M.S. Subbulakshmi

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 11 Dec 2014, 16:10

A composition on Sai by RaaGanapathi..rendered by Smt MS Subhulakshmi

01_VinayakaVignaVinashaka-Hamsadwani-Raa Ganapati

http://mfi.re/listen/ui4vi361ucxe990/01 ... napati.mp3

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 12 Dec 2014, 08:07

Image from the Amar Chitra Katha title, 'M. S. Subbulakshmi'; art by Rakesh CS

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 24 Dec 2014, 13:49

A rare image of Smt MSS...

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 19 Jan 2015, 21:35

Dear Rasikas,

On 24th Jan 2015, SONY will release a rare recording of Bharat Ratna M.S.Subbulakshmi and Smt Radha Viswanathan done in the NCPA (National Council of Performing Arts) Bombay in 1978. A detailed invitation for the same is appended below. After the record release function there will be a concert by :

Kumari S.Aishwarya - Vocal
Sri C N Chandrasekhar - Violin
Sangitha Kalanidhi Dr T K Murthy - Mridangam
Sri B C Manjunath - Mridangam

Venue : Gayana Samaja
Time : 5.30 to 8.00 pm
All Rasikas are most welcome to attend the function.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 19 Jan 2015, 21:42

Wish the release blockbuster

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 19 Jan 2015, 22:14

Cienu,
Best wishes to your mother and family for a fantastic release function! Please do put up the details on how to order them after the release.

Best wishes to Aishwarya and her illustrious team for a fantastic concert!

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 19 Jan 2015, 22:36

Best wishes for the CD release function and all the best to Aiswarya for a successful concert.

pattamaa · Post by **pattamaa** » 20 Jan 2015, 00:20

Best wishes for the release and the concert. Eager to know what gems are part of the recording... Please do let us know !!

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 20 Jan 2015, 05:45

Cienu: BEST WISHES FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE RELEASE FUNCTION AND AISHWARYA'S CONCERT!!

RAMESH MAMA.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 20 Jan 2015, 06:27

Shri Cienu,
Best wishes for the success of the function.
Blessings to Aishwarya
Thanjavooran
20 01 2015

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 20 Jan 2015, 20:40

All the best Cienu and Aishwarya!

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 22 Jan 2015, 10:26

Thank you Sri VKR, Ravi, C Rama, Pattamaa, Ramesh Mama, Sri Thanjavooran and VK.
For the benefit of Rasikas who are not in Bengaluru, this event will be webcast live on 24th Jan Saturday from 5 30 pm (IST) . Please follow the link below
https://new.livestream.com/shaalelive/24jan2015

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 22 Jan 2015, 10:42

Cienu, Thanks for the webcast

Aditto · Post by **Aditto** » 25 Jan 2015, 10:35

Thanks for the webcast

Can we know where we can purchase the commercial recording? Sir, please plan for such releases.

Also, can you please plan for some video concert(s) commercial release?
It has been a long time since MS video(s) is/are uploaded in Paramparaa !!

Regards,
Aditya.

arunsri · Post by **arunsri** » 27 Jan 2015, 00:12

From the speech of Dr. Radhakrishnan of ISRO - the items in the CD are

Kandadevi Alagiriswamy - TK Murthy - V Nagarajan
===========================================
vAtApi
chEtashri
maragathmani varNA - varALi
banTurIti - hamsanAdam
nidhi chAla - kalyANi
kAmAkshi - bhairavi swarajati
paripAlinchu - suddha sAvEri
bhAvayAmi raghu rAmam - rAgamAlika
jayajaya padmanAbhAnujEsha - maNirangu
chandrasEkharam AshrayE - kIravANi
alivENi endu - kuranji
purandaradAsa dEvarnAma
surdAs bhajan
mIra bhajan
2 thiruppugazhs

isramesh · Post by **isramesh** » 30 Jan 2015, 13:10

Watch this movie about MSS, DKP & Brinda on YouTube. http://youtu.be/hOsPWA-A1Og

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 03 Feb 2015, 18:38

Song List :

NCPA Archives
Released by SONY

DISC 1 - DD

1 Raga Hamsadhwani (Guruvandanam, Vathapi Ganapathim)
2 Raga Hamsanadam (Bantureethi)
3 Raga Suddha Saveri (Siraiyaarum Madakkiliye) -- This song alone is sung as a solo by my mother Smt Radha Viswanathan - accompanied by Sri KSN on Veena & Sri TKM. Unfortunately this did not feature in the original list shared by Sony and NCPA and hence appropriate credits have not been given. Will have the same corrected soon.
4 Raga Keeravani (Sri Chandrasekara Masraye)
5 Raga Varali (Marakathamani Varna)
6 Raga Kapi (Pillangioviya)
7 Raga Kurinji (Aliveni [Padam])
8 Raga Mishra Jogiya (Ghadi Ek Nahi - Bhajan)

DISC 2 - DD

1 Raga Bhairavi (Kamakshi [Swarajathi])
2 Raga Suddha Saveri (Paripalinchu)
3 Raga Dhwijavanthi (Chetha Sree Balakrishnam)
4 Raga Kalyani (Nidhi Chala Sukhama)
5 Raga Manirangu (Jaya Jaya Padmanabha)
6 Raga Kanada (Adirum Kadal)
7 Raga Huseni (Iyal Isai)
8 Raga Jaunpuri (Puchat Shyama Kaun To Gori)

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 04 Feb 2015, 15:03

Cienu, Thanks for the list. Nice mix of songs-Pre thani songs and post thani songs. No overdose of bhajans. And one song by your mother exclusive- Is this from two different concerts- I am asking because there are two sudhasaveris.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 04 Feb 2015, 16:46

Actually this was a "concert" sung in the NCPA studio (if I may put it that way) recorded over two days

I feel that the song sung by my mother Smt Radha Viswanathan exclusively was surely not part of the "concert". This may have been sung post the recording or prior to commencement of the same. (Or even as a part of mike balancing - possibly). Ideally this should have been indexed and sequenced at the end by Sony. But this did not happen for reasons which I have mentioned in my previous post

Whereas for the other songs Smt MSS and Smt Radha are accompanied by Sri Kandadevi Alagiriswamy on violin, Sri T K Murthy on Mridangam and Sri V Nagarajan on Kanjira, what makes "Siraiyaarum" different is that Amma is accompanied by Veena Mama alone (Sri K S Narayanaswamy) apart from Sri T K Murthy on Mridangam. A recording which is indeed a treasure

The feedback which I have is that the two set DVD is a recording of impeccable quality.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 04 Feb 2015, 16:57

Pillangovia- I have not heard from MS Amma. It is not featured in any of the hundreds of concerts I have. Markathamani varna- one of my favourite songs- I have heard only in one or two concerts. One Bombay concert contains this song as also O jagadamba, Tsalakallaladu etc besides RTP Hemavathi. That is also a rare concert. How much trouble I took to get a copy of that concert!

Surely, this NCPA recording must be a collector's item.

Pasupathy · Post by **Pasupathy** » 04 Feb 2015, 21:03

cienu wrote:Song List :
DISC 2 - DD
. . // . .
6 Raga Kanada (Adirum Kadal)
7 Raga Huseni (Iyal Isai)
. .

Thanks . Nice selection, including the above two Thiruppugazh ( should be " Kazhal ' )

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 05 Feb 2015, 11:04

Thank you Sri Pasupathy for the corrections.

Aditto · Post by **Aditto** » 14 Feb 2015, 12:55

Hello,

Is there any commerical album of MS Amma's renditions on Ramana Maharshi?

Regards,
Aditya.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 03 Mar 2015, 18:15

Dear All,
The recently released SONY CD is available for sale at the following places:

Chennai :
1.All branches of STAR MARK
2.All branches of GIRI TRADING
3.Connections

Bengaluru:
1.Calypso - Jayanagar
2.All branches of GIRI TRADING
3.Shri Sai Baba - Malleswaram

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 05 Mar 2015, 15:13

Thanks for the info.

pattamaa · Post by **pattamaa** » 05 Mar 2015, 22:09

so nice to hear about availability of recordings and the rare gems... pranams to amma..

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 06 May 2015, 19:19

From FB: Prof. Vizhinathan on MS and Periyava:
(If it is not a repeat I will attempt translation later)
சூரிய சந்திரர்கள் உள்ளவரை — பேராசிரியர் வீழிநாதன்— பகுதி 4

மஹாபெரியவர் வழிகாட்டி, தேர்வு செய்த பல சுலோகங்களையும், கீதங்களையும் எம்.எஸ்.அம்மா பாடி ஒலிப்பதிவு செய்து அளித்துள்ளார். மேளராக மாலிகை இவர்உத்தரவின் பேரில்தான் பாடப்பட்டது. பாலாஜி பஞ்சரத்ன தொகுப்பில்சுலோகங்களும் அவர் தேர்வு பண்ணிக் கொடுத்தவைதான். உச்சரிப்பு திருத்தமாக உள்ளதா என்று சரி பார்ப்பதும் உதவுவதும் எனக்குத் தரப்பட்ட பணி. இதை ஒரு மிகப் பெரிய கௌரவமாக நான் கருதிச் செய்து வந்தேன்.

எத்தனை முறை திருத்தம் சொன்னாலும் மனதிலே சோர்வு இல்லாமல் திருத்திக் கொள்வார் அம்மா. ஸ்ரீரங்க கத்யம் மிகக் கடினமான உச்சரிப்பு கொண்டது. அதைத் துல்லியமாக பதம் பிரித்துப் பாட அம்மாவால் தான் முடிந்தது. அதிலே தோஷம் கண்டுபிடிக்க வேண்டும் என்று தேடினாலும் முடியாது! அப்படி ஒரு அப்பழுக்கில்லாத சுத்தம். மேளராக மாலிகையின்வார்த்தைகள் அர்த்தங்களைப் பொதித்துப் பொதித்து அடக்கிய அமைப்பில் இருக்கும்.

‘கெளரிமனோஹர தம்பர சத்தம்‘ என்று வந்தால் ‘கௌரிமனோஹரி‘ என்பது ராகத்தைக் குறிக்கும். ’ஹரிதம்பர சத்தம்‘ என்பது பரமேசுவரனைக் குறிக்கும். (திக்கெல்லாம் தன் ஆடையாகக் கொண்டவன் என்று பொருள்).இந்த இடத்தில் ஒரு கணத்துக்கும் குறைவாக இடைவெளி கொடுத்து இரண்டு அர்த்தங்களும் விளங்கும்படிப் பாட வேண்டும் என ஆணையிட்ட மஹா பெரியவர்களிடம்‘இது எப்படி சாத்தியம்?’ என்று கேட்டேன். அதற்கு அவர் சொன்னார்:

“நீயா பாடப் போறே…? அவா பாடிடுவா… நீ ஏன் கவலைப்படறே!”

அதேமாதிரி, பெரியவர்களின் ஆசி அனுக்கிரஹத்தால் உரிய முறையில் துல்லியமாக அந்த இடத்தில் எம்.எஸ்.அம்மா பாடியிருப்பது, கவனித்துக் கேட்டால் புலனாகும்.

இந்த ஒலிப்பதிவு முடிந்து காஸெட் வெளியாகிற தருணத்தில் மஹா பெரியவர்எம்.எஸ்.ஸிடம் என்ன சொன்னார் தெரியுமோ…?

“சூரிய – சந்திரர்கள் உள்ள வரை உன் கியாதி (புகழ்) இருக்கும் !” என்றார்.

இதை விட பெரிய அனுக்கிரஹம் என்ன வேண்டும்?

நினைத்தாலே மகிழ்ச்சியும் மனநிறைவும் மரியாதையும் ஏற்படுத்தக்கூடிய பெயர்எம்.எஸ். அவரது இசையை வியந்து போற்றியவர்களுக்கு மட்டுமின்றி, இசையே தெரியாத பல்லாயிரம் பேர்களுக்கும் கூட ஆதர்சமானவர். அதிசயப் பிறவி என்றே சொல்ல வேண்டும்.

எம்.எஸ். அம்மாவின் அன்பு, கனிவு, கருணை அனைத்தும் அவரது இசையைப் போன்றே கம்பீரம் நிறைந்தது. மூத்த கலைஞர்களிடம் அவர் காட்டிய பணிவு அலாதியானது; புதியதைக் கற்றுக்கொள்ள அவர் மேற்கொண்ட முயற்சி அபூர்வமானது; சக கலைஞர்களை அவர் ஊக்கப்படுத்திய முறை, வழிநடத்திய முறை தாய்மை நிறைந்தது.

அவரோடு பழகிய ஒவ்வொருவரும் அந்த இனிய நினைவுகளை தம் மனத்தில் அசைபோட்டுக்கொண்டே இருக்கின்றனர். அவரது எளிமையும் பக்குவமும் பாந்தமும் ஒவ்வொருவரின் மனத்திலும் நீங்கா இடம் பிடித்திருக்கிறது. ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும்எம்.எஸ். அம்மாவின் ஒவ்வொரு பரிமாணம் பிடிபட்டு இருக்கிறது.

’எங்கள் எம்.எஸ்.’ என்ற இந்தப் புத்தகத்தில், ஒவ்வொருவரும் தாம் புரிந்துகொண்ட விதத்திலேயே எம்.எஸ். அம்மாவைச் சித்திரிக்க முயன்று இருக்கின்றனர்.

நினைத்தாலே மகிழ்ச்சியும் மனநிறைவும் மரியாதையும் ஏற்படுத்தக்கூடிய பெயர்எம்.எஸ்.அவரது இசையை வியந்து போற்றியவர்களுக்கு மட்டுமின்றி,இசையே தெரியாத பல்லாயிரம் பேர்களுக்கும் கூட ஆதர்சமானவர். அதிசயப் பிறவி என்றே சொல்ல வேண்டும்.

எம்.எஸ்.அம்மாவின் இசையையும் ஆளுமையையும் ஒருசேர உணர்ந்து கொள்ளவும் புரிந்து கொள்ளவும் இந்த நூல் உதவும் என்பது உறுதி.

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 10 May 2015, 22:01

KVChellappa Sir: A nice article by Ra Veezhinathan--Thanks,

As forumites familiar with my ramblings on the GREAT LADY are well aware(I have to remember her today--Mother's day because she and my mother were so close that I was privileged to be treated by her and mama as their son!!!),every word that Ra Veezhinathan(whom I knew from my younger days--a soft-spoken,well-read Tamil Scholar who was held in the highest respect by the family)) has written about MS Amma's attention to detail,respect and devotion towards the Paramacharya,respect for Senior musicians,encouragement of youngsters,extraordinary benevolence towards people who would pass disparaging /condescending remarks about her(AS SHAKESPEARE SAYS "ALL THESE INSULTS I BORE WITH A PATIENT BECAUSE SUFFERANCE IS THE BADGE OF OUR TRIBE(a reference to Shylock's jewishness).Even in her early eighties --after her exiting the concert circuit--- she used to be invited for several public functions both within Chennai and Tamil Nadu to "light" the Kuttuvilakku as part of the inauguration of festivities. There were 'sly and malicious' innuendos about this in the form of "MSS should be renamed as Kutthuvilakku Subbulakshmi these days"--MS Amma would lament to my mother innocently about this as if it was casting aspersions on her supposedly-waning skills!!! The slightest insensitive remark would pain her as if it was challenging her "bona fides" and legitimacy--it speaks more for her sincerity towards the task assigned--no matter how trivial the task may be. There was not a single action or word or deed that was meant for any publicity-seeking or personal aggrandisement.

One hundred years from now,anybody reading this would refuse to believe that such a person could have existed at all much less so authentic!!
I am sure my late mother and MS Amma would be extending their conversations/exchanges on Mother's day!!!!

At the end of any conversations on music during our visits to Kotturpuram(I was bold enough in my Mid Sixties to "air" my views/grievances about state of music/artistes in general) Mami always used to end the conversation with a loud guffaw" Ramesh,un Vaikku Sakkarai podanum"nodding agreement with my "half-baked," views masquerading as knowledge!!!

Sorry for the digression--every tidbit about MSAmma evokes so much of nostalgia in me that I feel like a "kid in a candy shop"!!

An anecdote about Ra Veezhinathan (RV) that I was a witness to underscoring his diligence and sincerity----qualities that he admired in MS Amma!
When Semmangudi Mama--in the early/mid sixties was working on the Swathi Thirunal Thilana in Dhanasri(geethadhuni) he was struggling with the lyrics (because they were in Hindi) from the Travancore Maharaja's archives--LGJ was instrumental in the final fine-tuning version-- RV was summoned from Kalki Gardens to help understand the lyrics in the presence of LGJ--I was the ignoramus in the group whose sole function was to "chauffeur" LGJ-- from Mambalam to Royapettah(where SSI lived)-- and "Chauffeur" RV back to Kalki gardens from Royapettah--today such a thing would not be possible with the unruly chennai traffic!!!

In the charanam the lyrics that SSI/LGJ were composing on, went like this" TAL GAVE THAKA THAI THA DHEEM"

RV pointed out that the word Tal did not seem appropriate(although the subsequent words refer to Rhythm,) the threesome were debating what else would have been appropriate--Swathi Thirunal Maharaja was believed to be reasonably well-versed in several Indian languages and after lot of thougt and introspection RV suggested it could be Taan( because Taan in colloquial Hindi of those times meant Tune or song and hence would seem more appropriate giving the benefit of doubt to the Maharaja rather than to the "decypherers" of the lyrics!!!!
If they had sung it as Tal nobody would have noticed the difference(much less in instrumental)--but the "threesome"(SSI/LGJ/RV) were uniformly passionate about the correctness of the lyrics.
Likewise RV was diligent in his translation opf Premchand's Hindi novels in the Kalki magazine.
reflecting on Mama's(TS vision) I am amazed that even in those days--despite his and Kalki Mama's passion for Tamil literature-both of them felt that worthy novels in a national language like Hindi need to be popularised in the South and RV was an excellent vehicle for mama' s vision.
In every little thing that Mama(TS) did he promoted the concept of National Integration rather than "bow" to cheap chauvinism!!!

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 10 May 2015, 22:04

Further to my above post a slight correction in the Shakespeare quote: It should read"

'ALL THESE INSULTS I BORE WITH A PATIENT SHRUG FOR SUFFERANCE IS THE BADGE OF OUR TRIBE"(the word 'shrug" was omitted after "patient".
Sorry for the error!!

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 10 Jul 2015, 17:45

An advertisement by South India Education Society - Matunga - Mumbai (SIES) in "The Hindu" of 10th July 2015

In case of poor clarity, please find below the text:
Quote:

"Tyagaraja Sadasivam married M.S.Subbulakshmi on 10th July 1940 at Thiruneermalai.
They lived happily for 57 eventful years.With him she became the Queen of Music.
Today we celebrate 75 years ("Amritha Mahotsav") of this beautiful couple.
Who together scripted a new high in indian Music

In all her concerts , she urged Damyatha, Datta, Dayadhwam (restraint, generosity, compassion) - Maithreem Bhajatha. The couple practised these all through their life.
The South India Education Society Mumbai, (SIES) is one of the foremost institutions of learning. From KG to Phd, the several campuses of the society,encompasses over 25000 students. Today it has earned an enviable reputation for academic excellence. It had a humble beginning in 1932. During it's formative and struggling years, MS and Mama gave 3 benefit concerts in 1936, 1945 and 1947, collecting a record sum of Rs 175176 which was 93% of the total cost of the construction Rs 187908 of SIES High School Matunga.
On the Amritha Mahotsav of their togetherness in life, the Society bows in reverence to this divine couple and rededicates itself, with renewed vigour to the cause of education.
They have carved for themselves a niche in the rocky temple of reverential gratitude.

The South India Education Society"

Unquote

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 10 Jul 2015, 19:11

Cienu,
Their good deeds live on...

While these words of dedication move us, this is just one example of their many contributions to society. MSS's music on one level connected with divinity, and on another, with common good. Gandhiji was the couple's early inspiration, and then came the kAnchi sage. Inspired by the two, they reached heights in philanthropy and sharing, whatever their circumstances were

pattamaa · Post by **pattamaa** » 10 Jul 2015, 20:56

To me, both of them appeal so much the way they lived their life, much more than MS amma's music.. ! This doesn't mean that i am degrading her music, but keeping their life, examples they have set for all of us to emulate much above the music !! long live their legacy..

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 11 Jul 2015, 06:15

Kudos to my ALMA MATER- SIES HIGH School---the Correspondent Mr.V.Shankar is also the President of Shanmukhananda Matunga and is an MSAMMA admirer.So thoughtful of him---even I had forgotten the date--they got married in Tiruneermalai--the lowest-cost wedding in History as Mama(TS) (I recall a number Rs.75!!) would constantly taunt us all in our family weddings--which although not ostentatious as some of the Mylapore big wigs--was still -- according to TS -- a colossal waste of money and chastise us as being fond of Dumbam" (Tamil word for show-off!!). When my sister's wedding in 1954 was finalised my family decided to celebrate it in Madras @ ABBOTSBURY in TEYNAMPET--currently a 5-star hotel is located in its place--TS was opposed to the idea--IDELLAM VERUM ASHATTUTHANAM"(This is all stupidity) and tried to talk my parents out of it. Given our family's extensive connections with the Vidwaans of those times my parents were keen to hold it in Madras so that they could all attend the event. TS sensed this and continued to berate my mother partly playfully and partly seriously.Both Radha and Vijaya's marriages were held in KALKI GARDENS only. TS practiced WHAT he preached. He was a pioneer in the concept of simple weddings. An anecdote to illustrate his concern for the "not-well-to-do-families" having to conduct weddings:
As I had mentioned in my earlier posts,both my children got married in Madras because MSAMMa and Ts had promised them that MSAMMA would sing at their weddings IF they would agree to hold it in Madras.My children--despite being brought up here in the US--insisted the weddings be celebrated in Madras. My son got married in 1995(jan) and my daughter in 1996(Dec).This anecdote refers to my daughter's wedding. A couple of days before the wedding my mother and my wife wanted to do a formal in-person-invitation for both MSAMMA and TS and suggested a formal date.TS suggested another date. We all went to Kotturpuram on the suggested date with the "formal" "sheer"(in Tamil--namely the Sarees,Dhotis,fruits etc etc and an "envelope"(with the "appropriate sanmanam"). There was another couple who were present at that time. The reception room in the front was a very small spartan room (the walls would be adorned with pictures of every World wide dignitary felicitating MSAmma).Suffice it to say there was quite a crowd for the small room!!. Myself and wife did namaskaram and offered the plate--Mama asked Mami to "bless" the Plate and instructed my wife to "hand over" the plate to the couple present and told us that the couple's daughter was to be married the same day (their family were known to TS for decades) and because he had committed to our family he could not attend their marriage and wanted to give his "sheer" (Tamil word for wedding gifts) to the couple!!! After the couple left --- Mama told us that they had been thro bad times but lived their life with dignity and that our "sanmanam" is going to a deserving cause--no questions asked about the contents of the envelope. Mama was 94 years old and Mami 80.Even at that age and limited resources,Mama's mind was focussed on helping friends who may have undergone hard times.Ofcourse he made sure that we took care of the accompaniments as he did not want his charitable impulses to impact their livellihoods. These acts were no publicity stunts as some of the detractors mainly Chennaites, were prone to comment!!
Back to the SIES Story!!!

A torrent of memories come rushing to my mind --the result is the ensuing rambling narrative!!
The building I grew up in Matunga was opposite the SIES High School. The adjacent building was the building where MSAmma and TS used to stay(with their Kalki representative @ that time).From their verandah(second floor) one could see and hear the classes commotion next door. Needless to say in those days the whole street would be "primed" up to get a glimpse of the family . I used to be "peppered" with questions from my classmates----what are they like,can we come to your house when they visit etc etc--an innocent(I was 10 to 11 years old at that time!!) case of "celebrity-bug-fever"!!
In my next post I will touch upon MSAMMA's views on the appropriate "duties" of a Wife towards her husband. This may raise some shackles of some of the female Forumites but would give an genuine insight into what Mami felt and practiced throughout her life .

More to come----

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 12 Jul 2015, 14:59

@mkr, Wow, sir. I really suggest you hire a couple of scribes who may write it all down as it comes! I've been reading the rasikas forum for years and the name of M S Amma remains forever at the top of the musicians' page. Your anecdotes have been more thrilling to read than any biography

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 12 Jul 2015, 20:23

Thank you SrnathK for your kind words.Although our families have been close for over 6 decades,only in the last 20 years I started to realise what great personalities Mama and Mami were and even then only when I started to write about the family in 2009(in the forum!!),that was the FIRST Time I have written anything about the family. There was lot of ambivalence about the "wisdom" of writing about a historically great personality and I was always torn between (a) how intimate I could get in the narrative without seeming to be "boastful" of an association which none of us in the family really merited either culturally or socially and (b) how to weave the narrative so that it brings out the noble traits of the couple with the anecdotes themselves being inconsequential trivialities. I am not concerned about how much of my personal and family detail I recount in these narratives. I AM TRUSTING THE FORUMITES TO USE THEIR DISCRETION IN INTERPRETING THESE CHRONICLES AND QUOTING THEM IN THE APPROPRIATE SOCIAL CONTEXT IF NECESSARY.
To be frank I was very skeptical in my younger days when I was 15 or 16 about Mami's music--being immature and carried away by the 'pyrotechnics of a Mali or TNR,found Mami's music and Mama's orchestration of it too formulaic and repetitive. Only when I started singing myself(mostly bathroom singing--no formal training--being too old and set in my ways for any teacher to take me under his/her wing!!) I realised what is perfection--sruthi suddham,voice modulation,right balance between Layam/Kanakku and Melody and the sincerity and devotion that preceded it and HOW difficult it is for most musicians and above all to maintain that perfection in her eighties(@ my childrens' weddings) Long conversations with the great lady in the last 20 years opened my eyes. It will always end up with a statement by Mami{Ramesh un vaikku sakkarai podanum") Another gesture that touched my heart was Mami's extraordinary affection and love towards me and my family which I cannot fathom or adequately explain.

An anecdote.--In the Mid Seventies when I had migrated to the US there was a 5 year period I could not visit India because of Visa(I entered as a student again thanks to Mama!!) complications. In those days although there were cassettes being released but I wanted to hear her "live" voice--I casually lamented to my mother in one of the long expensive trunk calls(in those days!!) that I am "missing" the live voice of Mami. My mother promptly relayed the request(Cienu--Your mother may remember the incident) and Mami and Radha came to my brother's house in R.A.Puram and Mami gave a demo of agara sadhakam the way it should be practiced with a few songs, thrown in--it appears it was a hot summer day in Chennai with power cut--Mami says in the cassette"There is no fan working--the heat is unbearable and yet I am singing for you,Ramesh!!Mind you she was 60 years old at that time and reached the pinnacle of fame. I am sure she would have acceded to similar request from many of her admirers . Needless to say my wife the World's greatest Archivist has preserved the Cassette.
Subsequent visits to Chennai invariably will include long sessions of recaps of happenings in North America and who is the favorite etc.
The memories linger--next an anecdote about Mami's adivice to young brides given to my Daughter after her wedding!!

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 12 Jul 2015, 22:46

@MKR, I have no hesitation in saying that MS amma's voice is the best I have heard in my collections. What is incredible is that I have just listened to the Meera film rendition of More to Giridhar Gopal and the one in MS Amma's concert for Swaralaya Puskaram in 1997 (at 80!) -- guess which one is my favourite. She still had all her range even at that age (though that was the time I really felt that the strain of being 80 plus was beginning to impact the amount of power one needed to access all that range) -- which I thought was truly remarkable. Most of my classical recordings are from the 1960s onwards and I must say my understanding of MS amma's prowess was rather incomplete despite the majestic recordings I heard.

Then I heard MS's film songs -- Shakuntala & Meera and a few songs sung as Narada - in her 20s.

I. Was. Blown. I realized I hadn't heard all which that voice could do.

That super-manueverability, OMG that voice that could do anything the mind wanted - I was virtually seeing a top athlete of a voice at it's physical peak. Frightening brighas tossed with such non-chalance, seemingly so effortless it defied belief, not even a movement of the eyebrow with laser precision, no loss of any tone whatsoever -- a virtually limitless reach into the octaves. That voice -- it could hold kaarvais endlessly at one end. But like a modern hypercar, it was as though MS amma would at the choicest moments, just unleash the engine with a prod of the first few inches of throttle and produce some heart stopping, mind numbing acceleration straight into supersonic territory. In that split second, her voice would for a moment show what it's capable of and it would have left everybody else in the dust. Those brighas were the purest I have ever heard. It was prodigious, mind bending, and made so easy that few would appreciate it for what it was. I am not sure whether I have ever heard another voice again that could reproduce that effortless manuevering. I tell you, if MS amma had let her manodharma off the leash, who knows what a torrent might have been unleashed (not that it wasn't done from time to time, but MS Amma did put these aspects on some restraint, for aesthetic considerations of course).

All those film songs are up on the Tube now -- I won't hesitate in posting it here. Those are the best examples of MS Amma's voice and it's versatility. There are long kaarvais and then there come moments where the voice instantly tosses out a mind blowing brigha, just slightly flooring the throttle. What she would have done on full throttle would probably have only been explored in an akaara sadhakam exercise.

These bhajans were far from just "light music" as some (IMHO uninformed) people would claim -- they are a perfect combination of shruti shuddham, truly world class refinement, the perfect combination kaarvai and brigha (something not easy to get in many CM compositions). Here's the meera bhajan :

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

Just listen to that Hari Aawan ki awaz (sung in a higher key, A# even!) to get an idea of what I'm saying. That long kaarvai @2:53. Then hitting that mel panchamam @ 3:13 at that pitch. And then that flourish brigha at the end of that long elaboration on "Dharati Roopa" @3:19 that BROKE my heart...that had enough soul to stun me for a few days! I listened to it again, and again and again...and I am still stunned by it's matchless beauty even after listening to it for the 100th time. So much soul in that music! That has what inspired me to post on this thread here.

I was above all touched by the innocence and sincerity in the video -- no one could have potrayed Meera better. Above all the pyrotechnical virtuosity, MS amma's music and her voice could touch the soul with one note, one turn of the phrase.

The only thing I can ever compare MS Amma's voice to is a Guarnerius violin (there are violinists who hold some del Gesus even higher than the mighty Strads) -- the incredible forte and intensity in the upper octaves, the full blooded bass in the lower octaves, the darker texture, the sheer variety of tonal colours. What could it not sing? She could sing powerfully, or delicately and softly, in multiple keys (with tonal differences in each key), in various genres, Carnatic, film, Hindustani, bhajan, western. One genre of music wouldn't be enough for MS Amma's voice. She could sing flatter and plainer brighas as in the film songs and HM at one end and the heavy gamaka passages just like Brinda - Mukta in the padams and krithis (sung in chaste style, absolutely faithful to the Dhannamal school). She was also one of the few musicians to have a true command over the vibrato.

Few recordings I have do justice to MS Amma's tonal colours and her voice though -- but there are some. One of the finest examples to learn that it's not just having an ultra manueverable voice that comes once a century, but also how to maintain it, never abuse it at it's limits, keep something in reserve always to minimize strain and maximize longevity.

And that pronunciation -- I can only put it like this. One part of my mind has already decided that listening to that Vishnu Sahasrananam should be my last wish.

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 13 Jul 2015, 03:53

Srinath: As MS MAMI would say,"Srinath ungal vaikku sakkarai podanum". You have captured he quintessence of her Divine music. Had she been alive today she would have been mightily pleased with your surgical-precision analysis of her voice. Her constant lament was that Senior contemporary artistes and common listeners(some with the best of intentions would comment what a gifted voice God has endowed her with as if her rigorous training and strict all-round discipline(eating/conversation etc) had nothing to do with it. When Semmangudi Mama innocently(!!) commented to her "UNAKENNA--NEE POORVA JANMATHILE SARASWATHIKKU PAALUM THENUM ABHISHEKAM SEYDIRRUKKIRAI((you have done ablutions for Goddess Saraswathi with Milk and Honey),Mami would feel crestfallen that the compliment did not acknowledge HOW MUCH LABOR she had put in it!!
You mentioned some of the Meera songs--my favorite is More Tho Giridhara Gopala--in one of the stranzas --Prabhu Asuvana-where she briefly does a Neraval-like rendering, the brigas in each Sangathi are so crisp and clear without any weakness in any of the notes.

-Radha could deliver these with equal aplomb!!!!

The next time Indian Space agency launches a rocket YOU should inscribe your analysis in a Tablet and put it in the missile launch and pray that it reaches MS Amma!!! She would be immensely happy!! This is precisely the kind of analytical appreciation of her music that she desired rising above the "din" of sycophantic babbles!!!

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 19 Jul 2015, 08:36

This was posted in FB today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=14&v=sTtvsIEVlWE
What a better way to begin the day than listening to such divine singing.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 29 Jul 2015, 12:54

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/ ... 945428.ece

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 29 Jul 2015, 12:54

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/ ... 945428.ece

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 30 Jul 2015, 01:35

The most MOVING MOMENT- Apart from many others in the '66 usa tour of MS was when ELLIS R Dungan was spotted by Sri.T.Sadasivam in the audience during her ASIA SOCIETY CONCERT IN NEW YORK CITY & MSS FINISHED HER SONG QUICKLY. T.S. introduced him to the audience & asked him to COME to the stage. E.R.D. WAS VERY MOVED....In the same concert AFTER "Gopalaga Pahimam-Revagupthi " was rendered by M.S. T.S. asked KVN (WHO was in the audience) to come to the stage & expressed what an honor it was & pointed out KVN had taught MS THAT COMPOSITION!....This is just an EXAMPLE of how the story of M.S. is the History of India in the twentieth century & how CLASSY & GRACIOUS THE COUPLE WERE....VERY VERY RARE.....VKV

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 30 Jul 2015, 17:42

VKV: Ellis R Dungan was a member of the TS family. In the 1977 tour,Dungan and his wife came out to NY from North Carolina ( where he had settled--he was well into his eighties ) --I think for the Carnegie Hall concert Mama had previously sent me thro Rubin mama a print of the movie Meera and asked me and Rubin Mama if we could arrange a couple of screenings in major cities in the US whether we could take advantage of ERD's presence.(Look at Mama's thoughtfulness--this was no commercial motive--the proceeds would have gone to Charity anyway!!--how he can in a flash think of joining the "dots" in the picture!!!). It did not pan out(I take full blame for it because I did not have the deep connections at that time to arrange a multi-city screening--perhaps I should have approached VKV!!!).

Another Dungan story as told to me by Radha during the shooting of Shakunthalai:
The shooting was in the outdoors and the Sun was playing hide-and-seek much to ERD's chgrin-- in one of he scenes involving Radha--who was distracted/fascinated by a Road engine-- there were several takes and retakes for various reasons driving up ERD's ire.When all things had been sorted out and the shooting was to be resumed ERD noticed that Radha was not facing the camera being fascinated by the Road Engine!!

Exasperated ERD shouts at Radha, "Radha WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT"--Promptly wIthout missing a beat Radha says: I AM LOOKING AT THE ROAD ENGINE"--I BELIEVE TH WHOLE SET CREW BURST INTO LAUGHTER!!

I have in my family archives(which given some digital assistance I would post) a pic with "Yours Truly" in it shot by ERD in Bombay before the MEERA Screening!

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 31 Jul 2015, 09:17

Which brings me to share this particular scene : Nanda Bala Mora Pyara with Radha mami as the little Meera singing the first part with the dancing too (this scene is really cute)

Then that scene of the transition to MS Amma singing - Murali Mohana which was supposed to be a first considering the technology at that time.

"...The technicalities are best explained in film historian Randor Guy’s words:

When the changeover takes place, there is a 45-second, fast-paced musical interlude by the background orchestra as bridge as part of the song. Normally such background musical interludes are recorded along with the song in a recording studio long before the shooting of the film commences. But Dungan did not do so. He shot the scene first and the changeover sequence consisted of a number of shots of the statue of Lord Krishna… lighted candles with flames flickering …flowers on trays… prayer offerings…. Krishna’s flute in the statue…and then a cut to a close-up of MS singing with great feeling and emotion, “Hey! Murali… Mohana…” The shots were static, and also on fast trolley in close-up. (There were no ‘Zoom lenses’ in 1944-1945!) Dungan edited them all by himself into a rapidly cut fast-paced sequence first, and then the sadly underrated but highly talented music composer, S. V. Venkataraman scored the background music, in rhythm with the shots in a recording theatre. The impact was ecstatic and brilliant...”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9CWNxXJ7ms

And some of those brighas <gasp>, and that shruti shuddam, those fine gamakas, what a range in the upper octave! (This is sung above normal pitch for getting that particular timbre - something that you never quite get to see in a CM concert - the influence of different keys and the subtle changes in the timbre and tone in every key)

But most of all that is astonishing is the level of bhava that is brought out in the singing in this film overall.

Will someone confirm if the raga is Kaapi?

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 31 Jul 2015, 09:26

THERE ARE SO MANY INNOVATIONS BY ELLIS.R.DUNGAN AS WELL AS THE MUSIC DIRECTORS IN MEERA THERE HAVE BEEN LECTURES ABOUT THEM by V.A.K.RANGA RAO & RANDOR GUY MANY TIMES WHENEVER IT IS SCREENED IN MADRAS! OF COURSE IT IS THE GENIUS OF MS & HER VOICE THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE! VKV

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 31 Jul 2015, 19:52

SrinathK wrote:But most of all that is astonishing is the level of bhava that is brought out in the singing in this film overall.

Srinath, it's not just here in this film - take mAlai pozhudinilE - in the second caraNam, everytime I hear her sing 'nAlu puram nOkki' I get the impression of her looking around - and when she sings 'nADi nAn' - again, I get the full impact of a bashful young maiden hesitating, before asking 'yAr ingu vandadu' - and it's just with the way she uses her voice. Same with 'smaraNam madhuram' in madhurAshTakam...and in the annapUrNAshTakam, there is one place when she sings 'mAtA annapUrNESvari' in such a way that the word 'mAtA' as she sings it seems to capture the love and entreaty from all living creatures calling out to their mothers. The list is endless....

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 31 Jul 2015, 20:57

As many here might know in the earlier part of her career MS practically did ABHINAYAM with her face as she sang many of these types of songs.....VKV

SrinathK · Post by **SrinathK** » 01 Aug 2015, 20:49

[Next one : baso more nainan mein nandlaal -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3t2Qwp1cF0

One of the finest renditions in history. That upper octave at 1:28 !! This one is full of delicate delicate touches.

The Yaman raga and it's treatment here is so far above in a league of its own there aren't any words left to describe the matchless refinement - a truly astonishing, beyond world class rendition. How in the world this came out like it did is beyond me. I rarely make remarks like this, but after hearing it about 20 times so far, I confess something happened to me and I I haven't fully returned to normal.

This is the Kalyaani for which the (then) Maharana of Udaipur said to MS and husband T. Sadasivam: "In the old days I would have exchanged my whole kingdom for this Kalyani raga."

Now I know why.

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 14 Aug 2015, 12:03

DD Podhikai special programmes on Aug 15 and for 52 weeks to celebrate the centenary year.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp ... 536603.ece

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 15 Aug 2015, 00:26

I do hope that Sri TVG (of Sangeethapriya) records these and uploads them for us in far-away lands to enjoy.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 06 Sep 2015, 16:42

Dear Rasikas,
Kindly find below a link to an article in today's "The Hindu" National Edition (Sep 6th 2015)
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/m ... 619762.ece