"MSV CLUB" - The Discussion Forum of MSVTimes.com

[Vatsan]

Commercial considerations by distributors and Producers can only place a comma in MSV's composing career. Every "comma" encounter in MSV's life creates a more profound sense of creativity as a continuation after the comma Ever the irrepressible MSV. Kudos !!!

So many examples can be quoted as a reference for his "comma" consciousness while tuning. "pAlirukkum pazhamirukkum" is an example that has been beaten to death here, by your's truly But what the hell, the pleasure is ever surging and here goes.....even a casual glance at the construct reveals quite an uninspiring meter.

pAlirukkum, pazhamirukkum, pasiyirukkAthu
panchaNAiyil kAtru varum thookkam varAthu

Even a pretender to the MSV throne can tune the above lines using the intrinsic meter imparted by the lyricist. But the true occupant of the throne feels the inherent value of the import of the lyrics and for each item separated by the comma. The words "pAlirukkum" and "pazhamirukkum" are most pivotal to the lyrics, without which the sense of realization deeply depicted in the second line "panchaNaiyil..." by the lyricist would not carry sufficient impact. How would you render an ideology (or anything) null and void without stating the original significance it had, once upon a time ? !!!? Therefore, "pAlirukkum" gets sufficient attention here, no music surrounding it, except MSV's timely and tender humming underlining its importance and so does the word placed on a musical ascent, namely "pazhamirukkum". The humming probably taking the place of the punctuation itself. Even the lyricist wouldn’t have given the punctuation such importance !!! Now as an exercise, please read out the lyrics and then hum the tune and then experience the “meter matter” effect MSV unleashes, when required, not as a technique.
"pasiyirukkAthu" is the most graceful of the denials ever tuned in Tamil Film Music history. Is there ever a hint of forceful rejection here ? Or would a womanly embodiment of shyness ever toe that line.....that of vigorous negation. MSV’s ascent of a humming approves of the woman’s observations setting the tone for a more expressive realization of her quandary in the second line. The lack amidst abundance, sums it all up. The lack…..the most fascinatingly elusive….something you cannot place your finger on. Yet, the words interwoven with the most appropriate musical phrases have to be sprawled across the carpet of the overall theme of the song….that of a woman numb with shyness. Abundance of what can be devoured, there is this cool breeze, yet the conventional enjoyment of those remains evasive as the what towers above all in her system is, the benumbing factor itself. Her first step into a lifelong relationship and whatever womanhood automatically brings into it . Every soul that is reading this write-up or listening to the song will vouch for the fact that the “womanly” thematic effect that MSV conjured up is well and truly the backdrop of the song itself and the fact that every word is blessed with an appropriate musical treatment well within the boundaries of the thematic effect established. A grand, grand Master stroke !!!

Even a realization is musically represented in the most coy terms. Experience it in the charanams
Kattavizhntha kaNNireNdum ungalaithhEdum
kAthal kanavu vanthu marubadiyum kaNgaLai moodum
Check with people who have lived through the “prelude” of a relationship, those stolen, stealthy glances, the “on the sly”, the askance look that reveals aplenty, those that make your heart skip a beat even now. Now, enshroud it with bashfulness and you have the tune for the first line “kattavizhnatha…….”. The succeeding line is verily the contra-effect that only womanhood at “war” with itself can experience. The composer has instructed the singer to cast special attention to “kaNgaLai”, elevating and dragging it a wee bit. A most lovingly pained expression musically brought out and portrayed, yet another expression of realization confining itself to the boundaries of womanhood……..the shyness soaked womanhood….created by the Master Creator MSV. I am not imagining when I state that I have noticed, coupled with the above expressions, the beauteous child in a woman emerging, with a mock lament Need any more proofs of MSV’s ability to sprawl out an overall thematic flavor for the entire song to snuggle into, to nestle into ? We have moved out of our punctuation bit but for a reason, as demonstrated above

As an aside, MSV and KD...twin souls, aren't they ? When the tune composer churned out a tune, the lyricist carved out words that would slip into the tune, with amazing seamlessness. The tune's import and soul are never sacrificed at the altar of wordy abuse, they are only matched by the lyricist Reverse the situation and you have the music composer tuning for the intentions of the lyricist with words being only a signpost, meters being only a platform for the words to be etched into , not necessarily a musical crutch, as a "perception challenged" music composer would view it to be. This is an unfortunate practice taken up by ALL composers of today who view lyrics as a set of santhams as the soul of the lyrics is rendered orphaned, painfully so. You guys, listen to MSV imbibing the lyricist’s intentions and thereby the soul, watch him laying out the thematic bed for his magical phrases to rest and exhibit their beauty effortlessly.

[Baskar CS]

excellent analysis.

its like walking on a thin rope where you have to express the music ,lyrics, emotions, sentiments and above all the underlying happiness of a union of genders et al .

all this have to be done with in the linits of decorum ethics and comfortability of the audience at all age at all seasons everywhere

can you imagine a song of this calibre today. a wholistic food indeed .

great vatsan . a great thing is every women has this song in their heart sans age . a tune so friendly to a gnana soonyam like me , a ricksha wala, a great musician, a technically sound man on karnatic ,yet the quality in any manner is pledged for the sake of money or quick popularity .

vatsan sir . please let me make a small request . make your english bit simple sir .dont mistake me as i feel that i should not miss a bit of what is shared on the site

[madhuraman]

Dear Mr Bhaskar,

In expressing yourself on Mr.Vstsan's write-up, you have carved out a nice piece -may be a product of infective derivation. As regards your appeal to Mr Vatsan to simplify his expression, may I add a shade of my opinion? Just as we enjoy MSV's pieces without grasping every bit of the composition, Mr.Vatsan's should be 'grasped' by its totality. Our requests for simpler rendition carry the risk of inserting artificiality in the sense , any natural play should be merely enjoyed. You know it better from examples of Tedulkar or Sehwag when asked to curb the instinct. Variety is the spice of life. So, Mr. Bhaskar, pardon me if my line of thought is unacceptable.
Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Camp: Mumbai
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai

[Baskar CS]

i agree professor your observation .

i only should improve the capability of understanding things better
and i will .

[sriramp]

great analysis Vatsan. I am coming to know many aspects of MSV's songs that looked very obvious at the first glance are actually in fact a methodical, systematic and yet highly imaginative approach to song making. As per the simplicity, on my part, I always make sure that I read all Vatsan's posts atleast twice. Sometimes I feel his posts are kind of small execise for GRE reading comprehension . Thanks for the posting.

[Vatsan]

SriramP, methodical...yes....there is an order to MSV's compositions...yes....but believe me...it all happened.....as methodical, as orderly as this universe itself, where nature made it all happen. There is not a hint of contrivance in either the universe's functioning or MSV's compositions. Meaning, none of what we write about or enjoy was placed there by MSV after painful and nervous deliberation. It is the same divinity sponsored elegance and a sense of effortless beauty that arranges itself automatically with reference to the cinematic context. That is the fragrance of spontaniety that knows no effort, no hard work, no fretting and fuming, much akin to a caterpillar blossoming into a wonderous butterfly.... a natural process. To get more earthy, the songs carry the same sense of inevitability as the sheer sense of helpness imparted to the cricket ball by a Viv Richards scorcher

Thanks for your comments SriramP, Baskar and Prof sab.

[Baskar CS]

Dear friends

Continuing the mission of Mr. Vatsan I have to add few words about the humming in the song of
Palirukkum.

How aptly master had chosen a choice of that caliber .I believe it is Mr M.S.Raju.

The instruments he had chosen is so soft and in a melody of this type he had ensured that
Lightness like a breeze feeling which is felt by the listeners and there is if am right a divine discontent
If I am permitted to use the word.

How the output is felt by the musician is a wonder and how a product of this type could be made
Possible is a mere magic

A man who made this possible is just a few kilometers away and we can touch him ,speak to him ,embrace him
And of course fall at his feet


God, you have made my life really meaningful..

[S.SAMPAT]

டியர் வத்ஸன்,


உங்கள் ஆங்கில ஆளுமை அருமை. உங்கள் ஆழ்மனக்கருத்தும் அழகுற இருக்கின்றது. நான் உங்களுடைய உட்கருத்தை படித்து புரிந்து கொள்ள இயலவில்லை என்பதே என் மனசாட்சிக்குப் பொதுவான உண்மை. பின் SRSயிடமும் உங்களிடமுமே கேட்டுத்தெளிவு பெற முயன்றேன். MSV அவர்கள் தன்னுடைய இசையை எளிமையாக்கி எல்லோரும் ரசிக்கும்படிச்செய்ததில் தெரிவது அவருடைய மேதாவிலாசம். எனவே தான் அவருடைய இசையை பாமரனும் பண்டிதரும் ரசிக்கிறார்கள். அந்த simplicity னால் தான் மகாகவி பாரதியும், கண்ணதாசனும் நம்மிடை வாழ்கிறார்கள். எனவே தங்களுடைய எழுத்து இன்னும் எளிமையாக இருந்தால் உங்களின் எம்.எஸ்.வி பாடல் பற்றிய மனக்கருத்தை என் போன்ற எளியோன் அறிய வாய்ப்புண்டு . இது என் தாழ்மையான வேண்டுகோள். உங்களிடம் உள்ள பெரும் மதிப்பின் காரணமாக இந்த வேண்டுகோளை உங்கள் முன் வைக்கின்றேன்

வாழ்க வளர்க உங்கள் பணி

[madhuraman]

Dear Mr Bhaskar,
I find a reference of yours to the humming in the song 'pAlirukkum'. I trust you are pointing to the song from "pAvamannippu". If so, please accept the minor [truly a serious one at that] correction. If not, please elaborate the details of the song where you peg it on Mr. M.S. Raju.
The legendary 'pAlirukkum pazhamirukkum' has the booster of a humming from none other than mellisai mannar MSV himself.
According to one of MSV's nostalgia, there was no plan to hum in the song . An impulsive MSV spontaneously responded to PS's rendition with his sedate-looking 'huhum'as the song was being recorded. The song recordist came out of the bay and told MSV in a whisper to keep humming as the song is so appealing with the humming. Then, MSV had to pep up the song by humming at right locales. A very strong evidence for 'music-soaked' blood in MSV.
If my memory serves me right, this was the first occasion when MSV lent a humming back-up to a dreamy feminine number.
If the 'pAlirukkum' of your reference is different, please highlight the features of that song and ignore my interruptive insertion.
Thanks for the opportunity.
Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai

[Baskar CS]

yes i am wrong . what i meant was to convey that ms raju did a good whisling in all the master films and even in PM it was vantha naal muthal of tms where the whistling was done by him.

[Vatsan]

Dear friends, this is an attempt at living through the “MSV psyche” and an attempt at portraying the plausible path his mind could have taken with while sculpting out a tune that scoffs at and thumbs its nose at the relentlessness of time.
This posting may not deal directly with tying up the loose ends of a melody and rendering a melody aesthetically consummate , in other words negotiating a melody, but would certainly resonate with the concept of living through a MSV tune, i.e. braving up with MSV’s tunes . The feature to be “lived through” is the dynamics, the various hues of feelings splashed across the entire song, with breathtaking precision.

“vantha nAL muthal intha nAL varai” and forever, the immortality of this number will never be in question. MSV, in the recently uploaded articles (actually written way back in 1961) clearly indicates the kind of trials and tribulations he goes through to ensure that a product lives up to his expectations, his own fastidious nature being the regulatory body ensuring quality compliance. He indicates that he played out and sang out several tunes for the legendary lines of Kannadasan but none seemed to measure up to the emotional weight of those pregnant verses . Eventually, an extraneous factor , a fisherman folk number embeds itself deeply in MSV’s mind, MSV imbibes the spirit behind the song and sprays it across the entire body of the lyrics. And lo and behold !!! you have a lithesome tune that takes up the shape of the emotional container, flows into each and every crevice, ridge and trough the emotional body of the lyric contains and fulfils the longings of the quality conscious music composer. Interestingly enough the Tamil word MSV often uses within the article “is vinOtham” to indicate the tunes that sprang out of the stimulus his ever alert mind discerned and put to use. In this case the “unsuspecting” fishermen offered a stimulant through which very many lives have been enriched and sense of appreciation elevated.

We all know that the kavignar penned the lyrics first, but the fact is that he had his own set of stimulants. Kavi Pradeep, a capable lyricist and a singer himself wrote and sang “dekh tere sansar ki haalath kya ho gayee bhagwan” with the punch line which formed the core theme of the poetry “kitna badal gaya insaan” (look how man has changed so much). The poetry goes on to highlight the infirm human nature that is always in a state of negative flux whilst the moon and the sun and their likes remained impervious to such afflictions. The song was tuned by C Ramachandra (for the movie Nastik) who gave it a folksy colouration . Kannadasan weaved out a masterpiece using Pradeep’s work of art and expanding on it further.

Now MSV……MSV first decides on the theme of the “big picture” the tune is expected to portray here. MSV puts his emotionally sensitive musical acumen to good use and decides that an impersonal, reflective disposition combined with a sporadic depiction of the protagonist’s personal take on the observations made would satiate the lyric’s demands musically and the director’s requirements alike.

Vandha naal mudhal
indha naal vaarai
vaanam maaravillai

vaan madhiyum neerum kadal kaatrum
malarum mannum kodiyum solaiyum
nadhiyum maaravillai
manidhan maarivittan

the pallavi goes... The solemnness of the tune needs to be savoured here but there seems to be this hint of aggravation, just a hint when the observation is made that nature has remained what it was and has not given in to debasement, MSV reigns in the temptation as emotions have to be under wraps now. “manithan mArivittAn” a soft but a strong inference, almost a chant, spine chillingly tunefully packaged, drives home the bitter truth, yes, man has changed for the worse !!! Emotions still curtailed masterfully !!!
Now, there are the charanams, portraying as many sentiments and ideas as they are in number. Therefore, MSV decides to accord a different treatment to each one of them. But remember that the overall thematic mix of impersonal observation and then expressing personal feelings on those very observations, which would need to permeate every movement of the song.
Nilai maarinal Gunam maaruvan
Poi needhiyum nermayum pesuvaan
dhinam jaadhiyum bedhamum kooruvan

…thus the charanam starts…. please note MSV’s musical portrayal of what the lyrics point to, man’s conniving nature amply magnified , his propensity towards sophistry, cloaking his evil intentions with a respectable veneer, his “ability” to cash in on the divisiveness and his ulterior motives behind putting this sectarian attitude more firmly in its place….. the tune increases in intensity with every line, with every observation , yet with an undercurrent of that of an ethereal utterance mixed with a hint of a complaint, more or less a neutral observation but finishes pointing its musical baton accusingly …probably an accusation held on a leash until now…..through

adhu vedhan vidhi-endru odhuvan

Do we all discern MSV stepping into the realms of criticism, offering an opinion on a fact, flipping out of the observer mode ? Not yet, MSV is simply using the above line as a cusp, a bridge of sorts to step totally into the “personalizing” mode. A cusp as the line is deemed to be ,exhibits qualities of both sentiments, expression of insights and the protagonist’s negative reactions towards the insights gained.

As MSV looks to intensify his attack on mankind, he encounters

manidhan maari vittan
madhathil eri vittan

Now, that is a line MSV has already dealt with as a part of the Pallavi. At this juncture, let us award MSV with an another laudatory prefix and call him the “Context sensitive” MSV. He looks at the same line differently now, builds a deep sense of insistence into the tune and unleashes it adding a touch of despair, so very unlike what was dished out for its first occurrence.. Words do mean a lot to MSV…musically, but the contextual field within which those words have been rolled into, mean more to him, after all that has a say in the tonal flavour to be imparted to the tune for that piece. If we have managed to discern the not overtly stated and a frustrated, “ I Told you so, will you believe me now?!!?” cadence awarded to the tune here, we have kept abreast of MSV’s intentions …. Now the scything attack on man’s “lower” nature complete, MSV dusts the remnants away with a soulful humming that sets the house in order.

… the subsequent charanam elucidates on how it was nature that provided the impetus and inspiration for several of man’s inventions, for starters, the tune weaved around these lines having the tenor of a sharp and a piercing announcement of sorts.
“paravayai kandaan vimanam padaithan” has a tune that soars as the family of birds referenced would and the fervour within the tunes for the subsequent lines keeps getting diminished setting it all up for infusing the deflated feeling, despair and abject frustration into the tune… the tune created for addressing the despondency laden rhetorical question of sorts posed by the poet “edanai kandaan mathangaLai padaithan “. Perfect !!! MSV has allowed for the raw energy to slowly ebb away slowly but surely, but never the life force induced right at the beginning of the tune, it is alive and kicking alright !!!

(I would have loved to add ethanai kandAn mettai padaithhAn …. )
Now, the field and the environment is perfect for a replay of the grounded, serene tune decorating

“manidhan maari vittan
madhathil eri vittan”

….a replay of the solemnness, expressed way up

Our dear poet is not done yet, with commentary on life and mankind,
“Inbamum kadhalum iyarkayin niyadhi…
Yetra-thaazvugal manidhanin jaadhi
As the poet reflects on the divisive reality that the fragmented mind of man creates, ofcourse neutrally, MSV decides to award these line the status of a proclamation and thus creates a tune that shines like a beacon ripping through darkness and the tune powerfully declares !!! Yet, when the poet slides down towards colouring these universal truths with his opinion, MSV follow suit, and rounds off the charanam, dripping vexation, deploringly so when the poet also decides to close down.
“paril iyarkai thanthathai ellam
paavi manidhan pirithu vaithaney”
“Oh man, how could you do this ?” is the veiled angry question put to mankind by the MSV-Kannadasan duo in unison, through their respective arts, always springing from the same abstract point somewhere in space.

Run your mind through the various dynamics this deadly duo unleashes, all in one song, in each of the charanams, a reflection on the reality and a harsh opinion on the reflection thereof . As the poet changed gears from, so did MSV, following the poet all the way through, through trenches, bumps, bridges that bridged two diverse sentiments, each of his musical phrasings emanating a feel that was one with those of those immortal verses. The dynamic "Dynamics Duo" !!!!

[Vatsan]

Apologies for not making a mention of TMS's art, the medium through which the song flowed into our midst. TMS' voice "lives" it, sometimes assuming an ethereal status, blazing its way through all the maya, hovering above the mess and offering an objective assessment , at times sounding like that of an ordinary, lamenting human being and everything in between too !!!! Kudos !!!

[N Y MURALI]

Dear Vatsan,
A belated reply from me. Had the time and mood to read your post. Great writing.


N Y Murali