Madurai Mani Iyer

SangithaRasika · Post by **SangithaRasika** » 26 Apr 2009, 03:55

There is a Kedaram (Rama nee pai) on Sangeethapriya too ..... http://www.sangeethamshare.org/kl/50-MM ... angavaram/

~SR

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 26 Apr 2009, 11:10

kEdAram! Missed that. Thanks, SR.
Manjunath, I will get to nAda tanum anisham tomorrow. Also a favourite of mine (LGJ's rendition is superb as well).

SangithaRasika · Post by **SangithaRasika** » 26 Apr 2009, 23:54

Manujanth, here is the song that you were requesting ..... http://www.sangeethamshare.org/kl/18-MM ... mbay-1956/ . You can also enjoy Sita Vara - Devagandhaari in the same concert as I think it is another rear rendition from the master !

~SR

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 27 Apr 2009, 12:07

SangithaRasika- Thanks for the above link. I'm D/L, in additionto above mentioned songs, Chethasri,Srimatrubhutam. The other songs in the Directory, I have Copies in Cassette/CDs.

sItavara - I have heard only TNS singing.

SangithaRasika · Post by **SangithaRasika** » 29 Apr 2009, 00:05

vkv43034 Sir, Any luck with the Master's Mukhari rendition ?

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 29 Apr 2009, 00:40

NO. I have to go thru' a complicated process as SOME OF THE CONCERT LISTS ARE NOT PROVIDEd. I just returned from India& Cleveland & still have to settle down. Will take time. vkv

SangithaRasika · Post by **SangithaRasika** » 29 Apr 2009, 04:22

No problem. Thank you for looking into it whenever possible.

~SR

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 29 Apr 2009, 08:40

vkv43034 wrote:NO. I have to go thru' a complicated process as SOME OF THE CONCERT LISTS ARE NOT PROVIDEd. I just returned from India& Cleveland & still have to settle down. Will take time. vkv

VkV Sir
When you gave the bunch of cd's of mmi last year , I took roughly a year to listen to every one of them, unfortunately my mission to mukhAri was like Apollo 13 , it was the most successful failure.

May be if you have other cd's other than what you gave me, you can search that collection to start with.

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 29 Apr 2009, 10:42

According to late Shri Thiruvengad Jayaraman who has travelled and accompanied MMI since 1955 till the end of MMI's life, he had never heard the master singing Mukhari in a concert, but he has taught ksheenamai to Thiruvengad. About 7 years back, I had visited Shri Thiruvengad to interview him for MMI's website, for which I had prepared about 35 questions. I got almost all answers from Shri Thiruvengad, who was so gracious and happy to talk about his master.

Also there were some rare instances where Mani Iyer has sung the following songs which are not available with us as recordings so far :-

1. Vanajaksha - kalyani Ata thaala varnam

2. Poornachandrika Varnam (i dont remember the composer)

3. Durusuga - Saveri krithi with alapana and swaras

4. Ninnuvina sugamugaana, Raajuvedala, Enduku dayaraadhu, emijesithe (thodi krithis of shri thyagaraja, all of them are found in the Academy program list of MMI in 40s and 50s)

5. Undu kuladheiva raaman (Thodi, Papanasam Sivan)

6. Yaaro endrennaamale (Shankarabharanam, with neraval in parutha vil ivarkaikku podhumo podhaadho)

7. Atharunam - Bhairavi, Papanasam Sivan with neraval in uthama piravi...

8. Mamava pattabhirama (which Thiruvengad has learnt from MMI directly) - not in madhyama sruthi

9. Jankarasthuthi seiguvai (poorvikalyani), guhasaravanabhava (igaparam, simmendramadhyamam), ayyane aatkoll meiyyane (Kambhoji), Ganarasamudan (Begada), ininamakkoru kavalayum illai (bilahari), mohanamuthukumara (neethimathi, kooteswara iyer), yaarummaippol aadarippavar (atana), Tamizhmanam kamazhum (manirangu), vaazhga nee emmaan, pagaivanukkarulvaai, paraathparaa parameswara (this is found in a kalki review)- all found in Tamil isai program list in 1940s / 50s

10, Giriraja sutha, Venkatesa ninnu, palinchu kamakshi, Tholijenma (bilahari), Neepaadamule (Bhairavi), Ramaneeyada (karaharapriya), munduvenuka (Darbar), Ksheenamai (mukhari, a 1930s review of his concert rates MMI's rendition with neraval as one of the best ever heard, though shri Thiruvengad did not hear this sung in any public concert in the last years of the master when recording was extensively done)

11, Manasaguruguha (anandabhairavi), kamalamba vibakthi krithis (all of them, though we do not possess the recordings of ganta, ahiri and sri), maragathavalleem (kambhoji)

12, RTP in Anandhabhairavi (pallavi line starting naangu vedhangal), RTP in Kambhoji (4 kalai pallavi, with thrikaalam sung at hyderabad 1956 or 1957 with chowdia and PMI which shri Thiruvengad vividly remembers as it was one of the very rare instance of MMI singing thrikaalam)

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 29 Apr 2009, 11:06

Thank you, Vishnuramprasad, for the list of rare renditions of MMI. VKV sir had once mentioned that MMI's repertoire was far, far greater than what is reflected in the many recordings of his concerts. There is no doubt, given the consummate ease with which MMI sang ragas like gauDamalhar, sarasAngi, ravichandrika, etc, that his imagination was boundless. Just listen to his RTP in kAnaDa in one of his last concerts!

SangithaRasika · Post by **SangithaRasika** » 29 Apr 2009, 20:03

It is exciting to read the list !! Fortunate are those who have listened to these songs.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 29 Apr 2009, 22:05

VishnurAmprasad
Nice to see your post who else can data mine more about madura mani than you. Please continue to post more often. Looking at your last few posts it is quite long time one about GG and the other about suryaprakAsh concert review.

Ksheenamai (mukhari, a 1930s review of his concert rates MMI's rendition with neraval as one of the best ever heard, though shri Thiruvengad did not hear this sung in any public concert in the last years of the master when recording was extensively done)

I am speculating that MMI and SSI both being students of the torrential downpour guru maharAjapuram vishwanatha iyer , must have excelled in mukhari and mohanam from MVI (though they may have picked up the rAga much before MVI's tutelage). Once when SSI excelled mukhAri (ksheenamai) and MMI excelled in mohanam (mohana rama),they both decided to pass the other. There is just one bhuvanutha by SSI in mohanam.

Incidentally you have mentioned durusuga -sAveri - SS , I am more curious than mukhAri , will MMI's style ever suit sAveri.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 29 Apr 2009, 23:31

Dear Vishnuprasad & Rajeshnat,
Please ferret out the list of rare songs rendered by MMI as I am hoping to provide the cpmplete list as best as we can in the Centenary volume. May be you can both colloborate & come up with the list as I am very keen that any admirer of MMI desrves a place & a say in the Commemorative volume. Regs, VKV

Rajeshnat: REG "deciding to pass each other" I just wish to point out that GNB & MMI both have rendered: Vataphi, Sarasa Samadhana, Naadupai, Sobillu, Vasudevayani among others usually At the request of the other! VKV

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 29 Apr 2009, 23:38

>Incidentally you have mentioned durusuga -sAveri - SS , I am more curious than mukhAri , will MMI's style ever suit sAveri.

Dear Rajeshnat,
MMI was so smart & creative I cannot imagine he cannot overcome his "style"! There are many instances in which he has rendered kritis like Manavyala in a very "conventional" fashion. He is like Mali in this regard in choosing to show creativity in other aeras!. VKV

annamalai · Post by **annamalai** » 29 Apr 2009, 23:58

Vishnuprasad,

Nice to hear about the list of krithis rendered by MMI from his own disciple - Tiruvengadu Jayaraman. Some of the rare krithis are not available in recordings that arein circulation.

Interesting to note that MMI had taught Tiruvengadu - Entaninne. He would have rendered Mukhari in his masterly style in concerts.

Any raga would suit such stalwart musicians like MMI or Karaharapriya for GNB.

BTW, I heard that GNB had learnt Sarasasamadana and Nennarunchinanu from Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer (Veena).

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 30 Apr 2009, 01:30

rajeshnat wrote:I am speculating that MMI and SSI both being students of the torrential downpour guru maharAjapuram vishwanatha iyer

MMI a shishya of MVI? I thought he was a disciple of Muthiah Bhagavatar.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 30 Apr 2009, 06:55

ragam-talam wrote:
rajeshnat wrote:I am speculating that MMI and SSI both being students of the torrential downpour guru maharAjapuram vishwanatha iyer
MMI a shishya of MVI? I thought he was a disciple of Muthiah Bhagavatar.

MMI was a "Manaseega" Shisya of MVI. SSI told me about the 90 mile bus trip both took to listen to the "Ravai" saareram of MVI. MVI who was considered the ultimate in Mohanam used to call MMI Mohana Mani! VKV

( Mod note: Dear VKV, please do not indent the first line of your posts. It does not display properly. We have fixed most of your poste now. Thanks. Also it will be easy on the eyes if you do not capitalize whole words )

pgaiyar · Post by **pgaiyar** » 30 Apr 2009, 07:00

30-Apr-09

Dear All:

I read about one Mr. Natarajan??? of the famed SA family of Kumbakonam who is also related to the Musicologist SAK Durga somewhere. This gentleman is/was close to MMI and virtually accompanied him everywhere. Can I please request the forum members to let me know the correct name of this Mr. Natarajan??? and his contact details. I think he is in Egmore???.

God bless you all.

Regards

Guru

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 30 Apr 2009, 10:38

Mr.Natarajan of SA family, Kumbakonam is now an octagenerian living in Egmore. It is his eldest son Shri Balasubramanian who literally went behind MMI in 1960s while he was studying in Vivekananda college and IIT Madras. He also lives in Egmore, Chennai, and is a hard core rasika of Music in general, MMI in particular and has a good collection of MMI concerts which are currently circulated among 100s of rasikas. He literally wakes up with MMI's music everyday and ends his day with MMI's music. I got introduced to him while i was a school student, it is a good 20+ years, even now I see him yearning to listen more of MMI's music. Not only MMI's music, but he has imbibed all the great human qualities of MMI in him. MMI was a family friend of his father / grandfather and has sung on all good occassions of their family including Mr.Balu's 1st Birthday way back in 1949!

shripathi_g · Post by **shripathi_g** » 30 Apr 2009, 11:44

Vishnuramprasad,

Pagaivanukarulvai is available in this concert - http://www.sangeethamshare.org/sripathy ... am-001.mp3

The concert also has Aduvome pallu paaduvome, Parukule nalla naadu, thillana in Senchurutti.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 30 Apr 2009, 13:12

The Nangavaram concert shripathi has linked is a must-listen.

doyoucare · Post by **doyoucare** » 01 May 2009, 01:25

vkv43034 wrote:>Incidentally you have mentioned durusuga -sAveri - SS , I am more curious than mukhAri , will MMI's style ever suit sAveri.

Dear Rajeshnat,
MMI was so smart & creative I cannot imagine he cannot overcome his "style"! There are many instances in which he has rendered kritis like Manavyala in a very "conventional" fashion. He is like Mali in this regard in choosing to show creativity in other aeras!. VKV

You don't have to imagine him not being able to overcome his "style". When we listen to him sing most Dikshitar krithis, it is obvious he did not overcome his "style"; I am not saying he "could not" - he just did not!! Let us just call a spade a spade. The fact that for some die-hard fans, his renditions of such krithis sounded unique (and good!) is a different point.

pgaiyar · Post by **pgaiyar** » 01 May 2009, 06:42

1-5-9

Dear Mr.Vishnu Ramprasad:

Many thanks for your inputs. Can I please have Mr. Balasubramaniam's or Mr. Natarajan's telephone number in Chennai(Egmore)?. In fact I remember reading your web page on MMI/SA family. Kindly let me know the contact details. Yo can send to pgaiyar@yahoo.com if OK with you. God bless you.

Regards

Guru

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 05 May 2009, 16:16

Can rasikas pl U/L " nija marmulanu" in umabharanam sung by MMI.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 05 May 2009, 20:44

Manjunath, the umAbharaNa krithi is here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/q5onit

MMI-TNK

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 06 May 2009, 10:49

bilahari- A BIG THANK U.

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 24 May 2009, 17:09

Dear pgaiyar,

Thank U for ur interest in MMI . I am balu son of SA Natarajan who was close to MMI in 1940s . I followed MMI wherever he went in Madras between 1962 & 1968 .
MMI sang in our house from 4 pm to 9pm on my first birth anniversary in Oct'48 . Though he refused any remuneration for the concert he was paid Rs.100 !

Myself , Sriraman , ARS Mani & Vishnuprasad , the well known devotees of MMI , have collected and preserved almost all his available recordings for posterity.

thank U

balummi

unixguru88 · Post by **unixguru88** » 25 May 2009, 00:53

Dear Balu Sir,
My Father and I are big fans of MMI. Is your collection in digital format. If so would it be possible for me to get them. I already have all the concerts from rasikapriya

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 25 May 2009, 14:00

Dear Guru ,

I am happy that U r interested in listening to the great MMI .

To tell U the truth I was listening to him for 16 hrs a day for nearly 3 years in spool tapes from june 1969 to april 1972 when I got a job in IOB . I deliberately missed final exam in IIT , Madras to listen to his National Radio Concert - repeat broadcast in the morning and passed only in the supplementary exam.

The collections were transfered to Cassettes in 80's and now in MP3 CDs . I am very much interested in getting, what I don't have of MMI . I have imbibed Mani Mama's quqlity that he never
sang fr MONEY and out of hundreds of concerts he had given he would have recd. remuneration hardly for 20 percent of them!

As per registration contract for this site, I can not give my phone or e mail address.

Thanks

balummi

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 25 May 2009, 22:41

Shri Balu ,
Perhaps you may not recollect me at all, In the year 2002 I came to your house at egmore (my name is rajesh), you initially gave me one CD worth of madurai mani titled madurai mani trial . You gave me a week later 4 CD's of madurai mani titled NB1,NB2,NB3 and NB4. For one full year heard that CD's,this was before sangeethapriyA and what are you listening now thread of sangeetham days . I have got lot of mmi collections and I owe you a lot Sir, if you need anything let me know sir I will give you!!!

On a fairly familiar note, for my 2 elderly periappAs upanayanam, madurai mani concert was held and it was for close to 3 hours + , the year was 1944, my father was just few months old. My paternal grandfather and madurai mani knew each other (infact I knew all this only during the last 6 years). My eldest periappA recollects madurai mani sang a chakkani rAja on that day as a main , the upanayanam was held in a choultry in triplicane by name nelson
choultry and incidentally loud speakers were put all along in the main roads near the choultry . That must have been splendid kaNtiki sundara fireworks

I can safely say the best madura mani concert that you have heard was in the year 1948, where you would have been in ecstasy

.Thank god you bunked your exams and converted those tapes (I also have to thank God I was born post madurai mani era, otherwise I would have never cleared any exams like you

), your mother must have been in a nightmare then , kind of juggling her life between two madura mani super paithiyams (one your dad and the other you)

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 26 May 2009, 02:30

Balummi, 16 hours a day?! You are a true MMI fan (this missing exams to listen to MMI is mentioned in an article on the MMI website on tripod IIRC, is that your account?)!

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 26 May 2009, 12:48

Dear Rajeshnat ,
I am thrilled to read Ur a/c of Mani Mama & Ur family.
To tell U the truth .myfather Natarajan who is now 87 years old is not a Pythiyam of Mani. He was only a good listener . When MMI 's earlierst concerts held at Triplicane there were only 8 or 9 people in the audience
and my father was one of them . GNB who was doing sathakam in the opposite house used to threaten and drive away my father for making hell of anoise playing cricket !
The comedy of the situation was GNB's father was the Head of the Hindu High School where my father studied and my grandfather was PA to the Director of Public Instruction.
For Ur information my collection of MMI include 33 MP3 CDs
each containing more than 10 hrs of music.
Thank U
Balu mmi

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 26 May 2009, 12:59

Dear Sri Bilahari,
I want to recount that I was repeating " Ayiram Peyaral Azhaipinum etc." the Charanam in Ma Ramanan ( Hindolam) after listening to his Tamiliasi concert, from 10pm t0 5am and I never slept that day! I told this experience to Mani Mama himself when I escorted him to Mylapore Fine Arts Club when the Rickshaw puller Munswamy was missing in front of his house!
Thank U
balu mmi

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 27 May 2009, 13:19

Dear Balummi : Can you throw some light on why MMI did not sing Varnams while begining concert?
Except for two varnams (Mohana and Bhairavi) I haven't heard any from the legend. Did he have
any particualr reason or had he expressed any opinion?

All the other greats during his period like MVI ,SSI, GNB, Musiri ,Alathur etc would invariably begin with a varnam and to that extent the practice was quite in vogue during his times.

Do you have recordings of his varnams (other than Mohanam and Bhairavi)? If so please try to
upload for the benefit of MMI ardent fans.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 27 May 2009, 13:49

Purist, did SSI begin many concerts with varnams? Of all the concerts of his I have, I believe only a couple have a varnam. I've always grouped him with MMI amongst artistes who didn't regularly sing varnams. But I too am very curious about the reason.

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 27 May 2009, 15:26

Bilahri - True, may not be a regular. He preferred Deva Deva or Vallabha or a Sarisiruha.
SSI has rendered varnams in Abhogi, Suruti, Begada ,Kamboji etc.

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 27 May 2009, 16:06

Dear Purist ,
Starting a concert with Varnam and the RTP in that concert
should be only in the raga in which the Varnam was started was Ariyakudi Format . Both GNB & MMI had great respect for this format.
However MMI thought that any regidity will spoil the mood and we would be concentrating only on the execution of that plan . Singing offhand without planning would really take you to great heights!
On one occasion I heard him say just half an hour before the concert, " What can I sing today? Let Bhagwan decide ! "
During the last decade of his existance , due to poor eyesight , hecan not read and so can't keep notes . He had to purely
depend on his old memories and that is why I think , there were many repetitions. Moreover , in those days , due to poor transportation, in evey concert he sings there were a new set of audience, and they invariably want him to sing the same set of krities that were attributed to him.
balummi

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 29 May 2009, 11:54

Balummi/bilahari/VKV - I have heard MMI singing " bhuvanEshwariyA" ( Mohana kalyani) in an AIR, National Programme concert. Can any of u pl. U/L this song for the benefit of rasikas ??

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 29 May 2009, 12:23

VSM - Its available in Sangeethapriya org- page JaishankarKS - MMI 020

matterwaves · Post by **matterwaves** » 29 May 2009, 18:53

Another link with the same accompaniments:
http://www.sangeethamshare.org/ksj/Madu ... tta-1953-/

divakar · Post by **divakar** » 30 May 2009, 04:13

it is so nice to read through the anecdotes and remembrances of rasikas (or should I say 'rasika SikhAs of MMI'). i feel thrilled to know more information about MMI. truly a wonderful personality was MMI. born to sing with a mesmerizing effect. divinely gifted..

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 30 May 2009, 10:04

Purist & matterwaves - Thanks.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 30 May 2009, 10:41

The rendition matterwaves has linked is excellent. That is a 4 hour concert, by the way. Manjunath, have you heard MMI's RTP in kAnaDa from his supposedly last public concert? That is a great concert as well.

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 30 May 2009, 10:52

bilahari- Pl provide the link to this RTP. I have n't heard.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 30 May 2009, 11:31

Here you go, manjunath (accompanists unknown):
http://www.sendspace.com/file/lb2e6x

gmohan · Post by **gmohan** » 30 May 2009, 11:31

http://www.sangeethamshare.org/murthy/0 ... Kanada.mp3

link to MMI Kanada RTP

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 30 May 2009, 15:37

bilahari & gmohan- Thanks for u'r links.

I am D/L both the RTPs- gmohan's link is for RTP in Keeravani.

I am yet to listen & enjoy both the RTPs.

I have one more question: I have heard his Lathangi & Kalyani RTPs.
Lathangi RTP Pallavi is " rAja mAthangi pAvani pari pUrani;rathna bhUshani manOnmani" this was an AIR Concert.

Kalyani RTP's pallavi runs like- bhajare rE raghuvIram.

It will be really interesting to get links for these RTPs too.
Probably balummi will correct me in my requests.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 30 May 2009, 16:04

new1 · Post by **new1** » 30 May 2009, 16:44

Balummi, I got a nice collection of MMI recordings from VKV sir, which I listen to very often to give me peace of mind. I cannot count how many times I have listened to his Saravanabhava (S'priya) each time finding it fresh. Though what VKV sir has given is more than enough, I still would be grateful to get and listen to MMI recordings, if you are kind enough to spare...

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 30 May 2009, 17:10

coolkarni wrote:VSM
There is another Lathangi RTP Version with TNK.
The opening salvo by MMI in this rendering is one of the most hauntingly fervent pleas , I have heard,anywhere, by anybody.
My My What a Singer !!!!!!
If this is not the one in Sangeethapriya , I will upload
http://www.mediafire.com/file/nwdzdjhze5q/Madurai Mani Iyer.mp3
Here is this short clip.

What An Opening Salvo in Lathangi !!
Coolji - PL U/L the full RTP.

Eagerly Looking Forward to his MELODIOUS SWARA SALVOs in Lathangi.