Down memory lane with M.S. Viswanathan’s music

MSV once more

A series of programmes titled ‘MSV Isai Vizha’ is being organised by Mohan Nair, son-in-law of the legendary music composer M.S. Viswanathan. The series will have thematic presentations of MSV’s tunes. The inaugural (event support Abbas Cultural; orchestra Udhaya Ragam UK Murali Innisai Mazhai), gave the audience a glimpse into the Kannadasan-MSV collaboration.

TMS’s son Balraj sang ‘Pullanguzhal kodutha moongilgale’. Gandhi Kannadasan spoke of how the song came about. AVM’S Saraswathi Stores wanted to make an album of songs about Krishna, for HMV. When AVM Kumaran approached Kannadasan, eight songs poured forth from the poet in quick succession. MSV took less than a day to compose the music. One of the songs is ‘Amarajeevitham’ — Kannadasan’s first song in Sanskrit, which MSV sang. The album titled Krishna Ganam turned out to be a huge hit.

A.V. Ramanan’s light music troupe, Musiano, took ‘Pullanguzhal kodutha’ to every corner of Tamil Nadu, by making it their opening song in all concerts, said Gandhi.

‘Agayapandalile’ was presented by Balraj and Mathangi Ajithkumar. The background music, suggesting two people racing to meet each other, plays a major role in the appeal of the song. In the film Ponnoonjal, before the song begins, Sivaji and Usha Nandini tear through fields, to fall into each other’s arms panting. Full marks to Murali’s orchestra for bringing out the beauty of the background music.

Kavitha and U.K. Murali took the stage with ‘Yaadum oore’ from the film Ninaithale inikkum. Kannadasan begins the song with the famous line from Purananuru.

Balraj sang the TMS song ‘Paramasivan Kazhuthilirundu’ (film Suryakanthi). In the film, Kannadasan is shown singing this song on stage. Annadurai Kannadasan shared an anecdote about this song. Major Sundarrajan was supposed to be the singer in the film. But Jayalalithaa insisted that Kannadasan should portray the singer. The poet had fractured his collarbone and appeared on screen with a black shawl draped over his shoulder to hide the bandage.

O.S. Arun recalled that he was in the audience during a programme, when MSV called out his name, and asked him to sing. Arun sang a Sindhubhairavi bhajan. When Arun finished, MSV sang ‘Raman ethanai Ramanadi’, a song which he (MSV) had set to tune in the same raga. As Arun sang ‘Adhisaya ragam’ (film Apoorva Ragangal), one couldn’t help marvelling at MSV’s genius. The song is in raga Mahathi, with the charanam ‘oru puram paarthaal’ in Bhairavi. Who would have thought that Mahathi with just four swaras could lend itself to such a grand song?