Madurai Somu

Carnatic Musicians
varsha
Posts: 1978
Joined: 24 Aug 2011, 15:06

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by varsha »

Natakuranji

rahm221
Posts: 73
Joined: 28 Sep 2006, 09:08

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rahm221 »

Yes indeed, thanks Varsha

venkysubrama
Posts: 2
Joined: 12 Dec 2013, 23:57

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by venkysubrama »

Vande Santam Hanumantam
composed by Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji

sasip
Posts: 1
Joined: 23 Mar 2015, 23:48

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by sasip »

Dear Rasikas,
I have not listened to Somu Sir performing live; that's my bad luck. But whatever recordings that I have listened, it is observed that he didn't use to sing many of Dikshitar or Shyama Sastri krithis. I have heard recordings of Meenakshi Memudam and Maha Ganapathe (Natanarayani), but not many. Can someone throw some light to this?

Almost similar. I have not heard Sri. MDR singing any Papanasan Sivan songs.

Sorry if I am not right. Also please keep this thread live. So interesting.


Sasi

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by CRama »

Yes Madurai Somu has not sung many Deekshitar Kritis.His USP was the tamil compositions which he used to put his soul and life into it which audience enjoyed and welcomed immensely. Many tamil songs- we do not know who is the composer- whether he himself has composed- .He had an immense stock of Thyagraja kritis.

Pasupathy
Posts: 7868
Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Pasupathy »

Chokka Lingame - Madurai Somu ...and see on the right more videos....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvcloi3R82A

varsha
Posts: 1978
Joined: 24 Aug 2011, 15:06

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by varsha »

Also please keep this thread live. So interesting.
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/f0dk2d6 ... garAja.mp3

vintageaudio1954
Posts: 1
Joined: 26 Mar 2015, 19:54

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by vintageaudio1954 »

This is from the 1975 KGS concert with LGJ-UKS-SHY-THV-Mahadevan

Pasupathy
Posts: 7868
Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Pasupathy »

Madurai Somasundaram Lalgudi CSM - Bhairavi & Chandrakauns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKLj1e- ... Rr-hkOfYdc

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

This post has nothing to do with the music of madurai somu. But i have few recollections of him in the time of mid 1980's to 1989 as he lived very close to where I lived in nungambakkam in chennai. His house was in Lake Area just opposite to his house is valluvar kottam. Right next to his house I used to play tennis ball cricket in my friends house . When some one hits a long shot towards deep longon the ball usually lands in somu house . I have had few recollections of going into his house and picking up the tennis ball . Some time just to play a bit of tantrums I and one more of my friend used to sing one line maruda malai mA maniyE murugaiyyA and there shri somu used to be there outside his house in the portico we yell that line maruda malai mA maniyE and then pick the tennis ball and go out and play. For many years i did not know that he was a carnatic musician but I thought he is the one musician who has sung maruda malai mA maniyE in doordarshan oliyum oLiyum.

I have also seen him in a particular barbar shop and I distinctly remember one or two occassions where he used to sing in the shop when he comes for a haircut or a shave . I have no clue what he sang but all i recollect him as an extremely lovable person , well if one listens to his music I can now extrapolate that personality. My father and chitappa used to talk some what with him.

Also there used to be a flood light night tennis cricket match near his home in nungambakkam corporation ground. I have seen him there also .

Also in the last season I had a chance to chat with VL kumar the violinist who has played a lot for somu in 80's . VL kumar told me an interesting anecdote about madurai somu .Many in the audience just hand over song lyrics either few hours before the concert or even just during the concert . somu just like that takes those and sings extempore in kutcheri in ragamaliga ragas and many in the audience used to love it . No practice just like that he tunes and sings - what daring confidence only madurai somu can do .I am not talking those tukkadas like enna kavi which he and /or anayampatti adisesha iyer have taken . But there are few viruththams or some tukkadas where there is a sudden thunder of loose words in praise of goddess rajeshwari or lord muruga - he just pours with music with utmost bhakthi- few like it and few have found it not so palatable . I love his music for his manodharmam ,charge and *endurance*.

Now over to Rsachi in sharing his outstanding recordings and also arasi can translate if possible to english ,pasupathy sir's wonderful writings on this one of a kind- maximum throw musician.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by arasi »

Rajesh,
Love your recollections!

I am ready with a portion of the translation. Will keep at it the next few days.

Now, should I post them here, or as Sachi suggests, in a separate thread?

Rsachi
Posts: 5039
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Rsachi »

The thread Somu will encompass many things. My idea of paying our tributes to a genius who went unrecognised with the SK title by MA is not going to be served well unless we start a separate thread (under Vidwans and Vidushis) with the qualifier. My last 2 cents.

Pratyaksham Bala
Posts: 4164
Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

Madurai Somasundaram - Top 100 Tracks :-
http://mio.to/artist/Madurai+Somasundaram/tracks

Rsachi
Posts: 5039
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Rsachi »

Here are some magnificent concerts - in full- of Madurai Somasundaram:

http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.in/ ... rai%20Somu

Six full concerts, each better than the other, with exquisite accompaniment -Lalgudi, MSG, MC, Chalakudy, Raghu, Dorai, Upendran....
Enjoy. So many hours of pure bliss.

dipukaruthedam
Posts: 37
Joined: 19 Jan 2016, 13:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by dipukaruthedam »

Recently, stumbled upon the below concert:

https://www.sangeethamshare.org/muralid ... utta-1969/

Amazing and wonderful (though audio quality is not great due to the older recording constraints)

Typical "Somu concert" in more than many ways -
- A full 4.5 hours concert! (I think this version has now become extinct!)
- What a flow of energy and enthusiasm!
- The "paddhathi" of Somu is his "own" version of the traditional one. He doesn't really need any warmups! In many of his concerts, he starts Nerval and swaras from the first song itself. Here, swaras appear in the first, then Neraval comes for the next two. The number of neravals and swarams he presents is generally much higher than others. (compare this with the current trend where one should feel happy if a neraval comes in the sub-main. Sometimes, a whole concert goes with just 1 or max 2 neravals).
- The mix of ragas is also notable, few common ones, with few interesting ones...
- Once can see how much he is appreciating the music as much as he is singing... It comes deep from his heart and the "Aiyyo..." that comes when he hears some wonderful replies by LGJ or by percussion itself is worth hearing :)
- The concert is worth listening just for LGJ returns as well! The way the concert gets embellished by his so lovely!
- There are also other typical stuff like stopping in between an alapana and saying "namaskaram, namaskaram" and continuing the alapana from where it was stopped!

Hope you all hear the concert and add additional points on the music, individual songs etc...

It would have been a treat to watch him live!

ram1999
Posts: 534
Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 17:20

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by ram1999 »

dipukaruthedam wrote: 21 May 2017, 23:00 Recently, stumbled upon the below concert:

https://www.sangeethamshare.org/muralid ... utta-1969/

Amazing and wonderful (though audio quality is not great due to the older recording constraints)

Typical "Somu concert" in more than many ways -
- A full 4.5 hours concert! (I think this version has now become extinct!)
- What a flow of energy and enthusiasm!
- The "paddhathi" of Somu is his "own" version of the traditional one. He doesn't really need any warmups! In many of his concerts, he starts Nerval and swaras from the first song itself. Here, swaras appear in the first, then Neraval comes for the next two. The number of neravals and swarams he presents is generally much higher than others. (compare this with the current trend where one should feel happy if a neraval comes in the sub-main. Sometimes, a whole concert goes with just 1 or max 2 neravals).
- The mix of ragas is also notable, few common ones, with few interesting ones...
- Once can see how much he is appreciating the music as much as he is singing... It comes deep from his heart and the "Aiyyo..." that comes when he hears some wonderful replies by LGJ or by percussion itself is worth hearing :)
- The concert is worth listening just for LGJ returns as well! The way the concert gets embellished by his so lovely!
- There are also other typical stuff like stopping in between an alapana and saying "namaskaram, namaskaram" and continuing the alapana from where it was stopped!

Hope you all hear the concert and add additional points on the music, individual songs etc...

It would have been a treat to watch him live!
3 artists in my opinion who get completely immersed in their own music, oblivious of what is happening around them, completely soaked in the art are MDR/Voleti and Somu. A class apart musicians !!!

Pasupathy
Posts: 7868
Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Pasupathy »

931. சங்கீத சங்கதிகள் - 139
மதுரை சோமு - 5

டிசம்பர் 9. மதுரை சோமு அவர்களின் நினைவு தினம்.
http://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2017/12/931-139.html

kvchellappa
Posts: 3596
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 13:54

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by kvchellappa »

Lalitha Ramachandran's post in FB:
Somu's superhuman neraval and Lalgudi's incredible return:
https://soundcloud.com/lalitharam-ramac ... ng-neraval

grsastrigal
Posts: 861
Joined: 27 Dec 2006, 10:52

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by grsastrigal »

Almost one year, we have not discussed the legend.
Recently, Somu's centenery celebrations started with leged M.Chandrasekharan gave a special speech. Don't know anyone attended this ?!

https://www.vikatan.com/diwalimalar/201 ... ml#cmt-sec

There was an article in Ananda vikatan dipavali malar about Somu. Link is above.
I have one personal request
I want to have a function - like playing Somu's vintage recording, preceded by a speech. The author of the aoove article is Mr.Sukumaran. If any one knows his contact number, please provide me.

Pasupathy
Posts: 7868
Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Pasupathy »

Recently I got this vintage photo of Somu. Prof. Trichy Sankaran said it was not him on the Mrdangam and could identify only Mannargudi Natesa Pillai on Morsing.

Here's the link to picture:
https://images2.imgbox.com/3d/b4/gDlcFnGQ_o.jpg

I would appreciate anyone identifying the artists in this picture.

Thanks.

shreyas
Posts: 251
Joined: 03 Mar 2018, 13:16

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by shreyas »

@grsastrigal did you get my email?

shankarank
Posts: 4041
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by shankarank »

Pasupathy wrote: 11 Mar 2019, 21:37 Recently I got this vintage photo of Somu. Prof. Trichy Sankaran said it was not him on the Mrdangam and could identify only Mannargudi Natesa Pillai on Morsing.

Here's the link to picture:
https://images2.imgbox.com/3d/b4/gDlcFnGQ_o.jpg

I would appreciate anyone identifying the artists in this picture.

Thanks.
Well this picture was posted by Raju Asokan here as part of some other concert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAj1aDCYPFY

He had the same and one other question - as to why Kanjira vidvAn is sitting in the front. I had replied there.

Only kanjira vidvAn that I know of that insisted on a front seat was SrI dakshiNamUrthy Achariar , the guru of Tiruchi SrI tAyumAnavan - as narrated once by Tiruchy Murali - the ghaTam vidvAn who is a student of the latter.

Raju had responded with a link to an article by @parivadini

https://carnaticmusicreview.wordpress.c ... yumanavan/

As regards the Mridangist , may be his student himself?

One can check with Tiruchi Murali or if @parivadini knows?.

Pasupathy
Posts: 7868
Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Pasupathy »

Thanks.
Yes, it was Raju Asokan who sent me that picture and asked me to post it here.
He has recently confirmed that Ganjeera vidwan was identified as Dakshinamurthy Achariar a disciple of Pudukottai Dakshinamurthy Pillai.

Pasupathy
Posts: 7868
Joined: 26 Jan 2013, 19:01

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Pasupathy »

Pasupathy wrote: 31 Mar 2019, 15:31 Thanks.
Yes, it was Raju Asokan who sent me that picture and asked me to post it here.
He has recently confirmed that Ganjeera vidwan was identified as Dakshinamurthy Achariar a disciple of Pudukottai Dakshinamurthy Pillai.
correction : Raju Asokan says that he received the confirmation from "Lalitharam" that it is actually Thiruvengadu Subramanya Pillai, the nathaswara vidwan who is accompanying Somu on the kanjeera.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

One of the greatest musician whom we have to celebrate far more than what it is as of today in his centenary year.
Write up on Madurai Somu dated July 12th 2019 in The Hindu
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... 376662.ece

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

Madurai Somu lecdem by Lalitharam@hamsadhwani, Chennai in July 2019 is here. Do read if you need to know a lot about this great vidwan,
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=33372


rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

Lovely write up of Lalitharam , a crisp one on madurai somu. For those who dont know tamil , I am attempting to translate something that touched me so immensely. Endorsement of Madurai Somu by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. I just translated that relevant tamizh words to english.

செம்மங்குடி சீனிவாஸ ஐயர் ஒருமுறை, “ராகங்கள் எல்லாம் தேவதைகள். ராக ஸ்வரூபம் வெளிப்படும்படி பாட அந்த ராக தேவதையின் அருள் வேண்டும். பொதுவாக கலைஞர்கள் எல்லாம் அந்த தேவதையின் அருளை நோக்கி தவமிருப்பார்கள். சோமுவைப் பொறுத்தவரை ராகங்கள் எல்லாம் “என்னைப்பாடு சோமு”, என்று சோமுவிடம் தவம்கிடக்கின்றன.”, என்றுள்ளார். இதைவிட அந்த நூற்றாண்டு நாயகனைப் பற்றி வேறென்ன சொல்லிவிடமுடியும்?


The doyen Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer once told "Ragas are all fairies(angels) . In order to musically demonstrate ragas , you need those fairies blessings. In general artists do penance to get those fairies blessings. But with Madurai Somu , all Ragas line up and do penance and says to somu "Please sing me"

Lalitharam,
By any chance is there a video/audio snippet of SSI. WHen and where was this told???

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

Lalitharam
There was a small video snippet that was uploaded by Manakkal Rangarajan son Manakkal sriram about 12 to 14 years back in this forum. The occassion was manakkal sriram wedding reception , manakkal rangarajan invites Madurai Somu and just close to that frame ,semmangudi srinivasa iyer comes to attend sriram's marriage reception. Rangarajan mama does ashtAnga namaskaram to SSI with somu watching it . If you do not have a video /audio snippet and when you write a book on madurai somu which you said you would include those pictures.

SSI endorsing Somu is just great.

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by parivadini »

rajeshnat wrote: 17 Oct 2019, 19:45
Lovely write up of Lalitharam , a crisp one on madurai somu. For those who dont know tamil , I am attempting to translate something that touched me so immensely. Endorsement of Madurai Somu by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. I just translated that relevant tamizh words to english.

செம்மங்குடி சீனிவாஸ ஐயர் ஒருமுறை, “ராகங்கள் எல்லாம் தேவதைகள். ராக ஸ்வரூபம் வெளிப்படும்படி பாட அந்த ராக தேவதையின் அருள் வேண்டும். பொதுவாக கலைஞர்கள் எல்லாம் அந்த தேவதையின் அருளை நோக்கி தவமிருப்பார்கள். சோமுவைப் பொறுத்தவரை ராகங்கள் எல்லாம் “என்னைப்பாடு சோமு”, என்று சோமுவிடம் தவம்கிடக்கின்றன.”, என்றுள்ளார். இதைவிட அந்த நூற்றாண்டு நாயகனைப் பற்றி வேறென்ன சொல்லிவிடமுடியும்?


The doyen Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer once told "Ragas are all fairies(angels) . In order to musically demonstrate ragas , you need those fairies blessings. In general artists do penance to get those fairies blessings. But with Madurai Somu , all Ragas line up and do penance and says to somu "Please sing me"

Lalitharam,
By any chance is there a video/audio snippet of SSI. WHen and where was this told???
Rajesh - this anecdote was told by Somu's living disciple Mazhaiyur Sadasivam. This was in a felicitation function of Somu at Narada Gana Sabha presided by SSI.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

My personal interactions with Madurai somu in early/mid to late 80's :
-----------------------------------------------------------
1. Near his house in LakeArea i used to play road side tennis ball cricket . Ball sometimes goes into his house. some times i have had chance to take that tennis ball , i have done some mickey with him where when the ball goes i used to shout maruda malai maa maniyE murugaiyya . I did not know him then as a carnatic singer .

2. Once in Nungambakkam Corporation ground . He was invited as a guest for a flood light night cricket match award ceremony. He was invited and I think along with him the filmactor Late Pandian was also there. THat was a cricket match finals which was a flood light tennis ball cricket match , very enjoyable then . I still remember he used to say BESH BESH for all the cricketers who got some small medal . Then also i did not know that he was a carnatic singer.

The above two are musically irrelavant , but the next two is some what musically relevant

3. Atleast 2 or 3 occassions I have noticed he coming to a gents hair saloon for a haircut . I remember that he sang some song in carnatic song when the scissors was on . It was kathiri (scissors) sangathis, I am sure it was also the kathiri (nadaswara pidi)sangathis that we all know but then I did not know.

4. Just around 88 or 87 , i heard him a part concert of his in one or two places. I vaguely recolllect one vadapalani temple where i and my parents went to temple but not to hear him. I did not get his music then , It is only my loss, atleast in those days there was only 3 carnatic musicians SP Balasubramaniam(from the film shankarabharanam), KJ Yesudas(from the film sindhubhairavi ) and Maharajapuram Santhanam(he did not act in any films) . The rest of the living musicians then were- I thought they were also musicians like my paatu class vaadiyars .....

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

Somu died in 1989 and he was born on 1919. He lived only 70 years . Few musicians like palakkad raghu got it at 80 plus . It is erroneous to keep complaining that somu was not given sangeetha kalanidhi. In 1980's semmangudi was pushing most of his chelas to SK so possibly if somu and MDR lived another 10 years they would have got it. Anyway the branding of SK has to continue that few missed that way SK will be still talked about
Nice writeup on Madurai Somu on the beautiful Dec 01st ,2019 where The HIndu publishes exclusive margazhi
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... 123519.ece

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by parivadini »

I wrote a detailed article on Somu. An excerpt has been published here. The full article is expected to be published sometime (hopefully) soon.

https://www.hindutamil.in/news/suppleme ... _3dyIGO33E

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rshankar »

parivadini wrote: 06 Dec 2019, 00:18 I wrote a detailed article on Somu. An excerpt has been published here. The full article is expected to be published sometime (hopefully) soon.

https://www.hindutamil.in/news/suppleme ... _3dyIGO33E
I really wish you'd write in English for a greater audience! :)



rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

Lalitharam gave a lecdem on Madurai somu in dec 2019 in Music Academy. Incidentally till before Dec 2019 apart from SK's few eminent musician portraits are hanged like LGJ etc. From this year Madurai Somu portrait is also put inside academy in the advanced school of music hall (not the main hall). Nice for a mahavidwan Madurai Somu to continue to live as a live portrait in the most famous sabha - Music Academy.
Kudos to all those who took part to have this milestone from Dec 2019.

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by parivadini »

Thank you Rajesh for sharing. My lecture can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evZmNgVkEeY

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

lalitharam
yesterday night i heard ur lecdem of academy. Though abridged when compared to what you gave in adayar this acdemy presentation was exceptionally well done. As i said to you in person before ,next have TRS as your next target. We need not wait for 2029 for trs centenary.



HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: Postal cover on Maha Vidwan Madurai Somu released

Post by HarishankarK »

Two of the great vidwans who sang like 'Uyira koduththu paadaradhu' - one Madurai Somu and another DKJ - in their videos you can see they are lost in their own music and pouring their heart out with 0 inhibitions.

HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: Postal cover on Maha Vidwan Madurai Somu released

Post by HarishankarK »

the great thing about Madurai Somu is that what he did in the higher octaves or in his manodharma sangeetham - if attempted by some one else will sound like noise - but Madurai SOmu was able to keep the bhakthi bhava and passion intact

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by parivadini »

This lengthy article (in Tamil) of mine appeared in the Pongal Malar of Tamil Hindu.

https://carnaticmusicreview.wordpress.c ... u-article/

musicofmdr
Posts: 27
Joined: 16 May 2020, 18:36

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by musicofmdr »

Pasupathy wrote: 30 Dec 2014, 07:25 Madurai Somasundaram -Thaye Yasodha -Ragam Thodi-Adi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLyCAPy_esc
Wow!!!!! :shock: This is as if Somu got possessed by "music deity"!!! Only he can do this...

Lot of things to talk about - check the bit around 2:30, style of AlApana from 5:45 culminating in some interesting sounds at around 6:20 (is he saying "ellAm nAdam than"?), starting from anupallavi, bits around 9:06 & 9:30, "koncha koncha" around 10:20 (this comes in neraval also), "kannA" around 10:45 - 11:05, nadai changes from 11:10, a very interesting neraval, change of whole style around 14:04 (!!!), the 4+ kAlams starting from around 14:40, "parama" prefix at around 18:30, and the climax is rAgamAlika swarams inside a kruti - I have not heard it being done by any other vocalist!!!! The way the swarams end is also something worth hearing!

And, the way he says "tAyE" or "gurunAtha", his expressions of self appreciation, "sabAsh" for accompanying artists etc.., all of these come directly from the heart.

Purists may not approve of some of these, but I can't help hearing this again and again! :)

#musicofmdr
https://musicofmdr.com/

vgovindan
Posts: 1865
Joined: 07 Nov 2010, 20:01

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by vgovindan »

Purists - you said? Who cares? All experiences are heart-centric. Intellect is just a monkey - jumping from one (concert) tree to another. Whether someone agrees or not, I like HM more because it is heart-centric. Of course, Somu has been one of my favourites - who cares about his pronunciations and antics too. There is divine music.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by rajeshnat »

musicofmdr wrote: 31 May 2020, 21:57
Wow!!!!! :shock: This is as if Somu got possessed by "music deity"!!! Only he can do this...

the climax is rAgamAlika swarams inside a kruti - I have not heard it being done by any other vocalist!!!! The way the swarams end is also something worth hearing!
Much before Madurai Somu , I am assuming Madurai Mani Iyer did this . For the sangeetha kalanidhi 1959 concert madurai mani iyer sings intha sowkhya in kapi and follows up with ragamaliga swaras. I have witnessed tns doing it and once suryaprakash doing neraval in ragamaliga for kalanil chilambu too and also ragamaliga swaras. I know for sure TVS sir has done it and once even TNS Krishna doing this ragamaliga swaras.

All said Madurai somu taaye YashodhE is one of a kind , exhilirating ride . If you have time hear any of his shanmughapriya . You will have sleepless night with his pouring ideas. Also pay attention to his ragamaliga viruththams at the end , for 20 mins such speed and verve in changing ragas, he is truest carnatic maniac mahavidwan .

musicofmdr
Posts: 27
Joined: 16 May 2020, 18:36

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by musicofmdr »

rajeshnat wrote: 01 Jun 2020, 14:53 Much before Madurai Somu , I am assuming Madurai Mani Iyer did this . For the sangeetha kalanidhi 1959 concert madurai mani iyer sings intha sowkhya in kapi and follows up with ragamaliga swaras. I have witnessed tns doing it and once suryaprakash doing neraval in ragamaliga for kalanil chilambu too and also ragamaliga swaras. I know for sure TVS sir has done it and once even TNS Krishna doing this ragamaliga swaras.
@rajeshnat, thank you for this info! So, it appears to be a practice in some styles. Interesting!
rajeshnat wrote: 01 Jun 2020, 14:53 All said Madurai somu taaye YashodhE is one of a kind , exhilirating ride . If you have time hear any of his shanmughapriya . You will have sleepless night with his pouring ideas. Also pay attention to his ragamaliga viruththams at the end , for 20 mins such speed and verve in changing ragas, he is truest carnatic maniac mahavidwan .
Yes, have heard few, and some of his renditions are really haunting, as you mentioned.

#musicofmdr
https://musicofmdr.com

Purist
Posts: 430
Joined: 13 May 2008, 16:55

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by Purist »

vgovindan wrote: 01 Jun 2020, 06:08 Purists - you said? Who cares? All experiences are heart-centric. Intellect is just a monkey - jumping from one (concert) tree to another. Whether someone agrees or not, I like HM more because it is heart-centric. Of course, Somu has been one of my favourites - who cares about his pronunciations and antics too. There is divine music.

This 'purist' simply adores music of Somu, MMI , TKR , MDR and the like. They are 'heart centric"
as you rightly put it.

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Madurai Somu

Post by RSR »

https://shankarkrish.blog/carnatic-voca ... asundaram/

quite a few recordings of concerts.
audio-player in the page itself.
songs list for each concert with ragams given.
Do visit and listen.

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