Lalgudi G. Jayaraman

Among Southern India's most distinguished violin virtuosos stands this artist, born in 1930. His earliest lessons came from his father, V.R. Gopala Iyer, and by twelve he was already supporting fellow performers on stage. At the 1965 Edinburgh Festival his playing so struck Yehudi Menuhin that the celebrated violinist gave him one of his own instruments. Jayaraman moves fluidly among roles as solo recitalist, supportive accompanist—including work with the classical vocalist Maharajapuram Santhanam—and composer. In 1983 he joined Hindustani sarod player Amjad Ali Khan for the jugalbandi recording South Meets North (G/ECSD 2932), a disc still awaiting reissue on compact disc; the album features their treatments of “Bhapali” (“Mohanam”) and “Malkauns” (“Hindolam”). Additional titles by him appear on the AVM, Kaveri, and Oriental labels.