kunthalavarali wrote:I am no sure if the following two Dikshitar's krithis sung by SSI is on Sangeethamshare:
1: Parthasarthy_Yadhukulakambodhi and
I am sure rasikas will welcome your upload of these wonderful compositions.
srIpArthasarathy in yadukulakAmbhOji is one of Subbarama dIkshitar's wizard compositions.[aren't they all]. it, along with the swarajati and tAmarasAkSa, sets the highwater mark for the raga
Hi Forumites: After a long gestation period marked by ambivalence,doubt and a sense of propriety I decided to launch the SSI Saga for better or worse. As some of you who have been following my chronicles know I have been talking about it and some of you may have felt I was "teasing". Nothing could be farthest from the truth.
Since the MSS/TS Saga(which by the way still remains incomplete with the post-1977 period yet to be touched--need VKV's help to jog some memories!!) I felt the narrative was a little too ad hoc without much coherence--responding to forumites' queries,my own digressions in the anecdotes swerving away from the topic and somehow I felt the true character and force of the personalities involved did not come out as I would have wished. As the MSS/TS narrative itself was my FIRST experience writing about people whom I knew intimately well and as I was not sure about the nature of the audience I was writing to(I must confess at the time of writing the MSS/TS saga I had not fully explored the wide gamut of subjects and the range and depth of expertise displayed by the forumites). Subsequently I became bolder once I was convinced the forum was by no means a "Whispering gallery"( a column in Sruthi magazine that used to be about some gossip in the Chennai Music Elites circle) and that there were certain norms of discretion and temperance in comments which most forumites observed for the most part.
Now what has this preamble got to do with the subject on hand?
For the SSI saga after thinking long and hard I decided to cover the vast subject from several facets of a Great Man---- SSI as an (1) Artist/ performer, (2) Family Man, (3) Teacher,(4) Institution leader (5) relationships with fellow artistes,contemporaries, sishyas,(6) relationships with Authority(govt/private) (7) Friend,philosopher and Guide to close friends and their families,(8) As a Senior Statesman for CM and the roles that he played championing causes-not all of them publicised. While this is a broad outline that I plan to follow with appropriate anecdotes to underscore a particular point, this should not by any means constrict Forumites who knew Mama well to "pitch" in,challenge/support my inferences. Any digression necessitated by the need to answer a specific query by forumites would not derail the flow!!
Now as forumites well know Mama lived a long active life 95 years with more than his share of positive and negative things. Being active and well-connected and famous amongst the CM artistes of four generations, he had more than his share of detractors and sycophants as well--all of which Mama handled with commendable aplomb and grace. Having outlived all of his fellow artistes and friends(with the exception of my maternal uncle-96 years--he died in Oct 2009) and my father (93-Sept 2006)--both of whom were unswerving loyal lieutenants for Mama, the last 2 decades of his life our family as a whole was very close to Mama--there were several family functions in the late Nineties and early 2000's where the three Nono generians would congregate and regale us all with their old tales/reminiscences(spanning over 6 decades) and by that time by sheer virtue of some of us in the family crossing the 60's emboldening us to 'pry" and tease mama about his "tales". This is pure God's grace that we could be close to a Colossus with not much credentials to tout. This was a genuine fear that inhibited me and was partly responsible for my ambivalence. Mama would have been the FIRST person to put a "kabosh' on this project of mine had he been alive!! Moreover the family members are still very close to me and although I know they do not follow this forum I am sure by the time I am thru they will and I might be ostracized for indiscretion!!!
My sources would be primarily my father and uncle besides myself(sometimes being a fly-in-the-wall OR a quizzical interloper to be cut down mercilessly at times for crossing boundaries or a spell-bound listener to a wonderful raconteur without a trace of chest-thumping-all-wise demeanour. My father--an amateur "dabbler" astrologer--always used to exclaim what a lucky horoscope Mama's was-- Anju Griham Uccham(to this day I do not know what it means but I believe it is one of the prosperous and lucky configurations of planets!!). Being in Chennai and being close to the Sadasivams--a double bonus--my father interacted almost daily-either in person or over the phone or some public functions in Chennai where they were Honorees or Honorers so much so we were all subjected to --- whether we liked it or not--a blow-by-blow account of the happenings,my father's inferences duly backed by some reference to a particular planet in Mama's horoscope justifying the inference!!! The last public/private function that Mama attended (to my knowledge) was for my father's 90th birthday in Chennai in August 2003--Mama died two months later--he was very sick and still managed to attend the function and bless us all(more on this later).
Mama used to affectionately call me when I was young about 10 years old-- Ramanayya Chetty(a jalatarangam player of the twenties and thirties who had a gravelly voice) and for a long time to his fellow artistes he would introduce me as the modern Ramanayya Chetty. To this day I do not know if it was meant to be a compliment or not but I will take it in the positive spirit!! Towards the last two decades of his life he was very free with me and my wife(he would call her "rameshi" much to the consternation of "feminists" in the family!!!). Besides my father , my wife's uncle was also a close friend of Mama so that there were many links that were forged over the years.
Naturally I was privy to lots of stories and storied events that graced Mama's life and I hope the narrative is perceived in the right spirit--not a braggart's blather--but a Bat-boy in Baseball--close enough to the celebrity players but none-the-less a dispensable bat boy!!!!
How do I feel about writing this?
Imagine--a cock-eyed,physically challenged Midget, standing in front of a 50' by 50' white canvas,attempting a portrait of one of the greatest CM colosses of the 20th century with a set of paint brushes--whose bristles look like the quills of a porcupine--frazzled and disheveled-- and a palette of different paint colors/hues--baked and dried--with fissures on them that resemble an aerial view of the parched Rajasthan desert floor!!!
To be continued(sorry folks pardon my typos--too tired to correct them lest I lose the whole post!!)
Mods :
Please
a) make this sticky under the Vidwans section
OR
b)Move MKR's account to a new thread titled on the lines of Blast from the Past - 1-Semmangudi
Three Cheers for MKR 's start on this longstanding demand
MKR Sir,
What language and what an introduction to what is to come? Simply brilliant. I suggest you do one thing that is very important.As you type in all your anecdotes , just give a small heading like Introduction and keep a copy of your posts in a word document . As you move on with your lovely anecdotes , you have the entire content saved too as one long cohesive biography.
Who knows your posts can be published as small book .?
Mods
I prefer this thread being made sticky as suggested by thimma
I have to break my promise and wake up from my reverie like the fabled Narayana breaking his yoganidra when events call for his participation!
SSI is a sangita upasaka who is very much relevant to what I am esoterically investigating and his biography from one close to him is a guidebook for the saadhaka.
SSI lived a full rich life and was the living History of CM upto our times and was the last of the later day Trinity (CVB/MVI/SSI). There never was an area or person in CM that he did not touch in his life - and what he touched he enlivened and embellished. No doubt he is called the one and only Sangita Pitamaha..
Thanks MKR for fulfilling your promise as I am getting ready to ride with you on your time-capsule...
Ramasubramanian M.K wrote:Thanks Coolji and Rajeshnat for your encouraging words.
What is a "sticky"?
It is a method by which the thread always remains at the top .And does not slide down the page in the descending order of time of last post.
In a way it is a sign of importance given to a subject that is engaging the attention of a large cross section of rasikas , on a daily basis.Unlike other threads which need jump starting time and again
Coolji: Thanks for the clarification!! I intend to post atleast twice/week and I will do my best not to let the thread hanging due to prolonged pauses and hiatus!!!
Thanks CM Lover-- I resisted the temptation to "snare" you back with entreaties because I was sure I had the right bait for the fish to bite and thank God you did!! I look forward to your sharing your own experiences as we go along this travelogue. Given Mama's long and active life I doubt if there is anyone on earth interested in CM who would not have come into contact with the Pitamaha.
MKR
Your calculation was right! SSI is a wakeup call for me.
Let me start you off with a related personal anecdote of mine.
I used to attend SSI's classes at the swati academy whenever my time permitted. On that day I was tired from the medical chores and as SSI was demonstrating a beautiful cArukesi i almost dozed off. Noticing that SSI suddenly interrupted the aalaapana which broke my reverie. He looked at me and with his characteristic namuTTu chirippu intoned:
KripayA pArayyA shaurE (kindly pay attention Narayanan (shaurE) )
That was an unforgettable event for me..
Strangely our family's acquaintance of Semmangudi mama came thro Musiri Mama. When my uncle was studying in Benares in the early thirties,he had a cook with him from Chennai(consistent with his reputation of being a Raja(which was his pet name anyway!!)--Musiri mama and Tanjore Vaidyanatha Iyer were invited for some felicitation by the late Madan Mohan Malaviya --as they were not happy with the stay arrangements especially food, my uncle a Carnatic Music fanatic heard about the difficulities and invited the two to stay with him and enjoy the Tamil Nadu cooking. Subsequent to their return to madras the acquaintance blossomed and Musiri mama introduced Semmangudi mama to my uncle and Tanjore Vaidyanatha Iyer became an admirer of my uncle for his epicurean and "dandy' tastes. My uncle and father had already heard Semmangudi Mama for the first time in 1933 @ the Malaikottai temple Kutcheri(Semmangudi was 25 and my uncle and father were only 20 years old) and acc to my uncle were simply bowled over(both of them were ardent Kittappa and TNR fans) but the close acquaintance took place two or three years later and since that time the friendship never withered. At my aunt's(mother's sister) wedding in Palamadai(village in Tirunelveli District SSI sang with T .K.Jayarama Iyer and Tanjore Vaidyanatha Iyer.(Vaithanna)--An anecdote--an embarrassing one too!!
It seems I used to be able to identify ragas at a young age(I have no recollection of this incident !!) Semmangudi Mama told Vaithanna that I can identify any raga --Vaithanna I believe was skeptical but decided to go along--what else does one do in a village with one Street and where the cattle--pigs and donkeys and poultry outnumber humans!!!-- a few ragas were sang I believe and were identified by me. No big deal!! Right!! Since then till the late Nineties whenever I visited Mama's house in Royapettah in Chennai(even when I was past 60) whenever a visitor not known to me visited Mama -- Mama would introduce me not necessarily as the son or nephew of so-and-so but as a boy who could identify ragas at the age of 6--this too AT A TIME WHEN TW0-YEAR OLDS ON THE YOU TUBE IDENTIFY RAGAS IN NANO SECONDS--I would feel like crawling into the nearest hole out of embarassment. Since then upon reflection I have now realised it is far from a compliment-- if in my sixties I am to be remembered for what I must have done unconsciously when I was Six WHICH NOWADAYS 2-YEAR OLDS DO WITH ALACRITY I HAVE NOT MADE AN IOTA OF PROGRESS SINCE THEN !!! Truth hurts but can be sobering!!!!
Seriously though Mama's agreeing to sing for a newly acquired friend(mama was 36 years old) in a remote village with no media exposure demonstrated to me his steadfastness with his friends -- a trait Mama was renowned for.(More on this later in the Friends and Family portion).
Let me start with my views on Mama as an artist/performer. As is well known Mama had an atrociously uncooperative voice since the time he started singing--he tried many desperate remedies -and I think had some surgery which made it worse. Dr.M.N. Prabhu who was the ENT head of Dept in General Hospital Chennai(who also was MS Mami's ENT specialist--in his Konkani-laden accent he would remark about Mami's voice that lightning will strike him if he lays a knife in her voice box!!) tried his best but could not do much. Mama's nasal attempts were a desperate move to bring out his rich imagination. At a time when Ariyakudi,Chembai--his seniors were dominant with their voices, GNB and MMI had their own felicities with their voices , I have personally witnessed the despair and anguish Mama went thro every time he ascended the concert platform--never once did he envy the others' for their voice gifts but only the lament that his ardor,passion and Vidwat was not able to be conveyed. An anecdote:
Once in the late forties --I think 1948 or 1949(Forumites should pardon me if I am not specific about dates-- I never kept a diary--the date is irrelevant for this anecdote)--Mama had come to Bombay for the Shanmukhananda concert--Mama stayed with us in our small 600 sq. flat in matunga --the concert was a struggle--the voice would simply refuse to cooperate-- Mama sang for about three hours and ended the concert without any fan fare--after he returned to our flat he had a light meal and asked the Sishya(I think it was TMT or Kedaram I cannot recall) to bring the Tambura(@ 9 P.M.--he started singing--the voice after the 3-hour sadhakam at the concert platform before had softened the rough contours. Boy did he sing--what kalpana swaram--Karaharapriya--his favorite raga== Chakkani Raja followed by Shankarabaranam-- Bhava-laden--the kriti was Bahu Meera-Veena Kuppier kriti--the charanam Neelavanyamu for neraval was out of the world/ The singing continued till midnight--the other tenants in the Building(we were in the top floor)--unfortunately were not musically inclined and came upstairs to complain and had to be pacified--the swara prastharam--the Pa Pa Pa Pa Dha Pa Pa Ma Pa Ma(the glide in the Ma Pa Mumma would be dripping with Bhava) ending with Pa Sa Pa still rings in my ears 60 years later!! Mind you the audience was just our family of four or five--Mama simply could not bottle up all the Kalpanas that his voice failed him at the concert platform earlier and did not need any coaxing on our part nor did he bother about the disturbance at that hour to the neighbors.
Simply put Mama was best AFTER a concert in which he had voice troubles --not that he was unfair to the audience but he simply cannot let it go as an off day and move on. This passion I repeatedly witnessed over the next five or six decades--in my next post I will describe an incident with Lalgudi Sir in the late sixties when they collaborated on the Swathi Thirunal Thillana in Dhanasri--a literal labor of love and passion with both artistes who fed off each other!!
I have heard that in his twenties piTamaha was so fast in his swaraprastaara that he was dubbed the Electric Train (did they exist then?) which nobody could match but he slowed down much in later years! How was he in the late forties?
VKV-re: your query on Calcutta krishnamurthi's role:r
I am not aware of that.I was present in one of the sessions when Mama and Lalgudi were collaborating on the song--mama had the script but portions of it were not clear--grammatically--as neither of them knew Hindi.they decided to consult Ra Vizhinathan(at that time Sub-Editor in Kalki magazine) who used to translate Prem Chand's Hindi novels into tamil in Kalki in a serial fashion. Sadasiva mama was contacted and he readily dispatched Ra V to Royapettah wher Semmangudi lived for the last 35 to 40 years of his life(he died in the same residence which now is a set of flats occupied by his son and daughter).
The hang-up was on a word in the Charanam that starts with Tan Gaaave--the word Tan was not clear and was arrived at after several deliberations--the script had the word tal and Ra V did not think it was right--Gave is a colloquial version of the word for singing and Tal simply did not fit in. After repeated permutation and combination they settled upon Tan as in the colloquial Hindi of that time Tan meant tune which made the most sense. This whole exercise took about 2 to 3 hours. neither Mama nor Lalgudi would be satisfied till the text made sense--both of them were perfectionists--the Muthaipu jathis(which was not in the original but a collaborative effort on both mama and lalgudi sir--namely Thathim Thathim Tirana was completely lalgudi's--Mama had suggested a simple jathi like the one in Chenchuruti Thillana--but Lalgudi prevailed. At the end of the day's work-out I drove Lalgudi Sir back to mambalam and during the drive Lalgudi Sir was profusely praising Mama's passion and how he breathed Music even at that stage--Mama's concert appearances were on the decline although he was only about 60 and subsequently had a revival till the Mid eighties when he was almost eighty. After dropping Lalgudi Sir when I returned to mama's house mama was all praise for Lalgudi's passion and craftsmanship and commmented on how elegant the Muthaippu Jathi was in the Thillana--since then till he died Mama and Lalgudi Sir formed the best Mutual Admiration tag team in CM history!!!
I am not aware if Calcutta Krishnamurthy Bhagavathar also had a hand in it--it is quite possible because at that time Lalgudi Sir was very much supportive of CK's varnams and popularised the Kadana Kuthuhalam varnam--in fact if VKV remembers at the first concert @ Columbia Univ during the VVV trio concert tour, Lalgudi and Ramani played this varnam exquisitely. I am sure forumites have heard this Varnam.
Mama had tremendous respect for his guru Sakhrama Rao(Gottuvadyam expert) and was fond of narrating his learning experiences(not much with Maharajapuram V as is commonly believed)--he had Olai
Chuvadi with a song written by Sakharama Rao which he cherished as an heirloom. More on Sakharama Rao-Mama's association as told by mama--later----
re; CM lover's query --Yes--it was true that in the thirties Mama was fond of fast-paced singing--the gramophone records--Tsalagalla in Arabhi,(especially in the chittaswara)Etavunara(the charanam Boo Kamala
will be at breakneck speed---even Navasiddhi Petralum is at a faster pace compared to the leisurely pace that mama sang Karaharapriya in his later years(Chakkani raja ,Ramani Samana Mevaru etc)--so much so--if you notice carefully in the Navasiddhi Petralum record, you would find an off note in the bit "Papamum Punyamum Ganiyamal Panathukke Parappavar verum Savi-- specifically when he says in the neraval Punya(a slight slippage-- he brilliantly recovers and renders a flash of a sangathi in Punyamum)-in those days for some reason the rerecording was not easy I believe so they let this minor infraction pass!!)_ When we were kids we used to play that record again and again and stop the needle after the note repeatedly and used to have fun--for which I am sure I would serve 100 terms of 100 years each in naraham!!! Sacrilege!!!
Thanks for the interesting stories.
Navasiddhi was a great favourite of Sivan who used to render it in most of his Bhajans. However it became a great favourite all over Madras Presidency with the rendering of SSI. In the forties even in small villages in the coffee shops with a ricketty Gramaphone where they will play it since ordinary folks just loved it. I never noticed the slipup and the coverup in the shellac record till you mentioned it. There is a saying in Tamil "karaDi kaRRavan iRaDi vizhunthaalum oru kalai" (If an expert in karate slips and falls he does it as an art (i.e., masks it dexterously).
Pitamaha used to teach this with gusto and once I asked him what the ninth siddhi was since we all knew of the aShTa siddhis (aNima, laghima, mahima, garima, prApti, pragamya, vashitva and Ishatva). He promptly answered 'rasavAda' (converting baser metals to gold). Shows he knew not only the sahitya but also the inner meanings!
Dear MKR,
I certainly REMEMBER every Varnam&Thillana of LGJ because I had managed to write a special program which enabled us to use the visit USA flight program without VIOLATING their rules which saved us close to 3000 dollars in 1971.We were forced to sit in Syracuse Airport Parking LOT from 7A.M. TO 7P.M. when American Airlines in DESPERATION gave up & accepted my ROUTING! LGJ explained the history, his thinking as well as the technical aspects of ALL his Varnams, Thillanas& Pallavis the whole day! IT WAS THE MOST EXCITING LEARNING EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE SO FAR apart from when Richard Feynman explained his Feynman Diagrams. I CANNOT DESCRIBE MY EXCITEMENT WHEN I RECALL THAT DAY!THAT ONE DAY WAS TO ME WORTH ALL THE 20,000 MILES I DROVE THEM MYSELF!.....
I am writing this because I STRONGLY FEEL YOU SHOULD EXPAND THIS SERIES INTO A BOOK WHICH POSTERITY WILL THANK YOU FOR. I will be happy to help in the publication aspect etc.......VKV
cacm wrote:LGJ explained the history, his thinking as well as the technical aspects of ALL his Varnams, Thillanas& Pallavis the whole day! IT WAS THE MOST EXCITING LEARNING EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE SO FAR apart from when Richard Feynman explained his Feynman Diagrams. I CANNOT DESCRIBE MY EXCITEMENT WHEN I RECALL THAT DAY!THAT ONE DAY WAS TO ME WORTH ALL THE 20,000 MILES I DROVE THEM MYSELF!.....
I am writing this because I STRONGLY FEEL YOU SHOULD EXPAND THIS SERIES INTO A BOOK WHICH POSTERITY WILL THANK YOU FOR. I will be happy to help in the publication aspect etc.......VKV
Perhaps once when the semmangudi thread is over ,you can write about LGJ in his thread, we are all ears.
MKR Sir
I am assuming right now you are covering in the era of 1920 to early 1940. Just few questions.
1 . Any anecdotes of your dad listening to semmangudi where he was giving vocal support.
2. As early as 1927, semmangudi mamA has given a concert with Indian National Congress which was a very big turning point in his long musical innings . Any anecdotes there.
3. By any chance has semmangudi mamA been a freedom fighter or associated with freedom struggle(I meant actively not passively).
Qus#1. NO. Quest#2 No. Quest#3 NO but Mama would always wear Khaddar jibba and veshti for the concerts and claimed that he would use the Charkha for just spinning--one of my uncles(mother's sister's husband who lived next door to us in matunga Bombay was an ardent Congress Volunteer and had a charkha in his flat in matunga--Mama became a thick friend although my uncle(my aunt was a very good singer) was not musically-minded. But Mama used to try his Charka whenever he visited Bombay.
Generally Mama's view was not to defy authority even if it were not legitimate--I will cover an anecdote later ---in Trivandrum when he was principal @ the Academy there in the forties when he had to "finesse" the authorities on a ticklish matter affecting the institution. he succeeded but never publicised it or braged about it till the issue became moot several years after Independence. Mama's oft-quoted(by my father) phrase was "ARASANGATHAI EDHUTHUKKA KUDATHU"(NEVER CONFRONT AUTHORITY)--NOT THAT HE WOULD ACQUIESCE IN BLATANT INJUSTICE BUT HE WOULD SAY TRY MEANS TO DEFUSE IT BEFORE IT GETS WORSE.
Forestalling and anticipating events/consequences was his forte. To my knowledge he has had more successes in his life than failures adopting this stance .
Around the time of the Independence in 1946-47 ,mama was in a "fix"--the Maharani of Travancore goaded and encouraged by Sir C.P.Ramaswamy Iyer who was the Dewan @ the time of Independence,defied Sardar Patel and fought accession. Mama was neutral(as the head of the Academy one would have expected him to be loyal to the MAHARANI AS SHE WAS HIS EMPLOYER) and was "teased" by his friends for his patriotism-over-loyalty posture!! But the truth of the matter was that Mama's timely advise not to resist thro a mutual friend of the Maharani endeared him to the Indian auhorities as well as the maharani and mama was steadfstly rspectul to the maharani several years after Independence. On this matter I would say Mama was far more astute and politically savvy than Sir C.P
His detractors would unfairly label him as "insincere" and opportunistic--To people who were objective and willing to listen to reason Mama always ahd an effective response to such innuendos. Not to jump the timeline here--in the late Nineties or early 200's Mama drew the highest respect from the TN CM--MK--in a public function after Mama had praised the CM in a felicitation function in which MK presided, MK jokingly remarked how relieved he was in that mama did not take to politics and that if he had entered politics MK would have met more than his match!!!!
To put it simply, mama made decisions more by the head rather than the heart but made sure the decisions were Dharmic--he simply was not the kind of a pesron who acted on impulses and regretted the consequences later--not withstanding all the controversies his statements may have generated during the SB-BMK-Subbudu exchanges(more on this later in the section on his relationships with Vidwans etc). I am not teasing--just I want a cohesive picture to be drawn and the anecdotes in the appropriate sections would hopefully bring this out.
This does not mean that interjections are not welcome--they add spice and flavor to the narrative and also help me understand the perspectives of the forumites.
more later---
Re: RShankar's request-- Book idea--I am not sure I am ready for it--perhaps if my guru(aka VKV) bids me to do I may consider!!!
NOT JUST ME BUT EVERY ONE WHO REMEMBERS THOSE TIMES AS WELL AS NEWER RASIKAS WOULD WELCOME IT AS A REFRESHINGLY PROPER ACCOUNT OF SUCH A GIANTFROM ONE WHO IS EMINENTLY QUALIFIED TO WRITE ABOUT IT........VKV
(NEVER CONFRONT AUTHORITY)--NOT THAT HE WOULD ACQUIESCE IN BLATANT INJUSTICE BUT HE WOULD SAY TRY MEANS TO DEFUSE IT BEFORE IT GETS WORSE.
My Dad used to say it differently :
You Need not always Bow to authority. But always remember to tip your hat
I have just stumbled upon , what I reckon is , one of the oldest SSI concerts - with TC and PMI - Is it out of place to keep placing nuggets from this concert , here in this thread - to maintain momentum , MKR ?
Ramasubramanian M.K wrote:Re: RShankar's request-- Book idea--I am not sure I am ready for it--perhaps if my guru(aka VKV) bids me to do I may consider!!!
Not to put words into his mouth, but I think he (VKV) just did!
Coolji: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! YOU ARE WELCOME/ENCOURAGED/HEREBY CAJOLED- to post not only clips from the past but also anecdotes without in any way interrupting my meandering prose!!!
-Mama because of his longivity and passion-- had -- during his career a 2-3-4 generation of accompaniments--Chowdiah/Papa/Rajamanikkam Pillai,followed by TNK-Lalgudi-MSG,followed by VVS,Chalakudy Narayanaswamy et al on the violin and on the mridangam from Dakshinamurthy Pillai,followed by PMI/PSP/Murugabhoopathy/TKM,then UVS/Trichy Sankaran et al--so it would be a nice exercise to listen to those old stalwarts accompanying hm and how each one of them besides Mama had evolved in their own styles.
As a performer Mama had certain views that accompaniments are just that and they should not overshadow the vocalist however high the stature of the mridangist or Violinist may be. This general view coupled with an occasional "left-handed" compliment to PMI's Kriti -hugging style,did create some misunderstandings largely fueled by his detractors with his sycophants taking up the cudgels on Mama's part-besides Mama was a trifle ruffled by PMI's "hero-worshipping" ARI's style and singing but remaining cold and unfazed when accompanying Mama--It should be pointed out Mama had the HIGHEST regard for ARI and gave him full credit for the breezy concert format that several musicians over the generations adopted and adapted to suit their styles and enhanced the listening experiences of several listeners that followed. Much would be made by PMI's supporters of Mama's tendency to show loud support with Aha beshda to Trichy Sankaran and to UVS --"Inda Madiri Arai Chappu Kettu Romba Nalacchu--that too at a time when even amongst the Mridangists there was unanimous opinion about PMI's Arai Chappu and Meettu Chapu suddham. which to this day stands Non Pareil!!! Needless to say these comments would reach PMI's ears who would simply refuse to take the bait OR stoke the fires much to the consternation of the gossip-mongers!!.
To a large extent mama's views were shaped by his early experiences and the roles that accompaniments enjoyed before Mama took the stage.
In the next post I would trace his lineage and how much the traditionalists(within his own family) shaped his views . I personally understood Mama's views better after I heard his defence of his lineage and knowledge of contemporary activities of the accompaniments .These reminiscences-- were made during the Mid-Nineties and late Nineties when I visited Mama regularly whenever I was in Chennai--that also was a time when Mama would lament that no one wants to learn kritis from him any more because everybody seems to be on the move all the time--especially he would comment on TMK(he had high regard for TMK's vidwath and felt he was quite a torchbearer of CM at a time when people were lamenting about the decline of CM and popularity of film music!!!)--Enda Avanukku Romba Kautcheriyo- Padi Nal OOrileye irukirudillai polirukku(Does he have so many engagements--I understand he is out of town half the time!!).
I deeply regretted --had I had atleast some rudimentary training in singing Mama would have loved to teach me some songs--perhaps he was prescient in not offering to teach me because his love for preservation of his legacy overshadowed his love for me!!!!
You see no matter whichever way you look at his life,he showed uncanny judgement and discretion and never let his heart rule over his head!!!f
I know YOU are at the epi-center & such closeness would force you to be generous etc. But as an outsider who claims to be objective etc-these are matters of degree- it was well known that he had said: So&So Mridhangam Yenakku Porum; Also he was quite insensitive using his sharp & biting humour on Violinists during concerts itself.....These while interesting are distractions that at least I will record for the sake of accuracy......I attribute it to his bitterness in not being in his opinion recognised for examples the number of concerts etc compared to others till late in his career; This showed up in his surprising reactions sometimes.....
Of course I am writing this because of historical reasons. What we should adimre is his Talent, Knowledge, Dedication&involvement which overwhelmed all these nitpicking aspects. I wish Ihad one billionth of his great qualities......VKV
http://www.mediafire.com/file/fcp9nbt8x ... gumomu.mp3
Thanks MKR.
Here we go. I start with a track in the middle of the concert that has a Thani . Enjoy as you read these posts . I will bring up the rest of this concert as the stories unfold. Vintage Semmangudi , indeed.
mankuthimma wrote:http://www.mediafire.com/file/fcp9nbt8x ... gumomu.mp3
Thanks MKR.
Here we go. I start with a track in the middle of the concert that has a Thani . Enjoy as you read these posts . I will bring up the rest of this concert as the stories unfold. Vintage Semmangudi , indeed.
Thank you! Once again my "cool folder" is active.
This is like watching a history channel with sights and sounds- except, here it is read and listen.....
Thanks Thimma
History with music accompanying is unheard of.
Pl tell us which concert this is part of and the approximate year if you know...
MKR
You are a true historian who provides an unbiassed perspective.
Hope folks will add related side shows on the personalities that you comment on..
SSI's veneration of ARI is proverbial. Do you know about his evaluation of CVB who was part of the Triumvirate. Of course MVI was his guru naatha..
SR and CML
I had a couple of reasons for posting from this concert.
It looks like being one of the earliest of SSI - some phrases he sings in nagumomu are very new to me.
As we proceed to the other krithis , you will understand why I am fascinated by this concert.I would really love it , if MKR or others could put a date/year for this concert.This kind of singing I have heard only in his 78 rpms.So that is enough to fascinate me.
Secondly , I have always had a soft corner for Chowdiahs innovation - which I believe was to make the violin audible in the mikeless days .This concert completes a fascinating trio of his concerts with GNB ( Mysore - Evara Madugudra +Dharee Nee+ RTP Bhairavi ) and with Alathoor ( the fascinating one with Chakkaniraja and the memorable phase at Kantiki Sundara ) .
And now with SSI . And PMI is in such divine form.
I found it wonderful to read MKR's posts with this music in the background and so ......
with TC and PMI and with such good recording I would venture to state that this is early 50's.
Unless this was an AIR concert which can be the late 40's which I doubt. SSI appears to have less speed than in his 78rpms which will push this to after the 30's. Fascinating historical search; let us have some guesses...
Bilahari: Thanks for your encouraging words.
Coolji: I have not heard this concert before--I am surprised in one sense about nagumomu which was the patent of Musiri mama. Mama in those days would scrupulously avoid somebodyelse's patent--he would not sing Thiruvadi Charanam when Musiri was at his best,likewise he would not sing Sree Subramanyaya Namasthe because ARI had made it famous. Anyway I would place this in the late forties judging from PMI's playing--notice in the Thani how in the Tisra nadai PMI is crisp,precise with the Tiri Kita Dhim clear and striking(without any mike enhancement)--In fact I would recommend for young mridangists to listen to this Tani carefully-it may seem ordinary to most folks nowadays because artistes have become very savvy in playing complex korvai--but at that time every korvai that PMI played was unique--well thought out,practiced rigorously before launching the Korvai(PMI always used to warn some improvisation-prone young mridangists,"--his words--Visha Parikshai Vendam"--UVS grasped those korvais early and added a faster speed to those korvais and with his deft fingering could bring out with clarity despite the high speed--but nobody in my opinion can match PMI's Meettu Chapu Suddham--this bit of a Thani is unique--Thanks Coolji--it is like an oenophile uncorking a rare,aged vintage wine heralding the vintner's craftsmanship!!!
Let me address VKV's point. I agree that if one scrutinises celebrities closely the worts look conspicuous. I felt the same way in those days,but then over the years as his body of work became larger and broader(I will elaborate on this later in the section on other Vidwans) I felt that Mama's work stood out. True his voice troubles and the theatrics that he used to tame the voice made it difficult for rasikas to delve deep into his music and appreciate(he used to refer to jokingly--so did GNB-- to MMI as the Communist--meaning in a complementary way that MMI attracted the largest crowds--in those days as older forumites may recall in Tamil nadu, Communist oratory was on a par with the DMK/DK oratory . I have tried not to let my closeness,access and proximity "blur' my objectivity. As regards harsh comments Mama has been at the receiving end as well of insensitive remarks in public made by none other than his own Guru(MVI)--referring to Mama's habit of inserting a finger to one of his ears,MVI used to remark, Enda Cheenu edukkuda Kadile Viralai Vittundu Irukkan--Namma(We the audience) Na Kadai Pothikkanum. I have always felt that because of his stature--long before he attained Pithamaha status having outlived his peers by more than 30 years--that he was subjected to a higher standard on anything that he said or did than his peers. So his worts became more conspicuous and talked about than the rest. Mama never lamented about this always saying that he had friends and admirers who overlooked his failings and foibles!! --almost like a Shylockian refrain--" All these insults I bore with a patient shrug for sufferance is the badge of our tribe"
In the Lalgudi-SSI story re; the Dhanasri Thillana collaboration I forgot to mention how Mama characterised Lalgudi-- Avan Oru Vali-asked to elaborate he said Vali "sucks' his opponents' strength rendering the vocalist "weak"!! Even while paying compliments he could be pithy and terse to the point!!
Likewise,in the early advent of the tape recording devices,he used to be against Taping using an analogy of the Courtalam Falls-you should enjoy where and when the Water falls with full force--not a couple of yards downstream although it is the same water that flows--"Tekkina Thanniyile Kulikkara Madiri".
Mama the traditionalist that he was,frowned upon Vivadi swara Ragas/Krithis--especially Thygaraja's which the Walajapet School popularised because his lineage is from the Umayalpuram School which itself was the legacy of the Umayalpuram Krishna Bhagavathar and Sundara Bhagavathar--bros who are credited with preserving lots of latter-day krithis of the saint.
Mama also did not think much of the 72-melakarta scheme --instead he liked the Madurai Ponuswamy scheme omitting the Vivadhi swara ragas(I do not know the intricacies of this scheme--forumites are welcome to elaborate!!)
MKR and others - I give the link to the full concert .Who knows what rare memories will get activated in your brain when you listen to this concert non-stop??
Please rename 01-Ninnu Joochi as 02-Ninnu Joochi and save.
Ramasubramanian M.K wrote:
Mama had tremendous respect for his guru Sakhrama Rao(Gottuvadyam expert) and was fond of narrating his learning experiences(not much with Maharajapuram V as is commonly believed)--he had Olai Chuvadi with a song written by Sakharama Rao which he cherished as an heirloom. More on Sakharama Rao-Mama's association as told by mama--later
MKR Sir,
Given that Shri.Sakha Rama Rao has been considered a 'musician's musician' and not much is known about him. I had read in an interview that he was an early innovator of the Gottuvadyam and he and his brother Hari rao gave what was probably the first gottuvadyam-violin concerts .Shri.Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer has in the same interview mentioned Shri.Sakha Rama Rao was a stern task master during his gurukula days and also in the context of the 'cani tODi teve' (HarikAmbhoji vs khamAs) incident involving Tiruvarur Ramachandra Iyer (http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1522/15220650.htm). He further says that he learnt a number of compositions from Narayanaswami Iyer. It would be of interest and musical value to many of us to know more about the music of Sakha Rama Rao, what Shri.SSI learnt from him and of his experiences whether it was grounding in AlpAnas or tAnam singing or akAras etc etc. It would valuable to read and would provide an understanding of the role played by Sakha Rama Rao in shaping the mind of SSI.
Last edited by vidya on 25 Aug 2010, 22:07, edited 1 time in total.
MKR,
HIS FLEXIBILITY & VIEWS CHANGING WITH TIME& HIS STATUS can be illustrated with his views on the VIVADI Ragas/Compositions:
While he originally had stated the views you have correctly described, later in his life after attending & discussing with S.Rajam who CHAMPIONED these over the years he agreed & presided over several of S.Rajam's presentations on this subject. In addition to praising Rajam he openly said that in the hands( or mouth!?) of expert practisioners these ragas/compositions indeed can blossom into great& new creative arenas for Carnatic music. In effect he joined the MMI VIEW that Sruti Suddham, Swara sthana suddham, and voice culture are PARAMOUNT in addition to other factors. Of course both of them were Sarvalaghu adherents. He pleaded for current day artists to cultive the Discipline NEEDED to explore & create in this area.....VKV
Sorry folks!! a long post "melted" into cyberspace(the save button does not seem to work--atleast I do not know how to make it work!!).
VKV: I could not have said it better--YES, Mama had mellowed but I did not know that S.Rajam was responsible. As forumites may be aware,S.Rajam single-handedly brought out Koteeswara Iyer's kritis especially in the Vivadhi ragas.. Being an extraordinarily gifted and creative man that he was and could have composed several krithis if he wanted to, he spent his lifetime propagating Koteeswara Iyer's kritis thro the legion of students(one of my nieces was one among them).
Now to answer Vidya's query re: Sakharama Rao--Mama's recollections.
Basically there is not much to add to what the Hindu Interview with Ravikiran revealed.
However some additional material is available thro sources like Rangaramanuja Ayyangar and Garland Rajagopalan.
First of all the instrument Gottuvadyam was invented not by Sakharama Rao but by his father Srinivasa Rao of Tiruvudaimarudur. He removed the frets of the Veena and ran a small chiselled cylindrical piece\ of hand-polished wood up and down the octave on the strings. The instrument gave a majestic volume and a very sweet,mellifluous sound. He gave it an old name "MAHA NATAKA VEENA but is commonly known as Gottuvadyam. Sakharama Rao ,it seems from all accounts, had a most refined sense of melody and mastered the instrument.By this , he revealed to the world the intrinsic and copious possibilities of the instrument as a vehicle of the artiste's innate genius. Besides Mama Budalur Krishnamurthy Sastri and Narayana Iyengar(Ravi Kiran's Grandfather) were his disciples. Mama is on record sying that his Guru never coveted wealth. Rao would take Rs.150 for a concert and would accept another concert only after he had spent the Rs. 150--if any remnant was left he would go the Tiruvudaimarudur Mahalingaswamy temple with his disciples and light as many lamps as is necesary to wipe out the balance.
Once a party from Kumbakonam pestered him to accept a concert and finally said it is enough if you play a single piece -cocksure that there has never been an instance of a concert stopping with one kriti!! Lo and behold!!Sakharama Rao started with Vatapi and stopped the concert at the end of it!! Another instance --it seems Rao was engaged to play on the second day of a festival--the first day the artiste scheduled to sing did not come. Rao stipulated that he would play but not stop if and when the artiste arrived--someone shouted the artiste has arrived. This annoyed Rao who picked up the instrument and walked away to the Rly station miles away. Likewise, if the audience was not attentive he would end his concerts. he was able to command the unbridled strict code because of his stature and squeaky-clean reputation when it came to matters of Laukikam!! A sidebar comment
Mama in his later years during concerts used to exhort,sermonize to the audience about maintaining silence. In fact when I listened to his concert at my wedding reception(I had not noticed it at that time because I was preoccupied with more important matters as you may well imagine!!!) I noticed that there were a series of admonitions to the audience(you all know how noisy our South Indian Wedding receptions are!!) like "Shatru neram amaidiya Irukkela, engalukku ellam vayasu ayuduthu,engalaii gaurava paduthina madiri irukkum.
Like his Guru mama did not care much for laya-based music and used to narrate a story of how his Guru did not much appreciate Konerirajapuram Vaidynatha Iyer--noted for his complex kanakku but once was bowled over by the latter's Bhairavi and it seems prostrated before Koneri Vaithi. He surrendered to the art and t o the artiste as only a true artiste can.
Mama says acc to Sruthi magazine" My guru had 12 strings on his Gottuvadyam which sounded only when suddha swaras were played. His brother Hari Rao played the violin but no mridangam. The play of the brothers would mesh harmoniuosly".
Mama was a traditionalist in a broad sense but did not flinch from innovation within the contours of the grammar. At the same time he was down-to-earth when it came to debunk the legends that have sprung over the years --such as T's Nithi Sala sukhama or Na Jeevadara(Bilahari) where the song is reported to have revived a young boy after his death-- regarding the latter Mama would joke "If you sing/play ALLl the sangathis in that song Najeevadara--as is done by Violinists like Lalgudi Sir-- Irukkira Usirum Poyudum. His general view is that the saints' greatness do not need hyperbole or tales--their compositions if rendered properly adhering to the original version handed down thro oral tradition would speak volumes for their devotion and elegance..
Vidya Sorry I did not answer your question re how much Sakharama Rao influenced Mama's singing-in alapana or swaram. While Mama was not specific, I would have to say except for some basics Mama essentially built on his own imagination. Besides,Sakharama Rao died in 1930(when Mama was 22 and according to his own record appears to have come under Rao's tutelage only when he was 14 or 15--so it is difficult to say how much he would have imbibed in those 8/9 years. But Mama was an ardent listener to his peers' concerts as well as the veterans before him.
He has mentioned TNR as well as SG Kittappa--once I asked Mama how he felt about SGK(SGK was one year older than Mama but died when he was under thirty) Mama's spontaneous response: Avan Padinale Engal Vaithil Puliyaii Karaikkum"(when he sings our stomachs would churn out of fear). Given SGK's booming voice and phenomenal lakshya gnanam Mama's comment does not surprise me.(Confession: I am an unabashed admirer of SGK and over the years I have practiced his Kodayile Virutham million times!!!)
Likewise TNR(who as forumites may be aware was a sishya of Mama's uncle Maestro Tirukkodikaval Krishna Iyer ) influenced Mama in some of the flash sangathis Mama would attempt in his Raga Alapanas--especially Thodi,Keeravani etc.
Thank you so much for your wonderful recollections! Enjoying every one of them and look forward to a lot more of these. I join VKV sir, Rajesh and co. in the request for a documentation of the same in the form of a book!
MKR and others - I give the link to the full concert .Who knows what rare memories will get activated in your brain when you listen to this concert non-stop??
Please rename 01-Ninnu Joochi as 02-Ninnu Joochi and save.
MT: thanks for sharing this wonderful concert!
I do have a request - for some reason the file 03-Gnanamosagarada.mp3 cannot be downloaded, I keep getting an error.
Would it be possible to upload it somewhere else? Many thanks.
This is a great thread, with reminiscences from MKR and others on the great man. I agree, it would be a lovely idea to bring out a book based on these writings.
Dear Ragam-Talam: Sorry for the long pause between posts--have been tied up with some mundane chores--excuses!! excuses!!. You asked for it and you are going to get it and regret it!!!!!
Continuing the narrative I had mentioned in my last post that I would briefly go over SSI's lineage and how it shaped his music,views etc etc. Now forumites please do not fret-I do not intend to trace a family history dating back to Venkatamahi!!! Some of the characters will appear in future posts and hence I will go over the lineage.
It is well known that Mama was the nephew of the Violin Maestro Thirukkodikaval Krishna Iyer (TKI) and also the cousin brother of Semmangudi Narayanaswamy Iyer(SSN-19 years older than Mama). Incidentally SSN was also the son-in-law of TKI. TKI himself(1857-1913) died relatively young and Mama was hardly 5 years old when TKI died --as such most of what he has told us and the public is mostly hearsay. However there is enough oral history recorded by contemporaries and musicologists about TKI that bear out most of Mama's opinions about TKI and his influence on Mama's music. Mama has acknowledged several times the influence of his cousin SSN on Mama in terms of his personal and musical life.(Note: There is a humorous incident that my uncle told me about SSN and Mama in the Travancore Maharaja's Court in Tiruvananthapuram--which I will cover during the period Mama was in Trivandrum--in case I forget forumites please nudge me!!).
Tirukkodikaval is one of the villages endowed by Nature with exquisite beauty and environment to promote Music and Culture(Disclosure: I have never been to Tirukkodikaval!!). There must have been a great Musical past in the village since the temple in the village depicts the scene of a victorious army being received by a band of musicians,dancers and kolattam artistes. TKI's father was Kuppuswami Iyer a scholar in five languages and was giving musical discourses(as an aside, Sanjay Subramaniam told me that much of our music in the period following the Trinity was propagated more thro Kalakshepams,Nama Sankeerthanams than thro concerts that were few and far between!).
TKI was born in Marathurai near Pandanallur.TKI had his early training in music under his father and later with Kothavasal Venkatrama Iyer a renowned composer of Tana Varnams( Jalajakshi in Hamasadhwani,Sarasuda in Saveri,Era Na Pai--I always thought this was Patnam Subramania Iyer's-forumites need help in clarifying this--, and some lesser known varnams like Swami Ninne Nata and Ninne Kori in Gowla--have any of the forumites heard the last 2 varnams and if so who has sung them?). He was also famous for his Navaragamalika Varnam). Incidentally Patnam Subramani Iyer is also cited as a disciple of Kottavasal Venkatrama Iyer--I always thought he was the disciple of Manambuchavadi Venkata Subba Iyer who besides being a relative of Saint T was also reported to be his earliest disciple--forumites please clarify!!) TKI's voice I believe was not conducive to singing and hence he switched over to Violin and got training under Sathanur Panchanadha Iyer and Fiddle Subbarayar--Sathanur Panchnada Iyer was the youngest disciple of Muthuswamy Dikshithar and was reported to be a force in the 19th century,
TKI is considered an immortal among violinists and commanded high respect from some of his contemporaries like Maha Vaidyantha Iyer,Patnam Subramani Iyer,Sarabha Sastri--names that can conjure up a rich lore of superb artistry,dedication and inspiring lessons for posterity worthy of emulation( Current Senior artistes,ARE YOU LISTENING?)l. TKI I believe could play Ata Tala varnam in one string. It is said that at a concert in Gokhale hall in 1908(the year SSI was born) the Panchama String broke and he continued for about 2 hours. he could play in four octaves--slow or fast and the swara exercise on single string. Only the aforementioned top artistes could gainfully take him as an accompanist as lesser Vidwans were awed by his presence. He was reportedly at his best at Solo performances as they gave scope for his skill.creativity and imaginative play and phrasing.generally when he accompanied a vocalist the next day used to be a solo by him!!.
Strenuous daily practice--especially the Varnams Vanajakshi in Kalyani(Ata),Viriboni(Bhairavi),Sarasuda(Saveri) and Inta Chalamu(Begada) was a daily regimen.
(P.S. Mama in his concerts Rarely started with varnam but would choose a krithi in Mayamalagowla or an MD krithi Vallabha Nayakasya in Begada-- a contrarian for a traditionalist--he could never rationalise this practice to MY satisfaction-what vanity--mind you I did not say on whose part!!!)
He is also reported to have ushered a technique called "Izhaittu Vasippu" and produced ascending and descending glides with remarkable effect-a technique he taught TNR thro the use of his "bow"(hitting him gently on TNR's shoulders-- as confessed by TNR himself in one of his Radio Interviews in the early fifties!! when the latter played Begada flat without any kuzhaivus--incidentally Lalgudi Sir also adopted the Kuzhaivu in his Violin playing as forumites may be aware!! TNR despite his imperious manner and temperament acknowledged his deep debt of gratitude to his Guru -- Mama once told me that TNR--the proud and unbowing man that he was --once is reported to have replied to one of his fans' ecstatic comment about TNR's playing ("Ayyarval Sindhi Pottadu--") crudely translated what he picked up from TKI is comparable to the nasal phlegm--as revolting and revulsion as the comparison might be I personally was bowled over by that kind of complimentary hyperbole !!! Nobody could match Mama as a raconteur for the ease and comfort level he can with which he can convey even scatological humor!!
Back to TKI-- his early morn exercises were I believe legendary--it seems Poochi Srinivasa Iyyangar wanted to hear this and without wishing to distract TKI during his practice with his direct physical presence went stealthily to the house (in Triplicane where TKI had a concert the following day) went in the night and slept on the outer Poyl of the house)--Poochi Iyengar was in a trance when TKI came out and saw him on the poyl!! This incident as narrated by Mama speaks as much for Pocchi Iyengar;s insatiable appetite for knowledge and ideas--no matter where they come from-- an echo of the Rig Vedic Hymn!! Another incident --poignant -- TKI was in the midst of a solo in 1904 in Triplicane when news about the demise of Sarabha Sastri(Sastri was only 32 years old) and TKI was 47) and he wept and wailed:
When Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer passed away(in 1893), I lost my right hand. With Sarabha's departure I have lost my left hand also. What am I going to play for hereafter!!!
Now forumites might say it is all well and good!! What has his got to do with Mama's music?
Hold your horses, the next post is not too far off!!!
