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

[Venkat]

Dear SRS,
Thanks a lot for providing the link.
This is one of my most favorite Malayalam songs.
Not only for me, in the history of Malayalam Films, this movie remains forever in the hearts of Malayalees for its wonderful music.
The movie is directed by K.S.Sedhumadhavan.

This song fetched National Award for Jeyachandran.

This song is the opening shot of the movie with titles coming in the foreground. There is no point in wathcing this movie if you miss the titles.
The movie starts with this wonderful classic.

But still there is another classic sung by our Legend himself (Kannuneer thulliye...).

In doordarshan this movie was shown many times. All the times, I will never miss the titles of this movie just because of this song.

If you go to this link "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaVSafcoPn8&feature=player_embedded"
you can see some wonderful comments.
Some samples I am giving below:
This is the complete version of the song which is often available in a mutilated version.
I remember when this song debuted in the AIR it broke the record for the number of people who demanded in the then famous "Ningal Avasyapetta Ganangal (Songs on demand)" program on Akashwani TVM.
They used to announce the number of people who requesed the songs (a, b, c, d -yum pinne 231 shrothakkalum" etc..)!
One of JC's best!

truly one of the all time greats.....that's the best words to describe this song...

Great song and some absolutely amazing pieces of flute throughout. Wonder who is the flutist...

This Bhavagayakan - Jayachandran - masterpiece will deffinitely will find place in the top 10 Malayalam songs ever created. The wonderful lyrics of Vayalar was set to music by MS Viswanathan and captured the picturesque beauty of Ooty/Coonoor fully in the movie. A beautiful song to remember and cherish.
MrMadhu13 2 months ago

Thanks a lot again.
_________________
Meendum Santhippom Viraivil...
Regards,
Mahesh

[Venkat]

May be the song is the opening of the movie and it is Suprabhatham, our Legend would have used "Mohanam".
_________________
Meendum Santhippom Viraivil...
Regards,
Mahesh

[Sai Saravanan]

Dear friends,
The outpour on the purposeful ignorance of the master and his materpieces is wholeheartedly acknowledged. But, then who can wake those beings up who pretend to be sleeping!? Better left to their own happy confinements.

But then, what a song by Jeyachandran. He sounds always melodiuos and good in MM's music, did we realise? The cridt must go to our dear creator. The flute made me feel the caress of the chillness in the cool breeze touching those blue mountains...

Thanks for the link and listening.
Sai Saravanan

[parthavi]

Dear SR Shankar,

I watched a few episodes of Ellaame Sangeethamthaan in the beginning but stopped watching it, since the program's purpose seems to sing the glory of one particular MD. The program could have been named 'Ellame IRthaan.' It is true that Anuradha picks up a number of mediocre songs of this MD. It appears that among the songs of this MD also, she prfers the mediocre to the good. Once when they were discussing Kalyani, Sriram referred to 'Kannan Vandhaan' from 'Ramu,' and said that a particular aspect of Kalyani was presented in all its dimensions in this song. Anuradha cut him short and went back to pick up her favorites.

I think she has not even listened to MSV's songs. In the 'Paattup paada vaa' program, she joins the singers and sings a few lines with them. But when it comes to MSV's songs, she just watches mutely, with a blank expression!
_________________
P Rengaswami (9381409380)
MSV, Un isai kettaal puvi asainthaadum, idhu iraivan arul aagum.
http://msv-music.blogspot.in/

[ragasuda]

This Anuradha is none other than the daughter of Renuka, who was a favourite singer for MSV in Malayalam films and popular in Tamil through the song Seyyum Thozile Dheivam, in the film Aalukkoru Veedu. She has done her Master's in Music in Madras University and another Master's at USA (on Ilaiyaraaja). (!!)

...
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[Vatsan]

SRS....and others you have brought up valid points as always. And as always, all these 'singers' do not publicly say one charitable thing about MSV, not that MSV needs any praises, he does not "need" it even from us. As far as he is concerned, what came through him, has happened already and he is looking forward to enjoying himself more, through the process of composing.

"neelagiriyude" is a song that I have heard PJ sing often in Gangai Amaran concerts of the 80s. A great number that evokes the tender freshness of early morning and Mohanam being an early morning raga, MSV stuck to it, going against his natural tendencies of obliterating any constructs .

There are several cases where MSV's mohanam does not sound like traditional mohanam at all, like in the pallavi of "ponnazhagu peNmai sinthum punnagai enna" from rickshawkaran.

There is one pure Mohanam of MSV in Tamil for which I had given the links earlier on, the Jayadeva Astapathi in Tenali Raman (1956) which is a beautiful piece and will remain beautiful for eternity.

Yet again, these singers lack exposure to anything worthwhile in their misguided lives. I am going to be very candid here, what the hell....if these singers think run of the mill, boredom laden 'unna nenachhe paattu padichen', 'atho mega oorvalam', 'nilave vaa" as great melodies, then I am afraid they have not yet realized the difference betweeen melody and malady. We, the lucky ones have experienced the multi-dimensional melody flow of MSV based solely on touching your soul and ofcourse, aesthetics.

I respect composer of yesteryears, in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil, but the ability to impart a personality to a melody is the domain that only MSV rules over, remember ONLY MSV. Where else have I experienced feminity in a tune like paalirukkum, thannilavu theniraikka, Blues , eerie and subtle melancholy as in "varavendum oru pozhuthu" , overt and a desparate cry for help as in "engE nimmathi" and several more !!!! These do not fall under the restricted ambit of human unidimensional analysis that can be presented on paper and therefore on TV, especially through performers like Anuradha Sriram. Pity them indeed !!!

SPB in "paadum vaanambadi" had this irritating habit of singling out MSV's songs as having been inspired from older Hindi songs, when you had to actually struggle to establish a connection !!! An inspiration is OK, it is a done thing, but let the references be legitimate, was my argument. The other argument was, apply similar strictures to IR songs, do not sugar coat with statements like "Producers may have forced him to do so, when actually IR can come up with a 1000 tunes in a trice". The gist of this paragraph with more acidity added to it was the crux of mail to SPB, asking him to wean from his parochial behaviour. Since then, I believe I have not seen any such faulty and assumed references and I would like to believe that the mail did the trick One the other hand, we know who can produce a thousand tunes in a trice, certainly not IR.

In this ugly world, dominated by ostentatious behaviour and acquisition of knowledge, sensitive pieces of art that emanate from the soul are spurned and worse, ignored. MSV's works are divinity sponsored which lie beyond the musical experience of knowledgeable, bigoted pundits !!!

[madhuraman]

Dear Mr. Vatsan,
What a crack of the whip ! Aesthetic and effortlessly power-packed. It is a curse of sorts that too often lesser mortals sit in judgement over masterpieces from genuine masters only to stand naked displaying abyssmal ignorance , while trying keep themselves in public gaze by eulogizing the less deserving. Media leadership is hollow enough to reckon shallow heads for expertise. All said and done how channels of all political clout keep themselves alive with MSV songs is the real proof of the pudding. MSV's sheer experience as a composer stands taller than the age of all these 'experts' put together. Idiocy is pardonable , as grasping a nuance is the domain of the intellectually blessed. Donkey -camphor analogy ably portrays the scenario. I bow my head in reverence for the way you mailed and nailed the wrong-doer.

Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai.
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai

[ragasuda]

[quote="madhuraman"]Dear Mr. Vatsan,
What a crack of the whip ! Aesthetic and effortlessly power-packed. It is a curse of sorts that too often lesser mortals sit in judgement over masterpieces from genuine masters only to stand naked displaying abyssmal ignorance , while trying keep themselves in public gaze by eulogizing the less deserving. Media leadership is hollow enough to reckon shallow heads for expertise. All said and done how channels of all political clout keep themselves alive with MSV songs is the real proof of the pudding. MSV's sheer experience as a composer stands taller than the age of all these 'experts' put together. Idiocy is pardonable , as grasping a nuance is the domain of the intellectually blessed. Donkey -camphor analogy ably portrays the scenario. I bow my head in reverence for the way you mailed and nailed the wrong-doer.

Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai.[/quote]

மதுராமன் அவர்களின் கூற்று நூற்றுக்கு நூறு சரி. காலம் திரும்பும் போது அனைத்தும் சரியாகும். தன்னுடைய கம்பெனிக்கு ஆடியோ ரைட்ஸ் கொடுத்தால் தான் தான் இசையமைக்க முடியும் என்று கூறி தயாரிப்பாளர்களை வாசலில் தவம் கிடைக்க வைத்து விட்டு இன்று அதே கம்பெனிக்கு எதிராக நீதிமன்ற வாசலில் தானே தவமிருக்க வேண்டிய நிலைமையை மெல்லிசை மன்னர் ஏற்படுத்திக் கொள்ளவில்லை. மெல்லிசை மன்னரும் நடிகர் திலகமும் தயாரிப்பாளர்களை முதலாளிகளாக மதித்தார்கள். தெய்வமாக மதித்தார்கள். மெல்லிசை மன்னர் இசை கம்பெனி வைத்து தன்னுடைய புனிதமான இசையை வியாபாரப் பொருளாக கூவி விற்கத் தெரியவில்லை, அப்படி செய்ய மனமும் இல்லை. இன்று அவர் இமயமாக உயர்வில் இருக்கிறார் என்றால் நிலை உயரும் போது பணிவு கொண்டதன் காரணமாகும். தன்னுடைய பண்டம் சிறப்பாக இருந்தாலும் அதை உரிய முறையில் மதித்து மக்களிடம் கொண்டு சேர்ப்பதில் தான் சிறப்பு இருக்கிறது. வலுக்கட்டாயமாக திணித்தால் ஒரு நாள் திகட்டலின் உச்சத்திற்கே போய் விடும். இன்றைய இசை வியாபாரமாகத் தான் போய்க் கொண்டிருக்கிறது.

இசையமைப்பில் அனைவரும் சிறந்த படைப்புகளை வழங்கலாம். திறமை ஒருவருக்கு மட்டுமே சொந்தமில்லை. ஆனால் அதை எப்படி வழங்குகிறோம், எப்படி மக்களிடம் கொண்டு சேர்க்கிறோம் என்பதில் தான் வளர்ச்சியே உள்ளது. மெல்லிசை மன்னருககுத் தெரியாத தொழில் நுட்பமல்ல, அவருக்குத் தெரியாத இசையின் பரிணாமங்கள் அல்ல. எதை எதை எப்படி எப்போழுது தர வேண்டும் என்பதை உணர்ந்து தொழிலில் பக்தியுடன் நடந்து கொண்டதால் தான் அந்த பக்தி அவரையே இறைவனாக்கியுள்ளது.

சரி இன்றாவது திருந்தியிருக்கிறார்களா என்றால் அதன் அறிகுறியைக் கூடக்காணோம். வீட்டில் காற்று வாங்கிக் கொண்டு இருந்தாலும் இருப்பபார்களே தவிர, தன்னுடைய அனுபவங்களை மற்றவர்களிடம் பகிர்ந்து கொள்வதைக் கூட வியாபாரமாக்கி விடுவார்கள். அதற்குக் கூட கால்ஷீட் கட்டணம் ஸ்டூடியோ வாடகைக் கட்டணம் என்று கேட்டாலும் கேட்பார்கள். தன்னுடைய பேட்டியைத் தன்னுடைய ஸ்டூடியோவில் தான் வைத்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்று கட்டணம் நிர்ணயம் செய்தாலும் செய்வார்கள்.

இன்னொரு பிரபல பாடகர் ... கேட்கவே வேண்டாம். இவருடைய தமிழைத் திருத்தி, இவருடைய திறமைகளை வெளிக் கொணர்ந்து இவர் இன்று இந்த அளவிற்கு உச்சத்திற்குக் காரணமானவர் மெல்லிசை மன்னர். ஆனால் அவர் என்ன செய்கிறார். ஒப்புக்கு சப்பாணியாக மெல்லிசை மன்னரை ஓரிரு வார்த்தைகள் சொல்வதோடு சரி. மற்றபடி வேறொருவரை மிகவும் உச்சத்தில் வைத்துப் புகழ்கிறார். இவரிடத்தில் இல்லாத என்ன புதுமையை அவரிடத்தில் கண்டாரோ தெரியவில்லை.

இவர்களையெல்லாம் என்னென்பதோ ஏதென்பதோ...

இனிமேலாவது இவர்கள் காலச்சக்கரத்தின் தன்மையைப் புரிந்து கொண்டு ஆணவத்தை விட்டு அடக்கத்துடன் இருக்க வேண்டும். மெல்லிசை மன்னரைப் பார்த்து கற்றுக் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

ராகவேந்திரன்
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[Vatsan]

Complete ignorance of MSV's achievements is what we see day in and day out. Facts constantly being ruled over by sycophancy and the desire to present oneself as being aware of the latest happenings (by praising present non-achievers sky high for no reason) are the evils that need to be eradicated. Little do these presenters realize that presenting/ proving facts with great conviction can do to them what sycophancy cannot. Our programs for the future should feature atleast 5 little known songs of the little genius which the dwarf-sized abilities of most others cannot hope to even comprehend. There are several gems of the 50s and 80s that sparkle even today, shining through the thick layers of sands of time, but ever available only for the discerning listeners.

Now having gained a vision of the film / glitz world from a very safe distance, I strongly believe that nowhere else could the origin of the word "pretention" be. The plastic smile that distances itself from the soul, the empty words of praise as far removed from the truth as possible and this lowly business of suckering up to the current commerical stake holders.

[vaidymsv]

Dear All,

What do you call this phenomenon of forgetting someone who's creations have stood (still standing as I write this post) the test of times, religious, linguistic barriers and what not ??? It is really appalling that many in the musical fraternity today are suffering not from Selective Amnesia but, "Intentional" Selective Amnesia! Alas - Days are here when one goes to any extent to derive self directed popularism, self declared achievements, self earned quick buck and many more with the "self" leading all the way. What else do you call this? Deterioration of the basics???

To all those who lack this in every sense, learn from the Master who stands as tall as your positive imagination could be!!! You will all be Blessed indeed!!!

CHEERS
MSV IS MUSIC
_________________
vaidymsv

[madhuraman]

Dear Mr Vatsan,
Your urge to prove MSV's supremacy [as an unparalleled composer of all times] through a programme is commendable. At the same time, it should be organized with the TV presenters [pretenders] as invitees along with public.Through the event individual pretenders be brought on to stage to explain their contention of supremacy elsewhere.It would be a moral compulsion for them to respond in public and silently tell them as to how the knowledgeable viewers would not spare. I am sure most of them would take shelter saying that they merely read from the script presented. At that point we should get to know the script writers so that we can subsequently put them in place. This must happen to all media elements who are propagating blatant lies of personal taste.
Best of lucks. Thanks for the opportunity.
Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai.
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai

[parthavi]

From my experience of both observing (and hearing) and interacting with people, which includes people with a sound (no pun intended!) musical background, I feel people who do not appreciate MSV fall into three categories. Those with a superficial taste and go with the trend. Those who do not appreciate MSV's approach to (or apathy to, as they perceive it) to carnatic music. Most of the people in this category have naturally fallen for IR, who is widely acknowledged (even by our forum members) to have extensively used carnatic music, strictly following the rules. I think several carnatic musicians (mis)led by the late Semmangudy fall into this category.The third category know in their hearts the greatness of MSV but prefer to go along with the crowd, sometimes for selfish reasons and sometimes for no reason at all! Of course, there is another category of people who have worked with MSV and have derived immeasurable benefits from him but have found it convenient to ignore and even belittle him. SPB, KJJ, KB and regrettably even the late Sridhar belong to this category. How could Sridhar, whose films have been transformed into legends by the magic of MSV's music, have engaged other MDs, when MSV was (as he still is) active in the field?

I think people who have genuinely fallen for the carnatic music feature of IR's songs are not likely to revise their opinions. To them, MSV's creative forays will sound like aberrations. Mr. SRS's point about MSV's mohanam, from which the entire discussion has branched out, has a weakness in that he has been able to site only a Malayalam song and no Tamil song set to Mohanam by MSV. This is not MSV's weakness, but his uniqueness, because his creative prowess has not allowed him to use the readymade format of carnatic music but has goaded him, to create his own format. Any resemblance to carnatic, hindustani or western is incidental, not intentional (as the qualifying statement of some films and books say about the storyline!) But discerning music enthusiasts can still appreciate and admire his innovations on certain aspects of the ragas. Very few doyens in the carnatic music world like Maharajapuram, Subbudu, GS Mani and Aruna Sairam (and perhaps a few other silent admirers) had both the perspicacity and the integrity to appreciate MSV's creative approach to carnatic music openly. Self-proclaimed puritans like Semmangudy (whose own adherence to the grammar of carnatic music in his concerts was often questioned by Subbudu) could only perceive MSV's innovations as violations. No wonder he fell for IR, who found it both convenient and rewarding to go by the book.

But ultimately, the worth of any creation can be judged only by the posterity. The reigning popularity of MSV's songs after 40 years is proof enough to show the immortality of the mastero's creations. I would often walk on the roads, during different parts of the day from the early morning to late night. I have been amazed to observe that at any time and at any place, I could always hear some MSV song flowing from some TV/Radio channel and filling the air. The British used to claim that the sun would never set in their empire. In our place, from the sunrise to sunset, it is only MSV's empire.

But, in my opinion, the most telling evidence of the soul-stirring effect of MSV's music was seen during the recent episodes of MSV special of Airtel's Super singer program of Vijay TV. For all the 4 days, during the entire program, the face expressions and the spontaneous enjoyment on the part of all - the singers (more than the singer, the other participants were also enjoying the songs), the judges and the audience were an astounding testimonial to the spontaneous impact of MSV's divine music. This was something unique and I am sure that you can't see even a partial replication of this in any other episode. I suggest that we get a copy of this CD from Vijay TV. Though they may not normally give it, we can ask MSV to make a request for his own use. I think this CD should be preserved as a treasure.

When I think of MSV, I often compare him with Kamban, the greatest Tamil poet. But the modern Tamil scholars, influenced by the Dravidian ideology choose to ignore him, because he wrote the Ramayana. Yet several Muslim scholars like the late Justice Ismail and poets Abdul Rahman have risked admonition from their religious heads in expounding the epic. Kamban was to be totally ignored in the ensuing Tamil conference. It was only after the blistering criticism by the Tamil scholar and writer Indira Parthasarathy in Kumudam that Mr. MK added a line on Kamban to his theme song and also declared that one of the seminar halls will be named after Kamban. But the Kamban Kazhagam has been spreading his glory. And the people who attend the Kamban festival are exhilarated when the scholars explain the lyrical beauty of Kamban's classic. Most of the people might not have been initiated into literary appreciation but the spontaneous excitement they get by listening to the literary beauties of Kamban is something extraordinary. Every year, the crowd swells. Yet it may be only a small section of the population. But these people keep the greatness of Kamban alive.

We can do a similar exercise for MSV. We have already made a beginning. We saw how excited the audience was when the nuances of MSV's music were unravelld by Murali and Vatsan. There could be practical difficulties in organizing more such programs, given the financial constraints. But there is no doubt that this will become popular over time. But I feel we need not be concerned about convincing certain people. The non-believers should be left alone. There is no need for the believers to convince them.

I will end on a note in conformity with my analogy of Kamban and MSV. The freedom fighter and revolutionary Va. Ve. Su Iyer was a great scholar. He was well versed in several Indian and foreign languages and had studied the literature in various languages. He said about Kamban: Think of an assembly of world poets, where people like Homer, Shakespeare, Wordsworth and Kalidasa are all seated. If Kamban enters that assembly, all these poets will stand up as a show of respect to him!"

In the same way, in a celestial assembly of great music composers comprising Beethoven , Mozart, John Lenn, Papanasam Sivan, G Ramanathan, SD Burman, Shankar Jaikishenetc, if MSV makes an entry, all these people will give a standing ovation to him!
_________________
P Rengaswami (9381409380)
MSV, Un isai kettaal puvi asainthaadum, idhu iraivan arul aagum.
http://msv-music.blogspot.in/

[Baskar CS]

a younG man of early thirties once came to came and asked to play nalai intha velai song of UM .

after it was over he said one simple .. what a composition ..

i said it was MSV .

when a song composed almost 40 years could enliven in a man at thirties all these SHOW will come to an end and we may have to go back 60's soon

[madhuraman]

Dear Mr Parthavi and Mr Bhaskar et al.,

Your observations on THE TRENDS in general and that of 'acceptance' of MSV brand of expression of Carnatic style induce my response thus: There is a reference to Semmangudi and his leanings to some other lesser composers. I am not surprised at all. To substantiate some of my perceptions I am obliged to draw parallels and examples.
1. The most feared of critics Mr.Subbudu has copiously showered encomiums on MSV's 'raga exploits' whether or not someone else endorses it.

2. Look at Dr.M,Bala Murali [another veteran musician]'s uncontaminated adoration for MSV's prowess as composer.

3.On more than one occasion, Mr.G.S .Mani has thrown open challenge to carnatic musicians to dare compose and orchestrate at least one song before levelling any charges of violation of grammar by MSV.

Coming to MSV's 'non-compliance to raga grammar ' while composing songs, I have the following to observe.

Some students compose their essays when they know how to frame statements. [MSV style of approaching an issue].

Some students merely reproduce statements and follow the exact sequences prescribed for expressing an idea.[ Puristic approach for want of imagination]

Taking examples from my own profession I am able to draw 'tell tale' inferences.
I know of a few Professors who were exceptionally brilliant and original in approach. These people were held in high esteem but only a few students genuinely appreciated them because they[students] could understand those Professors very well. On the contrary, there were 'just enough' among Professors who were MORE popular with masses. It is a pointer to the situation that the following criteria hold the key.

a] To appreciate creativity, one needs to understand it

b] things easier appeal faster even if inferior.

c ] Those with greater educational background find it interesting to study nuances of creativity and are open-minded.

d] Those who have had only a rigid grammar-based training find 'non-conformity' as confrontationist. My earlier example of students fits 'very well' here. There is a grammar training in English which used to prescribe that 'not only shall be backed up by but also' in framing sentence. More modern and liberal out looks have come about as for example " Inability to comprehend is not only bad but irritating as well".

X or Y being appreciated by A or B, more often reveals the limited competence of A or B since X or Y is not A to Z after all.

Thanks for the opportunity.
Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai.
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai

[Baskar CS]

dear prof

i will put it this way

if i attempt to write a poem i may succeed if not immly but a day later

this is an attmept to be successful and when it comes to master it is a way of life

he breathed music all through the day and do you think he broke his head for a tune like i do for a poem

not at all .

for kannadasan it was tamil which was at his service and for our master it was the music