The Current Era of Mridangam Artists
Kartik Raghupathi
Although I am somewhat new to this newsgroup, I would like
to open up a discussion about the current era's mridangamists.
When asked who are among the best mridangam artists of today,
several names come to my mind (I myself am a mridangamist and
thus I am quite interested in percussion):
(no specific order)
Sangeetha Kalanidhi T.K. Murthy
Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman
T.V. Gopalakrishnan
Vellore Ramabhadran
Karaikudi Mani
Palghat Raghu
I might not be remembering one or two names but I would
consider this to be a near-complete list of today's
top-notch ("first tier) mridangamists. Perhaps a few more
may be included (Manaargudi Eeshwaran, Thiruvarur
Bhakthavatsalam, KV Prasad), but I think then we would
be travelling outside the bounds of this first tier.
Now my particular interest is as follows: although he is
entirely deserving of it, why did TK Murthy receive
the most prestigious "Sangeetha Kalanidhi" title in 1994
when, in my consideration, Umayalpuram K Sivaraman is just
as great a mridangam artist and vidhwan if not better? Is it
simply the politics of the Madras Music Academy or something
else? For this title was quite significant in that it was
(I am told) only the second Sangeetha Kalanidhi title
to be awarded to a percussionist (the immaculate Palghat
TS Mani Iyer being the first).
I eagerly welcome thoughts and opinions concerning what
I have written here. It is at least a beginning for
a good discussion of Carnatic percussion.
Respectfully submitted,
Kartik Raghupathi
(k...@po.cwru.edu)
PS. I am only a first year college student who happens to have
immeasurable interest in Carnatic music. This being the case,
I realize that with the limited knowledge that I have,
some (if not most) of my judgments may be erroneous. Please
kindly excuse any such ignorance.
ven...@gov.on.ca
>Kartik Raghupathi <k...@po.cwru.edu> writes:
>
>>Dear Fellow Rasikas,
>
>
>>When asked who are among the best mridangam artists of today,
>>several names come to my mind (I myself am a mridangamist and
>>thus I am quite interested in percussion):
>
>>(no specific order)
>>Sangeetha Kalanidhi T.K. Murthy
>>Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman
>>T.V. Gopalakrishnan
>>Vellore Ramabhadran
>>Karaikudi Mani
>>Palghat Raghu
>
>>I might not be remembering one or two names but I would
>>consider this to be a near-complete list of today's
>>top-notch ("first tier) mridangamists. Perhaps a few more
>>may be included (Manaargudi Eeshwaran, Thiruvarur
>>Bhakthavatsalam, KV Prasad), but I think then we would
>
>tour. I think KV Prasad is better than Eeshwaran in his
>following.
>>be travelling outside the bounds of this first tier.
>
>from Andhra the likes of
>
> a) Dandamudi RamMohanRao
> b) KamalakaraRao
> c) Mullapudi SreeRama Murthy(Dr. Balamurali I belived
>learned mrudangam from sreeram murthy's father )
>
>All of the three above people were par excellent in accompanying
>main artistes.
>
> d) Yella Venkateshwara Rao
> (the list is not in any order and not complete)
>
>Yella for one glamorized mrudangam atleast in AP and tried to
>bring it to the level of main instrument(these efforts are
>debatable I would think). Though some of the more classisists
>wouldn't agree with his independent nature in my opinion he is
>one of the best around.
>>Now my particular interest is as follows: although he is
>>entirely deserving of it, why did TK Murthy receive
>>the most prestigious "Sangeetha Kalanidhi" title in 1994
>>when, in my consideration, Umayalpuram K Sivaraman is just
>>as great a mridangam artist and vidhwan if not better? Is it
>>simply the politics of the Madras Music Academy or something
>>else? For this title was quite significant in that it was
>>(I am told) only the second Sangeetha Kalanidhi title
>>to be awarded to a percussionist (the immaculate Palghat
>>TS Mani Iyer being the first).
>
>>I eagerly welcome thoughts and opinions concerning what
>>I have written here. It is at least a beginning for
>>a good discussion of Carnatic percussion.
>
>>Respectfully submitted,
>>Kartik Raghupathi
>>(k...@po.cwru.edu)
He keeps his name and 'hands' up in the front row of mridangam artistes
in the Madras Music Circles, as well as in North America. He is currently
teaching at York University in Toronto, where he came with Late Higgins
Bhagavathar and has established the Indian Music scene.
Venkataraman
>
Jairaj, Vinod
I'd like to jump into the discussion about the Mridungam Artists.
I came across an article that Palghat Raghu is even better than the Late
Palghat Mani Iyer. The writer went on to claim that Raghu has even more
strokes than Mani Iyer himself. If that is the case, why is it that his
talents are unnoticed? Another really good, but underrated mridungist is
Vellore Ramabadhran. His strokes are extremely soft, but in my opinion,
he is the only mridangam artist who beautifully blends himself with the
main artist. I feel the others are too harsh, and try to create many
strokes. Again, I don't have a good knowledge of Carnatic music, so I may
be wrong in some of my statements.
Another good artiste from Andhra is Srimushnam Raja Rao- don't
know why he did not get the deserved recognition, while lesser artists
like Thiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam regularly hog the limelight.
Hoping to continue a lively discussion.
Vinod
mu...@cip.physik.uni-dortmund.de
: Dear Fellow Rasikas,
: Although I am somewhat new to this newsgroup, I would like
: to open up a discussion about the current era's mridangamists.
[...]
-----
My opinions given below. A few clarifications. I have only talked about
a few of this era's Vidwans who (IMO of course) were trend-setters.
Secondly, a discussion of today's percussionists can hardly be called
complete if one were to omit two outstanding percussionists of
yesteryears, Palani Shri Subramania Pillai (PSP) and Palghat Shri Mani
Iyer (PMI). Sruti has carried extensive articles on these 2 and I'll
just say a few things.
PSP had one of the best if not THE best "Kai's" (hands) in business. The
way his Toppi (lhs of the Mridangam) and the Valanthalai (rhs) were
tuned remains enviable. He was an accompanist par excellence. His
transitions from one KAla PramANA (rythm?) to another when the Kriti switches
from Pallavi to Anupallavi are never abrupt, something the younger
artistes today would do well to learn. While PMI used to "mimic" the
main artiste, PSP's style was more complementary.
PMI's style was original "Thanjavur BANi". He had a tremendous sense of
anticipation and this enabled him to follow the main artiste as closely
as is possible for any percussionist. OTOH, I have also heard the
criticism that some singers sacrificed their ManOdharmA to make for
example, their Kriti rendering or Swara rendering fit better to PMI's
Mridangam playing.
The biggest technical difference in the 2 styles above is the way the
syllable "Nam" is played . While the PSP school uses the middle finger,
the Thanjavur school uses the ring finger.
Coming now to the others,
the first name that comes to my mind is that of Ramanathapuram Shri C.S.
Murugabhoopathy. His style was considerably different from that of
either PSP or PMI. His speciality was his "Gumki" and some "ThEkAs" with
mixed Nadais. Again, he was a great accompanist. As I said his style was
different and consequently one (at least I !) had to listen
carefully to understand even what Nadai he was playing at times. There
are some great concerts of his with GNB.Incdlly, he is the brother os
Shri C.S. Sankarasivam, the Guru of Shri T.N. Seshagopalan.
T.K. Murthy Iyer again plays vintage Thanjavur style. Disciple of the
great Vaidhyanatha Iyer, he plays several AbhiprAyams of the Master and
has created several himself along these lines. Probably the best
acompaniment today (IMO). Never distracts the main artiste's
thinking. Himself a good singer, he knows and appreciates the
differences between just Kriti singing with Sangatis, Swara singing,
Neraval etc. Consequently one can hear him play in varying styles when
accompanying. His accompaniment to MSS' Viribhoni Varnam (HMV LP) is an
object lesson to all percussionists on how to play for this great Varnam.
Umayalpuram Shri Sivaraman learnt from SAkkottai Shri Rangu Iyengar,
PMI, Arpathi Natesa Iyer and Kumbakonam Shri Rajappa Iyer. Clarity is
his greatest asset. When percussionists say "Sol" (beat- InTamil it
actually means the spoken word, as in Bol, I guess), one can ony think
of US. His patterns really "speak". By virtue of tremendous practice, he
can play terribly fast stuff with the same clarity. Best examples are
his accompaniment to MDR when his speed and MDR's lack of it sound so
great when heard together. Has the best "Arai Chapu" in business (IMO).
Palghat Shri Raghu . Disciple of PMI but greatly influenced by PSP. In
fact some of his older recdgs with GNB, Alathur Bros.. sound just like
PSP. At some point in his career it seems to me there was a first order
phase transition. Now he plays some of the most abstruse stuff I have
heard. Created a definitive style.
Karaikudi Shri Mani . Arguably the mridangist who has influenced the
maximum number of today's younger artistes. Created a style which I
think is influenced heavily by Thavil artistry. His KOrvais are
generally longer than those belonging to the older styles. Popularized
the notion of playing the same KOrvai in different Nadais and playing
high speed during the Anupallavi of the song.
-----
muthu
mu...@cip.physik.uni-dortmund.de
To set the record straight, Raja Rao is not from Andhra. He is from
Srimushnam which is in TN and his mother tongue (for those interested)
is Kannada.
muthu
ven...@gov.on.ca
>HI!
>Vinod wrote:j >I came across an article that Palghat Raghu is even better than the Late
>strokes than Mani Iyer himself. If that is the case, why is it that his
>talents are unnoticed? Another really good, but underrated mridungist is
>Vellore Ramabadhran. His strokes are extremely soft, but in my opinion,
>he is the only mridangam artist who beautifully blends himself with the
>main artist. I feel the others are too harsh, and try to create many
>strokes. Again, I don't have a good knowledge of Carnatic music, so I may
>be wrong in some of my statements.
>like Thiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam regularly hog the limelight.
> Hoping to continue a lively discussion.
>Vinod
Vellore Ramabadram and Palghat Raghu in the 'first tier'. I added Trichy Sankaran's
name to it, as one of the senior 'first tier' artistes. People will remember that
in the sixties, violin had the top 4 (not necessarily in this order) artistes:
Lalgudi, MSG, TNK, M.Chandrasekar who were much sought after for accompanying
major vocalists (or for solo). At that time the mridangam had these artistes on the
top of the list: Palghat Mani, TK Murthy, Sivaraman, Sankaran, Palghat Raghu,
Karaikudi Mani, Ramabadran, Tanjore Upendran etc. Depending upon one's
own interest and exposure, these artistes were ranked in different order. Though Mani
Iyer has been the acknowledged leader and the standard for comparison,
at various times, Murthy, Raghu, Sivaraman, Sankaran and Karikudi Mani have
been considered better or equal to Mani Iyer by various music critics/fans.
Ramabadran has the reputation as the most accommodating accompaniment.
Some of the others have had the reputation of great artistes but not necessarily
good accompanists ( because they may be doing 'thani' in more than one sense).
As an organizer I had been fortunate to deal with many of these great artistes.
It is very unfair to rank these fine artistes at any point of time, as the environ-
ment they play in keep changing, (the styles of the main artistes change,
rasika's look for different things at different times etc). All we can fairly do
is to appreciate their art and their playing during that period of time, where they
have been placed and respect and honour them.
Ramabadran once was talking to me that he has been in this field for over 50 years,
he has played for old stalwarts, young geniuses, some so so artistes and he has
adjusted for all of them. So, even if some rasika's may consider his playing as not
necessarily the best - with the usual comparison to Mani Iyer - we have to concede
his tenacity and endurance to give the best at all times in all the changing circum-
stances. I would like to quote Lalgudi on Ramabadran's playing. Recently, Ramabadran
accompanied Lalgudi Krishnan and Viji for a violin duet in Toronto. Lalgudi came
on stage and commented: 'I was wondereing whether there were two violins playing
or three! My colleague Ramabadran was so accommodative and one with the
main artistes playing, that the whole concert was such a harmonious experience'.
We have heard the stories about the professional rivalries shown by the artistes
on stage, where one or the other try 'one-up-manship' or try to trip each other.
In summary, in the sixties and seventies I would say the artistes I had listed were
considered to be 'first tier' by the music circles of Madras.
Then some of the stalwarts were gone - Mani Iyer, Upendran for example. New
blood came in. The names like Srimushnam Raja Rao came onto the scene. As
mentioned in earlier posts, Yella Venkateswara Rao try to make the mridangam
almost as a main intrument in concerts. During the last 10 years, we have heard
good mridangam artistes in North America, notable among the new generation
being: KV Prasad, Harikumar, Palani Kumar etc. And some of the veterans like
Kamalakar Rao, Trichur Narendran, Guruvayur Dorai, Bhakthavatsalam have shown that the
earlier generation has not given up !
Just a note to Vinod: Rajarao is not an Andhra artiste. And also there is no
validity in comparing the artistry on the basis of their birth place.
What probably a useful idea maybe to post highlights of the artistic qualities
of these fine mridangam players, citing some specific concerts/events/playing
style etc of specific artistes whom one considers great (even for that one time).
Anyway this is my 2 cents. I am sure there will be a lot of discussion in the
artistes circles about the comments expressed in the net and some may be
even offended/annoyed by critical comments (justified or not). A fan has a right
to express his opinion, in a non-offensive manner of course. I hope our
artiste friends take it in the right spirit and give even better performances
in the future.
Venkataraman
Narayanan Chidambaram
Can there be another Palghat T. S. Mani Iyer?
Is Palghat Raghu a better mridangist than Mani Iyer?
I am a mridangist myself (for the past 12 years) and am now quite
matured in my understanding of the instrument. I would assert that currently
there is no mridangist who can come close to Mani Iyer.
It is not the number of strokes that matter. What matters is playing
the correct stroke at the right time, such that the quality of music is
augmented. I doubt if anybody can beat Mani Iyer in that aspect. His anticipation
during kalpanaswaras and even in the rendition of kirtanas is uncanny.
As far as the list of mirdangists goes, I am happy that the list of top-notch
artists from AP like Yella, kamalakar rao, Dandamudi RamMohan rao was provided.
It would have been a gross negligence otherwise.
chidu....
--
chidu
ch...@iastate.edu
Sam S. Krishna
natarajan srinivasan
Sankaran, also, I think belongs in the first tier of mridangists
mentioned.
About why T.K.Murthy was chosen for Kalanidhi, I think there are also
factors like experience that they take into account; however,
academy-politics is an important factor too :)
--
##########################################################################
Natarajan Srinivasan Phone(H) : (602) 921-2463
950, S Terrace Road, #A107 Phone(W) : (602) 965-5642
Tempe, AZ 85281
S. Ramanathan
In the context of the ensuing discussion, Mohan Ayyar's nice guru-shishya
tree etc., readers may be interested in the following write-up that
appeared in The Hindu a few days ago. Accompanists and KVN fans, you may
want to take a deep breath before and after reading.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Percussive dominance
[THE HINDU]
Date: 08-09-1995 :: Pg: 29 :: Col: a
Cl: Arts
[AUTHOR : S.V.K]
----------------------------------------------------------------
Mridangam accompaniment techniques in carnatic music
concerts have gone through a sea change since the days of Palghat
Mani Iyer. Sitting through a concert today a die hard listener
may wonder whether the pattern set up by Palghat Mani Iyer is
ever followed. In the past 15 years, robustness has taken the
place of responsive percussive support to the vocalist, the
hallmark of Palghat Mani Iyer's contribution to the role of laya
in a concert.
In tracing the changes that have come about in mridangam
accompaniment in general, we have to keep in mind how over the
years the vocalist has lost his primacy. After the disappearance
of the tallest veterans, the successor to their place failed to
preserve the dominance of the vocal tradition. In the few years
immediately after the departure of great vidwans, the violinists
gained importance with preference being given by them for solo
programmes than in the role of accompanists. If reputed
violinists sat as accompanists, the vocalists felt subservient to
their eminence and tailored their recital even the selection of
songs and their order too to their dictates. Without much
reliance on their own vidwat, reputation was sought to be built
up by riding piggy back on the violinists, mainly.
That was just an intermediary stage and later the
vocalists shifted their attention to the mridangist. It is as a
result of this shift in dependance that we find today the tyranny
of swaraprastharas packed with nothing but computerised
calculations. Looking into a book for sahitya is familiar in
today's carnatic music concert scene. Now, we have paper placed
before them by some artistes in which is noted the starting place
for swara kanakkus like third akshara from the little finger or
the fifth akshara after the first dritham. Like the electronic
tambura in front, the day is not far off when an electronic metre
before the vocalist shows where to begin his korvai for a six or
eight avartana kanakku!
That much for the accommodative spirit of the vocalist to
the percussion artiste. How do the mridangists respond? Having
strayed away from the healthy and wholesome sampradaya of a
Palghat Mani Iyer or a Palani Subramanya Pillai, the more noisy
and boisterous the beats, the more startling the laya support to
the vidwan. To tickle the mridangist to reel off more of his
fireworks, the vidwan hastens the Kalapramana of a Kirtana, adds
fast-paced sangatis to Kirtanas according to his whims and
fancies, lets loose a deluge of Kanakku swaras and the vocal-
mridangam ensemble rules the concert.
Can there be a greater recognition of the prominence that
a vocalist gives to a mridangist in a concert than what is seen p73
today? So after the close of every song the tirmanam is on a mini
scale thani, taking five to six avartana rounds and the vocalist
at the end in gratitude conveys his appreciation through a grin.
The regular thani avartanam extends to 15 or 20 minutes of high
decibel, continuous beat production with no niceties of lekkas,
gumkis, half and full chapus and spells of thick and thin in
percussive sound effect.
The remembrance day of Palghat Mani Iyer got up by the
Guru Smaranam organisation is welcome if it can induce
introspection among our present day percussionists. The Palghat
Mani Iyer's specific pattern for Kirtanas, for Pancharatnas of
Tyagaraja, for ragam, tanam, pallavi and more than all his
beauteous brevity of the tani, are values that have disappeared
from the concert platform today. The way he fixed the Kalapramana
for the Kirtanas as the vocalist began a song, the uncanny
instinct as to where to throw about his weight to make the
vocalist rendering sparkling and his economy in rhythmic
embellishments to songs and savva laghu swaras were a tradition
he set up even as Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar regularised the
cutcheri pantha. When thinking of Palghat Mani Iyer's genius,
listeners cannot but link his greatness to that of Ariyakudi
Ramanuja Iyengar. Their concerts have become legends in the
history of the exposition of carnatic music. They were made for
each other. One hopes that Palghat Mani Iyer is remembered not on
the Remembrance Day alone, but mridangists would see to it that
the image of the mridangam maestro was too is brought on the dais
in every concert in the present scheme of Carnatic music
performances.
Following the function K. V. Narayanaswamy gave a
concert, which began rather briskly with the songs ``Gurulekha''
(Gowrimanohari) ``Sogasuga Mridanga Talamu'' (Sriranjani) ``Ninne
Nera Nammi'' (Pantuvarali). The Kirtanas were sung in plain,
matter-of-fact way. Obviously the selection of songs had
something to do with Guru Smaranam of Palghat Mani Iyer. Next
cause ``Mauasa Guruguba'' (Anandabhairavi) and from this item the
pace of the performance started sliding in tempo. The
Sankarabharanam raga alapana and the Kirtana ``Akshaya Linga
Vibho'' actually crawled. There was very little of colour and
variety in the slovenly rendering. It was not such as to enthuse
V. V. Subramaniam on the violin, who normally responds with
vitality. His Sankarabharanam version was more articulate and the
shortness of the alapana made it enchanting. T. R. Rajamani, the
son of Palghat Mani Iyer handled the mridangam aided by the other
percussionists Hari Shankar (kanjira) and Ravichandran (ghatam).
To make some amends K. V. Narayanaswamy sang Todi with the
kirtana ``Karthigeya''.
The broad spectrum of fingering virtuosity expressed
through speed passages in the violin duet of M. A. Sundareswaran
and M. Krishnaswamy laid bare where their interest in music lies.
It is not as if they are incapable of serious, sensitive music as
was evidence by the alapana of Mukkari by Sundareswaran followed
by the song ``Enatanive''. There was melodic modulation which p73
transformed the alapana sancharas and the kirtana into glowing
expressions of mellowness. But, this idealistic approach was
lacking in the other items Mahaganapathim (Nattai),
Anupamagunaambudlu (Atana) Janaki Ramana (Suddha Seemanathini)
where their penchant for the Parur style fingering and bowing
expertise got the better of their melodic sensitivity. There was
immense exhibition of competence but very little of composure
except in the Mee Kuari suite. The Kirtans was overloaded with
swara bursts. In the accompaniment of Mannargudi Easwaran
(mridangam) and Vaikom Gopalakrishnan (ghatam) there was full-
stream breathtaking percussive proliferation. The penchant of the
two violinists for spectacular display on the strings was
undisguisedly exploited by Mannargudi Easwaran.
|)|)];
S.V.K.
Jairaj, Vinod
Continuing the discussion on the Mridangam Artists, I was
wondering what happened to the following artists:
1. D.Praveen
2. Guruvayoor Dorai
3. Tanjore Upendran
The last named has come up with a beautiful Thani for the song
Nidhishala sukhama (Kalyani) rendered superbly by Maharajapuram
Santhanam, in a cassette released by Sangeetha.
Vinod
thir...@gmail.com
I believe this list is incomplete without Patri Sathish Kumar.
Your expert opinion is really appreciated
Thanks
Thiru
