In his 90 years, Semmangudi has seen Carnatic music emerge from temples onto sabha stages and to the farthest shores. He has also seen the music, or rather its practice, metamorphose - from being the preserve of professional families to being a shared cultural experience of common people.
For Semmangudi, the journey began in 1908. His cousin Narayanaswamy Iyer nurtured Semmangudi's talent initially and then it was taken up by Sakharama Rao and Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer. Semmangudi developed a style of his own in which the nasality, which bothered him in his youth, became a distinguished hallmark.
Although a traditionalist, he introduced many novelties in the works of composers ranging from Swati Tirunal to Ambujam Krishna. He also popularised rare ragas such as Bhavapriya, Salaghabhairavi and Narayanagowla.
Semmangudi's technical competence and analytical proficiency make him a natural teacher. His patience and personalised attention has produced many an excellent musician and instructor. The teacher in him emerged the best when he was Principal of the Swati Tirunal Music College, Thiruvananthapuram, for almost a quarter century. During his tenure he did much to popularise Carnatic music in Kerala. Among his rare distinctions is the great qualitative contribution he has made to the development of M.S. Subbulakshmi's transporting music, and the fact that she acknowledges him as her guru.
Semmangudi has been showered with awards including the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan (by the Government of India), Isai Perarignar (Tamil Nadu Government), the Kalidas Samman (Madhya Pradesh Government) and the most prestigious in the Carnatic music world, the Sangita Kalanidhi award of the Music Academy, Chennai.
In a tour de force lasting four hours, Semmangudi spoke to chitravina (gotuvadyam) prodigy N. Ravikiran, and Frontline Special Correspondent Asha Krishnakumar, tracing his long journey in the world of music, analysing the changing nature of the art, and its enduring strength. His eyes glistened as he relived treasured experiences and moments, and spoke of music and musicians then and now.
