- SRI V.N.RAJAN, I.C.S., in his article entitled GNB -A master exponent of pure Carnatic Music Contributed to the Commemoration Souvenir.

GNB is an affectionate friend and is loyal to his friends which is a rare virtue among musicians which is proof of his culture. Even when he begins a concert with handicaps the presence of his friends inspire him and he reaches unimaginable heights. His solicitude for the young artistes is amply manifested by his encouraging them to accompany him and many a good accompanists of this day owe not a little to him for the abundant opportunities he has provided them. He has treated them with brotherly affection and the younger accompanists with paternal solicitude. His erudition and scholarship in more than one language and his total surrender to his favorite Deity " Raja Rajeswari " have enabled him to compose many kritis in rare ragas which have become so popular that they are sung in concerts and in every musically minded family which is sure to have a GNB fan.

    - SRI K. PARTHASARATHY, Advocate, Alleppey in his article entitled " G.N.B. - An Outstanding Star in the firmament of Carnatic Music..

I have touched upon GNB's genius, his originality, his equipoise, his faith in God and his love for his disciples and above all, his basic humility and have quoted, Dwaram, T. N. Raja- ratnam Pillai and Muthiah Bagavathar, What more can one say about him.

It is a pity he passed away in Trivandrum a few years before he could celebrate his 61st birthday. He can never be forgotten by the generation which had the pleasure and privilege of hearing his incomparably supreme music rendered in a voice with a manodharma for which there were only two equals-Madurai Pushpavanam and S. G. Kittappa, both of whom died at even younger ages than GNB Whom the Gods love die young.

     - PROF. T. V. RAMANUJAM in his article in Bhavan Journal entitled- G.N.B. - the phenomenon of Carnatic Music.

G.N.B. maintained the best relationship with the other artists. In concerts, he balanced that the success of performance was due to the teamwork of all the participants. I may be permitted to illustrate this by a humorous remark which he made while appreciating a particular combination of food as my guest in Tirunelveli. He said " This is like singing with Rajamanickam Pillai and Palghat Mani Iyer accompanying "............

GNB will live for ever in the hearts of friends like me and his music will remain for ever in the minds of those who were blessed enough to listen to it. Whom the Gods love die young and I am sure GNB whom Ambal loved as Her dear child is resting 0n her laps in peace. May GNB be a source of inspiration to the younger generations of music.

   - HON'BLE MR.K.S.VENKATARAMAN, LC.S., in his article entitled ' G.N.B. ' published in the Journal of Music Academy, 1965.

GNB had definite ideas about various aspects of music. He was the embodiment of humility. He never thought high of his music even though he had innumerable rasikas who literally danced in exotic delight on hearing his music. He used to say that an artist could never reach his cherished goal. As one approaches the goal, it will fade away into a distance. Hence no artist can . rest content with his achievements. If he does so, there can be no further improvement.

His swara singing was of special appeal to me. He was responsible for creating a vast sishya-parampara. I want to pay my respect to his sacred memory.

PROF, K.V.NARAYANASWAMY.

I had the privilege of listening to a concert of GNB more than 45 years ago while he performed at Post Office Street, George Town during Ganesh Festival. Even after several decades that concert remains ever green in my memory. His voice was already familiar to me through some of his gramophone records. His duet with Maharajapuram Krishnamurthy in a film was quite popular those days. But when I heard him in person, I was simply bewildered by his voice, style and power. He was accompanied that day by Sri T.K.Jayarama Iyer on the violin, and by Palghat Ramachandran on the mridangam. In the later part of the concert, GNB sang ' Sahana ' alapana and Sri T.K.Jayarama Iyer simply informed the audience " I will not play this on violin-what is there left for me ? "

Another bond that binds me with GNB was that both of us sat at the feet of Tiger Varadachariar and Madurai Subramania Iyer. I precisely remember the latter's appreciation of GNB's creativity in swaraprasthara. GNB was once rendering the swaraprasthara for the charanam of ' Raghuvamsa sudha ' in Kathanakuthukalam. His ending the prasthara with " Ri Ma Dha Ni Ga " was something like a flash.
 

   - PROF. S. RAMANATHAN, Musician and Musicologist

GNB was capable of improving any swara combination at will. Even in his astonishingly fast birkas the vakra sancharas used to be clear and vivid. He had the capacity to elaborate apoorva ragas like Chenchukamboji, Kiranavali, Mayuradvani, etc.

His thukkadas "Radha Sametha ", "Nalla Sakunam ", " Dikku Theriyatha Kattil ", etc., are still ringing in my ears. GNB was responsible for increasing. the rate for musicians. He used to encourage young vidwans and instill confidence in them. I had the privilege of accompanying him in many a concert.
 

V. SETHURAMIAH, Violinist.

GNB was nothing if not versatile. He would in the course of a conversation talk with equal, expertise and felicity on Astrology, Politics, Religion, Medicine and other subjects.

His unstinting praise of youngsters showing promise in music was so liberal that one of my uncles living in Baroda heard. him speaking in favorable terms about me to his admirers. My uncle never believed I could sing well until he heard the great GNB himself talking highly about me. No wonder GNB's. sishya-parampara is so vast and so good.
 

SMT. GAYATRI CHANDRASEKAR of Bangalore.

During the Thyaga Brahma Aradhana in a particular year, GNB's performance was to be relayed as National Programme on the All-India Radio. That evening Ariyakkudi, Alathur Brothers, GNB and a few other vidwans were having an interesting discussion. A rasika came in just then and asked " who is National today " ( He was enquiring as to who would be singing for AIR.'s National Programme ). GNB with a broad smile-pointed to Ariyakudi and said     " He is the only National-All of us are strictly provincial " Everyone enjoyed the witty yet truthful reply.
 

SRI SARANGAPANI of Kumbakonam.

In a performance he gave for Gana Mandir, Thambu Chetty Street, Madras, GNB sang with much repose eschewing his rapid fine birkas and bringing out the nuances more with Gamakas. It was a different GNB altogether and I wondered if there were anything he could not possibly achieve in the realm of music. The late T.L.Venkatarama Iyer was among the audience and in commending GNB's performance that day he made a special reference to " Brovavamma " rendered by him in Manji, Sri Venkatarama Iyer said he had heard senior vidwans sing that particular kriti in a lack-luster manner more or less like Bhairavi but " this young man has brought out the. distinctive charm of Manji both in the raga alapana and in the kriti in a clear and unequivocal style".
 

SRI K.S.MUTHURAMAN in Sruti May 1984 Issue.

With his fast tempo singing GNB indeed brought a new dimension to Carnatic Music releasing it from the slow tempo school, though I am not totally averse to the latter. GNB had a gifted voice which he exploited most aesthetically and rationally too. Perhaps next to the late lamented S.G.Kittappa, GNB alone sang so masculinely at the top register with ease and grace. On top of it all, GNB's brika had a musicality and precision about it.

    - SRI V. R. RAMABADRAN, in Sruti July 1984 issue.

It has been my good fortune to have accompanied GN Sir in countless performances all over the country. Many of these were memorable. I shall refer here to one such star performance which has remained green in my memory for more resaons than one. .The occasion was a marriage celebration at Kallidaikurichi. The pandal was packed to capacity with knowledgeable rasikas - men and women - who were ardent admirers of TNR, Semmangudi and GN Sir himself. The performance started at about 9-30 p.m. as is usual in that village. GN Sir was in fine fettle. From the very start, the performance settled to a high level of excellence. After spiritedly singing a few kritis and ragas as was his wont, Kalyani was taken up for RTP. It had a two hour duration. GN sir exhaustively covered the three octaves in all three time scales. Sancharas in mandhara sthayi swaras in vilamba kalam had more than their usual share. All his inventive faculties were in full play in the rendering of alapana and there were subtle laya variations in his pallavi singing. Even who was familiar with GN Sir's Kalyani, some rare prastharas with twists, turns and glides came as a revelation. S.V.S. Narayanan (son of S. V. Subbiah Bhagavathar of Drama fame) played on the mridangam. Both of us played at our best and keyed up the concert to a high level of excellence. GN Sir acknowledged and appreciated our contributions. Among senior vocalists, GN Sir always believed in giving ample opportunities to the accompanists to prove their mettle and when they rose to the occasion he was never niggardly in his praise. He always got the best out of them.

   Sangeetha Kalanidhi Dr. T. N. KRISHNAN.