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The Hindu
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
M.L. Vasanthakumari's melodious voice and innovative approach made her music unforgettable
She came, she sang, she conquered. July 3 marks M.L. Vasanthakumari's (MLV) 97th birth anniversary. It's a good time to look back at my guru and an extraordinary vocalist's life and art — a combination of melody, vidwat and dynamic stage presence. MLV was not only adept at singing both shudha Carnatic ragas such as Thodi and Bhairavi but also desya ragas like Behag or Sindhubhairavi. She may have imbibed this talent from her father vidwan Koothanoor Aiyaswamy Iyer, who was trained in both Carnatic and Hindustani music. Along with her mother Lalithangi, he also specialised in Purandaradasa kritis. MLV followed suit. MLV expanded the repertoire she inherited by adding compositions by Kanaka Dasa (disciple of Purandaradasa) and other Dasa Koota composers. It could be said that the family brought Dasarapadas to the concert stage. Mysore University acknowledged MLV's efforts in this regard by bestowing upon her an honorary doctorate. A versatile vocalist, MLV was trained early on by none other than G.N. Balasubramaniam, who was also a close friend of her father. It was GNB who boldly ushered in a new voice-culture based on Hindustani akaaras and nagaswaram glides (jaarus), and lightning-fast swara clusters (brighas). She carried forward his innovative approach. She was one of the first Carnatic vocalists to sing abhangs. Her kutcheris often felt wholesome with the inclusion of padams, javalis, Tevarams, Tiruppugazh and complex RTPs. She was well known for introducing rare kritis in each and every concert. Rasikas waited with bated breath to hear a new song, alapanas of rare ragas such as Sekarachandrika, Gamansrama, Revathi and Natabhairav, a pallavi in a difficult setting or a Purandaradasa ragamalika. They also enjoyed the tukkadas she presented. MLV was adventurous as a singer. For instance, at the Sangita Kalanidhi concert in 1977 at the Music Academy, she courageously took up a tricky pancha nadai (five varieties of rhythm) pallavi and executed it beautifully. Her singing drew lavish praise even from one of the sharpest critics of the time — Subbudu (P.V. Subramaniam). I began learning from MLV in 1963 at the age of 12. My mother Alamelu Viswanathan took me to her house. The singer was then getting ready for a concert. I was awestruck by akka's (as I used to call her) personality. She was wearing a beautiful silk saree, diamond ear studs and stone-embedded gold bangles. Her long well-oiled hair was neatly braided and adorned with fragrant jasmines. She heard me sing a short kriti, paused for a moment and accepted me as her disciple. My mother was overjoyed. She had a cheerful-casual disposition as a teacher. It was a 27-year-long association between the guru and the sishya. MLV's music was different from that of her contemporaries — D.K. Pattammal and M.S. Subbulakshmi. Though MLV was younger than the other two legends, she rose to great heights and the three were referred to as the 'female trinity of Carnatic music'. They began their career as gramophone-record sensations and gained unprecedented popularity in the early 20th Century. MLV was just 12 when she cut her first vinyl with 'Sarasija nabha murare' (Charukesi , Swathi Tirunal). Later, the trio forayed into singing for the cinema, with M.S. even acting in a few. As for MLV, she sang for the top heroines of the time, including Padmini, who was also her neighbour. Both shared a warm relationship. MLV divided her time among kutcheris, travel and studio recordings. One often saw her practising during her commute or in the little free time she got. Despite her hectic schedule, she was always available for her sishyas, willingly sharing her knowledge and guiding them. MLV's music was three dimensional — she had a great voice, a creative mind and a generous heart. The writer is a well-known Carnatic vocalist.
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Remembering virtuoso vocalist Tanjore S. Kalyanaraman
To connoisseurs of Carnatic music, Tanjore S. Kalyanaraman was many things — a virtuoso vocalist, visionary composer and a bold innovator. SKR, as he is widely known, was an illustrious disciple of the legendary G.N. Balasubramaniam. His most distinctive contribution to the Carnatic canon was the creation of the 36 dwi-madhyama panchama-varja melas — derived by excluding the panchamam and employing both shuddha and prati madhyamas in tandem. He not only ideated these ragas, revolutionary in theory and demanding in practice, but also gave several of them form and soul through his own compositions. On his 95th birth anniversary, Madhuradhwani paid a homage to SKR with a commemorative event at the Arkay Convention Center. The evening also featured a violin concert by Nagai R. Muralidharan, who was accompanied by Srimushnam V. Raja Rao on the mridangam and K.V. Gopalakrishnan on the kanjira. On the occasion were also present Cleveland Sundaram and Bhushany Kalyanaraman, among other dignitaries. Born on June 2, 1930, in Thiruvengadu near Mayavaram, kalyanaraman belonged to the lineage of vidwans — Komal Muthu Bhagavathar (great grandfather) and Madhirimangalam Natesa Iyer (grand uncle). While his father N. Srinivasa Iyer initiated him into the art, musicologist Kittamani Iyer played a crucial role in bringing him under the tutelage of GNB, shared Muralidharan, quoting family sources. Muralidharan recalled his first concert with SKR at George Town, Madras, in 1970. His guru R.S. Gopalakrishnan had requested that his student be permitted to accompany the maestro, alongside himself. That opportunity blossomed into a cherished association. 'People often link SKR with vivadhi ragas because he sang them with finesse,' he noted, 'but his renditions of mainstream ragas were equally compelling.' He cited SKR's Thodi as an object lesson in raga development and breath control, evoking the grandeur of T.N. Rajarathnam Pillai's music, and played recordings of SKR's Thodi and Arabhi alapanas, which brought those memories alive for the audience. The list of those who accompanied SKR reads like a roll call of Carnatic royalty — Lalgudi Jayaraman, T.N. Krishnan, M.S. Gopalakrishnan, M. Chandrasekaran, Palghat Mani Iyer, C.S. Murugabhoopathy, Umayalpuram Sivaraman, T.K. Murthy, Palghat Raghu, Karaikudi Mani, Mannargudi Eswaran, Raja Rao, and more — underscoring the esteem in which he was held, added Muralidharan. Raja Rao fondly recalled SKR's love for scooters, cars, gadgets, and surround sound set-ups long before they became a commonplace. It was SKR, he reminded, who first perfected and popularised the Tyagaraja kriti 'Enta muddo' in Bindumalini. Subbudu once, in his review, likened SKR's sangatis to a bountiful cascade of parijata flowers tumbling down when the branches of the tree are shaken, Raja Rao said. Sundaram reflected on his 18-year-long association with SKR, through his sister, who was his student. 'SKR faced many challenges in his personal life. His wife, Bhushany, was his pillar of support andinstrumental in his several accomplishments. He was incredibly hard-working. It was a frequent occurrence that he would take up a single raga and kriti and practise for four hours, mostly in the company of MSG and Karaikudi Mani. He was neversatisfied with himself and always looked for improvement. Never one to complain, he once lamented — words that not only saddened but left a lasting impression on me: 'uzhaikka kathundane thavira naan pizhaikka kathukkala' (I learnt to work hard, but not how to make a living). SKR was unrelenting in his pursuit of perfection, said Sundaram. 'Once, I gave him a recording of his concert. The next day, he returned it with the pallavi erased, saying it had not come out well. I argued that it was fine. He replied, 'If that is your idea of good music, and you are promoting it, then God save music!' This, he said, about his own music, which is rare to come across.' Sundaram recounted how SKR, on the advice of K.V. Narayanaswami, took a six-month break from sadhakam to regain his voice. Such was his discipline and respect for peer wisdom. Ever the innovator, SKR even performed a whistle concert — dubbed 'a flute concert without a flute' — accompanied by Raja Rao in the U.S. Music was his life; yet, recognition often eluded him. The Kalaimamani award came only on the eve of his demise — he passed away on January 9, 1994. The evening then segued into a violin recital by Muralidharan — an offering that resonated with the spirit of SKR. Assisted by his disciple D. Badrinarayanan, Muralidharan opened with Papanasam Sivan's 'Tatvamariya tarama' (Reetigowla), followed by 'Tolijanmamuna jeyu' (Bilahari). Neetimati and Vagadeeswari — two vivadhi ragas dear to SKR — were lovingly explored, the former through Koteeswara Iyer's 'Mohanakara Muthukumara', and the latter in Tyagaraja's 'Paramatmudu velige'. The tani avartanam, featuring Raja Rao and Gopalakrishnan, sparkled with vibrant and absorbing rhythmic interplay. SKR's own Darbari Kanada thillana in Misra Chapu served as a fitting signature from the master himself.
The Hindu
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Chenda Yakshi Pattu', a Malayalam song in spook rock genre, is about a yakshi who loves the chenda
A bloodthirsty female ghost out to take revenge—that is the popular representation of yakshi in folklore, literature, films, etc. The single, 'Chenda Yakshi Pattu' is yet another take on this popular belief, visualised in a lyric video using AI and animated visuals. The song falls into spook rock genre, that blends rock music with horror themes, says Sreenesh L Prabhu, composer of the track. The song is about a yakshi residing in a dilapidated temple. She loves the beats of the chenda, a percussion instrument, and the sound awakens her from her slumber. But she preys on the person who plays it. The track narrates one such story, through some impressive AI and animated visuals. Sreenesh, who belongs to Alappuzha and currently working as assistant manager with Dhanalakshmy Bank in Thrissur, says that the work was inspired by a poem written by Suresh Narayanan, a writer, working with Kallambalam branch of the same bank. 'Since it was rhyming like a poem, he changed it into the lyrical format. The theme was the same,' says Sreenesh, who has so far released 25 songs. He adds, 'This project is different from my previous works in that all the others were based on socially-relevant themes.' The track seamlessly blends chenda beats with a Western soundscape. 'I have composed the song with varying rhythms to express the yakshi's anger. Even though the Western score is used in the background, the melody is rooted in Carnatic ragas Thodi, Kanakaangi and bits of Punaagavaraali,' Sreenesh says, making a special mention of audio engineer Vineeth Esthappan who has done the mixing. Vladimir Tommin, a digital creator, has tapped into the immense possibilities of AI to capture the bewitching beauty and power of the yakshi. He has also done the storyboard with Sreenesh. Sopanam singer Akhil Yashwanth has sung the track. Sreenesh's first work to come out was on the floods of 2018. Other videos include 'Amma', a Tamil track devoted to mothers sung by Sudeep Kumar, 'Hatha Kunjaram', a Sanskrit song that addresses deforestation, and 'White Dove & Black Berries', an English song against racism. 'Hatha Kunjaram', which used animation, was picked by WWW India for a campaign. 'Aramathilile Koonanurumbu' was a fun track sung by Jassie Gift that was released during the pandemic. His songs have also touched upon issues such as drug abuse, organ mafia and gender equality. Last year he released 'Soundman Anthem', which celebrated the life and career of sound designer Resul Pookkutty. A self-taught musician, Sreenesh says that composing for films has never been his objective. 'I have always preferred to use my music to address a social issue. I want to continue doing that. Once an idea strikes me, I work on the music, mostly during my travels. That is how I balance my passion and profession.' 'Chenda Yakshi Pattu' is streaming on the YouTube channel MC Audios Nadanpattukal.
