MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN-AS VOCALIST

Carnatic Musicians
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RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN-AS VOCALIST

Post by RSR »

Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan was an exact conteporary of Patnam Subramanya Iyer. and Subbaraama Dikshitar. Though his compositions are available, no recording of his singing can be located.
There is a thread on his life and achievements in composers section.
This fine translation by @arasi is beiing reposted here . hoping that the mods may approve.
Post by arasi » 21 Apr 2022, 23:42
viewtopic.php?t=35626

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Here's a translation of an article from Pasupat
hivugaL, Dr, Pasupathy's blog. You may go to Musical Morsels on the forum to see it. Even if you can't read tamizh, the illustrations are worth it...It was published in Dinamani Kadir on 14th Dec 1997 in their special music issue.
(https://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2020/09/1629-244.html)

Intro:To follow the history of the city of Chennai is as exciting as a treasure hunt. How many fascinating things have happened here! Fiery religious conflicts and musical feuds to say the least. Here is where Ramalinga ADigaL's aruTpA-related and aruTPA Mantapa conflicts occurred. This is where vaLLalAr and the Brahma Samajis argued like lions, clashing with their different beliefs. Just as these belief-based fights, there were occasions of musical melees filled with malaise which could fill the pages of an entire book. mahA vidwAn Kala shikhamani V.S. Gomathy Sankara Iyer, a retired professor at Annamalai University, author of many books on music has described such a musical occurrence vividly in his book 'Isai kalai vallunargaL'. This book is a treasure. Here's an excerpt from it...

Though Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer owned neither crown nor scepter, he was the uncrowned king of music in his times. It all did not come easy. The trials he faced over the years were numerous.

He rarely visited Chennai. Once when he did, he stayed there for two months. By then, his fame had reached the city from the southern regions of Tamizh NADu. As a result, listeners came in throngs to listen to him.

Chennai being a capitol city of the British Raj, VIPs of any genre wore shirts, long coats, anga vastrams and turbans. So, it surprised the populace to see the famed MahA Vaidyanatha Iyer shirtless, with a kuDumi, rudrAksha and vibhUthi. They found his music astounding. He was the talk of the town.

The elite of Chennai feted the governor with a dinner and a concert by MV ensued. He sang many tukkaDAs and English notes which pleased the governor no end. Still, it's never easy to please one and all. Among the audience, there were those who sat through the concert with frowns on their faces--they were the ones who had recommended that the famous Chennai Vidwan Venu Naicker should sing that day. Others overwhelmingly had voted for MV.

The gang marched to Venu Naicker's house to stir him up on this atrocity. Naicker was a mild-mannered person. He was quite a gentleman and was truly an excellent musician who could challenge the best of vidwans. He was adept at creating intricate patterns in pallavis with such ease and expertise. He was called Pallavi Venu for that matter. His title was such that
one would get breathless before pronouncing it: Sara vIra SUra GhaNTA maNi Pallavi Venu Naicker--you could sing three krutis before you tried to faultlessly reel out his title. A handsome person he was too. In sparkling white attire, fair of complexion, bejeweled. He had gained the GhaNTA maNi title in the contests of the Sivaganga SamasthAnam. As a sign of it, you could see on his right arm an armlet with three dangling gems. Adorned thus, you could see him arrive at the concert venue in a two horses drawn phaeton surrounded by rasikAs, looking like a maharaja. He was good-hearted too. Petty jealousies didn't touch him.
On the other hand, there was this gang which could even outsmart Dharmaraja with their persuasive prowess! How about poor Venu Naicker then in their grip?
Last edited by arasi on 22 Apr 2022, 06:40, edited 2 times in total.
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The mob had the right words to convince him: from where did this creature in a kuDumi, vibhUthi stripes and rudrAksha emerge? That too arrive at Chennai where you are as radiant as an utsava mUrthi? How did he end up singing for the governor when you are right here? While you are the unbeaten one in pallavi singing, how did he get to gain that mahA title too? Does he deserve such an honor? You certainly should stand up to it and call his bluff.
Thus went the Sakuni rAga AlApana. Venu Naicker who was not given to faulting any vidwAn lost a beat, this pallavi pro. He succumbed to their plot.

This Sakuni Sabha planned to hold a contest to which MV would be invited. He had to sing a pallavi filled with kaNakku vazhakku (intricate calculations) put forth by VN. MV should sing without missing a beat. Alas, the pallavi pro consented to go ahead with the scheme.
The announcement was readied: Photograph Masilamani Mudaliar was appointed the judge. Mudaliar was an expert in music, a seasoned violinist too. He was also VN's disciple and a close friend. It was proclaimed that the winner would get a ponnADai (really a ponnADai woven with threads of gold!), a gold hero's chain (with a medal?), a gold inlayed silver platter and a thousand and one rupees. With that money, in those days you could buy not only three or four grounds of land in the best part of town, but also with a bungalow in it!
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MahA Vaidyanatha Iyer was distressed. Why all this? I consider music as an offering to the Gods. Sparring like this brings about noise--not music. Why all this fuss about competing? Why unnecessary jealousies?
Others urged him to take up the challenge.

That day, right opposite the famed ShaNmugam PaTTaNam poDi (snuff tobacco) Company--known for its quality, strength and flavor and guNam (healing qualities??!!)in SAttAniyar st, in front of Ramaiah Pillai's house, the stage was set. The entire street was covered with a pandal. This was because added to the usual crowd which gathered for MV's concerts, the contest would draw even more attendees.

A big billboard was set up, displaying the following text:

Vaidyanatha Iyer sports the title of MahA. Only someone who has known the depth and width of the ocean of music deserves to hold such a title. The purpose of this contest is to test whether he is worthy of the title. Venu Naidu who is a genius would choose a pallavi format. MV has to sing it perfectly without missing a beat and thus prove his scholarship. If he wins, he would be presented bracelets for both hands, a gold-yarned shawl, silver platter and a thousand and one rupees as a reward. Should he fail in his singing, he has to forego his title of 'mahA' and sign a paper right here saying that he would not hoodwink music lovers by claiming to be a mahA musician. It would also be advertised that he misused the title all these years. All the above gifts will then be handed over to Venu Naicker.
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Such an atrocious announcement would terrify even the best of musicians. To add to the agony, the front row was occupied by Pallavi Seshaiyer, Rudraiah, violin Kottappa Naidu, harmonium Kandasamy Mudaliar, Ponnusamy Nattuvanar,
violin Krishnasamy Mudaliar, Patnam Subramania Iyer and other luminaries. Still, MV was not fazed. Nevertheless, this circus saddened him.

As always, he started the concert with vAtApi GaNapathim bhajE. Next, he sang the kIrtanai ekkAlathilum maRavEnE. Listening to his heavenly music, the crowd sat there mesmerized. Then it was time for Venu Naicker to come out with the pallavi. MV asked about the rAgam to sing it in. At that time, pallavi was sung mostly in ghana rAgas like tODi, kalyANi, kAmbhOdi, SankarAbharaNam and bhairavi. MV was ready to sing it in any of them. He asked Venu Naicker to specify the rAgA. VN had detailed plans for the pallavis for all of those rAgAs. So, he wasn't concerned and just asked MV to start singing by choosing any rAgA.

Now, MV's older brother Ramaswamy Sivan who was with him on the stage said something to him in a coded language. The siblings were known for communicating this way. If someone asked them about it, they would say it was pANDava BhAsha! (Should you be curious, at the risk of tearing your hair out, go to the boxed section of this page!).* What he said was, mAshA gnA Oshai dAsu--which meant : sing nArAyaNa gowLa! The brother further instructed him about all the details which sketched the way to build the pallavi--all in pANDava bhAsha!

Now, the rAgA is quite a challenging one. It's not at all suitable for singing a rAgA at length or for elaboration. It's only meant for singing krutis in--surely not for singing a full-fledged pallavi. Taking up this difficult task, MV sang the rAgA for nearly an hour. The listeners were soaked in this musical rain and were thrilled. The front row vidwAns were stunned by the manner in which MV handled a rAgA like this for that long. Five minutes is about the time one could give to this rAgA. MV was pouring his heart out.
VNaicker was desperate. He struggled at trying a pallavi pattern and it turned out to be an impossible task. This rAgA has swara sthAnams like the 28th mEla HarikAmbhOdi. However much he tried, he failed to come up with one without the tALakkaTTu sagging. He went out and tried to figure one out away from the crowd. He still couldn't.

Meanwhile, MV had finished singing the tAnam. On not seeing VN there, MV asked the judge Photograph Mudaliar: what should I sing now as pallavi? Mudaliar was incensed by VN's disappearance. He felt ashamed too for him and said: you sing the pallavi the way you wish to.

The brothers conversed in PaNDava bhAsha again. The pallavi turned out to be grand.
VN appeared then and said: I will not accept it. Instead of choosing a pallavi-worthy ghana rAga, you sang it in an unworthy rAga. That's why I walked away. The judgement should be made, bearing this in mind.

MV said: VN refused to choose a rAgam when I asked him. He left the choice to me. He says NarAyaNa gowLa isn't a suitable rAgA for singing pallavis in at length. However, I sang it at length and faultlessly too.
Mudaliar agreed with him wholeheartedly and gifted MV with all that was duly his. He also proclaimed that the title mahA suited him perfectly...
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RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN-AS VOCALIST

Post by RSR »

There is a very fine lecture by Mudikondaan Venkatarama Iyer about Maha Vaidhyanatha Sivan , delivered in Music academy. at
https://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2021/10/1947-293.html
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The first part is about MVSivan's music and the second part is about intricate details about layam aspects , which will be useful to serious learners.
@arasi madam is requested to translate the material , in instalments, when she finds time.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN-AS VOCALIST

Post by rajeshnat »

Very Lovely writeup of Maha vaidyanatha sivan and his younger brothers where 3 young vidushi bhavya hari, Vidya Kalyanaraman and Sandhya Ramaswamy(who is from the heir of mahavaidyanatha sivan)have rendered sivan songs along with tirruppugazh

https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... 510529.ece

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN-AS VOCALIST

Post by RSR »

@rajeshnat at post-3
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Quite a few in this forum like myself, are not subscribers to the newspaper, being cited. Simply giving links to articles which need subscription, is not good. , unless it is for public and free access. There is a difference between a thread for some eminence as a composer and a thread of the same person as a vocalist. It would be more appropriate to move your frequent links to lounge. Note that links given by me are always available for public access.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN-AS VOCALIST

Post by rajeshnat »

Maha vaidyanathqn Sivan was searched in vaggeyakkara and I did not find it. I found one in vidwan and vidushi. As long as the person is there I put the link. I dont believe in having multiple threads and all along I have practiced even before you joined rsr.putting in lounge has no memory and traceabiilityis gone forever. As long as u make round it to vidwan or vaggeyakkara and put it in right thread there is better traceability and indexing in both within rasikas search and in Google searches.

On hindu links I also don't have subscription.the hindu gives i think 4 or 5 per month is given as free without subscription . Many will benefit reading it .....some may have overshot their free subscriptions, but some will ,i see value in propagating it.. If the hindu brings it down and makes all things as subscription and premier, i see your point i will skip the links as it has no purpose, but for now i think it is just ok

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN-AS VOCALIST

Post by RSR »

How the link cited below was not found , is puzzling.
MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN
(in composers section)
https://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20818
It has very nice and authentic posts
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We can search by using search engines as
'maha vaidyanatha sivan rasikas..org
@rajeshnat
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Pratyaksham Bala
Posts: 4164
Joined: 21 May 2010, 16:57

Re: MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN-AS VOCALIST

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

rajeshnat wrote: 11 Jun 2022, 14:16 ... ... searched in vaggeyakkara and I did not find it. ... ...
OMG!
There is one more in 'Vaggeyakaras' section !
viewtopic.php?t=2931

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: MAHA VAIDYANATHA SIVAN-AS VOCALIST

Post by shankarank »

Tanjur Marathi Grundig tape collector, once shared a story about Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer , often checking his voice , if it is intact, by going to a corner , wherever he was. It seems he was concerned , he will lose it. From SrI Trichur Ramachandran's speech, @ Parivadini on a GNB day celebration, we get to know that Chembai recognized SrI GNB as the heir of Maha type of voice and Sareeram.

So he wanted to make sure his pokkisham was intact, by often doing a voice test :D

P:S These days, I see Kalyanapuram Aravind Sounderrajan doing a voice check between songs ;) :lol:

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