A CENTENARY TRIBUTE Ramnad Krishnan: a confluence of three streams Geetha Raja amnad Krishnan’s name from the towering music personality brings to mind his electrifying Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar. Rdelineations of ragas like Krishnan probably derived his Sahana and Begada, Keeravani and musical genius to some degree Sankarabharanam. Through his son from these unique inputs imbibed R.K. Ramanathan’s initiative, a year- from Sankarasivam. He created a long celebration of the legend’s music style of his own by combining the was organised at Raga Sudha Hall in briga dexterity and brilliance of Chennai, with two programmes held the GNB bani and the repose and every month, starting in September vilamba kala excellence of T. Brinda. 2017 and concluding in September His voice, capable of executing 2018. breathtaking speed with precision, was a great asset in formulating a Born on 14 September 1918 in unique style. Alappuzha in Kerala, Krishnan was one of eight siblings growing up in He was introduced to the Veena a musical atmosphere. His brothers Dhanammal style of music through Lakshminarayana and Venkatachalam his friend N.S. Krishnaswamy were violinists, Raghavan and Iyenger (a disciple of Kanchipuram Eswaran were mridangam players. for the GNB style and the way he Naina Pillai) whom I have seen Krishnan’s education was in Ramnad incorporated it in his singing; third, visiting my guru Brindamma, at in Tamil Nadu where he learnt music the adoration for the Dhanammal her home ‘Saugandhini’ in Adyar. from the late vidwan C.S. Sankara- school of music with its illustrious I spent some unforgettable days at sivam (elder brother of mridanga votaries like T. Brinda, T. Muktha, Brindamma’s home in 1974, when vidwan C.S. Murugabhoopathy). T. Balasaraswati and T. Viswanathan. I was nineteen years old, learning His bani Sankarasivam’s father Chitsabhai the compositions of Gopalakrishna Servai was a scholarly musician at Bharati and Arunachala Kavi for the In Krishnan’s music, you could see Ramnad and a disciple of the laya music competitions conducted by the a confluence of three streams—first, wizard Pudukottai Manpoondia sabhas in Madras. his guru Ramnad Sankarasivam’s Pillai, who revolutionised khanjira music; second, the admiration he had playing. Sankarasivam also learnt Ramnad Krishnan was so famous for his masterly treatment of Sahana raga that he was referred to as ‘Sahana’ In concert with C.S. Murugabhoopathy (mridangam) and Chittoor Gopalakrishnan (violin) Krishnan. What was so different about his Sahana that we all rave about it? Maybe it was the clarity of thought behind his every turn of phrase. His vibrant and thinking personality was reflected in his music. When we analyse his style, we see an extremely intelligent and quicksilver mind conceptualising the sound picture as it were, and executing the brilliantly thought out phrases, interspersing slow and fast sangatis. As in all 40 l SRUTI November 2018 aesthetically rich music, the plain and signature pieces. He explored He trained many disciples like the ornamented notes are juxtaposed uncharted terrain in his handling of Ritha Rajan, Nagamani Srinath, with proportion. Plain swaras are certain ragas. His Bahudari (Brova­ Vegavahini Vijayaraghavan, given their importance and gamakas bharama) was adventurous whereas Neyyatinkara Vasudevan, Nirmala are used with care. Modulation was he could be lyrical in Keeravani Sundararajan, Usha Sagar, another aspect of Krishnan’s music (Varamulosagi), caressing its notes Janaki Sunderarajan, Peria Vaithi which contributed to the beauty of beautifully. (Vaidyanathan), Papa Natarajan, his style. Meaningful pauses and T.R. Ratnam (playback singer), My guru Bombay Ramachandran karvais on the upper octave shadja Kamala Narayan (Bharatanatyam was an ardent admirer of Ramnad created an atmosphere of visranti and dancer), Jagadambika (Srilanka) and Krishnan; he listened to his saukhyam. others. concerts and taught his students In the raga based Indian music authentic pathantaras of Sreeranjani Talking about Krishnan’s fantastic tradition, where importance is given (Bhuvinidasudane), Saveri (Dari­ sense of humour and penchant for to the aural method of imbibing raga tapuleka), Varali (Etijanma) and more. punctuality, his son Ramanathan by listening (kelvi gnanam), we look became emotional as he relived up to masters of raga delineation Krishnan served on the faculty of memories of his renowned father. like Ramnad Krishnan to understand the Government College of Carnatic A classical musician to the core, its intricacies. He was indeed a Music, Adyar, Chennai, for a brief he did not pander to the gallery and trendsetter, a musician who brought period. During his teaching stint hence earned the appellation “a freshness and spontaneity to the as Visiting Professor at Wesleyan Carnatic music scene. The impact of University, U.S.A., he recorded two musician’s musician”. Ramanathan his music has grown stronger with the albums for the Nonesuch Records also said that Ramnad Krishnan felt passage of time, as can be seen in his Legendary Explorer series. The albums that the audience must be exposed influence on a whole generation of included classics like Ninnadanela to unalloyed, traditional, classical musicians from the 1970s. (Kannada), Palinchu Kamakshi music and hence would never heed (Madhyamavati), Abhimana (Begada), ‘popular’ request. His passing away He brought apoorva and rarely Tamarasadalanetri ragam-tanam- on 29 January 1973 at the relatively explored ragas to the concert platform pallavi (Bhairavi), Ini enna pechchu young age of 55 years left a void in like Jayamanohari (Yagnadulu), (Sahana padam) and Modijesevelara the music world. R.K. Ramanathan’s Phalamanjari (Sanatana), Janaranjani (Khamas javali). A digitised version of documentary on his father Ramnad (Smarane), Poornachandrika (Paluka­ this two-LP record set is available on Krishnan will be something to look vemi, Nejesina), Devamanohari YouTube under the heading Ramnad forward to. (Kannatandri), Nayaki (Neebhajana), Krishnan: Vidwan – (Songs of the Poornashadjam (Lavanya Rama, (The author is a Carnatic vocalist and Carnatic Tradition). teacher) Sreemanini) and made them his 41 l SRUTI November 2018.