Series on Musicians-II Sangeetha Kalanidhi M.L.vasanthakumari
As I promised in one of my earlier post that I am going to write a series on musician who has influnced me earlier in many ways, MLV amma needs no introduction. Yesterday as I was downloading one of her concerts, I realised that I posses nearly 1GB of MLV amma's live concerts, apart from commercial recordings. I consider myself fortunate to have been introduced to her music and its indeed a great oppurtunity for me to write about Sangeetha Kalanidhi M.L.Vasanthalumari. Popularly known as MLV, I was introduced to her music by my guru Smt. Mangalam Muthuswamy. Apart from that my incusitiveness to listen to MLV amma aroused after listening to a concert by Smt. Sudha Ragunathan(disciple of MLV) at shanmukhananda hall nearly a decade ago where she spoke about her guru.I was a novice who attended concerts with my grandfather. As a young girl trying to figure who she was talking about I asked my grandfather. He didn't say much apart from the fact that she was a great musician. But i wanted to know more about her and listen to her voice. Thanks to the invitees and the artist of the day who spoke so much about her that I was impatient. I asked my guru who instantaenously gave a cassette and said you listen and all your queries would be answered. Indeed they were....
Her strinkingly different voice attracted me. Then I didnot understand her sheer mathematical brilliance while rendering swaras or neravals.My guru has been very careful while introducing me to a number of well known artist.As I have been lucky to listen to this extraordinary artiste, let me be frank that she is one of the few artist whom I feel has that brilliance in rendering Pallavis, which is a rarity in todays concert. I would consider MLV amma as one of the best in rendering Tanam. Being a vainika its muh easier for me to understand the nuances of tanam. The jati that is inbuilt in it is never understood. Ta.num tha..anumtha...how beautifully she renders it.An artist who could easily handle unkown ragas and render ragas like hamsavinodini,andolika, subhapantuvarali,malavika,sivasakthi,mohanakalyani etc. ate ase.Subha Pantuvarali has not been relished by many,but MLV's rendition of Subhapantuvarali is just amazing. While rendering an alapna she would venture into some mind blogging areas,which probably we would not have ever imagined. Never short of creativity she has aptly followed her guru's footstep GNB(a genius in ever sense) she evolved her own style. A torch bearer of GNB style she has captivated audience in every concert.Talking about pallavi's I have heard from musicians and my guru that she would compose it minutes before the concert and bring out all the musical elements in it,anulomam, pratilomam, niraval, swara improvisations for tricky take off points, kuraippu and the grand ragamalika garland in sweet melodies such as Bowli, Sahana, Behag, Sekharachandrika, Tilang, Sindhubhairavi, Revati, Hamsanandi, et al, and reversing the order to culminate in a superb korvai hitting the Pallavi eduppu bang on target.Her musical spontaneity was unparalleled. In fact her own disciple Sudha Ragunathan once told me that her concerts were never planned.I still cant figure out how she did that. For all of you who are reading it lot goes behind a concert. From my own experience what you practice is not the same while you perform, a lot of thinking goes behind before one chooses a raga for the concert.
Everytime I listen to her rendition of hamsavinodini and the krithi sharanam bhava a composition of Narayana theerthar, one can just admire her.Within few years she attained great stature and was considered as one amongst the trio(the other two being DKP and MS).One of the memorable concerts of hers that I posses would be Sastri Hall concert where she was accompanied by Mridangam Maestro Palghat Mani Iyer. Mani Iyer had never accompanied ladies in his career before accompanying her.After that Mani Iyer accompanied her for some concerts.One of her concerts at Krishna Gana Sabha where Mani Iyer has accompanied her,one would be speechless after listening to her rendition of Eduta Nila chite in Shankarabharanam and bhairavi Ragam Thanam Pallavi.Her ragamalika viruttams and slokas would transport one to the seventh heaven of delight and devotion with their soulful appeal, combining bhakti and bhava.Her Marathi Abhangs, Hindi Bhajans and Tiruppavai, would create a mood of contemplation, while the tillanas spread immense joy and cheer.Its heard that had mastered Sindhu bhairavi raga, to the extent that Bade Ghulam Ali khan would always insist MLVamma to render it when he came to chennai.I have heard from my guru that she was magnimous in nature and was always there to help anyone who knocked her doorstep. In fact she was very keen in teaching and appreciating good music. In fact my guru who was MLV amma's earliest fan says she would appreciate anyone who sangwell even if it was a kid. How many of us would do that, probably today people are satisfied in criticising than appreciating. To quote her experience "MLV amma once had come down to tuticorin to give a concert. My guru went to visit her, but unfortunately she had gone to visit someone.As she arrived some time in the afternoon she was surprised to see young girl waiting to welcome her. She insisted my guru to sing. Scared,my teacher was apprehensive. But somehow she gathered confidence and sand Evarikai in devamanohari(till today my guru laughs saying what guts she would have had to sing this krithi which MLV amma was really good). But after the rendition, she quickly got up kissed my guru and giftd her.Unfortunately my guru lost that priceless gift.But my guru believes that her blessings are more important to her,and that it is always with her".
Following her guru's footsteps she groomed many musicians, today who are renowned artiste.Indeed her disciples have shared their experiences on many occassions. Unfortunately she bid farewell sixteen years ago, but her music would always remain.She came, she sang, she conquered. I don't know when can we see the likes of her again.Probably three letters "M for melody, L for laya, V for vidwat". Not a single day passes without hearing her concerts and I have definately benefitted, as many have.
Her strinkingly different voice attracted me. Then I didnot understand her sheer mathematical brilliance while rendering swaras or neravals.My guru has been very careful while introducing me to a number of well known artist.As I have been lucky to listen to this extraordinary artiste, let me be frank that she is one of the few artist whom I feel has that brilliance in rendering Pallavis, which is a rarity in todays concert. I would consider MLV amma as one of the best in rendering Tanam. Being a vainika its muh easier for me to understand the nuances of tanam. The jati that is inbuilt in it is never understood. Ta.num tha..anumtha...how beautifully she renders it.An artist who could easily handle unkown ragas and render ragas like hamsavinodini,andolika, subhapantuvarali,malavika,sivasakthi,mohanakalyani etc. ate ase.Subha Pantuvarali has not been relished by many,but MLV's rendition of Subhapantuvarali is just amazing. While rendering an alapna she would venture into some mind blogging areas,which probably we would not have ever imagined. Never short of creativity she has aptly followed her guru's footstep GNB(a genius in ever sense) she evolved her own style. A torch bearer of GNB style she has captivated audience in every concert.Talking about pallavi's I have heard from musicians and my guru that she would compose it minutes before the concert and bring out all the musical elements in it,anulomam, pratilomam, niraval, swara improvisations for tricky take off points, kuraippu and the grand ragamalika garland in sweet melodies such as Bowli, Sahana, Behag, Sekharachandrika, Tilang, Sindhubhairavi, Revati, Hamsanandi, et al, and reversing the order to culminate in a superb korvai hitting the Pallavi eduppu bang on target.Her musical spontaneity was unparalleled. In fact her own disciple Sudha Ragunathan once told me that her concerts were never planned.I still cant figure out how she did that. For all of you who are reading it lot goes behind a concert. From my own experience what you practice is not the same while you perform, a lot of thinking goes behind before one chooses a raga for the concert.
Everytime I listen to her rendition of hamsavinodini and the krithi sharanam bhava a composition of Narayana theerthar, one can just admire her.Within few years she attained great stature and was considered as one amongst the trio(the other two being DKP and MS).One of the memorable concerts of hers that I posses would be Sastri Hall concert where she was accompanied by Mridangam Maestro Palghat Mani Iyer. Mani Iyer had never accompanied ladies in his career before accompanying her.After that Mani Iyer accompanied her for some concerts.One of her concerts at Krishna Gana Sabha where Mani Iyer has accompanied her,one would be speechless after listening to her rendition of Eduta Nila chite in Shankarabharanam and bhairavi Ragam Thanam Pallavi.Her ragamalika viruttams and slokas would transport one to the seventh heaven of delight and devotion with their soulful appeal, combining bhakti and bhava.Her Marathi Abhangs, Hindi Bhajans and Tiruppavai, would create a mood of contemplation, while the tillanas spread immense joy and cheer.Its heard that had mastered Sindhu bhairavi raga, to the extent that Bade Ghulam Ali khan would always insist MLVamma to render it when he came to chennai.I have heard from my guru that she was magnimous in nature and was always there to help anyone who knocked her doorstep. In fact she was very keen in teaching and appreciating good music. In fact my guru who was MLV amma's earliest fan says she would appreciate anyone who sangwell even if it was a kid. How many of us would do that, probably today people are satisfied in criticising than appreciating. To quote her experience "MLV amma once had come down to tuticorin to give a concert. My guru went to visit her, but unfortunately she had gone to visit someone.As she arrived some time in the afternoon she was surprised to see young girl waiting to welcome her. She insisted my guru to sing. Scared,my teacher was apprehensive. But somehow she gathered confidence and sand Evarikai in devamanohari(till today my guru laughs saying what guts she would have had to sing this krithi which MLV amma was really good). But after the rendition, she quickly got up kissed my guru and giftd her.Unfortunately my guru lost that priceless gift.But my guru believes that her blessings are more important to her,and that it is always with her".
Following her guru's footsteps she groomed many musicians, today who are renowned artiste.Indeed her disciples have shared their experiences on many occassions. Unfortunately she bid farewell sixteen years ago, but her music would always remain.She came, she sang, she conquered. I don't know when can we see the likes of her again.Probably three letters "M for melody, L for laya, V for vidwat". Not a single day passes without hearing her concerts and I have definately benefitted, as many have.
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3 Comments:
A Pristine prose..Certain fact about Hamsavinodhini.You are very much right abt that.Precisely said..
Have to catch more thanam renderings from her..I was thinkin you would be startin on GNB ..nyways..hopenext time..:)
Keep writing..
Peru
Her RTP in Poorvikalyani is a personal favorite. Sorry for being pedantic but I think you meant inquisitive when you wrote incusitive. :-)
I am a novice in Carnatic music, never trained in it but always mesmerized by it. For what ever reason, MLV is the one who affects me the most. I remember the first time listening to Pallavi Sheshayya's Palimpa Ravadelaraya in Arabhi. It just hooked me and I am addicted to MLV, constantlylooking for new concerts of hers. Your writing touches upon what has been said of her personality. Kudos.
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