26 Facts About Lalgudi Jayaraman

Lalgudi Gopala Iyer Jayaraman was an Indian Carnatic violinist, vocalist and composer.

Lalgudi Jayaraman was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2001.

Lalgudi Jayaraman expanded the style of violin playing by inventing a new technique that is designed to suit the needs of Indian Classical Music and establishing a unique style that came to be known as Lalgudi Bani.

Lalgudi Jayaraman brought vocal style into violin, and his renditions exhibit knowledge of lyrical content of the compositions.

Lalgudi Jayaraman was loath to experiment on stage in his solo concerts and almost always planned to the last detail, leading a certain critic to tout them as being intellectual rather than emotional in spirit, but Lalgudi's spontaneity and innate musical genius were often seen when he accompanied leading vocalists.

Lalgudi Jayaraman was forbidden from accompanying female artistes by his father, a promise that he kept.

Lalgudi Jayaraman has given concerts extensively in India as well as abroad.

Lalgudi Jayaraman was the first to bring international attention to the Carnatic style of violin playing.

Lalgudi Jayaraman introduced a new concept of musical ensemble with violin, venu and veena in 1966.

Lalgudi Jayaraman presented Menuhin with an ivory dancing Nataraja when Menuhin visited India.

Lalgudi Jayaraman has performed in Singapore, Malaysia, Manila and East European countries.

Lalgudi Jayaraman's recordings submitted to the International Music Council, Baghdad, Asian Pacific Music Rostrum and Iraq Broadcasting Agency by AIR New Delhi have been adjudged as the best and accorded the first position out of 77 entries received from the various countries during 1979.

Lalgudi Jayaraman was invited to give concerts at Cologne, Belgium and France.

Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman went on a tour in the year 1984 to Oman, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, which was highly successful.

Lalgudi Jayaraman composed the lyrics and music for the operatic ballet Jaya Jaya Devi, which premiered in 1994 at Cleveland, Ohio and was staged in many other cities in the United States.

In October 1999, Lalgudi Jayaraman performed in the UK under the auspices of Sruthi Laya Sangham.

Lalgudi Jayaraman received honorary citizenship of Maryland, US in 1994 and the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2001.

Lalgudi Jayaraman won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for the film Sringaram in 2006.

In 2010, Lalgudi Jayaraman became a fellow of the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Lalgudi Jayaraman had three sisters Padmavathy, a vainika, Rajalakshmi and Srimathi, both violinists.

Lalgudi Jayaraman died on 22 April 2013 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Chennai.

Lalgudi Jayaraman's compositions are very popular with Bharathanatyam dancers, even as they have become a standard highlight of every leading Carnatic musician's repertoire.

Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman tuned the Swathi Thirunal thillana 'Gitu Dhunika Taka Dhim' in Raga Dhanashree and set the compositions in its current form, which then went on to become hugely popular.

Apart from these compositions, Sri Lalgudi jayaraman has composed jathiswarams and swarajathis as well.

Lalgudi Jayaraman has composed a unique swarajathi which demonstrates the concept of Grahabhedam, using ragas Sindhu Bhairavi, Chenchurutti, Mohanakalyani, Behag and Tilang.

Lalgudi Jayaraman was a much sought after tunesmith who set tunes to numerous songs and compositions including several krithis of Ambujam Krishna.