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M.S. Viswanathan - 1964...the Year that was

MS Viswanathan the colossus – “1964” a year of extreme resplendence amidst the already resplendent... MSV’s journey from the mid 50s and through into the 60s and on wards provides a Musical Landscape that has not been matched until now. Yet amongst all the innumerable glittering gems of the rarest kind that can be created only by him, the year 1964 offered the diminutive maestro an opportunity to impart a greater level of resplendence to his products even by his own “Sunshine on a polished Gold plate” glowing standards. Not that he peaked only this year, but it is all about the kind of films he was asked to render music for. These films provided him with the band width for him to pierce through dimensions of varying kinds, polar opposites on occasions, much to our musical delight. MSV’s new novelty laden journey started roughly in the late 50s and attained consummation precisely in the year 1961 and again it was owing to the kind of movies that came his way. Novelty was an in...
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Peerlessness is her Prefix - P. Susheela (Part 5)

As a parting gift, please do give the following ditties with their multi-hued spread, a listen….Trusting that the quality of music will render the listeners “language agnostic”. -           Yesko Bullemma   at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn9oRIJzVd8 , a Salil Choudhry rollicking feast !!!! Vampisheness of the mistress of a toddy shop !!!! -           Jal jal jal sathangai, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG337tVb-qk ,     from “mangayar uLLam mangAtha selvam”, Adi Narayana Rao spinning his Hamir Kalyani Magic. Ghantasala Master accompanies -           Nuvvu nenu https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nuvvu+nenu+chakkani+chukka+takkari+donga , Erotic forceful coaxing, a jazz blues extravaganza put through with unmitigated “wildness” amidst sinister softness   and fierce overtures, crescendo and all, a Sath...
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"Peerlessness" is her Prefix - P. Susheela (Part 4)

And what about the difficulty level of songs ?!!!?   Very high !!! Especially in Telugu !!! The Telugu filmdom was replete with historical movies and sub-plots culled out of epics like Ramayana and Mahabharatha made into movies. The Hindustani idiom was used extensively by composers such as Adi Narayana Rao, Pendyala Nageswara Rao and Rajeswara Rao for these movies and how Ghantasala Master and P Susheela rose up to this idiomatic challenge !!!! Several unprejudiced artistes up North were forced to marvel at the natural predilection of the Telugu composers, and the singers Ghantasala and P. Susheela towards this Carnatic’s equivalent up North. They were in for a greater surprise when they were informed that none of them had undergone any training in Hindustani Music !!! And add to it , Padhyams that were composed in thousands. Padhyams are typically what in Tamil is termed as “viruthhams” set to a string of ragas (ragamalikas) involving very intricate passages. Tons of such toug...
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Peerlessness is her Prefix - P. Susheela (Part 3)

Come the mid-fifties, 1955 to be precise, the promise that P Susheela’s career carried was actualized. Yet another maestro, Adhepalli Rama Rao was the tool destiny used to further P Susheela’s career.  “kanavaNE kaN kaNda deivam” was the movie wherein the great composer roped in the young singer to sing what eventually became cult classics,  “enthan uLLAm thuLLi viLaiyAduvathum yEno”, the serpent woman’s peals of romance, the depiction of inebriated pining with the “hic” “unnai kaN thEduthE”,  “anbil malarntha nal rOja” the soothing lullaby amidst helpless deprivation, a melodic wonder whose allure increases by the passing minute. Then there was this open hearted scream towards The Mother Divine, “o mAdha vantharuL” and the chirpy duet with P Leela “intha veeN kObam varalAmO”.  The legend had arrived well and truly !!!! Little wonder that the numero uno composer of that era in Tamil, G Ramanathan had wanted her to sing for him and for reasons st...
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Peerlessness is her Prefix - P. Susheela (Part 2)

      Some good hearted soul had urged P. Susheela, aged 16 then in 1952, to approach Pendyala Nageswara Rao as he was scouting   for fresh voices to embellish his, somewhat fledgling career.   P. Susheela paid heed and had sung Naushad’s   serenely melancholic   “mohE bhool gaye sawariyA” during her auditions which force ejected tears from the Master composer’s eyes . He immediately fixed a recording date for recording the songs for his upcoming “kanne thalli”, in Telugu, “petra thai” in tamil.   So, a simultaneous entry into Tamil Filmdom simply happened !!!   “Padhyams” are a part of the Telugu Culture and where ported to the Telugu filmdom as well.   Padhyams became an integral part of Telugu Film Music and P. Susheela herself   was gifted with the “Gajendra Moksham” padhyam   as her first ever   complete recorded song. This was followed by a duet “Ethukku azhaithAi Ethukku” in Tamil and its Telugu version “enthuku ...
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Peerlessness is her Prefix - P Susheela (Part 1)

The abstract import of artistes such as P Susheela is ageless, timeless and definition defying.   Therefore let us treat this article as an excuse, yet another opportunity to portray and elucidate the peerless attributes of this   phenomenon on what in earthly terms is known as Birthday, her Birthday, November 13th.   Yes, our connection to Mother Earth needs to be intermittently referenced lest   we should forget our true domicile status on this planet and take our   celestial sojourns this voice takes us to,   as our permanent abode.          First of all, let us imbibe this simple truth, she defined playback singing as far as South Indian Films were concerned.   Playback singing as we have learnt now involves perfect portrayal of the innermost sentiments of the character on whom the song is picturized. The natural corollary is that any technicality incorporated within the tune such as rolls, shakes i.e. sangathis,...
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