PLATE MUSIC!

[arasi]

Looking Back: Iyengar's Plate...
Here's a translation of what Kalki wrote in the 1930-s. Thanks to Pasupathy for bringing it to the Tamizh Section of the forum (in Musical Morsels and Nostalgia threads).

Iyengar's Plate
Some vidwans have grown more popular because of their plates (records). Others, after coming out with a recording, have not gained any more fame. With the rest, it makes no difference. Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar belongs to the last group of musicians. He is at the pinnacle, and doesn't need to ascend any further. For about fifteen years, he has retained that place. However, gramophone recordings of his songs have made little difference in his case. They have neither increased nor decereasd his fame.
In politics and in society, we see that personalities come and go. Then, what's the secret of Ariyakudi keeping his lead in the field? The answer is that his music attracts both pundits and laymen. Concerts were only attended by those who knew the nuances of music. Others found drama (musical in nature) entertaining. It was Aryiakudi who worked out the format of a concert at this point. Smaller kritis too found a place in his concert. He shortened the length of the earlier part of a concert which was meant for displaying one's scholarship in music. He extended the latter part of a concert more, for its appealing quality. He sang lots of tukkaDA-s (TukDA-s). He sang kritis and rAgA-s crisply and succinctly. Those with some gnAnA (not expertise) started following him. Just as EkalavyA learnt from drONA, some even became musicians by merely listening to him (with kELvi gnAnam). Had it been someone (other than Ariyakudi) who possessed no depth in the knowledge of music, pundits would have borne arms against this revolution."Well, we could as well sing the dirge to classical music!" they would have yelled. But they were no match to Iyengar. Who has been instrumental in bringing about much of appreciation for classical music? One can say without any doubt--Iyengar!
Still, even with all essential elements a successful concert musician might possess, he might not shine as a 'plate' artiste! He needs certain qualities to be a successful recording artiste. The main thing is the voice. Also, some voices do not sound the same on records as in a concert (which has no amplification). Then come well-pronounced words. We don't make a big fuss if words are swallowed, because instruments boom, children cry and obscure the singing anyhow. We also somehow fill up the gaps when it comes to unheard words in the lyrics. It's not so in recordings. We buy the plates to hear the words and swarA-s clearly and to learn from them. You can also hear the lapses in a voice and and in sAhityA more from a plate than in a concert. For example,I have heard Iyengar sing 'chidambaram ena manam kanindiDa' many times, and hadn't noticed this.The same song, I heard on the plate. In the anu pallavi, aDaikkalam en--RaDiyEn unai nambi alaraduvadun sevi pugavilaiyO--aDimai. IyengAr sang it as 'RaDiyEn' twice, and it didn't agree with me. Still, I'd say that it was just an exception. In general, his music has been successful in the 'plate' experiment. We see all the special aspects of his music in the recordings as well.
Truly, if you wish to listen to his music without rAgam, tAnam, pallavi, you could get a plate set of his and enjoy his music.
The kritis he sings in telugu and tamizh, the usual gems--javalis, tukkaDAs are found in them.
The following nine plates I recommend for those who possess a gramaphone:
A.122: eTunamminA sAvEri
A.120: pari dAnamiccitE Bilahari
A.124:parama pAvana rAmA pUri kalyANi
A. 114: alakalella madhyamAvathi
A.111: chidambaram ena manam kalyANi
A. 111: kaDaikkaN nOkki tODi
A.107: rATTinamE gAndhi kApi
A. 119: avananRi Or aNuvum rAga mAlikai
A.126: vaishNava janatO sindhu bhairavi
Of the above, some are good. Some are very good. We have to wait for the unbelievably beautiful one to come out in the near future. Hope that happens very soon.

[thanjavooran]

Arasi,
Excellent!!
Thanks for bringing it in English for all to enjoy. Totally covered every bit. Credit goes to Shri Pasupathi also.
With wishes,
Thanjavooran
25 01 2018

[arasi]

Thanks, Thanjavooran. You are always your gracious self. Yes, we owe so much to Pasupathy. I have neither the skill nor the patience to cull old nuggets from old days as he does--working so diligently on a storehouse of material he has garnered lovingly over the years, sharing them on a daily basis...

[Pasupathy]

Thanks Arasi!
Here's URL of my post: https://s-pasupathy.blogspot.ca/2016/01/67_23.html

And Vikatan cartoonist Mali's caricature of Ariyakkudi;

[pvs]

For example,I have heard Iyengar sing 'chidambaram ena manam kanindiDa' many times, and hadn't noticed this.The same song, I heard on the plate. In the anu pallavi, aDaikkalam en--RaDiyEn unai nambi alaraduvadun sevi pugavilaiyO--aDimai. IyengAr sang it as 'RaDiyEn' twice, and it didn't agree with me.

Isn't that line from KadaikkaN nOkki kAvAdhadhum enO? Just found that amusing.

[Pasupathy]

pvs,
Thanks.
You are right. the song " kadaikkaN " is on the flip side of "chidambaram " record . some mistake in reproducing the original article by Kalki in the book " kalki kaLanjiyam" ( from which I reproduced this) might have occurred.
( கட்டுரையில் , “ பிளேட்டில் அதே பாட்டை” என்பது “ பிளேட்டில் அடுத்த பாட்டை” என்று மூலத்தில் இருக்குமோ? )

I don't have the original article to verify. The person who collected Kalki's articles for the book " Kalki kaLanjiyam" was T.S. Rangarajan ( a great fan of Kalki ) and he is no more.

[arasi]

PVS,
Thank you for the correction. I am afraid I do not recall some lines, even from those songs which I knew very well in my younger days!
This article was worth translating for a number of reasons--one being, realizing the span of years AriyakuDi's kachEri vazhi has flourished! Even in the thirties, we see that it was well-established.

[RSR]

I would suggest that Arasi madam translates ALL the articles in Dr.Pasupathy's blog related to 'sangeetha vishayam' It will be a treasure for the younger generation. It's value will be enhanced if with Dr.Pasupathy''s approval, if all the sketches also are given. This can be done with copyright and Badri or' kaalachuvadu' Kannan may be willing to publish.

[arasi]

RSR,
Thank you for placing such confidence in me. I wish I knew as much about music and oh, about so many other things as you do! Still, being a just a rasikA keeps me happy enough.
For all the goodies that Pasupathy posts, who can keep up with him!
Some time ago, I translated some writings about Somu. Wonder if you have come across them...

[RSR]

#9-> Arasi Madam, Yes. I have read that post on Madurai Somu. The writing and the translation were very good. Ideal combination. Hence my request. . I too am a mere rasika...interested in a few topics besides music in a peripheral way.
I like lucid natural style of writing , be it Tamil or English as yours. Regards.

[pvs]

@ Pasupathy
@ arasi

Thanks for your responses. This is just to clear that my post was not to find fault with either of you (amazing contributors both! I've learnt much from you both and enjoyed it too) or anyone else. Just found it amusing that it made it to print without getting caught in those days. I believe it was the original author's oversight - it's not something that can get mixed up or introduced in a translation.