M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Carnatic Musicians
Post Reply
CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Post by CRama »

MDR was an inseparable part of the Navarathri Mandapom Trivandrum for many decades. His concert will be eagerly awaited by his die hard fans in Trivandrum who were in no small numbers. His concerts always had excellent accompaniments like Lalgudi, TNK, Palghat Raghu, UKS etc. The people who were regularly attending his concerts like Sivaramakrishnan will cherish that experience for their life time. But I also find that the number of his fans has increased multifold after his untimely demise.
He had his favourite list of songs for the Mandapom concert. He had rendered almost all the Navarathri songs as the main songs on the respective days. His customary mangalam in the concerts was the last charanam of the famous Kriti Bhavayami- "Kalithavara sethu bandham"in Madhyamavathi without any chittaswaram and in a different tempo which was also a favourite of his fans. He also had sung the entire Bhavayami ragamalike in some concerts which had a different flavour from the one popularised by Semmangudi/MSS. His fans will die for this song.
The concert in Navaratri Mandapam is very strict as to the timings. It will start at 6. P.M and end at 8.30 P.M. There will be a bell for the Deeparadhana at 8.30P.M. and the concert has to end at that time. One year,after the main song and thani, MDR was singing the great ragamalika Pannagendrasayana to be followed by his customary Mangalam. It so happend that while he was finishing the ragamalika, the bell rang and he had to sing Mangalam. MDR did not get perturbed. He finished the concert after singing the Mangalm. The Officer of the Palace who was in charge of these concerts expressed his displeasure in exceeding the time allotted to which MDR plainly replied : ""O appadiyanal kooppida vendame"". But the Royal family held him in high esteem and they did invite him for the concerts till his demisse.

Another incident. In the year 2001 or 2002, the Palace arranged the concert of Shri Abhishek Raghuram, an upcoming artist at that time, on the seventh day of Navarathri. The main song of the day was Janani Pahi in the ragam Sudhasaveri. AIR Trivandrum relays excerpts of the concert for 1 hour and 30 minutes on the same day - 9.30 to 11 P.M which is eagerly looked upon by music enthusiasts who can not go inside the mandapam for various reasons. We sat tuned to the radio at exactly 9.30 P.M thinking that AIR will relay excerpts of the concert of Abhishek Raghuram. But on that particular day, AIR did not broadcast Abhishek Raghuram concert probably because he was not auditioned at that time. But we were for a pleasant surprise. AIR did a very wise thing. They relayed excerpts of an old concert of MDR with TK Moorthy Mridangam singing the same Janani pahi as the main song. That concert was a heavenly concert which is treasutred by the people who recorded. (I have recorded ).

To the moderator. It will be appropriate to shift this thread to Vidwans and Vidushis as we will be mostly talking about MDR- the musician.

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Thanks CRama for joining the discussion with lot of information. His observation that MDR rasika-s have swelled in number after his time, is quite true.

Skandyhere has put forward a candid point: He seems to say 'the proof of the pudding is in eating'. So let's listen to more and more of MDR.
My admiration for MDR did take me to a stage where I attempted to 'sing like him'. No mimicry this I swear, but was the outcome of MDR's influence on me! I 'sing the style' to myself or in very close circles!

Shall continue with the MDR experience in next!

gangar2758@vsnl.net
Posts: 78
Joined: 23 Dec 2007, 21:25

Post by gangar2758@vsnl.net »

any comments on MDR MAMA 'S pAhi rAmadhoota?

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

After a concert at Ernakulam in the eighties, MDR was escorted by the organisers to the Rly station. The train was late and MDR suggested them to return and he would manage alone. But one of them stayed back ( the bonus would be a close musical interaction with the maestro during the 'waiting time'). But it was not to be that day. Instead, he saw an affectionate father in MDR who wanted to take a gift home for his son! Despite a sincere offer from the organiser to bear the cost, MDR maintained that 'it won't be proper to do so' and paid for it (reportedly a ready made dress ) requesting the organiser just to help him make the right choice. Needless to say the 'Sabhawala' was bowled over by the simplicity of the great man!

(I ask for myself if it would be the same case with any other Vidwan / Vidushi!!)

vpp
Posts: 5
Joined: 04 Jan 2009, 20:43

Post by vpp »

Is there any thillana composed by MDR in raga Kanada? any one have the lyrics?

thenpaanan
Posts: 635
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 19:45

Post by thenpaanan »

One hallmark of a great musician is that they are never static but constantly evolve and change over the course of a lifetime, constantly incorporating new ideas that keep the music from becoming repetitive. MDR, if anything, was a highly cerebral musician. Can folks here talk about how MDR's music changed over the years? Did his choice of ragas or kritis or handling ragas change? Did his voice change? In what ways did they change?

All these nostalgic memories of MDR make me eager to listen to a early tape of MDR. Are there any recordings of a "young" MDR in existence that help us compare them with the older MDR? Or alternately what is the earliest MDR recording that is known to exist?

-Then Paanan

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

All India Radio must be having several recordings of MDR in his early years. I have listened to one such broadcast years ago where MDR had rendered a very rare daru varnam 'Eti... manmathakoti' in Sreeranjini (Composition of Tiger?). I had even written to AIR to broadcast it again, but not sure whether they played it again.

And another AIR national programme of the sixtees opens with the Durbar varnanm - A young MDR has sung in 1 kattai sruti. Anyone could help retrieve?

Yes, MDR used to sing 'very rare' kritis like the one mentioned above, during his early years. He settled down to only established kriti-s later.

One thing I can say: he was 'simply in love' with Kedaram and Reetigoula raga-s which perhaps 'went away with him'!!

And guess another musician who had the greatest regard for MDR : Yes, Sirkazhi Govindarajan! More about this , later.

srkris
Site Admin
Posts: 3497
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 03:34

Post by srkris »

One thing I can say: he was 'simply in love' with Kedaram and Reetigoula raga-s which perhaps 'went away with him'!!
Nice way of putting it.

sakthi.balan
Posts: 28
Joined: 15 Dec 2008, 10:34

Post by sakthi.balan »

Sivaramakrishnan wrote:
And guess another musician who had the greatest regard for MDR : Yes, Sirkazhi Govindarajan! More about this , later.
Looking forward to hear more about MDR.....

vpp
Posts: 5
Joined: 04 Jan 2009, 20:43

Post by vpp »

Sivaramakrishnan wrote:All India Radio must be having several recordings of MDR in his early years. I have listened to one such broadcast years ago where MDR had rendered a very rare daru varnam 'Eti... manmathakoti' in Sreeranjini (Composition of Tiger?). I had even written to AIR to broadcast it again, but not sure whether they played it again.
http://www.youtube.com/user/mdramanatha ... v3NhGVre_4

this one?

ganeshkant
Posts: 963
Joined: 05 Feb 2010, 11:59

Post by ganeshkant »

Yesterday bet.9-9.30 p.m there was a documentary on MDR in DD - Malayalam.

It covered right from his birth at Manjappara in Palghat to his death in 1984 at Chennai.

Interviews by his Manni,brother's sons,wife and disciples were all very touching.

He had lead a life of sorrows of various types which made him move towards music closer it seems.

devi
Posts: 196
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 18:16

Post by devi »

hope some one recorded the programme

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Thanks so much vpp, for the link. I wish today's musicians popularise it!

ganeshkant, eager to know if someone has recorded the DD Malayalam documentary.

ignoramus
Posts: 197
Joined: 21 Aug 2006, 21:25

Post by ignoramus »

Does this documentary start with a clip of an elderly lady listening to the radio ?

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Once Sri Sirkazhi Govindarajan was winding up his concert when someone in the audience requested for a Tillana. 'Ni Ri Ga Ma Ga Ri Sa..' thus he began the poorvikalyani Tillana. Just after the pallavi, he paused to mention how MDR immortalised it. "Well, I can traverse any upper Stayi, but not the mandrastayi - the hallmark of MDR..... I learnt this only from his recording... this Tillana defines the greatness of the saptaswara-s and I recommend everybody to listen to MDR rendering this in a pace unique to him", said a humble Sirkazhi. The audience applauded- this time for Sirkazhi's devotion to MDR!

Nick H
Posts: 9379
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 02:03

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by Nick H »

So you have said, on several threads.

Suggest you check out the meaning of "spam"

girish_a
Posts: 427
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 13:33

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by girish_a »

Slightly offtopic, but since we're talking of MDR, here's Johnny Cash singing "Country roads" with John Denver. I think Johnny's voice is similar to MDR's. How deep and beautiful Johnny's voice is! And how well he expresses the feeling in the song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C7rS2Cs ... re=related

thenpaanan
Posts: 635
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 19:45

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by thenpaanan »

girish_a wrote:Slightly offtopic, but since we're talking of MDR, here's Johnny Cash singing "Country roads" with John Denver. I think Johnny's voice is similar to MDR's. How deep and beautiful Johnny's voice is! And how well he expresses the feeling in the song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C7rS2Cs ... re=related
Thanks for the wonderful pointer!

I have fantasized from time to time about singers from other traditions such as opera, barbershop choirs,etc singing CM kritis and how that might sound. Until now I had never included Cash in my fantasies, but clearly Cash to MDR is a very suitable comparison. Cash singing a CM kriti such as the bhairavi swarajati would be quite something to listen to.

Are there other such comparisons you would like to share?

-Then Paanan

girish_a
Posts: 427
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 13:33

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by girish_a »

thenpaanan wrote:Are there other such comparisons you would like to share?
-Then Paanan
Well, I'm not aware of any other such comparisons, but in the same video, John's and Johnny's voices themselves are a study in contrast. Now, to which Carnatic artist's voice is John Denver's timbre the closest? :)

By the way, there's another rendition of "Country roads", again by John Denver, in which I think the bhava of the song particularly stands out. Give it a listen and let me know what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukUL_I14GPw

There's something about the way he says "Mountain Momma", "painted on the sky" and such other phrases that is very ennobling. I don't know if it's only me, but this particular rendition, I found more beautiful than others of the same song.

Now we're really offtopic :)

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

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by rajeshnat »


cienu
Posts: 2387
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by cienu »

Nice picture of MDR teaching some students of Kalakshetra.
But the article of Gowri Ramnarayan pertains to reminiscences of Sri Dhananjayan.
http://beta.thehindu.com/arts/history-a ... 449834.ece

ragam-talam
Posts: 1896
Joined: 28 Sep 2006, 02:15

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by ragam-talam »

http://ramavarma.yolasite.com/unsung-genius---mdr.php
Prince Rama Varma wrote:When M.D.Ramanathan sang ‘Amba Kamakshi,’ the immortal swarajathi in Bhairavi by Syama Sastri for instance, he would seem to metamorphose into Syama Sastri to begin with. The transformation would continue magically till he became the song too… and Bhairavi itself. And finally things would come to a state where M.D.Ramanathan, his accompanists, the shruthi, Syama Sastri, the Swarajathi, Bhairavi ragam, Goddess Kamakshi herself and the sensitive listener, all fused together to become one single entity, brimming with music, completeness and perfection. It is this experience that I had in mind when I talked about “seeing God and showing God to others.”

ragam-talam
Posts: 1896
Joined: 28 Sep 2006, 02:15

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by ragam-talam »

Nice! http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com ... athan.html

Trichy Sankaran looks so young!

cpblog
Posts: 233
Joined: 07 Jul 2009, 22:01

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by cpblog »

ragam-talam wrote:Nice! http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com ... athan.html

Trichy Sankaran looks so young!
Ragam-Talam, you now have a choice deciding from the many artists alive today who did once 'look so young':

http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com ... olden.html (Mysore Nagaraj)
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com ... enius.html (Lalgudi)
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com ... flute.html (KSG, Rukmini, Upendran)
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com ... hur-v.html (TVR, LS)
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com ... iramu.html (BMK,Parur,TVG)

and how about Sir UKS (all over since 1963!) and Sir 'Vikku' (from 1965 when his hair didn't keep steps with his Ghatam! and well before his days with Shakti)

With a little more time maybe we'll be able to see how Baby Gayathri was once, when she fired up our imaginations!

Best Wishes, and Happy listening and Happy reminiscing!

sramaswamy
Posts: 366
Joined: 24 May 2006, 22:29

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by sramaswamy »

Beautiful pictures! Especially since most of the pages have current pictures as well, the contrast is wonderful. Thanks

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Indeed. Especially the Surutti ( Angarakam ashrayamyaham ) is wonderful. MDR slows down the tempo just the right amount to give himself the necessary space so he can give it his special touch and make it his own.

PALLOORKAR
Posts: 54
Joined: 23 Apr 2009, 13:18

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by PALLOORKAR »

on 9th december(thursday) there was a kutchery by Amritha Venkatesh at Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripoonithura. She rendered the kriti "Paripahimam Poornathrayeesa" in bilahari. It is very nice composition.

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

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »


sakthi.balan
Posts: 28
Joined: 15 Dec 2008, 10:34

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by sakthi.balan »

Can someone tell me who is the composer of the Sloga Ratnakarosti Sadanam sung by MDR. Also can someone give me the lyrics of the sloga....

venkatakailasam
Posts: 4170
Joined: 07 Feb 2010, 19:16

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by venkatakailasam »

I could not come across any thread under Vidwans for MDR.

rAma rAma - nIlAmbari can be listened at my blog 'e'-swara at

http://myblogkumara.blogspot.com/

at this link:

http://myblogkumara.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... an_30.html

There are 68 audio files of MDR.
rama rama is at sl.no. 031



venkatakailasam

sruthi
Posts: 204
Joined: 21 Sep 2010, 19:59

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by sruthi »

MAJOR SCOOP!
Recently I came across the famous 1-hour VIDEO (yes!) of MDR's 1977 house concert at Adayar - uploaded at youtube!

http://youtu.be/_SVBjp_gJlo

He is accompanied by a young TN Krishnan - and a very young looking UKS on mridangam!
This is truly a treasure for music lovers.

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

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by rajeshnat »

MDR is an intersection of sowkhyam and aggression, aggression not in speed but all inside him bringing every sangathi that "carnatic" weight and coupled with an exquisite "masculine" voice that creates a little more sustained aural feeling. See where the mike is kept atleast 4 to 5 feet away from shri MDR's mouth , perhaps the mike was kept closer to MDR's nAbhi :lol: .

cienu
Posts: 2387
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by cienu »

Thank you Sruthi .


sruthi
Posts: 204
Joined: 21 Sep 2010, 19:59

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by sruthi »

Sri MDR was born on 20th May 1923. He would have been 88 today.

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by vasanthakokilam »

The Yadukulakambhoji charanam of the NavaRagaMalika varnam is too small in the hands of many musicians to bring out YKK but MDR does an amazing job with that.

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by vasanthakokilam »

While watching the link posted by Sruthi, I stumbled upon this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tVoB_CzZgA
Begada at its best! Wow!!

viswanathmysore
Posts: 22
Joined: 20 May 2011, 08:13

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by viswanathmysore »

Are his compositions sung by other musicians ?
Who are his performing disciples ?

Enna_Solven
Posts: 827
Joined: 18 Jan 2008, 02:45

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by Enna_Solven »

His sAgara shayana vibhO-bAgeshri is sung by many including KVN.

bilahari
Posts: 2631
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by bilahari »

VK, you are right. MDR is the only one who seems to bring yadukulakAmbOji into that varNam! That one hour concert is nice but not too probing; I like the elaborate varNam more than any other item. TrilOka mAtAnanu is sung beautifully, too. Of course, MDR's gestures and facial expressions are almost worthy of being classified as nATyam! (OK, I exaggerate.)

bilahari
Posts: 2631
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by bilahari »

While sAgara sayana vibhO is a brilliant composition, I have a soft spot for several other MDR compositions like his enna kuTRam seidEnO in husEni (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdbevDaSYco) and vElavanE in sahAna.

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Of course, MDR's gestures and facial expressions are almost worthy of being classified as nATyam! (OK, I exaggerate.)
Yes, very much so.. The dictionary meaning of abhinaya is "indication of a passion or purpose or expression of sentiment by look and gesture" and MDR fits that bill!! He can not help get into the character and so bhAvam in his music is natural.

What I am realizing over time is this: For MDR, gamaka is not (just) a musical attribute but a tool for expression of the sentiment, thala avartha is not (just) a rhythmical attribute but a tool for appropriately proportioning the sentiment and emotion in meaningful chunks etc. Similarly for other melodic and laya attributes.. In his music, they are all deployed for a purpose beyond just music.

If he can exhibit/cast other's compositions in such terms, his own compositions should be even more reflective of those things. Glimpses of that can be seen in the compositions you have referenced above.

shripathi_g
Posts: 356
Joined: 30 Mar 2005, 08:25

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by shripathi_g »

Was going through the MDR thread on sangeetham.com http://web.archive.org/web/200104182119 ... 00248.html

Very nostalgic! I think I had just started listening to MDR at that time. 10 years later, I'm a MDR addict. Regardless of who I listen to, I just go back to MDR. There is an inherent sowkhyam in his music that I cannot find in others except Madurai Mani Iyer. I listen to his varnams every day on my way to work and I can never tire of them. People just talk about his sahana or yadukulakambodhi but I feel that he owned pretty much every raga he sang in his own unique way. One of his Balagopala renditions with neraval at Drona Karna Duryodhanadhi hara is just out of this world. After listening to his Amba Kamakshi numerous times, I've become a Bhairavi addict too. Very few people talk about his Koniyadina. Having listened to pretty much every Koniyadina rendition available, only MDR and Sanjay sing all the sangathis. I highly recommend MDR's rendition to get a good dose of Kamboji.

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by vasanthakokilam »

One of his Balagopala renditions with neraval at Drona Karna Duryodhanadhi hara is just out of this world.
In one such Balagopala renditions ( which I can not locate now, I will try later ), the beginning itself, the first few seconds, is just awesome and quite special.

advaitin
Posts: 103
Joined: 07 Dec 2010, 18:05

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by advaitin »

Hi VK

here is an MDR rendering which keeps me stunned everytime i hear it. Maybe someone would like it on the forum, i would say very unique the way the kriti is delivered. Believe it is MSG on the violin, do not have details of accompanists. apologies for that.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ah62lbc28ccac4g

Enna_Solven
Posts: 827
Joined: 18 Jan 2008, 02:45

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by Enna_Solven »

Thank you advaitin.

Here is a noise-cleaned version of your upload. No good deed shall go unpunished :)
http://www.mediafire.com/?9iuqlvrwo21uadj

Very powerful version rendered in his own unique way. I have not heard this song by him before.

advaitin
Posts: 103
Joined: 07 Dec 2010, 18:05

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by advaitin »

Enna Solven

that was a nice one :) I agree, i do have another rendering somewhere of his with me. But this one is unique, the other one is more along common lines. I can try and search for the same. But i rarely go to that, this is the one that keeps me on a high.

here is another piece which i would call smooth, may not exude the power of the earlier one.
http://www.mediafire.com/?d46tnrsdahi0lre

Enna_Solven
Posts: 827
Joined: 18 Jan 2008, 02:45

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by Enna_Solven »

thank you.

ranjanimalavi
Posts: 343
Joined: 17 Feb 2007, 06:15

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by ranjanimalavi »

This concert is itself amazing. I thought the violin was TNK and mridangam G. Durai
One of the beautiful bhairavi's and excellent khamas, nerval is too good, and a fast paced hindolam.
It took me several years to get back the bhairavi neraval, but its still not salvaged fully.

01-Varnam-Ninnu Kori-Mohanam-RSI.mp3
02-Navagraha-Diwakara Tanujam-YadukulaKambhoji-MD.mp3
03-Thera Theeyaga-GowliPanthu-T.mp3
04a-Seethapathe-Kamas-T.mp3
04b-Seethapathe-Kamas-T.mp3
05-Samaja Vara Gamana-Hindolam-T.mp3
07-Balagopala-Bhairavi-MD.mp3


Raman

advaitin
Posts: 103
Joined: 07 Dec 2010, 18:05

Re: M.D. Ramanathan (MDR)

Post by advaitin »

hi ranjanimalavi

i would love to get that entire concert if it is available. by the way, once i was listening to this at the airport. I had embar kannan as a co traveller and requested him to identify the violinist. he heard the whole piece, said it was MSG for sure he even wanted a copy

Post Reply