Concerts of Chembai - First Concert With Chowdiah and Palghat Mani Iyer (1924)

First Concert With Chowdiah and Palghat Mani Iyer (1924)

T.Chowdiah, was a violinist who invented the seven-stringed violin and became a very popular exponent in it. Chembai met him in 1924 at the house of a common friend, and became good friends. Chembai had been discussing about music avidly with him at their first meeting when it developed into a musical challenge between them, at the end of which both recognized the other's proficiency. Chembai performed with Chowdiah in the Jagannatha Bhakta Sabha. It was in this concert that Chembai had introduced young Palghat Mani Iyer (who was to become the most famous mridangist) to a discerning audience. At a similar concert in 1926, he had also introduced Palani Subramaniam Pillai, disciple of Pudukottai Dakshinamurthi Pillai.