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The Saraswati Veena
Jayanthi Kumaresh and her instrument in concert at the Cleveland Aradhana 2002
This section complements the audio interview and
essay. Return to Ravikiran
and the Chitravina at the Cleveland Aradhana 2002.
Top - Jayanthi's training was guided by the late Balachandar (briefly
mentioned in the conversation with Shreevidhya) and Padmavathi. The
instrument she uses combined innovations (instrument and technique) made
by Balachandar. The latter, perhaps influenced by his training
on the sitar, used the technique of pulling on a fret,
substantially. He also is credited for having invented the unique
veena electromagnetic pickup. The acoustic timbre is sacrificed for
better sustain. Therefore the playing technique of his followers is
a bit different. The speakers for the output is visible in the photo
above, while the wires and the mixer/controller are shown below.
Top - Putting on the plectrums.
Top - A detail of the pickup. Note the slanted edge on the left - to
accommodate the taalam strings. Processing the pickup signal
was a challenge. Compact digital processors now have improved the
tone of the instrument considerably. Jayanthi and Padmavathi are
also known to use a model of a veena that can be dismantled to aid its transportation.
Top - In concert with
Skandhasubramanium (mridangam) and Ranjani (violin). In the
past, the veena player performed with drums only, or with an additional
veena player. The violin accompaniment is a recent (last 20-30 years
probably) trend. May veena plays also sing parts of the pallavi,
anupallavi, and/or chanram at times.
Continue to S.
Seshadri & her veena the Cleveland Aradhana 2002.
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