Madurai Mani Iyer

kapali · Post by **kapali** » 11 Jul 2009, 21:11

There is a small error in my mention. It is Vilvadri(erroneously typed as Viladri) on the ghatam. Secondly I should have mentioned it was Sri Devalangi who mentioned it was captivated by MMI`s vijayanagiri alapana. However I think Bilahari also would have been entranced by that vijayanagiri alapana! Also the thani recorded i now remember is only truncated.

kapali · Post by **kapali** » 11 Jul 2009, 21:12

There is a small error in my mention. It is Vilvadri(erroneously typed as Viladri) on the ghatam. Secondly I should have mentioned it was Sri Devalangi who mentioned it was captivated by MMI`s vijayanagiri alapana. However I think Bilahari also would have been entranced by that vijayanagiri alapana! Also the thani recorded i now remember is only truncated.

kapali · Post by **kapali** » 11 Jul 2009, 21:38

yes, as Coolkarni mentioned, TNK`S violin in this particular concert was brilliant especially in vijayanagiri and the alapana was divinely soothing. One should also mention MMI`S brief neraval with TNK`S equally soul filling response for anaadha Rakshaki in Vinayakuni( madyamavathi) which to me is an alltime mind soothening and unrivalled neraval in this krithi! It is as if MMI himself is pleading with all his humble devotion to Goddess Kaamakshi to alleviate his ailments , an opportunity which Thyagaraja offered by way of this great composition

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 11 Jul 2009, 22:31

Oh, I absolutely loved vijayanAgari ragam by MMI/TNK and the neravals in tiruvaDi charaNam and vianayakuni. Although I'm not a big fan of shuddha dhanyAsi, I love this particular rendition of subramaNyEna. Through and through a wonderful concert as MMI demonstrates why he's the king of kAmbOji with that stirring alapanai and TNK's sublime lingering around the tara shadjam across both E and A strings. And a pallavi with some really offbeat and imaginative phrases in ragam and thanam especially. And how about the elaborate kalpana swaras in Ananda bhairavi and the succinct but emotive CEta Sri? This would be a perfect concert to initiate a rasika to MMI's music.

Coolji, that was a really picturesque account of your listening experience. Thank you. Does your recording indicate the concert happened in Calcutta, Bangalore, or Mayuram?!

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 12 Jul 2009, 07:11

davalangi · Post by **davalangi** » 12 Jul 2009, 09:52

In this concert, particularly the vijayanagari alapana and the three neravals (kambhoji, thodi & madhyamavati, which I forgot in my previous post!), MMI is at his incomparable best - the ultimate Impressionist

His short, broken raga phrasings (confounding many critics) potray rich, vibrant, shimmering array of colors; the "caution" he exercises as he approaches the tara sthayi phrases is noteworthy - no earth shattering brighas, rapid swirling sangathis, no screaming, no drama!! In short, his CONCEPTION of the raga (manodharma in general) is quintessential!! It is a very tough act to follow and measure up to IMHO........

The mridangam accompaniment in this concert is simply superb, takes the concert to a whole different level. Categorizing it as "just sarvalaghu" is being too simplistic.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 12 Jul 2009, 20:24

coolkarni wrote:I think only Balummi or Vishnuramprasad can answer it definitevely-apart from Suryparakash.

This concert is available in various combinations- patches from different concerts which is the Bane of available concerts from Different sources.....I was told by V.R. that it was a concert in Mayavaram in the sixties./ VKV

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 13 Jul 2009, 15:09

Sir, we also had a similar confusion about the place of this concert. But ever since we got a spool with the complete concert including the thukkadas (rangapura vihara etc.), we got a confirmation that the concert was held in Bangalore in 1966 as mentioned in the Spool. To this date that is the only complete recording of this concert that we got.

We have done extensive research about the subtle voice / accent changes that MMI introduced as age advanced (especially in mid and late 1960s, where MMI had several short breaks and many cancellations owing to poor health, my grandpa used to visit him once a week since 1960, till MMI's death after he moved to chennai from Trichy Golden rock) . Based on that we can compare this recording as a very close one to the 1966 Music Academy concert with Brovabarama, koluvai, Maajanaki and RTP Kalyani as main pieces.

Lalgudi sir, used to maintain a record ever since he got into the concert platform where-in, every single concert that he performed was meticulously written with date / venue and main singer and accompanists details with some highlights of that particular concert. We got a chance to compare and find out the year of recordings of MMI's concerts where Shri Lalgudi had accompanied with his records. We also got a sign off about our Voice / year research from LGJ's records as our conclusions where almost right about the year of performance.

This is the only recording of MMI's Vijayambike currently in circulation. This also has Thatvameruga tharama which is also only the second recording that is in circulation with the other one being a Ramanavami Grifith road 1966 concert (same year though!).

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 13 Jul 2009, 21:31

VRP
Can I make a safe assumption that no concerts of mayavaram is available , if there is any mayavaram recording available please pass the songlist. BY any chance did your grandpa or mmibalu's dad ever talk about any mayavaram - kumbakonam belt concerts . I am told by many that madura mani was ecstasy and those were the best of mmi. The only live references that I have heard about MMI in mayavaram was by asthika samajam narasimhan, he always talks about one chakkani raja and another kAmbOdhi in one of the temples near mayavaram I think it is tiruvisanallur or something that begins with thiru.

kapali · Post by **kapali** » 13 Jul 2009, 22:55

in my son in- law's audio cassette , the same sequence of songs culminating in Srirangapuravihara including vijayanagiri, thiruvadi charanam, vinayakuni etc and all the above songs it has been marked as MMI/TNK/VRB/VILVADRI----Mayavaram-1963. He is unaware from whom he got this recorded more than a decade ago.

kapali · Post by **kapali** » 14 Jul 2009, 03:21

Bilahari, Rajeshnat and others have been extolling MMI's Kamboji in the above discussions , additionally I felt his style of Mohanam particularly sublime. Mohanam ofcourse was the hall-mark of the Maharajapuram lineage but MMI's mohanam had its own unique touch so much so that Mahrajapuram himself was reported to have referred to him as Mohana Mani.Among his Mohanam recitals I used to be moved particularly by his 'Nanu Palimpa' a shade more than his MohanaRama or Kapali.I remember an occasion when AIR Madras was relaying MMI's evening kutcheri of Thiruvayaru festival. He was singing NannuPlimpa and AIR , Madras had to abruptly cut short midway through the song as it had to relay AIR news from Delhi.An irritated listener was so cut up that he promptly wrote a letter to the Editor ,The Hindu a couple of days later ,venting his full anger on AIR,Madras as to how it could so mercilessly cut the relay when MMI was singing NannuPalimpa in his inimitable style!

vs_manjunath · Post by **vs_manjunath** » 14 Jul 2009, 04:31

"kOluvai " in Bhairavi , No one has sung/ No one will sing like MMI.
This krithi was meant only for him & only him.
" na bhUtho na bhavishyathi " MMI is too unique.

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 14 Jul 2009, 12:11

Sir, there are numerous anectodes about MMI's concerts in and around Mayavaram/Kumbakonam. He was residing at Mayavaram Agraharam for more than 12 years (between 1942 to 1955) and it was when he was at the peak of his career and also at the peak of his health (though his health was always never too good), no wonder there must have been countless ecstatic performances. He had mostly Thiruvalangadu Sundaresa iyer and Sivavadivel pillai, accompanying him during his Mayavaram days as they were also residing close to Mayavaram during that period.

My grandpa had given a couple of recollections. One about the concert that he gave at Thiruvazhundur Parimala Ranganathar temple particularly the piecs Juthamurare (arabhi), Rangapura Vihara with a touching alapana and Paramala Rangapathe (RTP Kambhoji) after being bed ridden for several months due to aggraveted illness. The other one was when he was bestowed with the Ganakaladhara Award by the King of Tanjavur (in which Vishwanatha Iyer also performed), where he sang before a huge crowd (Shri Kalki had given a detailed review about the function in the Magazine), particularly the rendering of the song Vinayakuni with an ecstatic neraval at "anaatha rakshaki shri kamakshi". My grandpa said that many of them in the audience were moved to tears listening to the neraval and MMI never appeared emotional while singing. My grandpa used to laud that MMI used to sing with great involvement yet never got emotionally moved while singing. It requires a great deal of detachment as I myself have seen many singers bursting into tears while singing out of emotion. My grandpa used to say that MMI used to be at a superior state of mind which had no room for emotions. The later days recordings (mostly the last decade of his life) shows that he enjoyed every bit of his singing and every bit of the concert as a whole (including audience, ambience and his accompanists).

My grandpa used to say that MMI was very sensitive about singing with Shruthi Shudham, Swarasthaana Shuddham and lakshana Shudham and he never compromised on those parameters till his last day of singing. He believed in the "expansion means friction" concept while dealing with ragas like Saveri, Mukhari, Anandabhairavi, Atana, Sahana, Ranjani, Sama, Harikambhoji, kamas etc. Only those ragas which offers ample scope for expansion without compromising the Raga Lakshanam should be expanded.

I have a conversation of MMI that was recorded in 1960 where he speaks about a person (no name mentioned) who came to him with a krithi that he had composed in the Raga Panthuvarali, he claimed that his composition has not even one sangathi (raga phrase) of any other Pantuvarali krithi that is prevaling and sang his composition in front of MMI. MMI after patiently listening to it mentioned to the person that "No wonder that your composition has no sangathis of any existing pantuvarali krithi but your composition neither had Panturvarali in it!" If you compromise raga lakshanam for innovation then you will end up creating a mess of the original raga! There might be several krithis in Pantuvarali with same sangathis but each one has its own Bhavam! You cannot take our elders (referring to galaxy of old composers) for granted!

gmohan · Post by **gmohan** » 14 Jul 2009, 12:30

That was fantastic vishnuramprasad, thank you.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 14 Jul 2009, 12:47

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 14 Jul 2009, 14:17

Dear Vishnu ,
Thank U for the writeup . Today I was listening to his Suruti alapana and the comp. was Ankarakam asrayami . The raga alapana and the elaborate swara korvai starting with Ma Ga Ma Pa Ma Ga Ma Ri simply made me stop my Yoga practicing and got involved in the 22 mt. ecstacy. Mind you this is not the first time that I am listening to this . may be it is the 200th time . This is not true of his Suruti alone , it is true of his khamboji , Sankarabaranam , Charukesi etc etc.
Everytime U listen to it , U get a new insight! For my first birth anniversary in Oct'1948 , he sang in our house in Kumbakonam and refused any remuneration. He sang from 4.30pm t0 9pm and the crowd was unmanageable and we had to provide horn speakers at every lamp post for nearly 1 km in all directions! From that date I became his devotee.

pgaiyar · Post by **pgaiyar** » 14 Jul 2009, 17:55

To: Balummi

Dear Sir: I believe you belong to the famed SA family of Kumbakonam. Can you please expand SA?. I am also from a village near Kumbakonam. I have read a lot about this SA family. Are they Maharashtrians?. By the way is SAK Durga from this family?. Can you please expand SAK as I am unable to find elsewhere?. God bless you. I am sorry for being personal. This is out of interest/curiosity. You may reply to [email protected] should you wish to. MMI's music haunts me sir.

Regards

P.G. Aiyar

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 14 Jul 2009, 21:31

VISHNURAMPRASAD wrote:
My grandpa had given a couple of recollections. One about the concert that he gave at Thiruvazhundur Parimala Ranganathar temple particularly the piecs Juthamurare (arabhi), Rangapura Vihara with a touching alapana and Paramala Rangapathe (RTP Kambhoji) after being bed ridden for several months due to aggraveted illness. The other one was when he was bestowed with the Ganakaladhara Award by the King of Tanjavur (in which Vishwanatha Iyer also performed), where he sang before a huge crowd (Shri Kalki had given a detailed review about the function in the Magazine), particularly the rendering of the song Vinayakuni with an ecstatic neraval at "anaatha rakshaki shri kamakshi". My grandpa said that many of them in the audience were moved to tears listening to the neraval and MMI never appeared emotional while singing. My grandpa used to laud that MMI used to sing with great involvement yet never got emotionally moved while singing. It requires a great deal of detachment as I myself have seen many singers bursting into tears while singing out of emotion. My grandpa used to say that MMI used to be at a superior state of mind which had no room for emotions. The later days recordings (mostly the last decade of his life) shows that he enjoyed every bit of his singing and every bit of the concert as a whole (including audience, ambience and his accompanists)..........

I wish to report on my own & that of Late S.S.Venkataraman- I feel his presence EVERY TIME I write anything about MMI; our experiences were almost common interactions close to a hundred percent with MMI.- about emotions. While its true during the concerts MMI was "aplomb" in a certain way I can say he was not so afterwards. I particularly remember when he showed ENORMOUS emotion- no need to describe them in detail-when we discussed the article in Hindu after an article by s.krishnan- a famous wild life photographer too- on song of the Season he used to write in which he chose & especially dwelt on MMI'S tamil isai concert(with mgp & p.s.s.)
in which he discussed in great detail the niraval at "Yetthanai yo piravi Eduthedutho...." & said it appeared theat MMI was having a "one on one" appeal& discussion with God on the subject. MMI had wondered what he did to deserve his poor health.........i REQUEST VISHNU&BALUMMI TO WRITE WHATEVER they can about the non-musical SIDE OF MMI which shows what a great soul he was....

My grandpa used to say that MMI was very sensitive about singing with Shruthi Shudham, Swarasthaana Shuddham and lakshana Shudham and he never compromised on those parameters till his last day of singing. He believed in the "expansion means friction" concept while dealing with ragas like Saveri, Mukhari, Anandabhairavi, Atana, Sahana, Ranjani, Sama, Harikambhoji, kamas etc. Only those ragas which offers ample scope for expansion without compromising the Raga Lakshanam should be expanded......

Dr.SAK Durga EMPHASISED these precise points when she described how MMI taught music to her- she leant from him for ast least 15 years- in some detail when she commented at the MMI REMEMBRANCE DAY CELEBRATIONS earlier this year at Raga sudha hall. ......VKV

davalangi · Post by **davalangi** » 15 Jul 2009, 07:31

I guess we still have no consensus on the mridangist (since we don't seem to have a consensus on the year of the concert). I was hoping one of our resident experts would be able to identify the mridangist based on the style of accompanying, instead of us having to rely on the accuracy of tape/spool documentation.

VISHNURAMPRASAD wrote:My grandpa used to laud that MMI used to sing with great involvement yet never got emotionally moved while singing. It requires a great deal of detachment as I myself have seen many singers bursting into tears while singing out of emotion. My grandpa used to say that MMI used to be at a superior state of mind which had no room for emotions.

IMHO, this is neither a compliment to MMI nor a detriment to other singers who fall in the latter category!! Suffice to say, were it not for Tyagaraja's emotional outpourings, we would have missed out big time

VISHNURAMPRASAD wrote:I have a conversation of MMI that was recorded in 1960 where he speaks about a person (no name mentioned) who came to him with a krithi that he had composed in the Raga Panthuvarali, he claimed that his composition has not even one sangathi (raga phrase) of any other Pantuvarali krithi that is prevaling and sang his composition in front of MMI. MMI after patiently listening to it mentioned to the person that "No wonder that your composition has no sangathis of any existing pantuvarali krithi but your composition neither had Panturvarali in it!"

This person's opinion of his own pantuvarali was probably no different than the opinion of people who claim that MMI (or GNB) sang Todi for 1 hr without repeating any phrases or MMI sang back-to-back Todi in two separate concerts and the second one was a completeley different Todi

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 15 Jul 2009, 14:27

Dear Shri Davalangi,

It was about the venue that we had to rely on the spool documentation. About the year, it is indeed a 1966 concert! and it is TNK on the Violin and Vellore Ramabhadran on the Mridangam with Vilvadri Iyer on the Ghatam.

Vellore's accompanying style in those days were distinct from many other vidwans and it could be easily identified when he plays the theermaanams for the pallavi / anupallavi or charanam of a krithi. Mostly they will be the same across various concert recordings. Also he uses special solkattus while MMI sings neraval and those were his own stamps.

Namaskaram

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 15 Jul 2009, 14:32

On the emotion front, i would like to clarify a bit :-

I was trying to translate the tamil phrase that my grandpa used to say :- " Mani azhaama paaduvaar, sila vidwaangal maediyileye azhuvaaa... anaaa Mani andha maadiri ellaam pannamaattaar, aanaa avar paadumbodhu namakku oru inam puriyaadha aanandamum kannerum varum".

If somebody can translate this in a better English perhaps that would capture the exact meaning of what my grandpa meant.

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 15 Jul 2009, 15:14

coolkarni wrote:
gmohan wrote:That was fantastic vishnuramprasad, thank you.
Almost musical I should Say.
Hope that you dont keep disappearing , from our radars ,often

Coolkarni sir, I have just been waiting for other elders who could recollect more about MMI than giving my second hand information which is more an "as told by" story, but i can vouch for it's authenticity as it came from my grandpa's mouth, who enjoyed a good respect in MMI's family (even with shri TVS) and MMI's other close friends.

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 15 Jul 2009, 16:24

VISHNURAMPRASAD wrote:I was trying to translate the tamil phrase that my grandpa used to say :- " Mani azhaama paaduvaar, sila vidwaangal maediyileye azhuvaaa... anaaa Mani andha maadiri ellaam pannamaattaar, aanaa avar paadumbodhu namakku oru inam puriyaadha aanandamum kannerum varum".

My attempt at translation: "When singing Mani doesn't cry, some vidwans cry even when on stage. Mani is not of that type, but when he sings, we (the audience) get a certain unexplained surge of joy and tears."

avichinnu · Post by **avichinnu** » 15 Jul 2009, 23:23

Is there any recording of "Karthikeya gangeya" in 'thodi' sung by MMI?

davalangi · Post by **davalangi** » 16 Jul 2009, 01:26

VISHNURAMPRASAD wrote:Dear Shri Davalangi,

It was about the venue that we had to rely on the spool documentation. About the year, it is indeed a 1966 concert! and it is TNK on the Violin and Vellore Ramabhadran on the Mridangam with Vilvadri Iyer on the Ghatam.

Vellore's accompanying style in those days were distinct from many other vidwans and it could be easily identified when he plays the theermaanams for the pallavi / anupallavi or charanam of a krithi. Mostly they will be the same across various concert recordings. Also he uses special solkattus while MMI sings neraval and those were his own stamps.

Namaskaram

Thanks, Vishnuramprasad sir! Please listen to this recording (particularly the Kalyani krithi & the kalpana swarams). Listen to the theermanams and the solkattus here

I feel it is night and day (and I don't mean anything negative) between this and the concert we are debating here!

http://www.sangeethamshare.org/murthy/1 ... TNK---VRB/

I have a couple of follow-up questions; the evergreen LP featuring mA jAnki, nijamArmamulanu, sarasa sAmadAna, English note etc. - would you happen to know the year when it was recorded? The other LP I am interested in is the one with sItApathE, sAmajavaragamana and kamalAmbAm bhajarE - do you have the year of recording in your files? Those two we know are VR sir - listen to umAbharaNam in the first LP and the kalyAni krithi (it is a replica of the kalyAni in the concert in the above link) in the second LP.

Thanks for your inputs.

venkatr · Post by **venkatr** » 16 Jul 2009, 02:46

I have heard MMI rendition of very soulful begada ragam laden with short phrases - really beautiful the way he builds up the tempo and touches the upper octave. A very sedate tanam follows again very nicely sung and good playback by the violinist (I think it is Thiruvalangadu Sunderasa Iyer - someone please confirm) The pallavi is lokavana chatura with extensive ragamalika swarams in kanada (his trademark ma da ni da pa pa ni pa ga ga-------ni pa ga ma ma ri sa ri sa sa ) in all its majestic form - very pleasing to hear), sama and sindhubhairavi

This is probably the only longish begada alapana recording by MMI available, have not come across any other rendition. Any idea who the mridangam and ghatam accompanists are ? Is it VR ? Are there any recordings of MMI singing Innum paramugam yeno or any other krithi other than vallabha nayakasya ?

gmohan · Post by **gmohan** » 16 Jul 2009, 08:56

I have not heard MMI's begada RTP, would be glad if some one can give me a link to it, here is MMI's anudinamunu kAvumayya, after a short alapana.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/eionmm3mdmt

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 16 Jul 2009, 13:44

Davalangi Sir, I felt I was competent enough to identify certain Mridangam styles as I have learnt Mridangam for several years from masters like Palghat Kunjumani Iyer, Kumbakonam Rajappa iyer for more than a decade. Mridangam players could agree with me if I say that theermanams while playing in kutcheries could be one of the key identifiers (though it is not the only identifier, but there are several aspects such as playing for swaras, neravals and certain kritis) of a particular style. In case of shri VRB, of whom am a fan, I could identify his style of playing by listening the recordings for 10 minutes. I could also identify the styles of other famous vidwans of yesteryears like Palghat Mani Iyer, Pazhani, TKM to name a few.

In the case of the concert you have quoted (with Ethavunara as the main piece) it is a Ramanavami 1967 T.Nagar concert with TNK / VELLORE / ALANGUDI as accompanists held on April 23 1967. Ethavunara being the main piece with Thani Avarthanam. Sir I can very much confirm that the concert with Vijayambike is also accompanied by TNK /Vellore and I am not very sure about the Ghatam vidwan, it was mentioned as Vilwadri Iyer in the Spool.

MMI has given 3 LP recordings with the accompaniment of TNK / Vellore.

1964 - Sarasaksha, Brovabarama, Koluvai
1965 - Sithapathe, Samaja Varagamana, Kamalambam Bhajare
1966 - Tatvamaria, Nijamarma, Majanaki, Sarasasaama, Saarasamukhi, Eppovaruvaro, Note, Madyamavathi Alapana.

For the benefit of all MMI rasikas giving below the details of available gramaphone recordings with years/accompaniments mentioned where-ever the records are available:-

1936 - Kutchery set, 40 minutes, with T.K.Jayarama Iyer, Tanjavur Vaidyanathar (the guru of PMI, TKM, UKS), Madras Venu Naicker.
- Sri Raghukula, Vidajalathura, Marukelara, Anuragamule,RTP Kalyani (Bhajare Raghuveeram Maanasa), Thani avarthanam, EthanaiVidangalthaan (Virutham), Niraimadhimugamenum (Thirupugazh), Emithe - Paras Javali, Maadarpirakanniyaanai (Thevaram), Mangalam

1937 - Dharini Thelusukonti, Thaye Ezhaippal (Bhairavi) - Accompanists not known

1938 - Dunmargachara, Orajupuju - with Varahur Muthuswami Iyer - Venu Naicker

1939 - Kanakkan Kodi Vendum - with Varahur Muthuswami Iyer - Tanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer

1941 - RTP - Kambhoji Parimala rangapathe - with Varahur Muthuswami Iyer - Venu Naicker

1941 - Thelisirama, NaadhaThanumanism - (accompanists not known)

1942 - Sarasasamadhana - with Govindasamy Naicker, Palani Subramania pillai

1942 - English Note - with Govindasamy Naicker, Palani Subramania Pillai

1946 - RTP Shanmukhapriya - (Accompanists not known)

1950 - Kandan Karunai puriyum vadivel - Govindaswamy Naicker, Palani subbudu.

1955 - RTP SimmendraMadhyamam - KRP, Palani

1956 - Kapali, Meenakshi Memudam - Lalgudi, Madras A Kannan

1957 - Thaye Yashoda, Sukhi Evaro, Vellaithamaraippovil iruppal, Maye (tharangini), Thillana (senchurutti) - Govindasamy Naicker, Palani

1958 - Nijamarma, Inthakannaananda, Janakiramana (Sudhaseemandini) - Govindasamy Naicker, Coimbatore Ramaswamy

1963 - Mariveradikkevarayya - Shanmukhapriya with MSG, UKS

Below LPs with TNK / Vellore.

1964 - Sarasaksha, Brovabarama, Koluvai

1965 - Sithapathe, Samaja Varagamana, Kamalambam Bhajare

1966 - Tatvamaria, Nijamarma, Majanaki, Sarasasaama, Saarasamukhi, Eppovaruvaro, Note, Madyamavathi Alapana.

Besides the above I have a small list of missing gramaphone recordings as per the records say:-

1. Bhuvaneswariya (in 1950s)
2. thamizh manam kamazha (Manirangu)
3. Ikaparam (simmendramadhyamam)
4. Vallinayaka neeve gathiyani (shanmukhapriya)

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 17 Jul 2009, 10:24

venkatr wrote:I have heard MMI rendition of very soulful begada ragam laden with short phrases - really beautiful the way he builds up the tempo and touches the upper octave. A very sedate tanam follows again very nicely sung and good playback by the violinist (I think it is Thiruvalangadu Sunderasa Iyer - someone please confirm) The pallavi is lokavana chatura with extensive ragamalika swarams in kanada (his trademark ma da ni da pa pa ni pa ga ga-------ni pa ga ma ma ri sa ri sa sa ) in all its majestic form - very pleasing to hear), sama and sindhubhairavi

This is probably the only longish begada alapana recording by MMI available, have not come across any other rendition. Any idea who the mridangam and ghatam accompanists are ? Is it VR ? Are there any recordings of MMI singing Innum paramugam yeno or any other krithi other than vallabha nayakasya ?

Dear Shri Venkatr, The Mridangam accompaniment for the Begada RTP is Shri TK Murthy. Am not sure about the Ghatam artist. This one is a 1 hour recording with with Begada RTP starting from the middle of the alapana. venue is not known.

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 17 Jul 2009, 14:57

Dear Vishnu ,
"CRYING" is not the apt word while translating Ur grandpa's tamil words on Mani Iyer. He had only lofty emotions and was towering like "Maha Periyava" of Carnatic Music! We can say that he never openly expresses his feelings while singing and his sangathis , pauses and sudden surprises lift the rasikas to a higher level of ecstacy as Sri MDR told me , sometime in 1967, whenever MMI gives a concert , we dont feel like asking questions or even discuss about the concert for sometime. Sri Subbudu, in an interview to a magazine had said that he had criticised all male singers except Mani Iyer and he was not competent to do it.

Dear Pgaiyer,
It is true that I am a descendent of the SAFamily of Kumbakonam . Our great great grandfather was a minister under King Sarfoji of Tanjore.
My grandpa's brother Sri SA Venkatrama Iyer was a mirudangist and he accompanied MMI for the concert held at our house for my first birth anniversary in 1948!
Srimathi SA Kumari Durga is his daughter(SAK) and is probably the No1 living authority on Carnatic Music.

Dear Vishnu ,
The Simmendra Madhyamam RTP uploaded for rasikas in which Chowdiah was the violinst is already in our MMI list under " Maha Ganapathy - Thodi Concert - got from Sri Nambudri of Bangalore, says ARS Mani. Pl. verify and let me know whether this piece is actually a part of the concert.

kapali · Post by **kapali** » 18 Jul 2009, 05:44

Sri Vishnuramprasad : You have indeed done a great job detailing detailing all the gramaphone records of MMI with details of accompaniments and year of release of records. You must be one of the foremost admirers of the music of the great MMI . You had earlier mentioned that that the Vijayanagiri of MMI which we were discussing in this forum is the only one of MMI's in current circulation. Any experiences of yours or others listening to other MMI's concerts where he has sung Vijayanagiri previously or after. I only wish MMI should have sung Vijayanagiri on many more occasions and delighted us all with his inimitable rendering of this raga! I must also admit that MMI's rendering of Abhogi is one of my most cherished listening moments.

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 19 Jul 2009, 19:32

Dear Sri Mohan ,
The RTP - Begada piece which runs for 50mts. with a soulful rendering of Ethanai Vidhangal- Ragamalika was the first recording of the great master I got in 1975 from Sri Sankaran of Ireland. Thiruvalankadu Sundaresa Iyer was on the Violin and TK Murthy ( as confirmed by Vishnu ) was the mirudangist. My son who was only 3 years old in 1981 used to cry aloud daily when I return from office to play that piece and even now after listening to it for the thousandth time it is fresh and moving. The other elaborate renderings of begada by him are Thiagarajaya Namaste , Anudinamulu & Vallabha all with raga & swaras. Ishall try to upload them with the help of Vishnu.

gmohan · Post by **gmohan** » 19 Jul 2009, 22:32

Balummi sir

Thanks very much for all your write ups on MMI.

In 1975, if I am not mistaken, I happened to listen live to Thaye yasoda sung by somu and I went home and told my mother about it. she immediately took out our tape recorder(the old spool type) and played MMI's Thaye Yasoda for me and I got hooked. I would not be exaggerating if I say that in the last 34 years rarely would a day have passed without me listening to some MMI. Over time I have learned to appreciate music of others also but MMI, MDR and MLV remain my top 3.

In a sense my collection of MMI recordings started before I was born! My fathers friend T.Janakiraman, the famous tamil writer, gave a tape of MMI's recording to my father in 1964, of all places in Tokyo!.

Mohan

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 19 Jul 2009, 23:41

gmohan wrote:Balummi sir

Thanks very much for all your write ups on MMI.

In 1975, if I am not mistaken, I happened to listen live to Thaye yasoda sung by somu and I went home and told my mother about it. she immediately took out our tape recorder(the old spool type) and played MMI's Thaye Yasoda for me and I got hooked. I would not be exaggerating if I say that in the last 34 years rarely would a day have passed without me listening to some MMI. Over time I have learned to appreciate music of others also but MMI, MDR and MLV remain my top 3.

In a sense my collection of MMI recordings started before I was born! My fathers friend T.Janakiraman, the famous tamil writer, gave a tape of MMI's recording to my father in 1964, of all places in Tokyo!.

Mohan

Dear gmohan,
As you know Sri.T.Janakiraman was a close friend&admirer of MMI & CONDUCTED A national program explaining the greatness of MMI in AIR; I am interested in what he had to say about MMI for a book I intend publishing in COLLABORATION with ANYONE who had anything to say about MMI. I request to please write me at:[email protected] VKV

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 20 Jul 2009, 03:34

Balummi wrote:Dear Sri Mohan ,
The RTP - Begada piece which runs for 50mts. with a soulful rendering of Ethanai Vidhangal- Ragamalika was the first recording of the great master I got in 1975 from Sri Sankaran of Ireland. Thiruvalankadu Sundaresa Iyer was on the Violin and TK Murthy ( as confirmed by Vishnu ) was the mirudangist. My son who was only 3 years old in 1981 used to cry aloud daily when I return from office to play that piece and even now after listening to it for the thousandth time it is fresh and moving. The other elaborate renderings of begada by him are Thiagarajaya Namaste , Anudinamulu & Vallabha all with raga & swaras. Ishall try to upload them with the help of Vishnu.

Eagerly waiting! shri Vishnu avl , help Balummi . Advance thanks.
Thanjavooran

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 20 Jul 2009, 07:31

gmohan · Post by **gmohan** » 20 Jul 2009, 08:43

coolkarni wrote:[
Ah !! How times change.
In 2000, if I am not mistaken, I happened to listen to Thaye yasoda sung by MMI told a good friend about it.He immediately took out this track of Somu and emailed it to me and I got hooked.

Going in circles.All of us.

http://www.mediafire.com/?nqjzddg2nmn

A brilliant 45 minute version from a Devakottai Concert

Of course. Somu's thodi is always special. I have an AIR recording of 1987, I tuned in late and so only have the second half, totally mesmerizing, the tape(the old faithful Meltrack!) is lying in some unopened carton and will upload it when I lay my hands on it.

gmohan · Post by **gmohan** » 20 Jul 2009, 08:46

vkv43034 wrote:
Dear gmohan,
As you know Sri.T.Janakiraman was a close friend&admirer of MMI & CONDUCTED A national program explaining the greatness of MMI in AIR; I am interested in what he had to say about MMI for a book I intend publishing in COLLABORATION with ANYONE who had anything to say about MMI. I request to please write me at:[email protected] VKV

I am sure I have that NP recording with T.Janakiraman's speech, will try to locate that tape and upload it.

Mohan

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 20 Jul 2009, 09:47

gmohan wrote:
vkv43034 wrote:
Dear gmohan,
As you know Sri.T.Janakiraman was a close friend&admirer of MMI & CONDUCTED A national program explaining the greatness of MMI in AIR; I am interested in what he had to say about MMI for a book I intend publishing in COLLABORATION with ANYONE who had anything to say about MMI. I request to please write me at:[email protected] VKV
I am sure I have that NP recording with T.Janakiraman's speech, will try to locate that tape and upload it.

Mohan

I have that recording; I am interested in whether you have any further details about MMI-T.JANAKIRAMAN INTERACTIONS. THANKS, VKV

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 20 Jul 2009, 14:11

Madurai Somu in an interview to Ananda Vikatan after MMI's demise in 1968 said that the great Mani Iyer who was in the platform in Madurai boarding a train to Madras suddenly heard the voice of "Somu" singing in a nearby temple , he immediately cancelled his trip to Madras and listened to Somu Pillai's concert and blessed him! Mind you , listening to Somu is not an easy joke . He normally starts a concert but never ends it ! In Purasawalkam in 1967 ( I think ) he started the concert by 8 pm in a Perumal temple . Violinist MSG and mirudangist , I think, it was Sivaraman could not continue at 2 am due to exertion , but Somu only then started at his full throat singing RTP Kiravani! he continued for another 1 hour without accompanists when I left for home.
Talking of Somu , he took from my uncle , Thirukarugavoor Sankaran, one spool tape of Mani Iyer containing one side "KATHANU VARIKI" thodi piece of Thiagaraja for 45 mts and on the otherside "NIRAVATHISUGATHA" again for 45mts. It was then taken away by Yazhpanam Dakshina Murthy to Ceylone and was never returned to us. Somu used to say about "IYER'S" neraval " Neethu ra ni Raga vinchi" for this thodi piece , that we feel as if we are in full "booze" (meaning - totally drunk) without drinking anything!

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 20 Jul 2009, 14:21

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 20 Jul 2009, 16:01

Balummi wrote: Somu used to say about "IYER'S" neraval " Neethu ra ni Raga vinchi" for this thodi piece , that we feel as if we are in full "booze" (meaning - totally drunk) without drinking anything!

Its got to be Nidhura NirAkarinchi.. which means abandoning sleep.

Sathej

Balummi · Post by **Balummi** » 20 Jul 2009, 16:51

Thanks Sathej . I have not heard this Neraval since 1964! also I do not know Telugu ! There is one more thing about lyrics in Carnatic Music . Personally I feel , if I don't understand the meaning , I am able to involve totally in the music and the meaning is only a diversion! Moreover it is only when we listen to a composition for the first time, we think about the meaning . For example, when I listen to Sabapathikku or Thiruvadi Charanam now , I never think about Sabapathi or Thiruvadi and it is only the music , sruti , Thalam(Rhythm) etc. that is in my mind . Almost daily I am listening to Vathapi Ganapathim , and I never think of LORD GANESA every time . Is ther anything wrong with my attitude? Or if I force myself to involve myself in the lyrics everytime , I may be in a better position to appreciate ? I do not know.

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 20 Jul 2009, 21:04

Sir, Please find below the link for Anudhinamu - Begada, MMI is accompanied by Govindasamy Naicker, Umayalpuram Sivaraman, Alangudi Ramachandran - 1964 AIR Recording. (we have another version of anudhinamu with Lalgudi and Murugaboopathy that might be in circulation with many).

http://www.yousendit.com/download/Y1RxU ... cWZIRGc9PQ

VISHNURAMPRASAD · Post by **VISHNURAMPRASAD** » 20 Jul 2009, 21:08

Balu Sir, According to Kanchi Mahaswamy.. Sangeetham itself is divine. Many might have heard Mahaswami's upanyasam of the shloka Sarigama padhanirathaamthaam... Vinaasankraantha kaantha hasthaamthaam. shaanthaam, mridulaswaantham...namaami shivakaanthaam. he never speaks about lyrics here. Just the suswara sangeetham can fetch shaantham, mridulaswaantham which are the ladder steps for motchathvam.

sorry for deviating from MMI's topic.

perarulalan · Post by **perarulalan** » 30 Jul 2009, 18:10

Dear Balu Sir,

Pls check if this the begada RTP that you are talking about..

http://www.sendspace.com/file/p1o43h

gmohan · Post by **gmohan** » 30 Jul 2009, 23:22

perarulalan, thank you very much, lovely RTP

Mohan

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 31 Jul 2009, 07:43

Thiru Perarulalan avl,
Thanks a lot. excellent Begada!
Thanjavooran

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 31 Jul 2009, 09:43

Dear new1: I am a little late for the party(July 30,2009)--re: your query about MMI/PMI relationship,here is my 10 cents worth:
PMI admired Ariyakudi very much for the structure,balance,length of the concerts and hence always accompanied him. MMI on the other hand was used to giving long concerts-Music was his sole pastime because of his illness,no family obligations(because he was a bachelor). PMI during the Fifties and the sixties had clearly indicated his unwillingness to sit thro four-hour concerts,as much as he admired MMI for his sruthi suddham and dedication to the art without any compromise--qualities that PMI himself often demonstrated . PMI had nothing but the highest regard for MMI and so did MMI for PMI-
In the early fifties when my father K.S.Mahadevan was Secretary of the Shanmukhananda Sabha in Bombay,the FIRST Music Festival was held in a Pandal at the Don Bosco School grounds in matunga Bombay. Semmangudi,Musiri,GNB,Ariyakudi,Alathur bros were the musicians who participated--choice of accompanists was always a problem for my father because of the musicians' preferences and also the need to give a chance for the other Mridangists--Palani,Palghat Raghu,CS Murugabhoopathy(who accompanied MMI for most of his concerts)-With Ariyakudi,Musiri claiming seniority would get PMI to accompany them there was a limit to the # of concerts in one festival that could be given to PMI(in those days because of logistics and economics) no accompanying artiste could be given more than 3 chances at the most for a festival(contrast this with the present day december scene in Chennai --when vocalists undertake 25 concerts during the 3/4 week period. This naturally left out MMI who expressed his regret to my father and enquired whether PMI had indicated a reluctance to accompany him. My father had to assure him that was not the case and subsequently when MMI visited Bombay for a regular monthly concert PMI accompanied him.

There was also another important logistical reason for PMI's decision. PMI moved to Tanjore from Palghat--closer to Chennai(and also because his Guru Tanjore Vaidyanatha Iyer wanted him to). PMI will arrive in Chennai for a concert--be it Ariyakudi or Chembai or GNB--in the morning from Tanjore and would book his return trip to Tanjore the same night of the concert--in those days the last train to the South of Chennai from Egmore was the Tuticorin Express leaving from Egmore a little after 9 P.M.--so PMI would request that concerts start around 5 P.M. and finish after 3 or 3 and half hours at the most so that he could straightway go to Egmore after the concert(I myself have--during my college days in presidency College--used to attend the concert and after a "cue" from PMI would get a taxi around 8:30 P.M for PMI waiting outside with his stuff loaded--ready for PMI to literally rush after the mangalam,get into the Taxi to catch the train. With MMI this was impossible as he would be so engrossed in the concert and also he was so loyal to his audience that he could not dream of disappointing them.,with anything less than a 4 hour concert-whether it is free concert in the Kapaleeswarar Temple or a paid concert at the RR Sabha or Gokhale Hall in Chennai.
This might seem strange and professionally impolite,but PMI the upright man that he was never flinched because he had the highest regard for MMI and his music and this practical necessity was no slur on MMI's music. Also it must be mentioned that MMI's music transcended any accompanist so that his desire for PMI to accompany him was not because he needed the "crutch"--As we all know, MMI could enthrall any audience--the cognoscenti or the populist--with or without PMI.
Looking back on those days,I am amazed at how loyal and how indebted those musicians were towards the audience. At the risk of provoking a controversy I honestly feel that some of our shining stars of today could be more listener-focussed,but that is a subject for another day!!
M.K.Ramasubramanian.