Sowmya’s insightful talk on MDR highlighted the maestro’s unique style

Senior vocalist Sowmya at the MDR centenary event.
| Photo Credit: Ramanathan Iyer

Past master M.D. Ramanathan’s birth centenary was organised by ARTery and Hamsadhwani at the Youth Hostel at Indira Nagar in Adyar. In his opening remarks, ARTery Ramanathan Iyer reminisced how the veteran musician’s arresting voice and emotive rendition made him appreciate the beauty of Carnatic music at a young age. Hamsadhwani R Sundar spoke about being introduced to MDR’s music in his formative years by his father R. Ramachandran. He felt MDR’s vilamba kala rendition was what made his singing unique.

The star speaker of the evening was S. Sowmya. In a session titled ‘Naan Rasitha MDR’, she shared her insights into MDR’s musical legacy and recalled her personal interactions with the vidwan.

Discovering MDR’s music

Sowmya too was introduced to MDR’s music by her father Srinivasan, who was his great admirer. In the early years, when she was in Kerala, Sowmya used to attend many of MDR’s concerts at temples and sabhas. At that point, she was amused by his singing style. But what impressed her more was his unassuming nature.

Sowmya highlighted MDR’s musical brilliance by playing a short audio clip of his rendition of the kriti ‘Palukavemi na deivama’ in Poornachandrika, and its exquisite chittaswaram. She compared it to her guru S Ramanathan’s version. She mentioned how their chittaswarams and pracheena sampradaya sangatis showcased their extraordinary vision of the raga.

Though MDR was popular for his vilamba kala singing, Sowmya said listening to his brisk renditions of ‘Vathapi ganapatim’ in Hamsadhwani and ‘Nee vaada ne gana’ in Saranga would change one’s views. The kalapramanam, and distinct touches of vallinam and mellinam were exemplary. His speed did not affect the swarasthanas in the niraval or swarakalapana segments, she added. His manodharma was exceptional in these sections. MDR’s niravals were distinct because of the way he used to present them in the first and second kalams.

The senior vocalist pointed out to his niraval centering on panchamam in the line ‘Samaja pungava charugate’ in the kriti ‘Devi pavane seve’ by Swati Thirunal in raga Saveri. One can understand the raga’s beauty and range with his variations in just panchamam and madhyamam through his pidis, kala pramanam and vishranti. Though many used to comment about his proclivity to vilamba kala (slow tempo) renditions, they realised how MDR projected the beauty of the ragas through such sedate renditions. A small piece in Manirangu was played to emphasise this.

The session also highlighted the style in which presented Bhairavi in its full form and glory through the range of his voice, which could touch the deepest octave and soar to the highest with absolute ease, clarity and purity. The extended kaarvais and finesse in the singing of swaras with sruti suddham were his hallmarks.

MDR never failed to infuse light sangatis into lines like ‘Aai maname diname raamanai paada maravathe’ with his modulations in Sindhu Bhairavi. A brief virutham in Thodi was played to showcase his stress on the raga bhava.

As mentioned by many, M.D. Ramanathan’s favorite ragas were Kedaram, Saranga, Nattai, Yadukulakambodi, Thodi, and Kalyani to name a few. Innovative and dedicated, he never aspired for awards and honour.

Sowmya reiterated that listening to MDR was an exceptional musical experience. One should listen to the music of such stalwarts with great care and attention and try to imbibe the subtlety and special nuances of their music.