From: appa@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (ravi.ramaswamy)
Subject: MDR
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 13:33:55 GMT

Folks,

   Just wanted to share with you a list of MDR renditions that I think
are either unique and/or excellent (usually and):


   Vathapi Ganapathim: 	I cringe when anybody (e.g. Ramani) sings/plays this
			oft-repeated piece. Not MDR. He brings so much life 
			and creativity into it.

			Things to look for:
			- His repetition of "ganapathim bhaje"
			- His repetition of "Veetharaginam Vinutha Yoginam"
			- His neraval "KarAmpu JapAsa Peeja Pooram Kalusha 
			  Viduram Bhootha KAram"

			Of course, a lot of the beauty has to do with the
			excellent Pakkavadhyam by LGJ and PMI.

   Entharo
   Mahanubhavulu:	Most artists sing it as a "Thallel Ezhuthu", as if they
			would like to get it over with ASAP. Not MDR. I have
			three different versions, the longest starts with a
			brief Sri raga alapana, followed by an extensive
			rendition of the words "Mahanubhavulu" (in fact,
			TNK, who accompanies him attempts, in sheer fatigue,
			to insert an "Endaro" prematurely, only to be 
			rebuffed). 

			He also adds a "purna" before "Chanduru" (not just
			moon-like, but full moon-like).
			
			The beauty of it all is the rendering of each 
			Sanghathi twice. Such a simple device that provides
			a wonderful effect. 
		
			When was the last time you heard this song being
			sung for half hour? Ariyakudi would probably be
			getting ready for an RTP by the time MDR finished
			"Endaro Mahanubhavulu".
		
			The only other Pancharatna krithi I have heard MDR
			sing is JagadAnanda KAraka. I don't recall his
			repetitions there.

   			Similar comments regarding MDR's Bhairavi Swarajati
			and Bhavayami Raghuramam (although not as noteworthy
			as Endaro).

   Saraguna Palimpa:	Compare with MS Subbulakshmi's 78 rpm version. About
			a tenth of the speed and lets you enjoy a beautiful
			raga and a beautiful song. Perhaps because of his
			slow speed, he is able to insert "Nee" in front
			of "Sari Evvar Unnanura" creating a nice effect. I
			don't think the "Nee" figures in the MSS version.

			Same comment probably applies to the Poorvi Kalyani
			piece "Ninnu Vina Gamari", where he inserts "Amba"
			occasionally.

   Saraswathi
   Sarasavani:		This is an MDR composition in Khamas. Normally I
			am put off by this raga ( thanks to BrochevAr 
			EvvarurA).
			But it comes alive in MDR's rendition.

   His various pieces	Rama Neepai Thanaku, Bhajana Seyave O Manasa, Samayam
   in Kedaram		Ithe Nannu Brova, and his own compositions. 
			I would just love to listen to his version of 
			"Ananda Natana Prakasam".

   Bhajare Bhaja	Not often song. So beautiful in MDR's hands. If any
   Manasa		Kannada is sung, it almost invariably is Dikshithar's
			Sri Mathrubhootham (another great song), or 
			sometime NinnAda.

   Paripalaya
   Paripalaya		One of MDR's trademarks. MDR and Reetigowla seem to
			go hand-in-hand.

   Durulekha
   Ituvanti		Best version I have heard

   Manasu Vishaya	Does enormous justice to a great song in a wonderful
			raga (Nattakuranchi). The phrase "Ma Ramuni Kripa
			Kalkuno" is very moving when MDR sings it.
			I have not heard many artists singing krithis 
			in this raga (exception: DKJ sometimes sings 
			Ekkalathilum). Default seems to be Salamela varnam.
			I heard his "Budham Ashrayami" just once and I
			found it to be so different from, say, Rajam Iyer's.

   Rama Ninne Bhajana	A somewhat obscure Thyagaraja krithi in Nattai. The
			slow pace of MDR is well suited to this raga and
			krithi.

   Sri Kantha Ennak
   Ishtu Daya MAdo
   Thanthe		I first heard an insipid version of this 
			Purandara Dasa kirthana in SriRanjani. Later I was
			amazed to hear MDR sing it in KAnada. 

   Thillana		"NiRiGaMaGaRiSa". MDR adds many twists to this piece.
			(compare with KVN's version).
			I don't know much about this one (sounded like
			Poorvi Kalyani to me).



I could go on and on. The point of contrasting MDR's style with others is
not to make a blanket statement that only his versions are great to listen to.
Indeed, there are some songs (e.g. Marivere Dikkevvaraiya Rama) that I 
prefer Madurai Mani Iyer's version to MDR's. The point is that MDR is 
different in a pleasing kind of manner. 


I would welcome any opinions/criticisms (no insults, please; they belong to
the sci newsgroup). I listen to music at an intuitive level, for the most
part. I am not qualified to comment on the analytical content of his music.
Perhaps someone else can do so. The Kanjira player, V. Nagarajan, remarked to
me once, as we were listening to MDR, that of all the prominent musicians,
MDR's music had the greatest "layam". I never really completely understood
what that meant, except that MDR gives me hours of joy.

Ravi Ramaswamy.