Emani sankara sastry
Encyclopedia
Emani Sankara Sastry was a renowned Veena
player of Carnatic music
.
, Andhra Pradesh
. He came from a family of celebrated classical musicians. His father Vainika Bhooshana Veena Acharya Emani Achyuta Rama Sastri, a famed vainika and sastragna was a contemporary of Sangameshwara Sastri and Veena Venkata Romainiah Das of Andhra.
The prodigious training he had from a young age under his unsparing father was reflected in abundance in his tuneful, melodious and technique perfect concerts. His graceful playing on the veena
in strictly traditional style evoked a reverential listening. Emani gave concerts throughout the length and breadth of India. His participation in East-West music festivals, Tansen festival, Vishnu Digambar festival, and other prestigious music conferences won him distinction in the field of music.
Emani played duets with Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffar Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar
, and Pandit Gopal Krishan (on vichitra veena
) evoking enthusiastic responses from the North Indian listeners. After completing his education from Andhra University, he joined the famous Gemini Studios
at Madras, where he was the music director for more than ten years. He composed tunes based on novel techniques and directed music for hit films such as Mangla, Sansar, Bahut Din Huwe, Vindhyarani
, Nishan, Mr. Sampat and English version of Chandralekha. His own compositions of keerthanas, javalis and bhajan
s can be frequently heard in his solo concerts. His operas in Hindi and regional languages are also very popular. Emani joined All India Radio
in 1959 as producer of music at Madras. Soon he rose to the position of director and composer of national orchestra and chief producer of music. He presented over the broadcasting network a number of classical, thematic orchestral compositions and folk melodies bringing out the special tonal qualities of Indian instruments and synthesized musical patterns with a distinctive Emani touch. Emani was also associated with cultural and academic organizations. He was the asthaan vidwan (court musician) of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
, member of the university grants committee - to advise on music and member of the expert committee at Madras Music Academy
. He was also designated founder chairman of the committee to select candidates for scholarships of the education ministry for Carnatic music, was a member to select film awards (national), member of the central Sangeet Natak Akademi
to select candidates for the national awards.
in 1973, Sahitya Kala Parishad award, Padma Shri
and Doctorate of Andhra University
. Many other titles were conferred upon him.
The all India felicitation committee under the petronship of the Vice President of India honored him by conferring upon him the title chaturdandi panditaha for rendering his services for the cause of music.
The raga
Sankarabharanam
played by him on the veena won him the ASIAN ROSTRUM AWARD for the most outstanding number for the year 1973. The rostrum was held under the patronage of UNESCO, at Alam Atta, Soviet Union wherein eminent artists from thirty nations took part.
In appreciation of his opulent music lovers of Poughkeepsie, New York bestowed upon him the title “VEENA VIRTUOSO” on October 12, 1953. He was invited to participate in the “PAN ASIATIC MUSIC AND DANCE FESTIVAL” at Rome during July 1980.
His major monumental works in orchestration:
1. Adarsa sikhararohanam - An orchestral composition based on the theme of the conquest of Everest in which he used six veenas. The force proved a unique experience to lovers of creative music and to others it opened up new vistas of musical utterance.
2. Swara tarangini - An orchestral composition in which he employed numerous sounds that gradually crystallize into musical swaras suggesting the origin of sound and music.
3. Ragam tanam pallavi - an orchestral composition based on the classical raga Todi
. It was an experiment first of its kind in classical music which won the appreciation of musicians and the listeners.
4. Indu - a composition based on the first six ragas of the first chakra of the melakarta
scheme of the great Venkatamakhin
.
5. Bharata jyoti - a thematic musical composition on late Pandit Nehru and his achievements.
6. Saumya pursh - a musical composition on late Mahatma Gandhiji’s ideals.
7. Brmara vinyas – a thematic composition depicting a day in the life of a bee, which won him laurels at the prix Italia.
and at his special invitation he participated in the festival of international music council at Paris on January 8, 1974. He enthralled people by his concert of the veena which was classed as the concert of the century by discerning reviewers. He was one of the most outstanding artists constantly in demand in India and abroad. He contributed a number of recordings on A.I.R. and two long-playing records for U.N.E.S.C.O. for release all over the world.
A great guru he was, Emani has to his credit disciples well known in the field of music. Among them are:
Veena
Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
player of Carnatic music
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
.
Life sketch
Sankara Sastry was born on September 23, 1922 in DraksharamaDraksharama
Draksharama is one of the Pancharama Kshetras in South India. It is located approximately 28 km southwest of the city of Kakinada, in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh....
, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. He came from a family of celebrated classical musicians. His father Vainika Bhooshana Veena Acharya Emani Achyuta Rama Sastri, a famed vainika and sastragna was a contemporary of Sangameshwara Sastri and Veena Venkata Romainiah Das of Andhra.
The prodigious training he had from a young age under his unsparing father was reflected in abundance in his tuneful, melodious and technique perfect concerts. His graceful playing on the veena
Veena
Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
in strictly traditional style evoked a reverential listening. Emani gave concerts throughout the length and breadth of India. His participation in East-West music festivals, Tansen festival, Vishnu Digambar festival, and other prestigious music conferences won him distinction in the field of music.
Emani played duets with Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffar Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
, and Pandit Gopal Krishan (on vichitra veena
Vichitra veena
The vichitra veena is a plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music. It is similar to the Carnatic gottuvadhyam . It has no frets and is played with a slide.-The structure:...
) evoking enthusiastic responses from the North Indian listeners. After completing his education from Andhra University, he joined the famous Gemini Studios
Gemini Studios
Gemini Studios was launched when Thiruthuraipoondi Subramanian Srinivasan bought a film distribution concern at an auction and renamed it as Gemini Pictures also known as Gemini Studios. Gemini Studios served as a breeding ground for innumerable artists and technicians for the south Indian Film...
at Madras, where he was the music director for more than ten years. He composed tunes based on novel techniques and directed music for hit films such as Mangla, Sansar, Bahut Din Huwe, Vindhyarani
Vindhyarani
Vindhyarani is a 1948 Telugu film directed by C. Pullayya. It is a film based on a drama written by Pingali Nagendra Rao. Pushpavalli played the title role of Vindhyarani.-The plot:...
, Nishan, Mr. Sampat and English version of Chandralekha. His own compositions of keerthanas, javalis and bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
s can be frequently heard in his solo concerts. His operas in Hindi and regional languages are also very popular. Emani joined All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
in 1959 as producer of music at Madras. Soon he rose to the position of director and composer of national orchestra and chief producer of music. He presented over the broadcasting network a number of classical, thematic orchestral compositions and folk melodies bringing out the special tonal qualities of Indian instruments and synthesized musical patterns with a distinctive Emani touch. Emani was also associated with cultural and academic organizations. He was the asthaan vidwan (court musician) of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams also referred as TTD is an independent trust which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh...
, member of the university grants committee - to advise on music and member of the expert committee at Madras Music Academy
Madras Music Academy
Madras Music Academy, or simply Music Academy, is one of the premier and early Music Academies in the South Indian city of Madras, now Chennai. It plays an important role in encouraging and promoting primarily the Carnatic Music south Indian art form. It also played an important role in revival of...
. He was also designated founder chairman of the committee to select candidates for scholarships of the education ministry for Carnatic music, was a member to select film awards (national), member of the central Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India.-History:...
to select candidates for the national awards.
Honors and awards
To quote: Vainika Sikhamani, Vainika Siromani, Veena Gana Gandhrava, Ganarupa Kalasaraswathi, Veena Vadanatatvegna, Gandhrava Kalanidhi, Gana Kala Dhara, Veena Chakravarthi, Vallaki Vallabha. He was also conferred with the title of Maha Mahopadhyaya, which was conferred on a South Indian musician for the first time. He was given the Sangeet Natak Akademi AwardSangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
in 1973, Sahitya Kala Parishad award, Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
and Doctorate of Andhra University
Andhra University
Andhra University or Andhra Viswa Kala Parishad , located in Visakhapatnam, north east coastal Andhra Pradesh, is one of the older premier universities in India with a broad focus...
. Many other titles were conferred upon him.
The all India felicitation committee under the petronship of the Vice President of India honored him by conferring upon him the title chaturdandi panditaha for rendering his services for the cause of music.
The raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
Sankarabharanam
Dheerasankarabharanam
Dheerashankarābharanam , commonly known as Shankarābharanam, is a rāga in Carnatic music . It is the 29th Melakarta rāga in the 72 melakarta rāga system of Carnatic music....
played by him on the veena won him the ASIAN ROSTRUM AWARD for the most outstanding number for the year 1973. The rostrum was held under the patronage of UNESCO, at Alam Atta, Soviet Union wherein eminent artists from thirty nations took part.
In appreciation of his opulent music lovers of Poughkeepsie, New York bestowed upon him the title “VEENA VIRTUOSO” on October 12, 1953. He was invited to participate in the “PAN ASIATIC MUSIC AND DANCE FESTIVAL” at Rome during July 1980.
His major monumental works in orchestration:
1. Adarsa sikhararohanam - An orchestral composition based on the theme of the conquest of Everest in which he used six veenas. The force proved a unique experience to lovers of creative music and to others it opened up new vistas of musical utterance.
2. Swara tarangini - An orchestral composition in which he employed numerous sounds that gradually crystallize into musical swaras suggesting the origin of sound and music.
3. Ragam tanam pallavi - an orchestral composition based on the classical raga Todi
Hanumatodi
Hanumatodi, more popularly known as Todi, is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 8th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. This is sung very often in concerts. It is known to be a difficult rāgam to perform in owing to its complexity in prayoga...
. It was an experiment first of its kind in classical music which won the appreciation of musicians and the listeners.
4. Indu - a composition based on the first six ragas of the first chakra of the melakarta
Melakarta
Melakarta is a collection of fundamental ragas in Carnatic music . Melakarta ragas are parent ragas from which other ragas may be generated. A melakarta raga is sometimes referred as mela, karta or sampurna as well.In Hindustani music the thaat is equivalent of Melakarta...
scheme of the great Venkatamakhin
Venkatamakhin
Venkatamakhin also known as Venkateshwara, was a prominent musicologist and composer of Carnatic music; renowned for his Chaturdandi Prakashika in which he explicates the melakarta system of classifying ragas...
.
5. Bharata jyoti - a thematic musical composition on late Pandit Nehru and his achievements.
6. Saumya pursh - a musical composition on late Mahatma Gandhiji’s ideals.
7. Brmara vinyas – a thematic composition depicting a day in the life of a bee, which won him laurels at the prix Italia.
Admiration
He won the admiration of the world known violinist Yehudi MenuhinYehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
and at his special invitation he participated in the festival of international music council at Paris on January 8, 1974. He enthralled people by his concert of the veena which was classed as the concert of the century by discerning reviewers. He was one of the most outstanding artists constantly in demand in India and abroad. He contributed a number of recordings on A.I.R. and two long-playing records for U.N.E.S.C.O. for release all over the world.
A great guru he was, Emani has to his credit disciples well known in the field of music. Among them are:
- His daughter Emani Kalyani Lakshminarayana who is a regular performer for DoordarshanDoorDarshanDoordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
& All India RadioAll India RadioAll India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
has been performing in India as well as abroad. - Emani Kalyani, ably trained in veena by her father, has acquired a high degree of proficiency and accomplishments through her serious interest and dedicated pursuit. Her solo concerts in the radio and public concerts accompanying her father have won world wide acclaim justifying the hopes pinned on her for preserving the heritage.
- Disciple Chitti BabuChitti BabuChitti Babu is a Indian comedian, presenter and actor who prominently plays supporting roles in Tamil cinema. He was also one of the judges in the comedy show Asathapovathu Yaaru on Sun TV.Filmography=Television=* Hari Giri Assembly...
carved a good reputation as a Veena player. - Other disciples of Emani are: V. Saraswathi, M. Y. Kama Sastry, S. N. Satyamurthy, S.N. Ramachandran and Vishwanathan. Palagummi Viswanadham, renowned composer of light music, is his first disciple.
- His second daughter is a well-known ghazal singer Devi Murthy, and has won great acclaim in the field of ghazal singing; she has been giving public concerts in India as well as abroad, winning the hearts of viewers and listeners...