAsumAm – gowLa
  • sri venkaTa – suruTi
  • birAna brOva itE – kalyANi
  • pAhimAm sri – janaranjani
  • gnAna mosagarAdA – poorvikalyANi
  • karuNa Ela – varALi

with Lalgudi Jayaraman & Palghat Raghu

  • RTP – tODi

with Lalgudi Jayaraman

  • chetularA in naTabhairavi

Links to other concerts on the web

with T N Krishnan – RTP in nATakurunji

with V V Subramaniam & T K Moorthy – Music Academy – 1958

with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Tiruchi Sankaran – Music Academy 1970


with Lalgudi Jayaraman, Tiruchi Sankaran & Alangudi Ramachandran – Airport Concert (1967)

  • vallabha nAyakasya – bEgaDA
  • shrIkAnta nIyeDa – bhavapriyA
  • dinamaNi vamsa – harikAmbhOji
  • marivErE – Anandabhairavi
  • harihara putram – vasantA
  • sarasa sAma dAna – kApinArAyaNi
  • rama nee samAnamevaru – karaharapriyA
  • sri krishNam – tODi
  • mArubalka – sriranjani
  • kshiNami tiruga – mukhAri
  • RTP – vaRALi
  • various

with Lalgudi G Jayaraman & Palghat Raghu – Mysore

  • saraseeruhAsana – nATTai – Adi – Puliyur Shri Duraiswaami Iyer
  • paramAtmuDu – vAagadeeshwari – Adi – Tyagarajar
  • nee bhajana – nAyaki – Adi – Tyagarajar
  • pAhi pAhi ShArade – kalyANi – Mishrachapu – Andavan Picchai
  • Sri lakshmi varAham – Abhogi – Adi – Deekshitar
  • narasimha – Bilahari – Mishrachapu – Tyagarajar
  • bhaktavatsalam – Vamshavati – Adi – Deekshitar
  • RTP – Kambhoji
  • rAma jOgi mandu – kamAs – Adi – Bhadrachala Ramadasar
  • saravaNa bhava – shanmukapriyA – Adi – Papanasam Sivan
  • smarasundarAnguni – paras – Adi – Dharmapuri Subbarayar
  • sreenivasa – hamsAnandi – Adi – Papanasam Sivan
  • Sharanu Sharanu – senchuruti – Rupakam – Anai Ayya
  • mangalam

28 thoughts on “Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

  1. Fabulous Mandari is just a bonus and greatly rewarding listening of the whole performance.
    Outstanding interplay among the three geniuses SSI, LGJ and UKS, throughout this concert!

  2. Thank you for loading all this precious music. Is there any chance that I may be able to download them so that I can listen to them in my mp3 player in leisure? I would much appreciate if that were possible; I imagine that there are no copyright issues given that the recordings are non commercial and quite old..
    Cheers. Suja

  3. Thank you for posting up your collection! I noticed that you have marivere listed above as part of the concert titled: with TN Krishnan – Kalasagaram, Secunderabad (70’s). It looks to be Marivere Gati in AnandaBhairavi rather than Mariveredikkuevvarayya in Shanmukhapriya though the caption lists it as the latter.

      • There aren’t many songs or ragas that Semmangudi has touched but left without his stamp on it. Yet, the ones that have remained with me more vividly than the rest are Reetigowla, Varali, Mukhari, Surutti, Dvijavanti and Janaranjani.

        I remember to have heard him live (fortunately) twice at Kalasagaram in the 70s/80s. One with TNK and another with LGJ on violin.

        In the one with LGJ, he had taken up Shanmukhapriya and Lalgudi waited a bit before starting his response to raga alapana. Immediatelt SSI shot back with his shrewd wit and earthy reasoning: “Did you play yesterday Shanmukhapriya?” Lalgudi had given a solo concert the earlier day at the same venue and SMP was his main item!

        Lalgudi being who he was played a completely different version of SMP that day than the one he had rendered on the previous day. Genius at work!

  4. with T N Krishnan, Umayalpuram Sivaraman and ??

    mahAgaNapatim – nATa
    tyAgarAja pAlayAsumAm – gowLa
    narasimha mAmava – Arabhi
    mAmava meenAkshi – varALi
    nAma kusumamula – sri
    vinarAdana manavi – dEvagAndhAri
    janani – reetigowLa
    ksheenamai – mukhAri
    muthukumArayyanE – sankarAbaraNam
    RTP – keeravaNi
    various

    Sir — this is 1964 Academy, it says Vinayakaram on ghatam

  5. varNam – suruTi
    brOchEvArevare – sriranjani
    siva siva enarAdhA – pantuvarALi
    dwaitamu sukamA – reetigowLa
    pankaja lOchana – kalyANi
    kamAkshi – bhairavi
    nenaruncinAnu – mALavi
    akhilAnDeswari – dwijAvanti
    RTP – varALi
    various

    1972 KGS. Should have a Tani after swarajati

  6. with Lalgudi Jayaraman
    sarasijanAbha – tODi
    budhamAsrayAmyaham – nATakurunji

    Part of AIR National program or Sangeet Sammelan. Palghat Mani Iyer on MDGM, Tani is in Misra Jhampa!!

  7. with Lalgudi Jayaraman and ???? – Music Academy 1973 (not really sure about the year)

    saraseeruhAsana – nATa
    siddhivinAyakam – shanmukapriyA
    diwAkara tanujam – yadukula kAmbhOji
    gurulEka – gowrimanOhari
    paripAlaya – pantuvarALi
    ksheenamai – mukAri
    harihara putram – vasantA
    rAmachandrEna samrakSitOham – mAnji
    amba nannu brOvavE – tODi
    RTP – sAvEri
    various

    This is December 1972 Academy, Karaikudi Mani on Mdgm. Fabulous neraval in siddhivinAyakam

  8. ElAnee dayarAdu – aTANA
    paripAlaya saraseeruha – pantuvarALi
    sObillu – jaganmOhini
    pankaja lOchana – kalyANi
    evarani – dEvamrutavarshiNi
    sri bAlasubramanya – bilahari
    gati neeyE enDru – tODi
    various

    papa Venkataramaiah – Mani Iyer – Alangudi

  9. sObillu sptaswara – jaganmOhini
    sri rAmam – nArayaNagowLa
    ennagAnu rAmabhajana – pantuvarALi
    evarikai – dEvamanOhari
    ksheeNamai – mukhAri
    lEkanA – asAvEri
    enduku peddalavalE – sankarabaraNam (parts of the kriti missing)
    samaraNE sukamu – janaranjani
    kAmAkshi – bhairavi
    chEta sri – dwijAvanti
    various

    1967 Kalki Gardens, MSS singing along. Lalgudi and Sivaraman

  10. with T N Krishnan & U K Sivaraman – Music Academy 1965

    vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani – adi – MD
    dEva dEva kalayAmitE – mAyAmALavagowLa
    birAna brOva – kalyANi
    tyAgaraja yOgavaibhavam – Anandabhairavi
    entavEDu kondu – saraswati manohari
    rama nee samAnamevaru – karaharapriya
    teliyalEru rAma – dhEnuka – adi -tyg
    manasuvishaya – nATakurunji – adi – tyg
    mAmava meenAskhi – varALi – m chapu – ssas
    nenaruncinAnu – mALavi – adi – tyg
    RTP – sankarAbaraNam
    avadooru – kamas
    parulenna – kApi
    slokam – ragamalika
    bhAvayAmi – ragamailka
    various

    This is CERTAINLY NOT Music Academy. The unedited concert is nearly 3 hrs 30 mins long… some say Bangalore, some say Mumbai

    Accompanists are V,Thyagarajan and Sivaraman… The accompaniment for neraval in mAmava mInAkshi is pristine..

    How SSI goads VT in the shankrabharanam raga alapana and takes over for second phase without VT finishing his alapana fully is something :-))

    one of the most memorable concerts – what kalapramanam from start to end

  11. with Lalgudi Jayaraman

    varNam – AbOgi
    siddhi vinAyakam – shanmukapriya
    ranganAyakam – nAyaki
    ksheenamai – mukAri
    agasteeswaram – lalita
    kAmakshi – bhairavi
    paripAlaya – pantuvarALi
    paripalinchumani – suddha sAvEri
    rAma katha – madyamAvati
    RTP – sankarAbaraNam
    sri pArtasArathi -suddha dhanyasi
    marubAri – kApi

    Krishna Gana Sabha, with Ramabhadran (I think 1975), the song list here is randomised.

  12. vallabha nAyakasya – bEgaDA
    mOsabOgu vinavE – gowLipantu
    pankaja lOchana – kalyANi
    santAna rAmaswAminam –
    neemati challaka – Anandabhairavi
    diwAkara tanujam – yadukulakAmbhOji
    bAlasubramanya – bilahari
    rAmA nee samAnamevaru – karaharapriyA
    nAdupai – madyamAvati
    sri chandrasEkaram – sankarAbaraNam
    parulenna mATa – kApi
    slOkam

    lalgudi and murugabhoopathy

    bilahari is after Kharaharapriya, shankarabharanam has R T and kriti
    santhAna rAmaswAminam is in hindOLavasantam

    SSI speaks about his shali (Phelgm), having eaten jackfruit 🙂 hilarious

  13. with ??, Palghat Mani Iyer & Vilvadri Iyer

    gurulEka – gowrimanOhari
    kAmAkshi – bhairavi
    sAdincanE – Arabhi
    birAna brOva – kalyANi
    ksheenamai – mukhAri
    ardanAreeswaram – kumudakriyA
    sri mAtrubootam – kannaDA
    kannatanDri nApai – dEvamanOhari
    nAdupai – madyamAvati
    RTP – mOhanam
    various

    TNK on violin

    • Arun,
      Thanks for all the info updates.
      We have met and exchanged music when you were at Penn State in the 90’s I believe. I continue to live in Pittsburgh. Where are you these days?

      • Dear Dr. Shankar, I am in IIT Bombay since 2005. We met once at the temple for picking up Smt. Charumati and party, who gave a concert at PItts the previous day and we were taking them to SCE after that. I was not sure if it was you, hence did not ask. 🙂

      • Yes, that would be me as she stayed at my house.
        BTW I did my M Tech from IITB (79-81) and last visited the campus in 2007.

  14. Dear Shankar, a very dear friend of mine sent this link to your blog (which is certainly NOT “Yet” another blog, it is more like “the” blog). Thanks for the unvelieveable pokkisham! What especially caught my attention was your remark ” being a huge fan of MSG”, so I simply needed to connect! Not that I revere Lalgudi or TNK or the other stalwarts any less, not at all, but MSG is super special, period. Inspired by you, I am going to put all I have of MSG in my blog, so please don’t tell me you already have one dedicated to him!

  15. Long time back I had heard a fabulous Todi RTP bramhaivadam kila.. trying to find it since then .. unable to locate. By any chance if you have that recording, please upload

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