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Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer

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Origin
  
Chennai, India

Role
  
Vocalist

Movies
  
Nandanar

Name
  
Maharajapuram Iyer

Genres
  
Carnatic music


Years active
  
1911–1966

Parents
  
Rama Iyer

Occupation(s)
  
Classical Vocalist

Died
  
1970

Children
  
Maharajapuram Santhanam


Awards
  
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Carnatic Music - Vocal

Brochevarevarura maharajapuram viswanatha iyer


Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer (Tamil: மகாராஜபுரம் விசுவநாதையர்) (1896–1970) was one of the great Indian Carnatic vocalists. He won several awards including Sangeetha Kalanidhi and Sangeetha Bhupathy.

Contents

Maharajapuram viswanatha iyer kamaksi bangaru kamaksi varali


Early life and background

Viswanatha Iyer was born in Maharajapuram to Rama Iyer, a singer.

He was trained initially by Umayalpuram Swaminatha Iyer, a direct disciple of Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer. Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer had learnt from a direct disciple of Tyagaraja and thus Viswanatha Iyer represents the fifth generation of the Tyagaraja School.

Singing career

A unique feature about his music was his great success in raga elaboration in great detail. The raga alapana of Mohanam was one of his specialties. His has been hailed as the success of 'kalpana sangeetha', music rich with imagination in raga elaboration and swara singing, a specialty of his.

His prominent disciples include Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Mannargudi Sambasiva Bhagavatar, and his own son Maharajapuram Santhanam.

As a film artiste

He acted in a Tamil movie "Bhaktha Nandhanar" released on 1 January 1935 as the landlord Vedhiyar. The famous K.B. Sundarambal acted as Nandhanar in this movie.

References

Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer Wikipedia