Harikesanallur Muthaiah Bhagavthar

Carnatic composers (other than performing vidwans)
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Harikesanallur Muthaiah Bhagavthar

Post by Guest »

Posted: 07 Oct 2005 06:25

Hi All,

I am once again starting a thread dedicated to a great genius in Carnatic Music and a king among composers(he lead a royal life too).

I could not resist myself from starting this thread during the auspicious Navarathri festival.I invite one and all to share their views on the contribution of the great to the world of Carnatic music.

I am kicking off the thread aptly with a composition in Alankari, "Navarathrothsava Vaibhave" in Alankari.This is a composition that truly bowled me over when I listened to it for the first time.

Alankari seems to resemble the Hindustani raga Hindol more closely than Sunadavinodini.The scale is SGMDNDS/SNDMGS , a janya of Gamanasrama.Here is the composition for your judgement.(The recording is bad).
More kritis will follow soon.

http://rapidshare.de/files/5972569/nava ... a.zip.html

Guest

Post by Guest »

Posted: 07 Oct 2005 14:31

Karthik.
Thanks for keeping up an old promise.

Though You have used an auspicious occasion to kick start the thread, please go full throttle only after the navarathri festivities taper down.We have still some distance to go in the Odeyar Thread.

The track was wonderful and the recording (as you mentioned)awful.
Hindol, like Bhibas gives me strange feelings , I wonder why.
Always looks like a tune floating in from a lost and forgotten world.Cannot explain though.
THe best Hindol I have heard is Gangubais classic..
: http://rapidshare.de/files/5974305/Gang ... e.mp3.html

here is also a lecdem kind of rendering by subra guha
: http://rapidshare.de/files/5974402/Subr ... l.mp3.html

a soothing flute by GS Sachdev
: http://rapidshare.de/files/5975497/GS_S ... l.mp3.html

and a haunting clip by Sultan Khan on the sarangi
http://rapidshare.de/files/5974818/Sult ... l.mp3.html

all these are "few mb" extracts.
And since I am in a mood to please Badri (to thank him for his wonderful effort elsewhere) Here is the last track of his favourite artist.
http://rapidshare.de/files/5974695/Ulha ... l.mp3.html

Guest

Post by Guest »

Posted: 07 Oct 2005 15:42

Thanks Kartik

As one who was privileged to witness and hear HMB during his life I am eternally grateful to the memory of this mahaanubhaava. I do consider him one of the greatest all-rounder of the 20th century who should be ranked with the Trinity to make it a quartet. There may be folks who may not agree. The fault is theirs since they may not have seen or heard his CM contributions. It is indeed a pity that HMB's greatness was never realized during his lifetime nor after. Our gratitude to TNS for bringing back to life his immortal compositions as well as his Harikatha style.

I hope in this thread we will share memories of his life and works as well as his music as much as is available now. We will also remember with gratitude the Royalty of Mysore and of Travancore who patronized him. I hope every one who is a lover of CM and its forgotten 20th century history (HMB having an interesting Royal role) will pitch in.

Further, this thread is even more delectable due to HM connections (remember those are the initials of Muthiah bhagavathar ) which coolkarni and kartik will bring us.

The stage is set! I am all ears!!

Guest

Post by Guest »

Posted: 08 Oct 2005 16:32

"kartik_krish" -he lead a royal life too

Indeed he was honored by four kings: King of Travencore mUlam tirunAL, Kings of Mysore Nalvadi Krsihna Raja Wadiyar & Jaya Chama Raja Wadiyar and King of Ramnad Muthuramalinga Sethupathy. He was also patronized by the chettinad chettiars.

When Maharaja of Mysore Nalavadi Krishna Raja wadiyar requested him to compose shree chamundesvari ashtottara shata kruti in kannada, he gave him a Daimler Car at his disposal. As Dr.HMB was not proficient in kannada , he was assisted by scholar Sri. Devottama Shastri to write the sahitya. Dr.HMB used to get up at 5 AM and go in the Royal Car to Chamundeswari Hill and sing his compositions before the Goddess till he achieved the required perfection and then he would come back to sing before the Maharaja ! In all he composed 6 invocations , 108 Ashtottara’s and 1 mangal ( total 115). For this he was given the title gayaka shikamani (1928) and given pre-eminent position in the Royal court . He was showered with a gift like Pearl Necklace with chamundewari pendant studded with gems and a very Royal sum of Rs.10,000.00 ! He was also given Emerald shiva linga by Sringeri Guru for composing Shivashtottara ( in Sanskrit) !

meena
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Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

kartik

can u pl continue.thanku

harikesa
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Joined: 23 Oct 2005, 21:33

Post by harikesa »

Today is the 118th birthday of the mahaan.
I hence thought that today might be an auspicious day to get started with the discussions on him.

Can we start with the kriti in Alankari?

harikesa
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Joined: 23 Oct 2005, 21:33

Post by harikesa »

CML,can you share your experiences on his Harikatha performances?You were one of the few priveleged old timers in this forum who have enjoyed his performances.

Did he compose anything for the Indian freedom movement or some passing references during his performances?


meena
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Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

For lyrics: (thanks to Lji)

deleted

Raja Chandra
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Post by Raja Chandra »

Scanned from articles in ALAPANE Series in the Deccan Herald, Bangalore
May 28, 1994

GREAT MASTERS:

MYSORE VASUDEVACHARYA remembers Muthaiah Bhagavathar, the master who composed Bhuvaneshwariya nene manasave and other beautiful songs.

GEM OF A COMPOSER

"WHERE do you have your bath?"
"There is the river, by God's grace. Three dips in it and my bath is over. I need neither a boiler nor any fuel!"

"What about your food?"
"It is enough if I get a few morsels of rice from a couple of houses. I am a Brahmachari, my Upanayana having been already performed. If I ask for alms, some kind-hearted woman gives me food. Each day I have a different sort of food and a different relish!"

"You bathe in the river, you get your alms, it need hardly be said that you must be living in some choultry."

"Your guess is right. Right from my twelfth year, this dharma chatra has been my home. What else do I need?"

This in brief was my very first conversation with Muthaiah Bhagavatar when we were students at Thiruvayyar. Even when he was speaking of the mis-fortunes he had faced, he maintained a cheerful countenance. One evening, when we were sitting in the front verandah of his choultry, we talked about our younger days and thought the Creator had made both of us sail in the same boat. Thereafter, we became fast friends.

Harikeshanellur in Tirunelveli district was Bhagavatar's birthplace. He was born in January 1887; Lingammayyar was the name of his father. When Muthaiah Bhagavatar was yet a boy of ten, Lingammayyar passed away and it was left to his uncle to bring him up. The uncle was an orthodox Vedic scholar who believed that music and dance were not for the respectable and tried very hard to make his nephew turn to the study of Sanskrit.

Muthaiah Bhagavatar studied Sanskrit for about two years but his heart was not in it. Finally, one day, he left Tirunelveli for Tiruvayyar without telling anyone. He had resolved to learn music even if it meant begging for a living.

Bhagavatar wandered about in search of a guru. At last, a reputed vidwan named Sambasivayyar agreed to teach him. Muthaiah Bhagavatar studied under him for seven years and acquired proficiency in music.

Muthaiah Bhagavatar was 20 when he returned to Harikeshanellur. He stayed in his hometown for about five years, and gave a few concerts. In those days music concerts did not receive as much encouragement as musical discourses did, and Muthaiah Bhagavatar decided to switch over to that form for a career. He had good scholarship in Sanskrit, he had fluency of speech, an excellent knowledge of music and a rich voice. No wonder his discourses became popular within a short while. He was able at last to make ends meet.

Meanwhile, he went to Travancore, where he displayed his learning at the palace and earned, as a mark of royal recognition, a pair of golden wrist-lets and shawls. The patronage and support that he received at Travancore encouraged him further to pursue music.

In his 25th year, Muthiah Bhagavatar settled down in Madurai. He made a living by teaching music; he ran a small music school of his own. Shortly after this, he went to Karur where he was able to gain the friendship of a wealthy landlord of Andipalli named Petta Chettiyar. Fortune smiled on Muthaiah Bhagavatar now. The Chettiyar, who was all admiration for his learning, honored him profusely. As suggested by Muthaiah Bhagavatar, he celebrated the Skanda Sashti festival every year at Karur. He invited well-known vidwans from all over south India to give concerts, and rewarded them liberally. This gave Bhagavatar an opportunity to come into contact with the famous artistes of the time, as also to further his scholarship. But those happy days did not last long. Petta Chettiyar passed away and Bhagavatar felt dejected. He left Karur and went on a tour to places like Calcutta and Rangoon and on his return settled down in Madras.

Mysore visit

In 1927, Muthaiah Bhagavatar visited Mysore during the Dasara festivities. He was about 50 then. He gave a couple of concerts at the palace and earned the benevolent attention of Krishnaraja Wodeyar. He secured a position of prestige among the musicians of the court. In 1928, the Maharaja bestowed on him the title of Gayaka Shikhamani. In Mysore, Muthaiah Bhagavatar used to go to Chamundi Hills every Friday and offer worship to the goddess. His Ashtottara Kirtanas are ample testimony to his devotion. He had been busy composing these kirtanas between 1929 and 1932. When he completed a kirtana, he sang it before His Highness and won his admiration. The words of the kirtanas were composed by Devottama Jois, who was a scholar in the court, while Muthaiah Bhagavatar composed the music himself. The Ashtottara Kirtanas, which were rich in musical and emotional content, delighted His Highness who honored Bhagavatar with a Golden pendant bearing the figure of Chamundeshwari.

In 1936, Muthaiah Bhagavatar received an invitation from the Travancore palace. At the request of Maharani Sethu Parvathi Bai, he stayed there for two years and entertained the court with his melodious performances. He was appointed the first Principal of the Swati Tirunal Music Academy which was established in 1938. Muthiah Bhagavatar systematized the notations of about 300 kirtanas of Swati Tirunal.

He wrote and published a book in Tamil on the theory of music, entitled Sangeeta Kalpadruma. In recognition of his invaluable contributions Travancore University honored him with a doctorate. He later returned to Mysore where he spent his last days. He passed away on June 30, 1945.

Muthaiah Bhagavatar, who had undergone several hardships in life, had great compassion for the poor. No musician who went to him returned empty handed. His was a small family himself, his wife and his daughter. Even the daughter passed away shortly after his coming down to Mysore. Though they were only two at home, husband and wife, at least 15 persons would be there for food, morning, and evening. Friends and relatives always flocked around him but Bhagavatar never encouraged idle talk; his life was dedicated to music and he spoke only about music. Those who went to him would hardly ever return without acquiring some valuable piece of information or other. Occasionally, when he felt bored, he played cards. On many occasions, he invited me to join him in the game.

Before he composed his kirtanas in Shankarabharana and kharaharapriya, he sent for me and made me sing half-a-dozen times the kirtanas I had composed in those ragas, namely, Harini BhaJinche and Rara Yenipilichithe. He then remarked:

"Acharya, I now have a complete picture of the emotional shades of ragas and I shall begin my composition".

Apart from his varnas and kirtanas which are rich specimens of melody and emotion, I had a great admiration and liking for his tillanas and darus. Many a time, when I sang at the palace, he accompanied me on the mridanga. No one could question his skill. After all, he had learnt under no less a vidwan than Narayanasamappa of Tanjore. He possessed an accurate knowledge of rhythm which explains the excellence of his tillanas and darus. He first sang his compositions before vidwans and welcomed their suggestions and comments. He accepted all the criticism he found valid, and incorporated the necessary changes. Though he could render all ragas equally well, fully elucidating their emotional content, Mukhari was his favorite and his rendering of that rag a was unique.

Script: S. KRISHNAMURTHY

meena
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Post by meena »

RC thanks for sharing the article.

i've read that sree HMB was also a mridanga vidwan and he trained sree MMi in the nuances of laya.
Any audio sample of HMB playing the mridangam is available kji/kartik?

Could someone pl alert kartik, we could atleast have this thread going, thanks.

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

RC

Thank you ery much for those historical snippets. I agree with meena that we need kartik to have this discussion going. I am pretty sure we can persuade coolkarni to share TNS's glorious renderings of HMB whom I consider the greatest vaggeyakaara of the 20th century.

We need the input of all you good folks to get this thread going.

May I request chembai to reassure that the changes that he envisions will not throw a spanner in our discussiona :D :D

srkris
Site Admin
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Post by srkris »

Assured of non-interruption arising out of my actions. :)

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »


cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

Thanks chembai!

harikesa
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Joined: 23 Oct 2005, 21:33

Post by harikesa »

Thanks everyone for the support.

Let us focus on Alankari.

Close to Sundavinodini,this raga differs in the arohana.Sunadavinodini has SGMDNS while Alankari uses a vakra SGMDNDS.The N-D-S phrase is repeated to distinguish it.The Hindustani equivalent is Hindol.

I hope Coolkarni will be kind enough to upload Paluskar's Hindol(78 rpm) which is a Sadarang composition.The meend from N to M is charc

The composition is dedicated Chamundeswari and addresses her as Navarathrotsava Vaibhave,perhaps reflective of her splendour during Dasara.

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

To allow uninterrupted access to these pages, and enjoy the genius of yet another great, I thought I would digress just a bit and post a song by HMB on gaNapathi: http://rapidshare.de/files/7853595/sidh ... _.mp3.html
This was a track posted earlier by Kulkarni sa'ab, but after the frustrations of the past few days, I thought I would repost this, and propitiate the remover of obstacles!
Ravi

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

Can some one post the meaning for the karnaranjani piece, 'vAchathOnu' please?
Thanks.
Ravi

meena
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Post by meena »

vAncatOnu . rAgA: karNaranjani. Adi tALA

P: vAncatOnu nAvagalu delpavE ambA
A: vAncita phaladAyaki shrI vallI guhuni manasu karaga
C: mAninI nI pAluDau nAmAnamu kApADi abhimAnamuncavalenu
talli marakatavalli kalimAnavulanu brOva nI samAnamevaru
mArAyuta samAna rUpa harikEsha kumAra rANi vanajanEtri


Context: Author is requesting "srivalli"(?) to convey his
message to her husband "balasubrahmanya(murugan)" swami.

Meaning:
P: Please convey my situation with heart
AP: Oh mother, one who fulfills desires, (Please convey my message) so that
his heart would melt.
C: Oh! lotus eyed one, please help my dire situation and keep my
self-respect. Who is equal to you in protecting the people of kali
yuga. (Please convey my message!)

word-for-word:
Pallavi: vAncatOnu nAvagalu delpavE ambA
vAnca + tOnu = with heart
nA + vagalu = my desparate situation
delpavE = convey
ambA = Oh! mother

Anupallavi: vAncita phaladAyaki shrI vallI guhuni manasu karaga
vAncita + phala + dAyaki = (Mother!) one who fulfills desires
shrIvallI + guhu + ni = husband of srivallai's
manasu = heart
karaga = melt

caraNam:
mAninI = (?)
nI = yours
pAluDau = I am at your rule
nA + mAnamu = my dire situation
kApADi = protect
abhimAnamu + uncavalenu = and keep my self-respect
talli = mother
marakata + valli = (?)
kali + mAnavula + nu = people of kali-yuga
brOva = protect
nI + samAnamevaru = who is equal to you
mArAyuta + samAna + rUpa = equal to mArAyuta(?)
hari + kEsha + kumAra + rANi = queen of the son of hari+kesava
vanaja + nEtri = oh! lotus eyed one

This seems to be song on Goddess Valli(aka Shrivalli), the younger wife of Subrahmanya, requesting her
to intercede on the singer's behalf, to her Lord.

Some additions to the above :
Shri valli - O Shri valli,
guhuni manasu karaga - such that Lord Guha(Subrahmanya)'s heart would melt
(you must say about me)

mAnini - O dignified lady
nAmAnamu kApADi - protecting the honour of me
nI pAluDau - who am your subject ( is this bAluDau?)

marakatavalli - resembling an emerald creeper!

rANi - O queen (of)
harikEsha kumAra - the son of Shiva
mArAyuta samAna rUpa - who is as handsome as 10000 Manmathas

(meaning was provided my murali-bboard)

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

Boy !!.Is this thread starting on a great note.
Thanks Meena for the meaning.
Karthick.
By invoking HINDOL , you have opened a can of worms at my place .Let me see How I Can put them all back.

To start with I find this raga one of the best to welcome the day .
During the brief period I lived in a Shimoga in a wonderful House with a terrace ,nestling close to a hillock, I used to love playing this raga at 4.30 - 5.00 AM in the morning .
Nothing else between me and the start studded sky slowly yielding to the dawn of yet another great day .And the effect would be dazzling !!

Here is a track which works as a primer on this subject , by Subra Guha
http://rapidshare.de/files/7880458/Subr ... Hindol.mp3

And as i read todays newspaper , I learn that Sultan Khan is scheduled to play-yet again with U Srinivas- today.Wonder if they will finally come up with something different-instead of insulting the chennai audience's sensibilities with mohana, Rajasthani Folk song, Lullabies and fusion stuff..
How wonderful would it be if he could try the Hindol , like he does here in a solo.

http://rapidshare.de/files/7880417/Sult ... Hindol.mp3
WHO IS GOING TO TELL THESE ARTISTS THAT WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YAMAN,PURIYA,HAMSADHWANI,MOHANA AND THAT WE CRAVE FOR DHANI,GORAKH KALYAN(ANDOLIKA)MADHMATH SARANG,BAGESRI(SRIRANJINI)BHIMPALAS,KAFI(KHARAHARAPRIYA).....

Next is a great track from Gangubai Hangal(karthick-sorry I am yet to locate the rajguru track)
http://rapidshare.de/files/7880688/Gang ... a_Bole.mp3

Next is a track by bhimsen Joshi in Hindol Bahar-- He sings Hindol for about 4 minutes and then takes off into Bahar in a breathtaking manner and keeps moving to and fro(Cml - this is a well recorded track so please take care with the Volume level)

http://rapidshare.de/files/7879184/Bhim ... _Bole_.mp3

And Lastly , everytime I come across Sunadavinodini, I just cannot resist listening to that track of BMK-MSG-TVG at shanmukhananda hall

http://rapidshare.de/files/7881094/bmk- ... Part_1.mp3
http://rapidshare.de/files/7881966/bmk- ... Part_2.mp3

simply mind blowing stuff from all the three artists.

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

If there is more interest in this raga, we can also look at Sachdevs bansuri rendering and two exquisite vocal renderings by venkatesh kumar and ulhas kashalkar.slightly bigger tracks

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

Meena,
Thanks for the translation. I assumed from my meager knowledge of colloquial Telugu that this song (vAnchathOnu nA) was addressed to vaLLI, and your translation seems to confirm this: the sentiments expressed are very similar to the Ramadasa composition, 'nanu brOvamani cheppavE, sIthamma thallI'. Also, I think that as far as compositions go, a rare one addressed to vaLLI!
Ravi

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

coolkarni

I think you meant sunadavinodini and not karnaranjani. Either case pl post the HM pieces. If RC is watching I would like to know whether MV created the immortal sunadavinodini through his HM contact and whether he had any HM connection. It will be equally interesting to know HMB's HM connection. The historical connections are vague even in the case of MD. HMB during his harikathas liberally used HM tunes as also Maharashtrian abhangs. How did he learn them?

meena
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Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

Deleted
Last edited by meena on 06 May 2008, 04:18, edited 1 time in total.

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

Thanks Meena
There is some similar story w.r.t amritavarshini too! I have heard him sing these ragas especially sohini (HM style) during the harikatha and keeping the audience spell bound. If only we could get Kartik we can get the complete details and even have the renderings of TNS posted by coolkarni!

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

cml

yes indeed.I was picking up the thread from Alankari to Sunadavinodini to Hindol.
Sorry for the confusion..

Guest

Post by Guest »

Thanks a lot to all of our fellow members for the support extended to the thread.It seems to be taking great shape.I was writing all the while as "harikesa",but forgot to introduce myself.

I was unable to login all these days under kartik_krish.The reason,I discovered just now,is a typo while that seems to have creeped in while resurrecting the forum.The name is kartik_kish (with the r missing).I discovered this from the list of users.

Many thanks once again to one and all who want to take this thread forward and in the process we all will acknowledge one of the greatest mahanubhavas of Carnatic music.

Karthik

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

Dear kartik

A warm welcome! We missed you! What is a discussion of HMB without your presence and contributions? We have a wealth of materials on him which I am sure coolkarni will share and with the historical insight that RC will provide we are on to a good start. Apparently I seem to be the only onw who has seen and heard this mahnubhaava in flesh and blood! I am thrilled. In due course DRS will join us once he is relieved of his urgent commitments. Chembai also has guaranteed us iron-clad protection;-) What more!

Let us get going...

meena
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Post by meena »

Welcome back karik aks harihesa, now that we all know ur on board lets move on pl.

harikesa
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Post by harikesa »

As RC rightly pointed out,when HMB wanted to adopt Sohini to CM,he did refer books and found the existance of Hamsanandi in CM (which was not very commonly rendered),a janya of Gamanasrama,which had an occassional Pa in its scale.He ommitted it and composed Neethu Mahima,Sachamara Ramavani in this raga.He is also credited to tuning(re-tuning)Pahi Jagajjanani of ST when he was invited by the Travancore kingdom.
Very interesting to note that there are not much chayas of Marwa or Puriya in his kritis,as a mark of personal observation.

I did manage to record several renderings of his kritis from AIR/DD which I shall upload from time to time.

srkris
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Post by srkris »

Image

abadri
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Post by abadri »

Reviving this thread with this post I made on www.rasikas.org before it went down.

This is a response to CMLsir's request to post TNS' rendition of Nidhu Mahima - Hamsanandi

Here's a pretty elaborate rendition by TNS (accompanied by MSG & TS)
[rapidshare links deleted]

A couple of shorter versions:-
1). GS Mani with VVS & UKS - [rapidshare links deleted]
2). SKR (from a HMB day concert at Sastri Hall) - [rapidshare links deleted]

For an instrumental version, here's Mali (from sometime in the 1950's)
[rapidshare links deleted]

Finally here's a recording of HMB's Sachamara Ramavani in Hamsanandi.
Karaikkurucchi Arunachalam is your performing artist - [rapidshare links deleted]
[I don't have a vocal recording of this kriti]

Hope this thread gets going again :)

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

Thanks Badri

kartik

Do we have any other Hamsanandi of HMB?

meena
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Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

hi cml, guess ur net is up and running.

Hamsanandi comp. of sree HMB:

Dhim tare nare nare dhirana tarana dhirana (t), Hamsanandi, Adi
Nidu mahima pogada na tarama rama nitya sukhada, Hamsanandi, Adi
Sachamara ramavani savya dakshina sevite, Hamsanandi, Rupaka
Soma suryagni lochana mamava, Hamsanandi, Chapu
Tillana (dhim ta tare), Hamsanandi, Adi

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

What was HKMB's first composition?
Ravi

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

meena

Not quite yet! But I have a loaner from my son! Apparently there is a virus which they have not figured out yet!

I am hoping Kartik will u/l some scintillating HMBs.

By the by (kartik/RC) could you clarify why there was a row between HMB and ARI (who never sang any of his compositions!)

Raja Chandra
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Joined: 16 Oct 2005, 12:39

Post by Raja Chandra »

coolkarni

I think you meant sunadavinodini and not karnaranjani. Either case pl post the HM pieces. If RC is watching I would like to know whether MV created the immortal sunadavinodini through his HM contact and whether he had any HM connection. It will be equally interesting to know HMB's HM connection. The historical connections are vague even in the case of MD. HMB during his harikathas liberally used HM tunes as also Maharashtrian abhangs. How did he learn them?
sorry sir,

i did not answer this for a long time. i was too busy.

To answer this one has to understand the cultural atmosphere which existed in mysore palace. Music of all types flourished at Mysore. Musician of all types , be it Western, carnatic and hindustani were patronaged. In fact many were encouraged to learn western music. Like Vidwan Venakatagiriappa was trained to write staff notations for the compositions of carnatic music. Even Dr. V.doreswamy Iyengar, Mr. S.Krishna murthy ( Grand son of MV ) passed the exams conducted in this regard.

In the archives of the records of the Palace administration, was this letter: ??It has been the great good fortune of Your Highness? petitioner not only to have been cherished and protected in this royal court, but to have been bestowed the high favour of a title at the hands of your Gracious Highness.?? The title was ??Aftab-e-Sitar?? bestowed by the maharajah on the writer of the letter, one Barkatullah Khan ? palace musician from 1919 till his death in 1930 and one of India?s great sitar players, one time guru to Kesarbai Kerkar and to the father of Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan, the greatest exponent of the Seniya sitar style in recent times. (Many years later, it was this same title that was conferred on Ustad Vilayat Khan by late president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.)

Many illustrious members of the Agra Gharana including Nattan Khan and Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan were guests of the Maharajah in Mysore. The legendary Abdul Karim Khan whose shisyas include Sawai Gandharva, Roshanra Begum and Hirabai Barodekar (it is said that though a devout Muslim, the Ustad would write ??Om tatsat samavedaya namaha?? on his musical works and was perhaps the first North Indian musician to study Carnatic ragas and incorporate several of them into Hindustani music). It is said that he learnt them from MV. Gauhar Jan, one of the greatest exponents of the thumri, the khayal and the ghazal, who was the toast of Calcutta where the saying went that ??Calcutta without Gauhar is like a bride without her Shauhar (Husband).??

All in the court of a king with a long tradition of patronage to Carnatic music where famed Carnatic musicians like Mysore Vasudevachar, Muttiah Bhaghavatar, Veene Sheshanna, T. Chowdiah and Bidaram Krishnappa flourished as court musicians.

Coming to MV, he performed his first cacheri on 13 jan 1896 at Mysore and he never looked back ! He travelled all over india. In Decemeber 1911 he participated in a snageetha jalasa and won the first prize in carnatic music section. On the way back he performed at Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bhopal, Bombay.

This is what Hindu ( fifty years ago - march 5 to 11, 1912) states;

A correspondent writes from Bombay under 3rd instant; Vidwan Vasudevachar, the well known vocal musician of the Mysore Durbar is now here on his return journey from Jallandhar where he had gone to attend the great congress of indian Musicians which held its sittings from the 26th to 29th of Decemeber last. He scored a brilliant sucess at Jullandar( being one of the fortunte four who carried away the highest awards), for his originality in composing sanskrit songs and setting to happy music even ordinary every day Mantras such as Kayena Vacha. He was also awarded a gold medal at Bhopal. The public of Bombay had the pleasure of hearing him yesterday when a concert and entertainment was organsied in his honour at Hira Bagh Hall by the South Indian residents of Bombay. He kept the whole audience spell bound throughout those three hours of the entertainment and specially the : coronation song" which the vidwan has composed in sanskrit and set to three differrent kinds of music ( Karnatic, Hindustani and English) won repeated applause....


He was fond of listening to all kind of music on AIR. when asked which he liked the most, he is said to have told it is like a basket full of fruit with grapes, pommagranate, oranage etc. How can you ask which is better ! Each has eats own unique taste. About Hindustani Music, he has said - Oh! for shruti they give their life. Thus it is pleasant experience to listen to them.

Unquote:

Hope i have answered your question !

srkris
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Post by srkris »

RCji,

Many many thanks for these recollections.

I would also like to know what was the nature of the row between ARI and HMB that drove ARI to make the tasteless remark about HMB's compositions

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

Fascinating! You took us on a ride in your time machine. More such explorations of our historical archives are needed to reconstruct the History of Indian Music! I feel sad that with passing away of our Monarchy we have lost an important impetus for music and musicians. The national awards are post facto whereas the Durbar provided the opportunity to intermingle and for symbiosis. I have golden visions of Abdul Karimkhan exploring Hamsadhvani in the company of MV, HMB and later seeking Chembai and on the reverse MV tuning in Sunadavinodini with HMB giving life to a host of HM ragas inside the CM sharIra.

Thanks RC!

Raja Chandra
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Post by Raja Chandra »

I thought one would ask the question on the coronation song !

My best guess is being a hardcore Mysorean, MV probably sang the Mysore state anthem kayoshree gowri. An amateur rendering of the same can be downloaded

http://rapidshare.de/files/9054785/01Ka ... i.mp3.html

This song was composed for the coronation ceremony of chamaraja wadiyar ix ( grand father of JCRW). When British Resident fixed the coronation ceremony they were surprised to know there is no state anthem. Then a court poet Basappa Shastry ( 1843-1891) composed and the same was rendered on the coronation day. Ever since then this became a state anthem and it was rendered by both the carnatac band and western band alike in their own style. Obviously it was also rendered in HM style also.

According to MV?s disciple Sri Channakeshaviah MV was fond of behag, mond, kaanada, sindhu bhairavi, maal kos, kamaaj and very often used to surprise everyone by singing Sanskrit shloka's with alaap in HM? style .

Raja Chandra
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Post by Raja Chandra »

RCji,

Many many thanks for these recollections.

I would also like to know what was the nature of the row between ARI and HMB that drove ARI to make the tasteless remark about HMB's compositions
sorry chembai, i have to draw a blank on this one. But will try and locate some info if i can

meena
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Post by meena »

RC

'Myosre state anthem', this is news to me. Could u pl provide the full text-Kayo Shrigouri Karunalahari ? thanks

Raja Chandra
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Post by Raja Chandra »

meena,

on the lighter side, it just means you did not attend school before 1950 in the erstwhile kingdom of mysore ! :D

Any one who attended school in the princely state knew about this.

meena
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Post by meena »

DRS
Do u happen to have the text for the mysore anthem? thanks

Raja Chandra
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Post by Raja Chandra »

meena,

it may not be very accurate, but a fair copy !


kAyau shrI gauri karuNA lahari
tOyajAkShi shaMkarI shvari |pa|

vaimAnika bhAmArchita kOmala tara pAde
sImatiga bhUmAspade kAmita phalade|1||

shuMbhAdima dAMbhOnidhi kuMbhajanibhe dEvi ||
jaMbhAhita saMbhAvite shAMbhavi shubha vI ||2||

shyAmAlake cAmuMDike somakulaja jaya cAma nAmAMkita
bhUmIMdra lalAmana mudadE ||3||

meena
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Post by meena »

RC
thanku

Raja Chandra
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Post by Raja Chandra »

It appears a bit odd that we are discussing about MV in Dr. HMB's domain. Our friend Harikesha is silent about it ! If it was DRS, he would have admonished us by now ! Well what ever happened to our good doctor?

I will endeavor to link MV 's own failings and rigid attitude that contributed to the success of Dr. HMB in Mysore Durbar!

As you all know MV had the unique distinction of seeing four generations of Wadiayr's in his lifetime. He was blessed by KRW III. He had his musical pilgrimage at Tiruvayyur under Pattnam Subramanya Iyer due the personal recommendations and munificence of CRW. (Yes! Pattnam Subramanya Iyer performed at Mysore Asthan and CRW knew him well ). After his return to Mysore MV became very close to CRW and accompanied him on his tours. When CRW died in 1894 at Calcutta, even the responsibilities of completing obsequies at calcutta and kAshi fell on him.

May be all this gave him some kind of authority over the Young Prince KRW IV. MV was also given the responsibilities of teaching Sanskrit to the young Prince. It appears MV took his job little too seriously and didn?t think twice about smacking the knuckles of his own king! So much so KRW IV had to plead: Please be soft Gurugale , it pains!! This must have left some indelible mark in the back of his mind.

In due course KRW IV became known as a Rajarishi and an authority of Music and arts. He requested MV to compose in Kannada. The conversation was on these lines:

KRWIV: Why not compose keertana?s in Kannada.

MV: Your Highness, Kindly excuse me. This is not possible by me.
KRWIV: Why? Is t your opinion that Kannada as a language is not suitable for Music?

MV: What difference would it make if one worships Goddess of Music (sangeeta sharade) with the flower of any language? After all, grand old man of carnatic music Puranadara Dasa was a true kannadiga! Notwithstanding one?s mother tongue, every one who studies carnatic music has to start with ?laMbodara lakumikara?, isn?t it?

KRWIV: Despite having born and brought up in Karanataka, how is it that you have not composed in Kannada so far ? Isn?t it an insult to Kannada?

MV: Your Highness, it is not correct to presume that I do not have profound regard for Kannada, just because I have not composed in Kannada. My country is Kannada nadu, my language is Kannada, and my culture is Kannada. But I studied Sanskrit and dearly married to Music. As you are well aware, customarily Carnatic music has grown with the support of Sanskrit and Telugu only. Due to these circumstances I have followed the same path.

KRWIV: But you can make an attempt now?

MV: Excuse me my lord. I am too old for new experiments!

KRWIV: I will get the kannada sAhitya written, you can at least compose the music for them?

MV: Your Highness has to excuse me even on this count. Music and sAhitya both have to emanate together. Then only it will emerge as a meaningful artwork. Otherwise it will be artificial. It will be akin to staying in a rented house contrary to the freedom one enjoys while living in one?s own dwelling. Can you not discern the difference my lord?

KRWIV: In that case can I presume you are not going to honor my command ?

MV: Your Highness should not feel I am disobeying the orders of my Provider. Just to honor the Kings ordain, I will compose one keertana in kannada but I humbly pray that your honor should not pressurize me in future.

KRWIV: What if I show you by getting Kannada kRuti?s composed by Non-Kannadaga Vidwan?s?

MV: I only said that it is not possible by me. I did not say it is not possible by any one else, your highness.

KRWIV: What if your decision comes in the way of your progress?

MV: I do not consider my devotion to my art is secondary to my progress, my lord.

Rest as they say is History. Maharaja got Devottama Jois to assist Dr. HMB to compose the everlasting Astottara Malika on Goddess Chamundi, which has become part of the musical folklore. This paved the way for Dr. HMB getting pride of place in the King?s court and opened the floodgates of fortune.

Despite getting his first book of Compositions printed by KRW IV and other titles, generally it is felt MV suffered financially during this period. Only after JCRW ascended the throne did the golden period in MV?s life start and got back much more than what he had lost. More than anything else, the world of Caranatic Music gained in the form of a composer in JCRW himself.

It also leaves the doubts linger on who wrote the sAhitya for the sole kannada composition by MV !

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

RC: Thanks for the information: what an eductaion this site is!
I may have missed it, but what is MV's sole Kannada krithi?
Ravi

meena
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Post by meena »

shankar
sree MV's kannada kriti - karuNisau tAye mAye SivajAye rAgA: saraswati manOhari.
DRS mentioned this on sangeetham thread- we had a long kanakadasa thread running, not too long ago.

DRS could u pl post the full text for us, thanks

Raja Chandra
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Post by Raja Chandra »

Thanks meena for filling the Blank!

Here is another small link between MV and Dr. HMB.

Thayagaraja Aradhana Utsava was initiated at Mysore under the leadership of Dr.HMB. It used to be conducted at the kolaLu gOpalasvAmi temple at Old agrahara . During the inaugural function all the vidwan?s who attended the utsava sang Thyagaraja?s various compositions as their humble contributions befiiting the occasion. MV thought differently and silently composed a new keertana commemorating the great saint and when his turn came he presented - ? shrImadAdi thyAgarAja guruvaram namAmyaham in rAga kalyAni.

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