Tribute to MSV - Part Two

Mr.Baradwaj Rangan, in THE Hindu dated 19^th July 2015, rightly echoed my views.  When people have lived a long life and when they have produced an immortal body of work, their own mortality does not seem as calamitous.

Tears are for the family.  For those who knew him only through his music, MSV will always manifest himself at will.  

I feel sad because another link to my past is gone. When I was young, my mind was a blank slate, and gradually songs and stars and movies begin to leave their mark on it.  These songs songs and stars and movies become home. Then I grew up and at some point, there was no more room in the slate. Luckily, for me, MSV was around, when the slate was still being filled

It is impossible to do more than scratch the surface in a space like this, but take “Minminiyai kanmaniyai” in the film Kannan en Kathalan.  The melody line descends like stops-sharp, distinct notes, the kind given to beginner music students so that they learn to land on a note without much of confusion.  MSV made songs whose constituents suggested one thing and the outcome was entirely different.

Listen to Madana mAligayil from Rajapart Rangadurai , MSV would fashion four different tunes for each of the four lines. Each charanam too contain astounding variations.  A rise here, A precipitous dip there. If there is a thing as “Guess the Next Note” competition, MSVs songs would be the irone.  Listen to Vellik Kinnamthan from Uyarntha manithan – instant love to music and an enigma called MSV.

Writing comprehensively about MSV is like writing a book.  One chapter would deal entirely with his association with TK Ramamurthy.  Another would delve in to his staggering mind meld with the lyrics of KannadAsan. Third would discuss the genres he adopted like big band jazz in Tamil movie song,  “ninaithadai nadathiyE mudippavan”, the instruments like bongos, the xylophone etc at his disposal. Next about the voices, at his disposal, TMS, P.Susheela, L.R.Easwari, P.B.Srinivas.  Then, look at his exquisite latter-day marvel with SPB.

Bharathi kannamma

Kana kaanum kngal mella

Enakkoru kadhali irukkinral

His mad songs like ”kettukkodi urumi melam”, “Attamenna solludi”, a karaharapriya rAga beauty.

With MSV there is no end to tell his credentials..

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