‘It’s the end of an era’: Tributes pour in for India’s violin maestro TN Krishnan

Legendary violinist Tripunithura Narayanaiyer Krishnan died on the age of 92 in Chennai on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and a number of other different leaders condoled the dying of Krishnan who was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan (1992) and Padma Shri (1973).

On November 3, the PM tweeted that Krishnan’s demise left a “big void in the world of music”. “His works beautifully encapsulated a wide range of emotions and strands of our culture. He was also an outstanding mentor to young musicians.”

“It’s the end of an era,” stated N Murali, president, The Music Academy. “He was one of the doyens of Carnatic music in the latter half of the last century.”

Violinists Lalgudi Jayaraman and MS Gopalakrishnan have been Krishnan’s friends.

Born in 1928, in present-day Kochi in Kerala, Krishnan learnt music from his father, A Narayana Iyer and moved to Chennai within the 1940s. From being a toddler prodigy, he carried out alongside veterans of Carnatic music over these years such because the Alathur brothers and Madurai Mani Iyer. “He held his own on the stage for 75 years accompanying many stalwarts of those years like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Semmangudi (Srinivasa Iyer) and many others,” stated Murali, whose father the late G Narasimhan, former managing director of The Hindu, was a detailed good friend of the maestro.

Krishnan was additionally a professor of music on the Chennai Music College and dean on the faculty of music on the University of Delhi. He made his first look on the Music Academy in December 1943 in an annual live performance. For the final 15 years, Krishnan carried out at a live performance held on the academy on December 25. Last 12 months was one among his extra memorable performances, as Krishnan performed the Christmas carol Jingle Bells through the live performance to the accompaniment of the mridangam and the veena. The clip was considered hundreds of instances when shared by a fan on Twitter. “Last year, he was 91 and even then he was his usual, zestful. His playing never faltered due to age,” Murali. The academy awarded Krishnan with the Sangita Kalanidhi in 1980.

Chennai-based Carnatic musician Rithvik Raja who trains below Ramon Magsaysay awardee TM Krishna says that Krishnan was an inspiration for younger musicians. “Flamboyance is the word that comes to mind when I think of Vidvan Krishnan mama (uncle).” “His music was rich, soulful and filled with aesthetic nuance. His specialty was that he effortlessly retained these wonderful qualities… He was the epitome of what we strive to be.”

Krishnan’s shut associates stated he died on account of outdated age and the final rites can be carried out on Thursday. He is survived by his spouse, Kamala, daughter Viji Krishnan and son Sriram Krishnan.