Friday, June 11, 2021
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
BIOGRAPHY of M. S. Subbulakshmi
MADURAI SUBRAMANIJA IYER (styled simply as M. S. in keeping with Tamil usage) SUBBULAKSHMI was born on September 16, 1916 in the city of Madurai in South India. Madurai is located in the center of the Tamil-speaking state of Madras and has been for over 2,000 years the center of culture of the Dravidians, the earliest inhabitants of India who were pushed south by the Aryan invaders of the north. The Aryans brought with them a religious-cultural pattern which, combined with the existing religious-cultural modes of the Dravidians, became Hinduism, an all-encompassing religion and way of life.
Under the Aryans music was codified in the vedas, the four canonical collections of hymns, prayers and liturgical formulas that comprise the earliest Hindu sacred writings. The basis of this music has always been vocal, and ragas are its traditional melodic patterns or modes. Each raga is defined "by its scale, melody, emphasis given a particular note, subtle ornamentation and mood," and is so arranged to create an atmosphere appropriate to the different hours of a day or night. These songs are considered not only a means of arousing specific emotions, but of uniting the singer and listeners with God, for, as one writer has noted, "the seven notes of the scale and basic rhythms are supposed to have been revealed by the Lord himself."
In rendering a raga the singer must subordinate his individual creative tendencies to the "law of the raga"— i.e. the form and the emotional content it is intended to arouse and sustain—but lacking set notes he is expected to exercise "all his ingenuity and skill in extemporizing within the prescribed framework." At the same time there are only 132 ragas which are normally performed. Thus the Indian singer must be more creative than the modern western performer: to strict laws and a limited repertoire he is expected to bring unlimited musical imagination.
Southern music—often called Karnatic after a name applied to the area—is today more purely Aryan in form and Hindu in content than the music of the north, which in the ensuing centuries was influenced by Arab, Persian, Mongol and other Islamicized cultures through the mediums of contact and conquest. The real divergence in classical music between the two regions appears to have taken place in the 14th century with the solidification of Mogul rule in the north. "They now differ considerably from each other in their idiom and their approach to ragas."
Besides being born into the center of southem Hindu culture, SUBBULAKSHMI was further blessed by being born into a home "where music was valued and where votaries of music gathered." Her parents were Subramanya Iyer and Veena Vidushi Shanmukavadivu, a renowned singer and player of the veena—a plucked instrument popular in the south. Her younger brother and sister also shared their mother's love of music; her brother played the mridangam—an ancient barrel-shaped drum with goatskin ends used for keeping time and rhythm—and her sister became a singer. By the age of 10, KUNJAMMA, as SUBBULAKSHMI was affectionately known, was accompanying her mother at concerts (as her two stepdaughters accompany her today). She still remembers when Dhanammal, a celebrated musician who heard her sing at this age, predicted for her "a bright future."
As a child, SUBBULAKSHMI reamed at her mother's knee. As a young girl she studied under Srinuvasa Iyengar of Madurai who taught her up to the varnam stage (the center piece of the sequence of dances in a Bharata Natyam court). "After that," she has said, "as I was unable to go to a music teacher for advanced tutoring, I continued to learn from my mother." In later years she "had the good fortune of learning from several great musicians and among them were Musiri Subrahmanya Iyer and Semmangudi Srinvasa Iyer."
By age 17, SUBBULAKSHMI was giving concerts on her own, including major performances at the Madras Music Academy, the prestigious center for the study and promotion of Karnatic music. At the age of 24, she married T. (Thyagarajan) Sadasivam who has devoted himself to advancing her career. People who know her well say that without her husband she would not have achieved the artistic stature she enjoys and that "it is a sight to see her unceasingly acknowledging the gratitude she owes to him for everything she has." Recently she said, "he is my mentor and preceptor and he gave artistic shape and definition to my ideas of music which were almost running wild." Sadasivam, now publisher and managing director of Kalki, the widely circulated and highly respected Tamil weekly, was a film director and thus particularly well situated to assist her career through that medium.
Two fortuitous events brought SUBBULAKSHMI early into national prominence. The first was her participation in the All-India Dance Conference in Bombay, organized under the Vikramaditya Celebrations, in 1944. Every Indian musician of importance was present and her performance created a sensation.
The second was her appearance in the title role of the Hindi-language film Meera, produced by her husband. Meera was a singersaint, an 18th century Rajput princess who gave up court life and wandered the countryside singing the praises of the Lord Krishna. The film was produced in 1946-47 in Rajputana and the villagers in the area saw SUBBULAKSHMI as a "new Meera. ' They sought occasions to hear her sing and embarrassed her by lining the road to pay her homage when she walked the streets.
In this film she sang the bhajans of north India. Bhajans are folk music of a devotional nature, simple and compelling enough to be known, understood and loved by all. Already recognized as a distinguished singer of Karnatic classical ragas—which in general demand a musically sophisticated audience—SUBBULAKSHMI suddenly found herself the idol of the common people throughout the length and breadth of the land. Sarojini Naidu, a poet and leader of the nationalist movement in India, dubbed her the "Nightingale of India," and added: "Every child in India has heard about SUBBULAKSHMI for the beauty of her voice, the magic of her personality, and the gracious charity of her heart . . . . I want my living words to go to the utmost corners of the world so that people may realize how one great woman artist in India has been able to move the hearts of millions and millions of men and women by her songs. I believe the feelings roused in me will be roused in everyone who hears the enchanting voice of this enchanting singer who is abundantly gifted." SUBBULAKSHMI herself concluded that "if one sings with sincerity and devotion, such music has the capacity to move the audience to divine experience, irrespective of their religious beliefs, their language and the countries to which they may belong."
Although Meera was her first and only Hindi film, she has played in Tamil films both before and since, including a Tamil version of Meera.
In 1941 SUBBULAKSHMI and her husband visited Mahatma Gandhi at his religious retreat in Nagpur. Thereafter whenever she and he were in the same city she sang at his prayer meetings. Gandhi loved her rendition of north Indian bhajans and requested that she sing some for his 78th birthday, October 2, 1947. As she couldn't appear in person, All India Radio suggested she record some discs and have them sent to Delhi where he was in residence. Gandhi particularly wanted to hear "Hari Tuma Haro" whose haunting refrain translates, "Oh Lord, take away the pain from mankind." Not knowing this bhajan she suggested another singer, but he refused, saying he would rather hear her speak the words than another sing them.
SUBBULAKSHMI learned and recorded the song the night of September 30th, finishing at 2 a.m. The disc, sent off by plane, was played on what was to be Gandhi's last birthday. Three months later he was dead by an assassin's bullet. When the announcement of his death was reported over the radio, it was followed by the playing of SUBBULAKSHMI’s recording of "Hari Tuma Haro." Hearing her own voice singing his favorite bhajan was unnerving and SUBBULAKSHMI finds to this day that "Hari Tuma Haro" brings a flood of memories of that tragic time.
Gandhi was not the only major Indian political figure who enjoyed SUBBULAKSHMI’s singing. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru seldom missed a concert of hers in Delhi and referred to her as "the Queen of Song."
The other phase of the career that has endeared SUBBULAKSHMI to her countrymen is that of using her voice to raise money for good causes. SUBBULAKSHMI herself regards public service as a natural outgrowth of the devotion to God which, she feels, is the essence of music. "Once we regard the Divinity within us with devotional fervor [bhakti]," she says, "we are bound to develop the same affection towards everything outside . . . .When the devotee has attained this state, service to the world becomes his creed." The first occasion in which she sang in a cause was in 1944 in connection with the Memorial Fund for Kasturba, the wife of Gandhi. Rajagopalacharia, Chief Minister of Madras State, asked for her cooperation in this effort and, as the "result of strong convictions and much thought," she consented. Her five concerts throughout South India raised 80,000 rupees (US$24,500).
During the following three decades SUBBULAKSHMI has given more than 200 benefit performances and raised well over Rs. 10,000,000 for various Indian charities. Two causes close to her heart have been the Gandhi Memorial Fund and the fund in honor of the 100th anniversary of the death of Tyagaraja, one of the three great composers of Karnatic songs. Other beneficiaries have been various hospital, religious and educational institutions such as the Sevoor T. B. Sanatorium, the Kamala Nehru Hospital, the Ramkrishna Mission, the South Indian Education Society, the Indraprastha College for Women and the Madras Music Academy's Building Fund.
In recognition of her efforts SUBBULAKSHMI received the Padma Bhushan (lit. With Lotus Flowers or Jewels Bedecked) from the Government of India in 1955, the first musician to be so honored. In making the presentation the President of India commented, "her music is a gift of the gods which she has placed at the service of the nation." In 1956 she received the President's National Award for Classical Karnatic Music and the same year was nominated to membership in the Sangeet Natak Akademi (National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama), a high honor for a performing artist.
In 1963 SUBBULAKSHMI was invited to participate in the Edinburgh Festival and traveled to Europe for the first time. Unexpectedly— since, contrary to popular clich�, music is not an international language but the deepest expression of a specific culture—she found there an enthusiastic reception. The Times of London commented: "The vocal music of another culture is often felt to be harder to understand than its instrumental music, but this feeling is not always justified, and SUBBULAKSHMI is an excellent introducer of the beauties and intricacies of Karnatic song." The Scotsman added: "We listen to a superb artist singing in her native improvisatory style. The barriers become academic, and similarities become obvious." SUBBULAKSHMI herself concluded that "if one sings with sincerity and devotion, such music has the capacity to move the audience to divine experience, irrespective of their religious beliefs, their language and the countries to which they may belong."
Finishing in Edinburgh she went back to London where she gave a recital and made a number of recordings for the British Broadcasting Corporation. These performances were followed by informal recitals in several European cities and were climaxed by a concert in Cairo where she met the premier singer of the Middle East, Om Kalsum. This meeting was particularly meaningful because SUBBULAKSHMI's popularity in India is often likened to that of Om Kalsum's in the Arab world. The music of both women cuts across national boundaries and appeals to pundits and the masses alike.
In October 1966 SUBBULAKSHMI flew to the United States to sing as her country's representative at the United Nations in connection with United Nations Day observances. Her reputation had preceded her and she received an ovation even before she came on stage. During the next seven weeks she performed across the United States from Boston to San Francisco and back. One critic wrote: "A more educated and pedigreed singing art would be hard to imagine. The listener may well find himself under something close to a hypnotic spell." The San Francisco Chronicle greeted her singing as "a series of miracles." The reviewer exclaimed: "Her elaborate vocal filigree, sometimes sung in unison or octaves with her daughter Radha Viswanathan, were unbelievable in their poised ease and constancy of flow . . . . She sings with a reedy yet dark voice and the most extraordinary flexibility. Like sleight-of-hand she throws out embellishments almost too fast to hear." Her other stepdaughter Vijaya also accompanied her on the tour, playing the tambura, a four or five stringed instrument that provides essential background harmony.
The Madras Music Academy in 1968 elected SUBBULAKSHMI to preside over its Annual Conference, the first woman so honored. As Krishnaswamy noted, "the credit for elevating the status of lady artists to a place of equality with men goes to Srimati SUBBULAKSHMI." On the concluding day of the session, January 2, 1969, the Minister for Civil Education conferred on her the highly coveted title, Sangita Kalanidhi (Master of Musical Arts). The citation recognized that she was: "endowed with a voice of unique sweetness and richness and an ability to harmonize strict standards and popular appeal and to do justice to the music of the South as well as the North. She has been the most beloved idol of the public in the recent annals of Indian music."
SUBBULAKSHMI is often questioned concerning the training of singers today. Dealing with techniques, she advises students to train their voices to "traverse the three octaves with felicity, curbing the tendency to branch into falsetto," make the veena their teacher and adhere to tradition, at the same time mastering pronunciation, proper intonation and knowledge of the libretto. "Only hard work can qualify [one] for the task and there is no short cut," she emphasizes. She feels that the gurukala system—the teacher-disciple relationship—is of great importance and bemoans the fact that it is seldom practical today for a student to live with a guru during his formative years. The guru's role, she notes, is not to teach by rote or foster his own style, but to acquaint the student with traditionally accepted norms of beauty, thus exposing him to the fullness of the past. Students who study in colleges of music, she says, should at least "apprentice themselves under an experienced musician for two or three years thereafter, and attempt to learn the finer points of the art which that musician only will be in a position to teach."
SUBBULAKSHMI always reminds students that technique is not all. Ragas and bhajans, she points out, have been composed for the "purpose of directing the minds of the listeners towards God and his manifestations," and that "one's singing comes through one's own experience and it is this depth of feeling that enables one to communicate with the audience." In fact, expression is more highly sought and judged than quality of voice.
SUBBULAKSHMI fervently believes that in an age when young people are chaffing at the "controls and restraints imposed by various religious and ancient scriptures," music can lend a helping hand in bringing about peace of mind, harmonious relations and good behavior "When we negotiate starry scintillations . . . and when the percussion instruments accompany with gusto, a divine exhilaration steals over the audience . . . . This joy helps toward good conduct. That was why our ancients wove music into the very fabric of our daily lives." To have this effect on an audience, the singer must be virtuous, for "in the mind of a good person, bhakti is an instinctive growth. God himself makes his home in such a mind."
By the same token, SUBBULAKSHMI advocates the compulsory teaching of music at all levels of education, from primary through university. "This does not mean that all [students] should be able to give concerts on the platform," she says. "Just as the study of science leads to the growth of knowledge, the study of music will bring serenity of mind."
Of her own training she says that she frequently sang one practice session, blending her voice with the tambura, the next without accompaniment. When she used the instrument again in the third session she found "there was invariably a perfect harmony between the two." This identity of voice and instrument is highly valued in Indian music. One votary of north Indian song once compared SUBBU LAKSHMI's voice to the shehnai, the double-reed wood wind of his area, noting that "it has the same richness of tone—its smoothness, vibrancy and above all its hypnotic quality."
Although she is noted for her extraordinary vocal range, SUBBULAKSHMI "never exceeds the demand of the composition." She goes to the core of the song and shows restraint, rather than "gilding the lily" with virtuoso appurtenances. Restraint also extends to her private life. She is "simple, humble and almost childlike," those who know her report. She dresses quietly, her manner is demure, and although she is now matronly in appearance, her expression is often described as "innocent."
Not unexpectedly, "she talks, sings and lives music twenty-four hours a day," and is deeply religious. The puja (prayer) room in her house has three life-size portraits of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Sankaracharya, the saint whom she calls "divinity in flesh and blood," and who has "been instrumental in restoring the faith and religious temperament of the people of Madras and reclaiming many to the path of God" in recent years. As her guru, he selected the verses for the highly popular record she made in 1970 of the Bhajagovindam (some 30 verses composed by the poet-philosopher Sankara in praise of Lord Krishna, which are both musical and of much philosophical content) and Vishnu Sahasranamam (a musical chant of the 1,000 names of Vishnu, one of the three main gods of the Hindu pantheon).
Wherever Indian cultural communities exist—India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Nepal, Malaysia, Burma, South Africa, East Africa and Mauritius, Fiji and the West Indies—SUBBULAKSHMI's music touches a responsive chord. Her popularity and success are due, according to critic Narayana Menon, to her unusual combination of characteristics: "Good looks, intelligence, versatility, character, the humility to learn at all times and from all people. Finally, there is that elusive indefinable gift which few possess and which alone can transform a song into a thing of magic." The President of the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama of India adds: "Her music is unique in that it has universal appeal; it appeals to the connoisseur, the vidwan who revels in intricate technique, and it appeals equally to the masses of people by its melody and sweetness . . . . In addition to its technical perfection, it is full of the fervour of devotion to God."
As the poet Dharam Bharati says, "If there is radiance in the heart, there will be radiance in the voice."
About D.K.Pattammal
Damal Krishnaswami Pattammal , one of the finest and legendary exponents of Carnatic Classical Music made her rasikas ,right from a common man to connoisseur literally to go into a trance with her music in its pristine purest form like the Ganges flowing from the Shiras of Lord Shiva.
There was a chaos in Devalokam with a lot of heated arguments as to which is the most enchanting music! Is it the sunaadam from the strings of Goddess Saraswati or the melodic outpour of music from the flute of Venugopala or the majestic rhythmic beats of Nandikeswara's mridangam or the Tinkling anklets of Lord Shiva which shakes all the 14 Lokas! Lord Brahma created a musician endowed with all these divine aspects and with the final touch of Goddess Saraswati , DKP was born in Kanchipuram, the abode of Goddess Kamakshi, named as Alamelu by her parents but later created history as the one and only Pattammal. Though this is my Wild imagination , her rasikas would not deny that her music was out of the world and really divine and ecstatic.
Endowed with a unique, majestic and incomparable voice through which she could produce chaste music void of frills and fancies.. The inimitable voice production with utmost sruthi alignment, tonal quality, the same stamina lasting till the end of the concert, uniformity of the body of the notes on all octaves with precision which was her speciality...and what not. The respect that she commanded from great connoisseurs, knowlegeable musicologists and almost all musicians of various styles and also genres was indeed amazing.
She brought about a revolution soaked in Sampradayam through her rich music. A trail blazer , a revolutionary, pioneer , courageous patriot and freedom fighter by singing Desa Bhakthi Krithis in her concerts in Pre Independence Era.Pattammal's sweet disposition and humble nature belie the fact that she started these highly revolutionary trends in Carnatic music. She was the first Brahmin woman to have performed carnatic music publicly, both on stage and on air in a period when the society considered it taboo for a Brahmin woman to perform on stage. If today Vidhushis are able to sing with dignity it's only because of the untiring efforts of Pattamma Amma by breaking the hurdles in a genuine and forthright manner. Furthermore, Pattammal was also the first woman to have sung Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi set in intricate thalas and in apoorva ragas like Jaganmohini, Manirangu. Etc., Before Pattammal, it was classed as a male stronghold.
Her forte was her Keerthana Rendition and she had a penchant and an unquenchable thirst for widening her ocean like repertoire even in her ripe old age.Through her precise Kalapramamaanam , perfect enunciation , lilting bhakthi bhavam and the raga bhavam , She literally made all the krithis that she rendered as her master pieces. She would sing the keerthanas again and again and render them as polished dazzling diamonds.
She always insisted on the importance of lyrics and emphasised that a small mistake would result in a big blunder . She would give the example of Nasham (disaster)and Nasam( nose) though very close have different meanings. Her Neraval and kalpana Swarms were sung aptly without being harsh to the ears. According to her, "if kalpana swaram is sung at Anaatha (anupallavi of Vinayakuni in Madhyamaavathi) and not completing it with Rakshaki it is actually very pathetic to listen to it", The proportion of kalpitha and kalpana Sangitham was just right in her concerts-Nothing in abundance nor in scarcity! It is really not possible to describe the grandeur, genius , prowess or the excellence of her divine Music in few lines !
Like how her music evokes indescribable emotions in the minds of the listeners her character and personality can be compared to a Jasmine flower emanating the fragrance of love , affection and genuinity. She was an embodiment of love and sweetness . Draped in a traditional Kanchipuram silk saree with a bright incomparable smile and with Lakshmi kataksham , and Saraswati Anugraham , Devi Kamakshi in her Hridayam ,to come across such a divine personality is indeed a rarity.
M. D. Ramanathan (MDR) was born in Manjapara, Palghat District, Kerala on 20 May 1923. He had his early exposure and training in music from his father, Devesa Bhagavatar, who was a music teacher by trade. MDR attended Victoria College in Palghat, where he attained a B.Sc. degree majoring in Physics. He was well known in college as a talented vocalist. During this time, Ramanathan continued to progress his music studies and after completing his degree, he was taken to Madras by his father to further his musical career.
This was also the time when Smt Rukmini Devi Arundale had initiated the Sangita Siromani music course at Kalakshetra with the distinguished and respected Sri Tiger S. Varadachariar as Principal of the college. MDR auditioned for the course and was the only vocal student in the very first batch commencing in 1944.
Being the only student in the course meant that Ramanathan could receive extra special attention from Tiger Varadachariar. It is to be noted that Ramanathan is recognised as Tiger's most renowned disciple. Ramanathan held his guru in very high regard and always showed the highest respect towards him. Indeed, a special relationship between the guru and sishya developed with Tiger also recognising his sishya's talents. It has been said that MDR inherited even his guru's squint! This relationship continued for six years until the death of Sri Varadachariar.
After his graduation at Kalakshetra, MDR continued on at that institution - firstly as an assistant to his guru and later as Professor of music. He held this post, as well as being principal of the college of fine arts teaching both music theory and practice. Through his association with Kalakshetra he taught many students out of which perhaps the late Jaya Pasupathi is the best known.
Ramanathan's musical knowledge was highly respected among fellow musicians. He received the 'Padmasri' in 1974, the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1975 and the Indian Fine Arts Society's 'Sangita Kala Sikhamani' title in 1976. He was a member of the Madras Music Academy's Experts Committee for many years. He was coveted for the Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi award in the 1983-84 season but the politics within that institution did not grant him the honour. Some have suggested that he be granted the award posthumously.
After a long illness, MDR passed away aged sixty on 27 April 1984. His death was due to heart failure. He is survived by his wife and his adopted son (MDR's sister's son), Balaji, who was about 10 at the time of MDR's death. A memorial fund was set up by a number of musicians and music lovers (including Sankara Menon, T. N. Krishnan, K. J. Yesudas and T. V. Gopalakrishnan) to assist his family after his death. There has been a film made about his life but it yet to be made commercially available. I believe there are only three pre-recorded cassettes of his available (one starts with Mahaganapathim in Nattai and the other the Kanada Ata tala varnam. The third is a double album starting with Viriboni in Bhairavi and has a Pallavi in Sankarabharanam). (A short video of MDR is now available. See the Postscript.) His music was heard for many years as the first item of the day on All India Radio in Madras.
M. D. Ramanathan is remembered as a gentleman and a musician's musician. His dedication to his guru, God and music was below none and his music lives on in the hearts of his admirers.
His Music
The music of M. D. Ramanathan is quite unique. There is no one who has a similar style of music, a style that has captivated the hearts of many music lovers. A colleague of MDR (D. Pasupathi) notes that Ramanathan was a nadopasaka - one who worships sound/music. He sang music for music's sake and was not bothered by a lack of audience or criticism of his style. He also sang for his own satisfaction. His style was in striking contrast to many of his contemporaries and offered peaceful music rich with bhava.Ramanthan's music was sober, serene and soothing. There was prasanthi in his recitals. is slow rendering not only gave him time for introspective exploration, but also provided the audience with the opportunity to receive the message and ponder over it. The atmosphere he created during a performance was comparable to the bliss one would get while seated on a river bank on a moonlit night. (B. V. Raman & B. V. Lakshmanan in Sruthi No. 8)MDR's music is easily recognised. Perhaps foremost is the rich, deep voice. Next, is the tempo of his music. By and large MDR preferred the vilambita kala (slow speed), although it is wrong to classify his music as totally slow - he would often include a few faster items with speedy kalpana swara passages. Nonetheless, MDR knew where his musical strength lied and his deep voice was suited to the vilambita kalam and it is was in this that Ramanathan excelled. The combination of these two features makes his music very relaxing. It has been suggested that continued listening to his music can lower the blood pressure and relieve stress.
His raga alapana-s were characterised by effective use of gamakam. They were full of bhavam. Again, his bass tone complemented this facet. His raga essays were not long but were concise and precise. Close listening to these essays will reveal the necessary phrases of the raga, without going into gimmickry or wizardry. The listener was always clear of what the raga was and could get the sweetest essence of the raga. Ramanathan's alapana-s in Sahana, Sri, Ananda Bhairavi, Reethigowla and Yadukula Kambhoji will forever hold a special place in Carnatic music history. These moving ragas took on a new dimension when rendered by MDR. Some other ragas that were his favourites include Kedaram, Kambhoji, Hamsadhwani. Like many of the old time greats, MDR did not venture into complicated arithmetic during kalpana swaras but was always had a good control of layam.
During his time at Kalakshetra, MDR taught many students. Since Kalakshetra was primarily an institution for dance, many leading dancers have had music training under MDR. I have spoken to several graduates from Kalakshetra and many have told me that at first they thought MDR's music was strange and unconventional (perhaps due to his mannerisms) but as they learnt more about the art they could appreciate his music more and could realise its greatness. Rukmini Devi too, was also full praise of MDR's music and told her students that it was something special.
MDR had a large repertoire of songs but also had his favourite ones. Nonetheless, every rendition (even of the same song) was different. I have heard his Endaro Mahanabhavulu many times but each is different. On some occasions he begins with 'Mahanubhavulu'. During the raga alapana of Sri raga preceding the Thyagaraja's Pancharatna, he correctly avoids the use Dha as this swara does not occur in this particular composition. In many of Dikshitar's compositions where a madhyama kala passage occurs he will sing the passage in two speeds creating a dazzling effect. This is the case in Sri Subramanyena Namasthe (Kambhoji) and Manasa Guruguha (Ananda Bhairavi). Also, in the Arabhi pancharatna, he sings the charana-s in two speeds as in a varnam. He has started Sogasuga (Sri Ranjani) with the line 'mridangatalamu'. While singing kalpana swaras for the Vallachi (Navaragamalika) varnam he has returned to the pallavi line in (Kedaram) on one occasion while he has used Kambhoji finishing phrases with Ma Ga .. Padasaroja on another. There are many more such examples of his imaginative music that other MDR fans can relate. I look forward to listening to his renditions because they always offer something different.
Stage Mannerisms
Some will say that MDR was more famous for his stage mannerisms and abhinaya (facial expressions) than his music. His facial contortions are well renowned. Together with his squint and kudumi (tuft of hair), watching MDR sing was not the most aesthetic experience. If you listen to MDR's live concert recordings you are bound to hear him chat and joke with his accompanists or the audience. In one concert, while seemingly rapt in the lyrics, he interrupts a neraval to explain the meaning of the line to the audience.MDR would take his own time before a concert, between items and even sometimes during items if he wasn't quite ready. Perhaps his kudumi was a little too tight (or loose) for his liking and he would thus tie and untie it on many instances during a concert. The mridangist would always have to be prepared to play an extra few avartanam-s (or three) between sections of a krithi. Likewise the violinist had to be careful not to rush on to another line or sangathi as MDR loved to repeat lines several times.
His compositions
MDR has composed more than 300 compositions. This includes varnams, krithi-s and tillana-s. He has compositions in Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu. Many compositions began from spontaneous singing at temples. In some of his later concerts he would sing these compositions. The mudra (signature) he uses is Varadadasa (after his guru). Some of his compositions (like the Bilahari tillana with a line about Kalakshetra), have become standard items in a Kalakshetra dancer's repertoire. I have included the text of this composition at the end of this article.Some of his compositions include:
Krithi Ragam Talam Language Anaimakhkattanai Manirangu Misra Chapu Tamil Aparadhamulellanu Gowrimanhohari Adi Telugu Bhaja Bhaja Manuja Behag Adi Sanskrit Bharatesanute Arabhi Misra Chapu Sanskrit Brindavanaloka Kalyani Adi Telugu Brochudaku Samayaide Begada Rupaka Telugu Dandapani Ramapriya Rupaka Telugu Dari Neevale Begada Rupaka Telugu Dharmavathi Dharmavathi Rupaka Telugu Durgadevi Sri Adi Sanskrit Emdukichapalamu Purvikalyani Adi Tamil Ennakutram cheideno Huseni Adi Tamil Gajavadana Hamsadhwani Rupaka Sanskrit Gurucharanam Kannada Adi Sanskrit Guruvaram Bhaja Manasa Dhanyasi Rupakam Sanskrit Hariyum Haranam Atana Rupakam Tamil Innamum I Chalama Begada Adi Manipravalam Jagadambike Kedaram Rupakam Sanskrit Janani Natajanapalini Sankarabharanam Misra Chapu Telugu Jaya Jaya Sri Vasanta Triputa Sanskrit Kamalakshi Sankarabharanam Jhampa Telugu Kanda unakkinda Thodi Adi Manipravalam Krishnananda Mukunda Kharaharapriya Misra Chapu Sanskrit Lalithe Natakurinji Misra Chapu Sanskrit Mahadeva Abhogi Adi Sanskrit Manamai Ramanai Sindhu Bhairavi Misra Chapu Tamil Manasa Sriramuni Bhupalam Adi Telugu Mayamma Ranjani Rupakam Telugu Narayananenru Sollu Desh Misra Chapu Telugu Neepadamula Nera Nammiti Chakravakam Jhampa Telegu Neranamminanura Hamsadhwani Adi Telugu Neranammina Anandabhairavi Misra Chapu Telugu Nivale Daivamu Yadukula Kambhoji Misra Chapu Telugu Nivamti Dhaivamu Kapi Adi Telugu Nive Dinarakshakudu Devagandhari Adi Telugu Palaya Mam Begada Rupakam Manipravalam Pavana Rama Atana Rupakam Sanskrit Padasaroja Mukhari Adi Telugu Padasaroja Saveri Adi Telugu Padayugamunu Janaranjani Adi Telugu Paduvom Parandham Purnachandrika Adi Tamil Palayamam Ritigowla Adi Telugu Parakelanayya Mohana Tisra Laghu Telugu Parthasarathe Surutti Rupakam Telugu Parvathi Parameswaram Natai Adi Sanskrit Purnatrayesa Purnachandrika Adi Sanskrit Ramam bhaja Arabhi Adi Sanskrit Raghuvara Bilahari Adi Sanskrit Rama Raghava Thodi Rupakam Telugu Rama Rama Nilambari Adi Sanskrit Sagara Sayana Vibho Bagesri Adi Sanskrit Saketanatham Bhaje Kamavardhani Khanda Chapu Sanskrit Sambo Satatam Kapi Adi Sanskrit Sami Ninne Kori (Varnam) Ranjani Adi Telugu Sankaram Sankarabharanam Rupakam Sanskrit Sarasijamukha Yadukula Kambhoji Adi Telugu Sitamanohara Kanada Adi Telugu Sri Ramadutam Darbar Adi Sanskrit Sri Valmikapuravesa Sama Adi Telugu Sriguruvaram Hamsadhwani Rupakam Sanskrit Srimohana Rama Mohana Rupakam Sanskrit Stanumalayum Kambhoji Adi Tamil Sundaramurthini Natakurinji Rupakam Telugu Thyagarajagurumasraye Kedaram Adi Sanskrit Tillana Bilahari Adi Tillana Kapi Triputa Telugu Tillana Kathanakuthuhalam Adi Tillana Sindhu Bhairavi Adi Tamil Velavane Sahana Adi Tamil Venkatesa Girisa Madhyamavathi Adi Telugu Vighnaraja Sri Ranjani Adi Telugu Vinave Gowla Adi Telugu
The Mani Iyer Style
Madurai Mani Iyer carved out a niche for himself by introducing a whole new style of Carnatic music. His music was filled with some unique elements that ultimately enslaved the hearts of millions around the world. This style, born out of strong musical influences from his childhood and perfected to suit his voice capabilities was his own and inimitable.
He considered shruthi as the most important aspect of music and understood that true melody was only possible when shruthi sense was absolute. He had perfect shruthi alignment while singing any ragam, thanam, neraval, kalpana swaram or compositions. His music was pitch-perfect and as someone so eloquently put it “Even if the sun rises in the west and oceans trip over themselves, Madurai Mani would never deviate from shruthi”. He still remains the benchmark against whom all others are measured in this aspect of music.
Mani Iyer was also an indubitable master of singing swaras. He followed the simple and rhythmic sarvalaghu style of swara singing and generally avoided mathematical complexities. He could create a myriad of patterns with his swaras to embellish the raga spontaneously, thereby exhilarating his listeners.
His Raga alapanas consisted of short verses and unconventional phrases like “lalala” and “oouee”. He believed that these syllables when used appropriately adds more beauty to the raga. Though his verses were short, they did not sound disjointed. It was like a continuous chain and when these short pieces were fitted together, the raga was expressed holistically.
While Singing Ragam, His very first phrase would touch the nerve point of the raga. He used to touch the jeeva swara of the raga and start the alapana. The result was that the listener could identify and connect with the raga instantaneously. He wanted everyone to understand what he was singing and therefore never resorted to keeping his audience guessing about the raga.
He maintained the raga bhavam and raga lakshsnam throughout while singing. The flavor of the raga would be distinctly heard at every point of his singing. He also did not believe in elaboration just for the sake and thus his portrayal of ragas and swaras never went beyond the sphere commanded by each raga.
"PLEASE PATTI, I want to listen to this wonderful music. It is only two in the morning." The little girl pleaded with her grandmother. The performing artiste was Madurai Mani Iyer. A vidwan with a unique style, Madurai Mani had indeed cast a spell on the listeners of Carnatic music, young and old, connoisseurs and even the rickshawallahs of those times. People came in hordes to listen to his singing. They sat on the walls, on the floors and wherever they could find a place to sit or stand. They did not mind the inconvenience. They only wanted to listen to Madura Mani as he was fondly called. Madurai Mani was certainly Madura (sweet) Mani. His music was melodious. More than anything else, he enjoyed singing and that reflected in his personality both on and off stage. In fact he often eschewed lyrics that smacked of disillusionment with the world and other worldly matters. He firmly believed that music should enliven the listener. That was his conviction right from the start of his professional career as a musician, a joyous journey that began in 1924 at a temple Kumbhabishekam in the district of Ramanathapuram. He was 12 years old then. However, his association with music began from the age of eight when he formally began his lessons in music or perhaps even from his birth (October 25, 1912) for Mani was born with music in his blood and rhythm in his veins. Mani's father Ramaswamy Iyer was adept at both the theory and the practical aspects of music and his mother Subbalakshmi was also well versed in the art. His father's brother was the immensely popular Madurai Pushpavanam. Mani quickly mastered the art first under Madurai Rajam Bhagavatar and later on under the renowned Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar. When the Bhagavatar inaugurated his Tyagaraja Vidyalaya in that city, Mani Iyer was among the first batch of students to enrol and he graduated from it with flying colours. The rest of course is history. Madurai Mani sang his way into the hearts of people. To him, the rasikas were of paramount importance. They looked forward to his raga alapana, neraval and eagerly awaited his kalpanaswaras. The same girl, now a septuagenarian remarks: ``His swaras created the feeling of going on a joyous boat ride." Such was the buoyancy with which he sang them. His kalpanaswaras were in myriad patterns, one swara gracefully dovetailed into another sending the rasikas into ecstasy. Right from the start of the concert to the end, not a single person left the venue. They awaited the delectable tukkada items at the end of the concert with the same eagerness with which they awaited the start of the concert. In fact, the Western notes of Muthiah Bhagavatar came to be popularly referred to as the Madurai Mani notes. It was not only the rasikas who were fond of Madurai Mani's music; other vidwans were also appreciative of his art. An anecdote goes that once when Ariyakudi was asked to comment on Madurai Mani's music he remarked "his music is indeed a `mani' (gem)." Awards aplenty came in search of him. As early as 1925, the Paramacharya of Kanchi, on listening to his music honoured him with a shawl and a gold coin. In 1927, a music conference took place at the Congress session in Avadi. In that was arranged a programme on the 72 melaragamalika of Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer. Mani's father expounded on the theoretical aspect of the composition while Mani sang. Father and son walked away with the awards. The Ganakaladharar in 1944, Sangita Kalanidhi in 1959, President's award in 1960, Isai Perarignar in 1962 and many more came his way. But, they all rested very lightly on his shoulders. Madurai Mani was as renowned for his humility as he was popular for his music. Affable and genial, his dress and demeanour shone with simplicity though he did display a special affection for his Rolex watch. He was a great believer in the heavenly stars and avoided singing the song ``Grahabalamemi" (How strong can the planetary influences be compared to the grace of Rama?) for the same reason. He also refrained from singing "Nidhi Chala Sukhama" (Is money the cause for happiness?) for he thought that it was hypocritical to sing this song when he was accepting money for his performances. However, while Mani Iyer accepted remuneration he never demanded a stipulated amount be it for a wedding concert or a sabha recital. Whatever amount was given, it was accepted happily. Madurai Mani Iyer was indeed passionate about music but he had other interests too and one of them was the English language. Though a school drop out, Mani Iyer mastered this language and an anecdote goes that he would trudge from his house in Mylapore all the way to the Connemara Library to pick up books in the Queen' s language. He loved Bernard Shaw and was a fan of Charlie Chaplin. A compulsive listener of both the English and the Tamil news, Mani Iyer was a keen observer of politics too. He was fond of good food and somehow believed that coffee was good for the vocal chords. Throughout his life, Madurai Mani Iyer remained married only to his art and when he died on June 8, 1968, left his legacy safely in the hands of his nephew, T. V. Sankaranarayanan. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)