tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20470180828418317352024-03-21T13:27:05.875-04:00Musical AvenuesAbout music and musicians, old and newMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-22345639442927042852024-03-21T10:41:00.001-04:002024-03-21T10:41:13.975-04:00The Harmonium And its checkered history in IndiaIt would surprise many readers that this musical instrument, so common to the music scene today, had such a troubled past. Born in France and further modified to meet Indian requirements at Calcutta, to be mass produced and sold in in the thousands, this humble hand powered instrument had a difficult history, to say the least. So many people have tried hardMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-82257238123262693732023-02-24T17:28:00.002-05:002023-02-24T17:28:24.699-05:00Musical Pillars in South Indian Temples Early rock music – Music from StonesStrange, the uninitiated would think, reading the title, for it is neither about rock music as we know it today, nor about the rolling stones, but about music from stones, a field called Lithophony, and its early applications in South India, characterized by the many musical pillars, staircases, idols and stone blowing instruments found in certain templesMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-19438828666845382142021-09-19T11:08:00.002-04:002021-09-19T11:08:29.767-04:00Joan Baez, Gandhiji and IndiaFollowing Gandhiji’s footstepsI still recall the rage she was when I was in college. Joan Baez and her melodious ballads are reminiscent of a time when many people sported bell bottoms, peace lockets, long hair, and when freedom from all kinds of bondage was their underlying theme. Baez’s rendition of ‘Diamonds and Rust’ still mesmerizes me, so do a number of her other hits. It was simply put in Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-3077683238660026892021-09-19T11:06:00.003-04:002021-09-19T11:06:35.354-04:00Two Virtuosos and Palghat A place where they grew up…Palghat, a quiet and unassuming district, is the granary of Kerala. An uncomplicated and uncluttered place on the Western side of the Sahyadri range, this was where a gap in the mountains opened out for the artisans of the Tamilakam, allowing them to trade and communicate with the developing domains of the Malayalam culture, near the coast. As a border town of Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-12498497745505605892021-05-30T08:58:00.001-04:002021-05-30T08:58:26.841-04:00The Enchanting Kishore Kumar I am sure most Indians or for that matter, people of Indian origin who follow the music of Bombay would know of him, but it is my guess that most focus on his songs, otherwise passing him off as a maverick, or an eccentric recluse, at best. He was actually a very charming, intelligent, and interesting person, as I discovered, after reading a couple of his biographies recently. So, I thoughtMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-2883994392847631422021-05-30T08:57:00.000-04:002021-05-30T08:57:11.128-04:00Food for Thought Puranadara Dasa, and Food in Carnatic musicThose who listen to Carnatic music are usually in awe of the creative genius of its Pitamaha (father) Puranadara Dasa, the Kannadiga poet from medieval times. A rich but miserly jeweler, fascinated with music, changes his materialistic outlook after a life-changing event, that was Dasaru or Dasarayya as he is popularly known then going on to lead aMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-34680114540944851642021-03-21T08:30:00.003-04:002021-03-21T08:30:46.253-04:00Für Elise – and its enduring mysteries Many years ago, I picked up a little music box during our travels in Europe, I don’t recall where, and when the little contraption is wound, it plays the Für Elise tune. The tune was interesting and the mechanic in me has never tired of watching the little drum spin when wound up, the comb reeds hitting the bumps on the cylinder thus making music, as the governor fan spins away mysteriouslyMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-62646237309928899022021-03-21T08:29:00.001-04:002021-03-21T08:29:41.364-04:00Irayimman Thampi (1782-1856) Life and times of a poet extraordinaire…You can only understand the magic of Thampi’s works if you spend a while and listen to lovely renditions of his poetry in the mellifluous voices of KS Chitra and Sreevalsan Menon. As you let the lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo caress your mind and take you to your childhood with the memories of your mother or an aunt humming that very song to put you to Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-21754652247177047942018-11-11T08:54:00.002-05:002018-11-11T08:54:27.651-05:00The Violin in Carnatic Music
From the Ravanhasta to the Indian violin
Some people get irritated when I conjure up a story connecting something from the present to its past origins in India. They equate it to the pater in “my fat Greek wedding’ who would connect everything great to Greek history. But I guess it has to be accepted, for the flow of ideas, business and goods from the East to the West has origins going back to Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-15498319663362392712017-12-17T10:42:00.001-05:002017-12-17T10:42:29.092-05:00When Melody Was Queen – As Music Changed Character
The Magic of RD Burman
As you grow older and the world changes, you slip into periods of nostalgia now and then, looking back to the road you have traveled. It is in those moments that you remember music that you loved, food that you enjoyed and some of life’s great reads, just to name a few. For me, music has always been an integral part of my life so far and Hindi film music has been at theMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-62643677135780862842016-08-24T11:13:00.001-04:002016-08-24T11:13:09.903-04:00Geeta Dutt - the EnigmaThe morning had started, and I was tuning stations as usual, not watching the cats-eye on the valve radio which by the way would have been apt, but rather the LCD display of my trusty Logitech squeezebox internet radio. Finally I settled on the station I wanted and soon the magical voice wafted over the airwaves, that of Geeta Dutt a perennial favorite of mine. I must say, I have always been Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-26039657085313815592016-08-24T11:09:00.002-04:002016-08-24T11:09:38.031-04:00When melody was queen - making the song
Part 2 – Making the song
For a person to listen to a song and finally say – ‘are wah! kya gaana tha… yaar, woh’, the song has to be nothing short of inspirational. From conception to production, from advertisement to music CD release is a long process, and somewhat haphazard when it relates to Bollywood. By the time the music director finally has his copy ready for mass CD or record punching Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-31330252655767354122016-04-09T10:35:00.002-04:002016-04-09T10:35:32.623-04:00When Melody was Queen
Part 1 – ‘From the original soundtrack’, the production process
As you grow older and the world changes, you slip into periods of nostalgia now and then, looking back at the road you have traveled. It is in those moments that you often remember music you loved, food you enjoyed and great reads, just to name a few. For me, music has always been an integral part and Hindi film music has been atMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-71238830532842192282015-12-20T07:52:00.003-05:002015-12-20T07:52:38.434-05:00The Beatles, the Sitar and Norwegian wood
George Harrison and the sitar, the Beatles
Beatles remain a favorite of mine and I have always liked the perky number Norwegian Wood. The opening chords stayed stuck in my memory and the other day I was wondering about how this instrument got used for the song, assuming naturally that it followed from the much talked about visit of the Beatles to Rishikesh and George’s training sessions with Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-74554384064083164762015-12-20T07:47:00.000-05:002015-12-20T07:47:16.118-05:00Tanjore and its Carnatic music legacySome weeks ago I delivered a short talk on this subject to a few friends in our music group and as it involved some study, I decided to write an article around it. We enjoy these Sunday afternoons trying out some songs under the watchful eyes and ears of our much beloved and patient teacher Sunitha and at times we go over a little bit of theory and history. With that backdrop, let’s Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-22989314725646057012015-12-20T07:45:00.001-05:002015-12-20T07:45:06.334-05:00Sopana Sangeetham
The music tradition of Kerala – A performance for the gods
We talked about the movement of Carnatic music stalwarts and capitals, its development in Tanjore, and the part played by the Tanjavur quartet. We also looked at the contributions of the famous Shadkala Govinda Marar from Kerala. Now let us change tack and focus on a music form which was in vogue in Kerala, one that was slightly Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-87759444401800909902014-11-29T07:54:00.000-05:002014-11-29T07:54:23.173-05:00The Tanjavur Quartet
When music and dance ruled
Some months ago, we traced the route taken by exponents of Carnatic music in the Vijayanagara kingdom to Tanjore, where the Maratha Nayaks patronized them. That there were a number of music and dance forms in vogue already, is pretty clear, but with time new systems became the norm. The new forms flourished but with pressure from the British rulers and missionaries,Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-88776649588383844642014-02-07T16:32:00.002-05:002014-02-07T16:32:23.040-05:00MS Baburaj - The legendary musician
The very mention of the name brings up a wistful smile in the countenance of most Malayalees. Many hearing it would have something to say if not about the music, about that period when melody was king and quickly drift away into a nostalgic and melancholic mood. Some of us know his music and we all believe in his genius, but how many of you know the person behind the music? You may have seen an Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-90613113538677511292012-06-02T13:30:00.002-04:002012-06-02T13:30:35.049-04:00The King and the DancerSwati Tirunal, Irvivarman Thampi, Sugandhavalli ,Vadivelu, Bharatnatyam, and Mohinitattam – The fascinating connections
You may have seen a sensuous Mohiniattam by the dancer in the traditional Kerala whites and you would have seen may others in Malayalam movies and sometimes bits in a Hindi movie like dil se..but how did mohiniyattam get formulated? What has Maharaja Swati Tirunal got to do Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-47790245772966990232012-06-02T13:29:00.000-04:002012-06-02T13:29:06.688-04:00The Story of Babul MoraThe other day we all listened to a sonorous recital of the famed ‘Babul Mora’ in the Saigal style by our good friend Subash, during our music Samaroh session. As I had the responsibility to introduce the song, I did a little digging and come up with the brief background. The song took us back many decades, and as we watched the emotions play on Subash’s face and the mournful words came out of hisMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-88571799006765622502012-06-02T13:28:00.000-04:002012-06-02T13:28:10.776-04:00Omana Thingal Kidavoതമ്പിമാമന്ടെ താരാട്ട് - Uncle Iravivarman Thampi’s Royal Lullaby
One could go north or south in Kerala, through the various regions, where they talk different dialects, think somewhat differently even, where the Malabar aristocrat sometimes subtly expresses his mistrust of the Travancore person or vice versa, where even the food habits and spoken dialects change with the terrain, but there Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-70915919084233620192012-06-02T13:26:00.000-04:002012-06-02T13:26:27.865-04:00Cleveland, Tyagaraja and GovindaIt had been a while since our last travel and so when an opportunity came to do something a little different, we thought it a good idea. This time it was to attend the Tyagaraja festival at Cleveland Ohio where our niece was going to perform in one of the Carnatic music competitions and partake in some other sectionms of the festival. Pt Ravi Shankar was to perform and get felicitated on one of Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-91282070804677529642010-12-23T08:47:00.002-05:002011-12-02T18:07:18.392-05:00Yvan RebroffI wonder if any of you have ever heard or for that matter even heard of a singer called Yvan (Ivan) Rebroff. I certainly had not until 1995, which was when I heard Rebroff belting it out from my Turkish friend Omar’s car stereo. Holy cow! As they say, it simply blew me off. The man had such a sonorous voice, a voice that I can’t think of anybody in this world imitating. Such was its uniqueness. AMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-28655878609200255372010-12-04T09:22:00.001-05:002015-07-29T14:47:52.789-04:00Kozhikode Abdul Khader – A little bit moreSome years ago I penned a short introduction to this singer. This is an updated and corrected version with more details collected over the years, some received from his nephew and the rest from various sources and documentaries. In the course of time a book was also published on this rather unfortunate and unlucky singer and a few tidbits are thanks to the work of Nadeem Naushad, who was the Maddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047018082841831735.post-5486089654879025012010-10-20T18:56:00.000-04:002010-10-21T09:35:48.712-04:00A concert and a movieHariharan at San Diego
We have not been to too many live concerts, but I have been to ones performed by Yesudas, Chitra, Janaki, MG Sreekumar etc and we have watched a number of others on tape – Ilayaraja, Gangai Amaran, SPB….. So when Hariharan was scheduled to visit nearby San Diego, we jumped at the chance and joined the Raag & Taal academy here. It was worth it, Hariharan is one ofMaddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18163804773843409980noreply@blogger.com2