Madurai Mani Iyer

ravimandalam · Post by **ravimandalam** » 26 Mar 2011, 21:02

Actually MMI has rendered "Un Darisanam Kidaikkumo Nataraja Dayanidhe" in a 1959 Music Academy concert, for which the link in Sree Veeraraghavan's upload is:
http://cid-5f3305198bd47502.office.live ... Y1959%5E_3
It is in Track 2. I think Un Darisanam was quite a popular Pallavi for RTP - apart from SSI and MMI, GNB has also rendered it. 'Kanakidaikkumo Sabesan Darisnam' has also been rendered in other ragas like Varali.

Regarding mridangam accompaniment for Thanam, I have heard it in only SSI and Chembai's concerts, not in MMI's concerts. Balummi sir and Dr VKV may know better.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 26 Mar 2011, 22:48

My REGULAR listening to MMI LIVE started in 1950& I left for USA in '59. During that period I did not miss any MMI concert within a radius of 250 miles centered around Chennai. In these concerts I did not hear Thanam when Mridangam was also played.
I did discuss with Tiruvengadu Jayaraman about this. He described a concert in Hyderabad with Chowdiah & PMI where BOTH accompanists got TOTALLY involved emotionally as well as musically to such an extent they curbed their usual tendency to be independently expressing their creativity in an assertive fashion & were just MOVED by his renderings. In that concert apparently PMI voluntarily started accompanying MMI'S Thanam with his Mridangam & MMI sang Pallavi in Four Kalai Chowkam. Tiruvengadu was so surprised he asked MMI when they returned home well past midnight about this & MMI told him that when he was coming up in the field if one did not do 4 Kalai etc they would have ZERO Concerts & later on he evolved & implemented his own ideas on R.T.P.
Wish I was there for that concert. Chowdiah& PMI BRIMMING with their own ideas neverthless always did not insist on them & made SURE the CONCERT was cohesive & fully supported the main artist..............................VKV

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 26 Mar 2011, 23:00

[quote="ravimandalam"][quote="Balummi"]Dear Ravi ,
My personal explanation for MMI not singing Pancharatna Kritis or Swarajathis would be :
His failing eyesight even in 1950s and he was dependent on others for reading even newspapers .He cannot
refer to any book or jottings if suddenly his memory fails while singing them , or even while preparing for
the concert ( and he never prepares for concerts).

Dear Sri Balummi,
Many thanks for your explanation. We, his rasikas, know that Sri MMI was visually challenged and it would have been very difficult for him to memorize the lengthy sahithyam of Pancharathna kirthanas and swarajathis. Even with this serious disability it is a wonder that he could sing such a wide range of compositions. I look forward to attending his centenary celebrations in Chennai next year and know more about him. Is there any list of all the krithis that he has sung in the recordings currently available?
.
I know that he has taught at least FOUR of the Pancharatnas =Varali was usually never taught tho' He has praised Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer's rendering in private conversations- & I have heard him sing Saadinchanae& Endharo Mahanubavulu in concerts myself tho' I have to search to see if any recordings are available in my collection extensively.Right now I don't have the time to do so.Of course I have attended the Tiruvaiyaru Thyagaraja Aradhana where I was able to sit close enough as part of the audience where I could clearly hear his voice in all of the Pancharatnas...............VKV

Enna_Solven · Post by **Enna_Solven** » 26 Mar 2011, 23:42

ravimandalam wrote:A melodious Kalyani RTP from MMI that I downloaded from the link to Sree Veeraraghavan's upload:
http://cid-5f3305198bd47502.office.live ... alyani.MP3
The quality of the recording is good (Enna_Solven, please note if you do not have this already) and brings out the fine timbre of MMI's voice.

Thanks you Ravi. I just downloaded it and am listening to it

Please listen to this MMI-MTC concert from Sri Vaidyanathan:
http://arvindsdad.blogspot.com/2011/03/ ... -iyer.html

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Mar 2011, 02:43

ravi mandalam
Your reference of 1959 is right. I was just thinking possibly he may have bit changed the lines to create a kind of uniqueness .

All
mAle manivannA(S) - kuntalavarAli - tiruppAvai is a rare recording of MMI, in particular I like that sprinkle of swaras which must have been a last second decision , despite around 02:52 the song is winding up.That is mmi special swaraprasthana magic at any cost

http://rapidshare.com/files/454537333/M ... ivanna.MP3

ravimandalam · Post by **ravimandalam** » 27 Mar 2011, 12:26

Dear E_S,
Many thanks. Actually this concert is also available in KS Jaisankar's folder at sangeethamshare site, currently under maintenance. I must have listened to the Chakkaniraja in this concert umpteen times! If you listen carefully, after Chowdiah's alapana and before MMI starts the kirtana, he hums softly 'Pgmgrs, ndPgmgrs' - it has an electric effect. Again he starts the anupallavi "Chikkani paalu" and suddenly realizes he has missed out singing the final sangathi of the pallavi and climbs gracefully to the upper shadjam - that's MMI, spontaneous and splendid. The kalpana swaras are unfortunately interrupted. The taniavartanam is superb.

Dear Rajeshnat,
Male Manivanna has been sung by Smt DKP whose 78RPM record with Thoomani Maadathu in Hamir Kalyani on the other side was quite popular in the 1960s. I realize another admirable quality about MMI - he is never inhibited from singing a particular composition just because it has been popularized by another contemporary singer. I remember being amazed when I first heard MMI's Vasudevayani - a kirtana strongly associated with Sri GNB.

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 28 Mar 2011, 12:41

Whenever the 1966 Academy concert of MMI is refered , I am unable to recapture the grandier of his music but only the frail looking figure of about 30kg wait crouching in an easy chair, (sometimes brought to the dias by TVS lifting the chair in one hand as it happened in 1965 , Max Muller Bhavan Concert), He was usually made to sit on a pile of Dunlop Sponge blocks so that he did not get hurt while singing for more than 3 hours at a stretch for the benefit of music lovers only and he never cared , as usual , for the remuneration . I feel very unhappy that people like TMK passing comments that MMI can not be included in the SEVEN GREATS of Carnatic Music of the four decades ending 1960 and physical ailments should not be a consideration to qualify! I once asked Dr. SAK Durga , the renowned Ethno musicologist to name her list of 7 Musicians responsible for the renaissance of Carnatic Music , her reply was that she could think of only 5 of them as the first two places were already reserved for MMI and Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer!

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 28 Mar 2011, 13:17

My memory of a MMI concert is of the one at the Mouna Swamigal Madam at Ambattur; I do not remember the year.Shri MMI was physically lifted and brought to the dais, a frail looking person, and was seated with some suppport. All I remember is the tears welling up in my eyes and the wonderful music that followed. I realised the power of CM on that day and got hooked.What a great person Shri MMI was!

perarulalan · Post by **perarulalan** » 28 Mar 2011, 14:19

Balummi wrote: I feel very unhappy that people like TMK passing comments that MMI can not be included in the SEVEN GREATS of Carnatic Music of the four decades ending 1960 and physical ailments should not be a consideration to qualify! I once asked Dr. SAK Durga , the renowned Ethno musicolagist to name her list of 7 Musicians responsible for the renaissance of Carnatic Music , her reply was that she could think of only 5 of them as the first two places were already reserved for MMI and Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer!

PUNARVASU wrote:My memory of a MMI concert is of the one at the Mouna Swamigal Madam at Ambattur; I do not remember the year.Shri MMI was physically lifted and brought to the dais, a frail looking person, and was seated with some suppport. All I remember is the tears welling up in my eyes and the wonderful music that followed. I realised the power of CM on that day and got hooked.What a great person Shri MMI was!

Balu Sir,
Do great artistes like Shri. MMI, Shri. MDR et.al, require certification from contemporary artistes? IMHO, the renderings of stalwarts were "direct dil se". There was absolutely no ado about their performance. Their music was pristine and soulful. That's the reason, renderings like Varugalamo in Manji by MDR, or Eththanayo piravi neraval by MMI can move anybody to tears.

Be it temple concerts or Academy concerts, stalwarts treated them the same and gave their best, enjoying themselves and making others enjoy. That showed their commitment to music, to the rasikas, to the Vaggeyakkaras, to the lyrics, to the shruthi, to everyone and everything.

On the other hand, current focus is on aesthetics and acoustics!!! A simple tamil song like KaNda nAL mudhalAi kAdhal perugudhadi, gets mangled badly by contemporary artistes, who have changed the lyrics from vandhu sugam thandha kandhanai en kAndhanai to andha sugam thandha...

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 28 Mar 2011, 15:13

Perarullan wrote 'On the other hand, current focus is on aesthetics and acoustics!!! A simple tamil song like KaNda nAL mudhalAi kAdhal perugudhadi, gets mangled badly by contemporary artistes, who have changed the lyrics from vandhu sugam thandha kandhanai en kAndhanai to andha sugam thandha..."

you can add acrobatics to aesthetics & accoustics , that would make it complete for the likes who didn't find these in MMI
to rank him one among the greats. Just see the sheer number of 'Views' on this forum -MMI has crossed 70k.. proof enough to show
how dear he and his music was to sooooo... many.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 28 Mar 2011, 15:37

I forgot to add in my post; I was, may be, 7 or 8 years of age at that time and had just started learning music.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 29 Mar 2011, 02:29

"Balummi"---- I feel very unhappy that people like TMK passing comments that MMI can not be included in the SEVEN GREATS of Carnatic Music of the four decades ending 1960 and physical ailments should not be a consideration to qualify! I once asked Dr. SAK Durga , the renowned Ethno musicolagist to name her list of 7 Musicians responsible for the renaissance of Carnatic Music , her reply was that she could think of only 5 of them as the first two places were already reserved for MMI and Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer!......

It is a SAD COMMENTARY that persons like TMK who can LEARN A LOT from Greats LIKE MMI can pass IGNORANT COMMENTS based on their IGNORANCE & LACK OF LISTENING & pass SUPERFICIAL& WRONG comments just because they know some one in the Newspapers like HINDU & I hope people read the Sruti issue on MMI where MUSIRI, ARIYAKUDI, GNB(who proposed MMI for Sangithakalanidhi) & MALI( who always asked persons to LISTEN TO MMI when asked for whom one should listen to in Carnatic Music) WHO DEFINITELY WERE NOT ONLY BETTER THAN MUSICIANS LIKE TMK IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MMI BUT HAVE ACTUALLY LISTENED TO MMI. While we should encourage current talent we should not allow or TOLERATE IGNORAMUSUS to dominate the scene just because of their access to public media thru' their contacts or current popularity. I am glad forums like Rasikas.org exist & at least provide an opportunity to level the playing field to some extent....

PUNARVASU wrote:My memory of a MMI concert is of the one at the Mouna Swamigal Madam at Ambattur; I do not remember the year.Shri MMI was physically lifted and brought to the dais, a frail looking person, and was seated with some suppport. All I remember is the tears welling up in my eyes and the wonderful music that followed. I realised the power of CM on that day and got hooked.What a great person Shri MMI was!

Dear PUNARVASU, I WAS VERY MOVED BY YOUR ABOVE STATEMENT. I have listened to more than 300 recorded concerts of MMI & have just finished a mp3dvd of excerpts& concerts of MMI thru' out his career which I hope to distribute free on the occasion of MMI'S CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS. If you write me your address I would be happy to send you an advance copy of the DVD. My email is: vkv@juno.com.....Regs, VKV

kapali · Post by **kapali** » 29 Mar 2011, 04:44

Having personally attended to MMI`s concerts in Bangalore and lived during his time , I can vouchsafe for the enthralling way his music captivated and cast spell on the audience, old and young alike and rasikas.org need not get obsessed with or pay heed to TMK `s view ,as it is his personal opinion only and not that of the carnatic music world.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 29 Mar 2011, 04:48

Balummi wrote:Whenever the 1966 Academy concert of MMI is refered , I am unable to recapture the grandier of his music but only the frail looking figure of about 30kg wait crouching in an easy chair, (sometimes brought to the dias by TVS lifting the chair in one hand as it happened in 1965 , Max Muller Bhavan Concert), He was usually made to sit on a pile of Dunlop Sponge blocks so that he did not get hurt while singing for more than 3 hours at a stretch for the benefit of music lovers only and he never cared , as usual , for the remuneration ...

I cannot resist recalling the '66 Academy Concert of MMI as I had just landed in Madras on the day of the concert after leaving for USA in 1959. I called his house & visited MMI with a Sony Tape Recorder I had brought with me as a present to MMI as I was keen he should listen to his own concert! I asked for his permission & he said that I was the only one who asked him permission to record his concert & predicted there would be twenty tape recorders recording it!-He was right!- He did not mind it & actually said he was happy more rasikas would be able to listen to him. THAT WAS VINTAGE MMI.......I shifted to Dhoti & when I arrived at the Academy they would not let me in leave alone the recorder. I sent a note to Vembu Iyer who was already on the stage. They managed to detune the Thambura, Vembu Iyer led me on to the stage where I bribed the P.A. Man 100 Rs & he gave a direct connection. The concert start was delayed! That was MMI THE MUSICIAN WHO LIVED FOR HIS FANS!....
Of course being on Stage I was able to observe all the great artists present who sat IN A TRANCE elevated to etheral levels that MMI always managed to transport his listeners. What an experience! It still remains UNMATCHED in my life so far & ONLY THE ENTRANCE& START OF THE GREAT M.S. at the United Nations is comparable to that UNIQUE experience, the two best moments in my life......VKV

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 29 Mar 2011, 05:07

I feel compelled to join the likes of Balummi,CACM on their reaction to TMK's comments on MMI.
First of all anyone has the right to name the top artistes,hall-of-famers in Sport etc--BUT it should be based on objective criteria--demonstrable and measurable.TMK is known for his intemperate observations on stage and off stage.

First thing TMK should learn from MMI is MMI's devotion to music and RESPECT for the audience.While TMK may cavalierly dismiss the physical infirmities of MMI as not a valid criteria for inclusion amongst the Greats,he understates the enormous odds MMI had to overcome to produce the kind of music. TMK is blessed --God bless him--with a voice that does not set any limitations to his music---he should thank his stars that he has it. MMI's recordings alone do not do adequate justice to his music or the struggles he underwent to produce the music.

Most important point about MMI' music--which TMK seems to have missed completely is the fact that he got laypeople interested and initiated in listening to CM at a time when the traditional artistes,--Maharajapuram,Musiri,Chembai,Semmangudi et al were catering to selected groups of connoisseurs and music listenership did not extend beyond a narrow circle. I would boldly venture to say that the audience would not have grown this much but for his unique melodious way of rendering bypassing his physical infirmities. One never came away from an MMI concert without a "bounce" in one's step and a lilt in one's own voice trying to imitate the Great man!! I must confess I have spent countless hours trying to imitate his style of Raga vistharam or Swara prastharam and each time I come away with a new nuance to his style that I had not noticed before. Much has been said about his Sruthi Suddham so that I do not have to paint the lily. But that is no accident. If you observe closely,he will always frequently touch the lower Shadja or the Panchamam to ensure that he is in alignment all the time and will never get "derailed" no matter what happens--Imagine a Mridangist constantly testing his sruthi alignment (Palani Subramania Pillai on the Mridangam and Papa Venkatramiah on the violin were notable "doubting thomases" when it came to sruthi alignment that they would be checking constantly--sometimes much to the consternation of the Vocalist!!). MMI did this unobtrusively so that the listener would hardly notice the constant regression to the base shadjam or Panchamam when he elaborates on the raga alapana.

It is no secret that MMI's concerts during the December Season in all the BIG three Institutions at that time in Chennai--The Music Academy,Indian Fine Arts(Gokhale Hall in Armenian Street) and the Tamil Isai (Raja Annamalai Manram)--"drew" the maximum gate after MSS and Kamala(Dancer).

His free concerts at the Temples(Kapaleeswarar etc) used to draw huge crowds with pin drop silence--so much so fellow musicians like GNB,Semmangudi used to jokingly refer to MMI as Communist(in those days Communist Speakers drew huge crowds because of their populist socialist rhetoric!).Yet each one of them often admitted that he certainly helped "broaden" the listener base--You take any objective measurable criteria--Sruthi suddham,selection of songs for a concert,the "balance" in the concert structure and most importantly RESPECT for the listener--whether he is an "Elite" patron or ordinary rasika(On this criteria, I am sure TMK can take some lessons).I know TMK is not going to be the sole arbiter of who gets recognized as Great,so that this post is not about TMK.

VKV Sir--RESERVE one DVD for me-when are U going to be in Cleveland!!!

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 29 Mar 2011, 05:58

Dear MKR,
I will be there late 21stnight till the end& eagerly looking forward to meeting you, ALWAYS an exciting& illuminating EXPERIENCE. OF course I will give you the DVD which I was planning to mail you any way!...vkv

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 29 Mar 2011, 06:11

Balummi wrote:I feel very unhappy that people like TMK passing comments that MMI can not be included in the SEVEN GREATS of Carnatic Music of the four decades ending 1960 and physical ailments should not be a consideration to qualify! I once asked Dr. SAK Durga , the renowned Ethno musicologist to name her list of 7 Musicians responsible for the renaissance of Carnatic Music , her reply was that she could think of only 5 of them as the first two places were already reserved for MMI and Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer!

The 7 greats that TMK identified as part of his "unwantedly praised- excessively prized -voices within book" were ARI, TN Rajarathinam pillai, Flute Mali,GNB,SSI , Palakkad Mani Iyer and MS Subhalakshmi. Personally I think there is this attachment to No 7 , we say top 1 , top 2 ,top 5, top7 and then only top 10. With the constraint of 7 artists I guess the authors TMK/Bombay Jayashri selection was quite ok. I am pretty sure many senior rasikas would not mind bring MMI in, but those of them have to drop any of the existing 7.

MKR Sir,
# To me the whole exercise of only writing articles to bring more limelight to only 7 artists is only TMK-BJ's opinion . For sure they could have dignifiedly written some 15 artists like say including(MMI,SKR,KVN,Santhanam, MLV,DKP, LGJ etc) and showed the professional maturity that you expect from a top ranking musician which they did not.

# Having said that if TMK had been a sishya parampara of MMI,or learnt few sangathis of MMI if say MMI lived another 20 years , I would not be too wrong to speculate that he would have put him in top 7 too, after all there is a hidden agenda in the coffee table book.

# Having said that , there is one sad thing about MMI and his school. There are very few students, the most prominent is TVS and then to an extent (not any less musically but yet to get visibility like his guru) is suryaprakash, thats it . We have very few artists like TVS son and daughter coming up ,they may soon make a big mark for that school(hopefully), but they are not there yet. That also makes me believe that to sing sarvalaghu swaras in ganakalAdhara way,which is the defining forte of MMI music is quite an ardous task for students to take up . As such MMI's sishya parampara was/is not strong enough to build a case of including MMI in 7 and their clout is not that high as SSI school. Hope it changes in generations to come.

BaluMMI,
I attended TMK coffeebook presentation sometime in 2007(NGS or MA cant recollect now the place), I heard from TMK that there were few eyebrows raised of non inclusion of MMI. TMK to me gave a convincing answer and I dont think he made any comment on the frail health of MMI or longevity . May I know your source of TMK's comment .

For the record , If you honestly ask me if 7 is a no I would drop ARI and bring in MMI to accomodate in the top 7 list and redraft the coffee book till then mmi's inta sowkhya mani nE in KApi(unadulterated pristine coffee)

.

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 29 Mar 2011, 06:22

I agree with rajeshnat. Of course, the inclusion of people in the book is a subjective assessment (by Bombay Jayashri and TMK) and we can forever argue who should be included and who should not.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 29 Mar 2011, 06:41

Shri VKV, thank you for your kind words.

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 29 Mar 2011, 10:17

Dear All .
I am very unhappy that my reference to the physical aspect of MMI commented upon by a vidwan like TMK ( and it was certainly not TMK) had made such an impact among rasikas . Only the book reference
in which the 7 greats of CM leaving out MMI and Maharajapuram should be attributed to TMK . Since I did not want to name the other vidwan I simply refered to him as vidwans like TMK . This particular vidwan came to my house for recording from my music collections made that comment when I insisted that he should also take from me some of MMI's renderings.ENOUGH OF THIS CONTRAVERCY!

vgovindan · Post by **vgovindan** » 29 Mar 2011, 12:01

khudA ne har koi kO apnE jaisE banAyA
tAkI 'tuM har koi rahO perfect'.
lEkin insAn ki duniyAn mein number game caltA hai
kOn saMjhAyE insAn kO?

sitaraman iyer · Post by **sitaraman iyer** » 05 Apr 2011, 03:42

To compare MMI ,a nadayogi, with other musicians is like comparing apples with oranges. I am not aware of any other musicion ever t

aking the listner to extacy and to a level of absolute bliss. With others we may marvel about their knowledge,saareeram and kanakku etc. It is no wonder he has no successor.

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 05 Apr 2011, 12:11

sitaraman iyer wrote:To compare MMI ,a nadayogi, with other musicians is like comparing apples with oranges. I am not aware of any other musicion ever t

aking the listner to extacy and to a level of absolute bliss. With others we may marvel about their knowledge,saareeram and kanakku etc. It is no wonder he has no successor.

Absolutely right. Knowledge, kannaku etc may thrill, hold one in amazement or enthrall,
but they all prove ephemeral. In the case of MMI one is drawn to him again and again for the simple
reason that absolute bliss is our "real nature" (or our natural state) and everyone would love to remain.
His music takes us there.

Intellectuals may not able to appreciate this for obvious reasons (that in itself is a separate issue).

ravimandalam · Post by **ravimandalam** » 05 Apr 2011, 18:17

Balummi wrote:.ENOUGH OF THIS CONTROVERSY!

The controversy that has arisen over Sri TM Krishna's book can be converted positively into an opportunity. During the forthcoming centenary celebrations of Sri MMI, I feel it would be fitting to release a detailed, well-researched and comprehensive book, a biographical publication on the late maestro covering all aspects of his life. Chapters can be written on:
1. MMI's musical lineage from his illustrious uncle, late Sri Pushpavanam, including all available information on Sri Pushpavanam.
2. MMI's famous guru Harikesavanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar; Sri HMB's life and times and a glossary of his compositions
3. MMI's manasika guru and mentor Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer. This chapter can cover the many remarkable similarities between MVI and MMI's style of singing, choice of ragas and compositions. (Mohanam, Kalyani, Darbar, Arabhi, Khamas, Sriranjani, Saranga, Abhogi, Begada, Atana, Yamuna Kalyani are some of the ragas I can offhand recall that both sang with great enthusiasm and tremendous manodharma). I would go so far as to risk saying that MMI is the closest to MVI's style - much more so than Sri Semmangudi and even MVI's own son Sri Santhanam - I hope I am not creating a fresh controversy by saying so!
4. MMI's disciples Sri Vembu Iyer, Smt Savithri Ganesan, Sri Tiruvengadu Jayaraman - this is also an opportunity to put on record information on these artistes about whom not much is known or published. (I even have a news item from The Hindu archives on the Ariyalur train tragedy that claimed Mrs Ganesan's life in 1956. Just to digress - that train tragedy was a watershed in our politics when the then Railway Minister the late Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned owning moral responsibility and accountability - a far cry from today's political climate!)
5. A complete listing of MMI's cutcheri recordings and discography- he was perhaps the most recorded vidwan among his contemporaries apart from Sri Semmangudi who, of course, lived much longer.
6. Vidwans who accompanied MMI during the different phases of his career - violinists SarvaSri Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai, TK Jayarama Iyer, Chowdiah, Thiruvalangadu Sundaresa Iyer, Govindaswami Naicker, Mayavaram Govindaraja Pillai, LGJ, TNK, MSG, Sri Chandrasekharan and others. His percussion accompanists including Palghat Mani Iyer, Palani Subramania Pillai, Umayalpuram Sivaraman, Vellore Ramabhadran, Alangudi Ramachandran, Umayalpuram Kodanda Rama Iyer, Vilvadri Iyer, Vinayakaram and others
7. Personal anecdotes and accounts from Sri TVS, his disciples (like Dr Durga), his associate as well as rasikas. Sri Lalgudi, Sri TNK, Sri Vellore Ramabhadran, Sri Umayalpuram Sivaraman are some of today's senior vidwans who in their youth have accompanied Sri MMI in many concerts and would have many informative accounts to narrate about the late master's style. In fact tributes from some of them are already on Youtube.

The book could be illustrated profusely with photographs from his many performances - only a fraction of these are currently available online. I am yet to see cutcheri photographs of MMI accompanied by Sri TSI, GN and MGP. I am sure newspapers like The Hindu and periodicals like Ananda Vikatan will have plenty of material in their archives - photographs, cutcheri reviews etc. and would be only ready to help, if approached by the organizers of the centenary celebrations. I recall Ananda Vikatan publishing in the early 60s a series of imaginary conversations between vidwans of those days with accompanying caricatures. One such piece portrayed a long conversation between Sri MMI and Sri GNB. It is well known that both, together with Sri TN Rajaratnam, were very good friends and spent many hours discussing music.

Sri TVS as Sri MMI's nephew and heir, I am sure, would also definitely help in this noble endeavour to honour and perpetuate the memory of the great master by contributing material related to Sri MMI in his possession such as photographs, newspaper cuttings etc.

This is only my humble suggestion - perhaps such a book is already under preparation. Regarding cost of publication - I am sure many of us rasikas would be willing to contribute our humble bit towards covering the cost. It would be a fitting tribute to this great nadayogi.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 05 Apr 2011, 23:09

Dear Sri Ravimandalam,
THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL SUGGESTIONS. I have a separate thread on MMI CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS IN "GENERAL DISCUSSIONS"where I will write a DETAILED ACCOUNT of ALL the things that are being planned PERIODICALLY. I was hoping to do that after returning from CLEVELAND FESTIVAL in Mid-May. Are you going to be there? If YOU do LETS TRY TO MEET. I will be running around but if you locate me-VKV many persons can identify me there- we can spend time & I can discuss these in detail. In the meanwhile, please check in at the other thread where I will write a BRIEF response to your well thought out post. REGS, VKV

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 06 Apr 2011, 03:43

Some more information on Smt Savithri Ganesan provided by Shri balummi and Shri Vishnuram prasd and details of her concert at at Music Acadamy are provided at this

http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=14210

venkatakailasam

Shivadasan · Post by **Shivadasan** » 06 Apr 2011, 17:52

It is unfortunate that set of persons have started a debate as to whether MMI deserves to be called a great. TMK could have stopped short of writing the book on greats and need not have displayed his irrational thinking and limited knowledge by explaining why he had not chosen MMI or any other musician.

TNR and MALI had talents which were unachievable and stood tall above all others. Even MSS had a special combination of voice, sruthi and diction which became ideal for many. MSG had taken violin to an unattainable height. Balachandar did to Veena what Vilayat Khan had done for Sitar. Dakshinamurthy Pillai was legend whom even PMI adored and respected. These artists were all time greats . In the vocal music, ARI, GNB,SSI were of course top high calibre musicians of the day but not in any way so highly gifted as to be placed far ahead of stalwarts like MVI, MMI, Chembai, Musiri, Dhanammal, MLV, DKP, MDR, Balamurali, etc. nor can they be considered all time greats . These trio had certain unique capabilities through which they distinguished themselves just as each of the other artist had his/her own uniqueness. The only thing that distinguished from others is their capacity to attract crowds. But again in this area MMI was equally popular among the public.

Over the past 60 years I have heard almost all the carnatic musicians and most of the Hindustani musicians including Omkarnath Thakur, Vilayat Hussain Khan, Ratan Jankar, Ahmedjan Thirakwa, Krishnarao Shankar Pandit, Narayan Rao Vyas, Vinayak Rao Patwardhan etc. . I had close personal contact with very high calibre musicians in CM & HM. I have also developed a deep understanding of HM.

After a long gap I have come back to listen to CM (attracted to it by its spiritual base) and I am thankful for the rasikas for providing me the links for some excellent music. After having listened to the highly tuneful music of HM, when I heard the CM recordings, I found that that the music of those musicians whom I had ranked very high in my younger days were after all, were not of the standard I had initially thought them to be . All their blemishes came to the fore. I have lost respect for many of them.

Earlier , even though I liked his swara prastharam, I did not have much regard for MMI particularly because his rendering of songs were not majestic. But when I heard MMI now, after 4 decades and after absorbing the essence of music of HM greats, I was able understand how great he was, how much he got immersed into the ragas, how tuneful he was and how he was in an ecstasy while singing. I had moved very closely with many famous CM musicians and had heard their vulgar jokes and sarcastic comments about other musicians, which they indulged in private. But only MMI (and LGJ) was very sober and it was a pleasure to be in his company, just watching him.

When I hear MMI recordings I feel a pleasant feeling of floating in music. He was effortless in his presentations. When I hear others it is clear to me how they were putting in great efforts to do their contrived presentation. Most of the combinations appear to be the result of a lot of practice and not on account of involvement with the ragas. Their music , with rare exceptions, were neither inspired nor effortless .

MMI was a genius. He was the first person to popularize CM among the lay public with his swara prasthara. No one could so far successfully repeat his style of presentation. It is unfortunate that people, even talented musicians, do not appreciate his greatness. It must be because they do not have the respectful approach to CM as MMI had. To state that he did not deserve to be in the list of great musicians is a disservice to the cause of CM.
Shivadasan

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 07 Apr 2011, 14:48

Though I am generally not a big fan of TMK's several excursions at superficial reasoning, I don't quite understand the misgivings this time. From what I understand, this is just his opinion (if at all), and he has gone on to say why he thinks so. And moreover, whenever there is such a Top 7 or Top whatever list, every one has his/her own preferences. If TMK thinks MMI does not belong there, it is his opinion. After all, not everyone needs to have the same 'greats' list. I too, for one, am not very enthused by MMI/SSI's music as much as say Alathur/GNB/TSK. However, that does not mean anything beyond the fact that its my personal preference, and if I were to write an article tomorrow with a list of 'great' musicians and leave out a few in favour of others, it would just be my perception. MMI or SSI or any musician who has made a mark in whatever manner, does not need anyone to certify the same, neither would they themselves expect every person to appreciate their style of singing !

Sathej

kapali · Post by **kapali** » 08 Apr 2011, 19:27

Prince Rama Verma`s fitting and lengthy tribute to MMI`s music a couple of years ago perhaps truly and exactly reflects the way MMI`s music captivated the rasikas and admirers that thronged his concerts in the 50`s and 60`s.
Incidentally in an earlier post mention was made about MMI`s Vasudevayani --- The highlight of that piece was his exquisite niraval at ' Raaga thaala' , as MMI brings out the subtle and sublime touch of kalyani raga

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 12 Apr 2011, 16:46

Some of the soul stirring recordings of MMI especially a sedate rendering of Charukesi for 40 minutes can be found if this link is followed http://www.mediafire.com/?uyvu42fclpcgm

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 12 Apr 2011, 22:09

Shri. Balummi-
Adamudigalade wonderful charukesi even though it ends with raga alapana.
Thanks for the link. I have a shorter version only.

venkatakailasam

Sorry ... now I got the next part also..It is complete now.

Enna_Solven · Post by **Enna_Solven** » 14 Apr 2011, 06:09

Balummi sir, thank you for the concerts. I love your way of encoding concert/accompanists details in the first three files. Neat!

pvs · Post by **pvs** » 14 Apr 2011, 07:37

Shri Balummi,
Thanks for sharing these gems. MMI rules over the world of CM with his effortless magnificence. I lost a few hours without noticing the time listening to his S'priya, A'bhairavi and Arabhi among others. Is there a recording of him handling nattakurinji in detail? Like a RTP or something like Kuvalayadala Nayana? I have listened to his budhamasrayami and it makes me want more. thanks again! Sheer bliss...

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 14 Apr 2011, 08:22

Please listen to them at http://myblogkumara.blogspot.com/

venkatakailasam

chetants · Post by **chetants** » 14 Apr 2011, 11:49

Dear Rasikas,
Well, well, well! Did not see TMK's "endorsement" of the 7 Greats of CM and everyone's comments till now.
May I take the liberty to sum up the feelings and thougths about MMI's music on behalf of all his die-hard rasikas?
While the music of all the Vidwans/Vidushis of yesteryears could be compared to different flavors of swimming and their variants like freestyle, trudgen crawl, backstroke, butterfly stroke, breaststroke, snorkeling, dog paddle, sidestroke, scuba-diving, windsurfing et al in the ocean of Carnatic Music, MMI is the ONE and ONLY Vidwan, who in my opinion bodysurfs effortlessly on top of a tsunami(with apologies and due respects to the victims of the same) and comes out in flying colors every time unscathed, soaking rasikas in pure unadulterated joy!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maver ... _2010b.jpg

If MMI's "Isai" could create "Asai" in a sanyasi like the revered Kanchi Paramacharya himself, it is deiveega sangeetham(music for the GODs) that is probably beyond the realm of ordinary musicians like TMK. Grow up, TMK and try to figure out what makes MMI occupy a special place in the hearts of all rasikas, otherwise you are sure to "drown" in the ocean of CM.

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 14 Apr 2011, 14:15

Well said 'chetants'. I liked your 'isai' and 'asai' reference very much.

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 14 Apr 2011, 16:57

Dear Chetants,
I very much like your comments on MMI's music , something similar to that of Raja Rama Varma ! . Similar comment had also emanated from highly respected Sri Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Yoga Centre.One rasika while listening to the monthly concert of MMI last month told me that Jaggi was being interviewed by Sri Pandit Jasraj of Hindustani fame for a TV Channel and he had said that he ( Jaggi) in his younger days was making fun of MMI's music and would run away from the place where his father , a devotee of MMI, used to play his old gramaphone records repeatedly . It took him several decades to realise that if one is able to truely appreciate MMI with invovement no yogic meditation is necessary , he can directly reach GOD without any intermediary!

Enna_Solven · Post by **Enna_Solven** » 16 Apr 2011, 08:32

Balummi sir,
I am cleaning the tape noise from the songs. It is so wonderful to hear his voice without the noise. If I have your permission I can post it back on mediafire.

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 16 Apr 2011, 12:50

Dear Enna_Solven ,
No permission is necessary from me for anything as also from MMI . When somebody asked permission from him for recording his concert , he asked him " is that necessary? . See , there are countless no. of tape machines allover this dias , did anybody get my permission? Pl. allow me some space for sitting! "
I am eagerly waiting for the improved set of recordings .I have forgotten my password for entering the mediafire as it is remembered by my laptop . my email id for entering the media fire is balummi@gmail.com . I have posted only about 3GB of MMi out of 22GB . I do not know how much I am allowed. Shall I try to store all my collections? Only rasikas should tell.

Enna_Solven · Post by **Enna_Solven** » 16 Apr 2011, 19:04

Thank you sir. I had trouble with the RTP-Begada and the following songs (25-28). Worked late into night but didn't complete. Here is my favorite MMI viruttham:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/vgq95neer ... uttham.mp3

I will upload the rest once I am done.

sruthi · Post by **sruthi** » 17 Apr 2011, 02:22

Am re-posting this from the lounge:

Madurai Mani Iyer was a well-read person who took a lot of interest in various areas outside of music.
Read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madurai_Ma ... autodidact

"Madurai Mani Iyer was indeed passionate about music but he had other interests too and one of them was the English language. Though a school drop out, Mani Iyer mastered this language and an anecdote goes that he would trudge from his house in Mylapore all the way to the Connemara Library to pick up books in the Queen's language. He loved Bernard Shaw and was a fan of Charlie Chaplin. A compulsive listener of both the English and the Tamil news, Mani Iyer was a keen observer of politics too."

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 17 Apr 2011, 05:13

Shri balummi
"I do not know how much I am allowed. Shall I try to store all my collections? Only rasikas should tell."
Mediafire:

As I gathered from the site:

Unlimited Uploads
All accounts can upload an unlimited number of files. ( Both free and professional)
Unlimited Downloads
You can share your files an unlimited number of times.
Share Huge Files
200MB /for free accounts
venkatakailasam

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 17 Apr 2011, 10:07

Dear all ,
Please follow the link below to download Ayodhya Mandapam Concert 1964

http://www.mediafire.com/?e999kxo6x97b9

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 17 Apr 2011, 11:28

From wiki:
"Iyer's prodigious talents were recognized early in his age as he received various honours from dignitaries of that time. In 1927, a music conference took place at the Congress session in Avadi. In that was arranged a programme on the 72 melaragamalika of Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer. Mani's father expounded on the theoretical aspect of the composition while Mani sang. Father and son walked away with the awards.

has he ever sing the 72 melaragamalika of Sivan subsequently?

venkatakailaam

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 17 Apr 2011, 23:23

venkatakailasam wrote:From wiki:
"Iyer's prodigious talents were recognized early in his age as he received various honours from dignitaries of that time. In 1927, a music conference took place at the Congress session in Avadi. In that was arranged a programme on the 72 melaragamalika of Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer. Mani's father expounded on the theoretical aspect of the composition while Mani sang. Father and son walked away with the awards.

has he ever sing the 72 melaragamalika of Sivan subsequently?

venkatakailaam

Apparently he was asked to give a concert too!....Reg Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan's 72 Melakartha Ragamalikai there are no accounts of his rendering them in a PUBLIC CONCERT as his preferred mode was to choose 10-12 songs for each season that he can specialize each year & this monumental composition would not have fitted in this scheme as he was interested in popularizing the songs he rendered & he might have considered it too complex. Of course I am only speculating but it was well known that his CURIOSITY level was such he probably learnt them as his repertiore was so large & what we have heard in concerets or recordings are ONLY A FRACTION of it. Too bad the recording tools available at that time as well as the knowledge to use them was quite primitive. VKV

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 17 Apr 2011, 23:23

venkatakailasam wrote:From wiki:
"Iyer's prodigious talents were recognized early in his age as he received various honours from dignitaries of that time. In 1927, a music conference took place at the Congress session in Avadi. In that was arranged a programme on the 72 melaragamalika of Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer. Mani's father expounded on the theoretical aspect of the composition while Mani sang. Father and son walked away with the awards.

has he ever sing the 72 melaragamalika of Sivan subsequently?

venkatakailaam

Apparently he was asked to give a concert too!....Reg Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan's 72 Melakartha Ragamalikai there are no accounts of his rendering them in a PUBLIC CONCERT as his preferred mode was to choose 10-12 songs for each season that he can specialize each year & this monumental composition would not have fitted in this scheme as he was interested in popularizing the songs he rendered & he might have considered it too complex. Of course I am only speculating but it was well known that his CURIOSITY level was such he probably learnt them as his repertiore was so large & what we have heard in concerets or recordings are ONLY A FRACTION of it. Too bad the recording tools available at that time as well as the knowledge to use them was quite primitive. VKV

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 18 Apr 2011, 12:15

I never knew that MMI had sung this 72 melakartha number, that was news to me

annamalai · Post by **annamalai** » 18 Apr 2011, 12:52

venkatakailasam wrote:From wiki:
has he ever sing the 72 melaragamalika of Sivan subsequently?
venkatakailaam

Melachakramalika of Vaidhyanatha Sivan was passed on to Sabesa Iyer (Annanmalai University) by his father who was a disciple and violinist of Maha Vaidhyanatha Sivan. Sabesa Iyer on to Musiri Subramanya Iyer and the many Annamalai University students. So, Musiri, S. Ramanthan and others have sung this ragamalika ... Mudicondan Venkatrama Iyer has sung Maha Vaidhynatha Iyer krithis, Simhanandana tala pallavi, and thillana in Simhanandana tala in Kamboji.

Balummi, a great concert, excellent quality recording ...

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 18 Apr 2011, 16:07

Dear All ,
Please follow the link to access my mediafire storage to download some of the excellent recordings of MMI Mani - 01 http://www.mediafire.com/?74d9gkv98dzr5

venu sundar · Post by **venu sundar** » 22 Apr 2011, 17:28

Monthly MMI meet - Address
Renganathan E N
#4/4, Kumudh Apartments (1st Floor, Road-facing entrance)
Lakshmipuram 1st Street,
Royapettah,
Chennai-600 014
Ph: +91 900 302 7857
When
Sat APRIL 30TH, 6pm – 8pm
Where
MMI centenary celebrations monthly listening session
contact S.Venugopalan ph 9841313527