Remembering MSG
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READERS WRITE Remembering MSG he birth anniversary of violin in the Hindustani system; there were maestro M.S. Gopalakrishnan a lot more of gamakas in the former. falls on 10 June, while 3 T I also learnt that the Parur residence, January 2021 marked the ninth a non-descript, two-storied house in death anniversary of the violin vidwan Apparswami Koil Street in Mylapore, popularly known as MSG. It has been had been hallowed by a succession my good luck to have known him for of musicians of both systems. It a long time. had reverberated to the tunes of I was taken by an uncle to meet Parur sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and the Sundaram Iyer about whom and his renderings by leading Hindustani two sons M.S. Anantharaman and vocalists. It had also hosted Yehudi Menuhin. M.S. Gopalakrishnan, I had heard so I have been a very keen fan of MSG much. In fact, I had attended a few Sundaram Iyer and MSG had since the time both of us were young. concerts in which MSG was featured accompanied the redoubtable Omkarnath The first time I heard him play as the violin accompanist. Thakur and D.V. Paluskar. It is said was in Tiruvananthapuram in 1945 that when Omkarnath visited Chennai or thereabouts. He was the violin I paid my respects to Sundaram for a concert, he was asked whom he accompanist to yesteryear titan, Iyer and we then indulged in some would prefer to accompany him on Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar. small talk. In the course of the the strings. He responded, “When my conversation, he said that contrary to Chembai elaborated a raga for some son, Gopalakrishnan, is here, there is general perception, there was no basic time, and then it was the turn of no need to look further.” difference between the Carnatic and MSG to do so on the violin. I remember Hindustani music systems. Both had MSG and his brother were put that he was only 15 or so and was the same basic notes: sa, ri, ga, ma through a punishing schedule of perhaps hesitant or was looking for pa, dha, ni. The difference, such as it lessons, practise, practise and yet a green signal from Chembai who was, lay in the manner of treatment of more practise. That accounted for the then declared on the mike for the these notes and the importance given tonal purity and impeccable fingering audience to hear: “Vaasi, vaasi. ennai to lyrics in the Carnatic system and the techniques of the brothers. In fact, this kekkavaa ivaal ellam vandirukkaa? overwhelming importance given to style of playing is popularly known as Unnai kekka thaan!” (Do you think melody and less importance to words the Parur bani. they have all come to listen to me? Its to listen to you!”) Such encouraging (L to R): Anantharaman, Sundaram Iyer and Gopalakrishnan words for the young MSG from the great man whose heart was as large as his physique! Chembai was responsible for encouraging and propelling many promising youngsters to the fore. Thereafter, I do not think I have missed any concert of MSG as soloist or accompanist in the places where I was posted. In Delhi, my wife and I had hosted MSG for about five days; he had concerts on all these days. He stayed 6 l SRUTI June 2021 with us but his presence was hardly felt as he did not make any demands on us, quite unlike many others. Before he left, I requested him to play tanam in the ghana raga panchakam. He agreed and also played Brindavana Saranga and Revati. I had recorded the event, but alas, now the cassette player is dead and I am unable to play the music any longer! As far as I could gather, MSG was not one to run after or fawn over sabha Accompanying Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar. T.V. Gopalakrishnan (mridangam) secretaries for a “chance”! He took concerts as they came his way. He was so well as though they were made for He learnt the ropes from Krishnanand, also among the few violinists in his each other. a veteran teacher settled in Madras. times to accompany women vocalists. I had on my tapes even a piece by I would like to briefly touch upon From reports, I gather that he had MSG playing a Fritz Kreisler a few memorable concerts wherein accompanied M.S. Subbulakshmi composition. Alas, there is no way of MSG excelled himself. One was a and K.B. Sundarambal. I myself listening to the tape now! have attended a few concerts of M.L. solo recital in All India Radio. His Vasanthakumari where MSG was swaraprastaram for Nalinakanti Before I close this piece, I would the violin accompanist. I remember (Manavyala) still remains etched in like to narrate an incident that shows that they were marked by a kind my memory though the concert was the man. Narmada, MSG’s daughter of friendly rivalry that brought out in 1966. If I remember right, the and disciple was playing solo violin the best in both. But all this ended previous day, he had accompanied at Sastri Hall in Mylapore. It was after a while for reasons I could not the incomparable flautist, Mali. one of her early concerts as a soloist. fathom. Two pieces stood out—one was After some time, MSG came to in Kalyani, the other in Kapi. The the hall and the secretary rushed to MSG was not given to being noted connoisseur ‘Aeolus” wrote greet him and requested him to take interviewed. However, in a rare in Shankar’s Weekly that it was hard a front seat. MSG politely declined interview, when asked about the to say who was leading whom in the and after quietly listening for some playing of the then top violin trio, concert. time he left. This rather peculiar his answer was as truthful as it behaviour must have been occasioned was diplomatic. He said that T.N. The other concert was in Chowdiah by MSG’s natural anxiety about Krishnan’s violin concerts were Hall in Bengaluru. The titan Emani how Narmada was faring. More replete with saukhyam, and Lalgudi Sankara Sastry was playing the importantly, he did not want to stay Jayaraman was the undoubted master veena and MSG the violin. The on, which would have put pressure of layam. As for his own style, he said concert was truly memorable but on the youngster and cramped her he was trying to carry forward the two pieces stood apart, they were flow. ‘Parur bani’ assiduously inculcated in simply out of this world! One was him by his father. a kriti in Khamas and the other was MSG passed away on 3 January 2013, Nadaloludai in Kalyanavasantam. leaving behind a void that is hard to M.S. Gopalakrishnan provided The second was verily a friendly fill. The New Indian Express aptly violin accompaniment to almost all clash of two titans. It was a reported the event thus: ‘The bow has the leading stalwarts of Carnatic veritable deep dive by both into fallen silent’. music in his time. In my view, melody and rhythm, rising to ecstatic G. SANKARAN whenever MSG played for K.V. heights. (Former President of Customs, Excise and Narayanaswamy, Voleti Venkateswarlu, S. Gold (Control) Appellate Tribunal, and a Ramanathan and M. Balamuralikrishna, As we know, MSG was equally Carnatic music rasika) the artists complemented each other adept in playing Hindustani music. PHOTOS BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT 7 l SRUTI June 2021.