Music And Movies

The music repertoire of any form of music expands due to the artists performing the music, and Carnatic music is no exception. From a time when the overall number of krithis performed was limited, to an era of abundance has been made possible due to a lot of musicians learning and singing newer krithis. Many stalwarts had left behind their signature on certain krithis, and those had captivated the audience. Be it Ariyakudi's 'evarimata,' Madurai Mani Iyer's, 'thaye yashoda,' GNB's 'sivakameshwarim,' DKP's 'dasukovalena,' Semmangudi's Bhairavi Swarajathi and so on. Of all of them, MS left behind the most beloved classics, which singers still continue singing, and everyone is reminded of MS's rendition. I am not talking here about the 'tukkada' pieces at the end of the concert, but those that are sung in the core of the concert. We have seen many such krithis in the earlier parts, like 'kanakasaila viharani,' 'pa...

In this part of the series, we will examine a main aspect of MS's singing: her brilliant neravals. I have always enjoyed MS's neravals more than any other artists for the following reasons: her ability to create great tension, unparalleled use of vocal dynamics, outstanding diction and the resplendent raga that emerges during the neraval. Not to mention the other key factor that draws us to her neravals: the artha bhava and the emotive appeal of her voice.  Her neravals are not only about exploring the raga, which she does effectively, but also exploring the emotion hidden in the lyrics. Of letting us experience or at least glimpse what could have gone through the composers mind and heart when they composed those words. The elation they may have felt, the bhakti bhava that would have taken hold of them, their own surrender to the supreme being. The neraval brings for all these images to our mind, for MS loses herself in the raga and the lyrics and yet, as a master musician, she...