On GNB Day (6th Jan), here's an article by Sri. G.N.Balakrishnan on his FB page :
GNB DAY: I felt that on this memorable day, I should pay my tributes to regale the rasikas , by narrating certain anecdotes relating to him, as my incompetence prevents me writing on his music . This was originally written at the request of a music magazine being being published in Karnataka, but due to constraints of space, they could publish only a portion of it
MUSICAL CAREER OF GNB- WAS IT AN UNFINISHED
AGENDA.
By G.N. Balakrishnan.
More than enough material is already available in the public domain right from 1928 till dare date, regarding the extraordinary music career of my illustrious brother Sri GNB, and it will be carrying coal to NEWCASTLE for me to add anything refreshingly new or original, either to interest or entertain the Rasikas. And yet I venture to present a few illustrative anecdotal references in his career not too well publicized, and coming as it does from one, who was virtually been his shadow for well over three decades, whenever he was in City , I anticipate at least a mute acceptance, if not a hearty welcome from his rasikas. Suffice it to say that my trespass into territories where Angels fear to tread has limitations, imposed by my ignorance of the subtler nuances of the most sacred and divine FOUR DIMENSIONAL ART, as GNB has himself described MUSIC, in one of his well known articles.
There is a tide in the affairs of men, when taken at the floods will take one on to fortune, is not just a truism of SHAKESPEARE, but exemplified by several living examples of which the life of my brother GNB is one such.
When the soil is as fertile as the Gangetic plains, well inundated and richly fortified with precious minerals, is it a wonder for the rarest saplings sprouting of their own accord and yield their prized delicacies even when they are not fully grown ? I have heard it said that at the tender age of 7, he could articulate his musical musings in delightfully refreshing patterns of a raga or Swara phrases.
Father Narayanaswamy Iyer, Head master of Hindu High School Triplicane, and one of the Founder members and Secretary for several years of the oldest Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha, little visualized in his eldest son, the rising Pole star in the musical horizon, but was instrumental in nurturing his talent, in the saturated environment in which he grew, soaked in music, day in and day out, with legends like T.S. Sabesa Uyer, Palladam Sanjeeva Rao, Karur Chinnaswamy Iyer, Budalur Krushna Murthy Sastrifal, Madurai Subramania Iyer etc etc, being either his co-tenants or neighbours
The AIRY NOTHINGS of musical notations, when aesthetically structured, pleasing to the ears and at the same time, give palatable and palpable pleasure to the intellectual appetite of the cognoscenti of music, is hailed as MANODHARMA SANGEETHAM, which is beyond the scope of rhythmic repetition of compositions, however beautiful and Invocative they are. This is not to detract the eminent place, these CREATIONS deserve, as they are the womb, to nourish the intellectual feast of MANODHARMA sangeetham. THE compositions of the Trinity and others are the soulful outpourings of the dedicated BHAKTHA to their ISHTA DEIVATHA and can verily be compared to the VEDAS themselves, and , MANODHARMA is just an extension or authentic reinterpretation of that perennial and inexhaustible source, of which GNB was hailed as one of the pioneers of this phase.
Improvisations within the structured format of the Krithi to,make the Kutcheri more appealing was resorted to around the time GNB started his career at the grave risk of disapproval of the purists, who looked down upon any type of tinkering with the ORIGINAL, forgetting the evolutionary nature of any ART to survive. One is prohibited from delving deep into both the RISHIMOOLAM and NADHIMOOLAM .
Though the musical atmosphere under which he was nourished was instrumental in his taking up MUSIC as a profession, he underwent formal training under Madurai, Sri Subramania Iyer, a direct descendant from of Saint Thyagaraja lineage and also joined the first batch of Diploma in Music introduced in the UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS, with Tiger Sri Varadchariar in the CHAIR, after finishing his B.A. (Hons) course in English literature from Christian College, Madras. My father Narayanaswamy was also one of the Faculty Members of Music, of the University and also a member in the EXPERTS COMMITTEE of MUSIC ACADEMY.
1. Dr T. V. SUBBA Rao, of Music Academy used to describe his music as SOPANA PADDATHI or step by step, spiral like delineation of ragas in three or four phases. Imbibing greatly from those whom he admired most, like ARIYAKUDI , his mentor , for his concert tradition, whom he adopted as his Manasika Guru, MAHARAJAPURAM for his vivacity, TNR , for his virtuosity and imagination , and he established a distinct style of his own, named after him as GNB BANI, which is said to be an amalgam of all these great stalwarts, as also the music of MAHA VAIDYANATHAN IYER and PUSHPAVANAM, whom my father considered as the ULTIMATE IN MUSIC.
He came into the lime light with his acting as NARADA in two films, SATHI ANUSUYA and BHAMA VIJAYAM, in each of which he has sung more than 10/12 songs. In one of these films, M.R. Krishnamurthy, the brother of MAHARAJAPURAM acted as KRISHNA. He was the most sought after musician thereafter and was greatly instrumental in enhancing the remuneration of musicians , being the highest paid musician, and with more than 20/25 concerts in a month, right from 1940 to 1953, after which, he reduced the number of concerts to not more than 15 to 20, due to his health. He also made it a point to sing in Temples, almost 3 to 5 concerts in a month through out South India, gratis, to satisfy those, not able to afford to attend Sabha concerts. In late 1930s, he acted with MS, as Dushyantha in SAKUNTHALAI. it was during 1949s, when MKT was arrested and incarcerated in a famous murder case, forcing the producers of UDAYANAN VASAVADATTA, where MKT was acting, to replace him with GNB and it is said that Vasundhara Devi, the heart throb of the Film world of those days, thought it a God sent opportunity to act with a great star from the concert platform. His career on the celluloid world concluded with his RUKMANGADA, which flopped as did the previous one. The producers agreed to remunerate him equal to the highest paid superstar MKT. It will be surprising to know that in that period, he paid the highest Incometax of Rs one lakh in one year, amongst the practising musicians.
2. I have personally been witness on several occasions, when, after finishing a concert in a Sabha or marriage, he used to rush to either CENTRAL or EGMORE Railway stations, where, the just departing trains were stopped by the guard on seeing him rushing to the platform, to catch the train. On one occasion, while he was singing in a Kumbhabhisheham Concert in our Kula Deivam Temple of Anandha Thandavapuram Koil near Mayuram , the train was stopped for more than an hour, by the Station Master, an admirer of his music, to facilitate his boarding the train after the concert.
3. His respect for his parents is worthy of emulation, especially in present context. Our father died, immediately after retirement in May, 1941, by which time GNB had already become a celebrity. He scrupulously noted his THITHI, and will not accept any engagement on that date, as it may come in the way of his performing the Sradha. In 1965, he was admitted in Trivandrum Hospital in I/Ii week of April & my fathers's THITHI fell on 28th April. When his request for temporary discharge for one day to perform THITHI was rejected by the doctors, he took special permission to be at home to hand over symbolically the Darbha to me for doing the Sradha on his behalf and got himself re-admitted in the evening. He breathed his last on 1st, May, 1965. I have never seen him leaving for a concert or for the railway station for a professional tour, without taking the blessings from our mother, till the end.
4. He used to shift houses quite frequently, whether own or rented and this led to a lively first of a series of articles in Ananda Vikatan titled IVARGAL SANTHITHAL, (IF THEY MET) , an imaginary meeting and conversation of GNB and Madurai Mani Iyer, where, MMI asks him, in which address he can see him next, Another incident, relates to his selling his big bungalow in Abhiramapuram to a serving Judge, promising to vacate it before a particular day on the next month. He could neither buy a new house or locate a suitable rented house and had to leave for North India tour and advised his eldest son Doeaiswamy and myself, to ensure shifting to a new house, before his return, leaving us hardly 3/4 days.time. Of course, we shifted as per his instructions, but the judge on hearing of this, reprimanded him saying, he could have taken another week or two, with such a big family and their belongings to be moved at such short notice. I have never seen him, not fulfilling his promise to any one.
5. When the MUSIC ACADEMY built their own premises in 1960 or 1961, they invited the PM NEHRU to declare it open and decided to fix MS to give her concert to IMPROVE GATE COLLECTION and it was objected by almost every senior musician, stung by the alleged disrespect to all the other Senior Vidwans. GNB took upon the task of convincing all the stalwarts, by candidly telling them, that based on merit, it may look like an affront, but, he argued that whether anyone amongst the senior KALANIDHIS including himself, could ensure a higher gate collection than MS. They had to concede to the proposal. On the day of the concert, after the performance, all the top ranking musicians were introduced to Nehru, except GNB, as he had quietly left unobserved for his residence. He was very severely reprimanded by his chum & closest colleague and also Secretary of MUSIC ACADEMY Sri C.V. VENKATANARASIMHAN. . He was totally averse to publicity and was never status conscious. Interestingly, subsequently, when GNB visited NEW DELHI for a Sabha Concert, it is learnt that, on the PM Nehrus's request, a private concert was held for him to listen to his music.
6. He never spared anyone talking disparagingly of other musicians, just to please his ego, especially ARIYAKYDI., Once when someone criticised ARIYAKUDI, he took great pains to imitate ARIYAKUDI and sang a brisk Raga Alapana just like his manasika guru, and informed him, that he may not be aware of the trouble he took to sing just like him to portray the pith and essence of the raga in all its richness in such a short delineation. He thus virtually acted as a bridge connecting the bold and enterprising with the traditional and puristic approach to Carnatic Music.
7. When the well known music critic NEELAM, while reviewing one of his concerts, unwarily treaded on his toes of personal life, commenting that he was generous to a fault in helping those in need, but was not worldly enough to attend to his own financial matters, GNB wrote a strong but polite personal letter, advising him to restrict and confine his criticism of his music alone, which he can take in his own stride, and had no right to intrude in his personal life. Realising his mistake, NELLAM wrote back apologizing for the intrusion, and later became very close friends.
8. SEMMANGUDI is reported to have remarked derisively, that Jasmine flowers would not be available in the Flower market, on days when GNB had a concert in a Sabha or Marriage function in Madras, as all the ladies will throng the concert hall, fully dressed and bedecked with jasmine on their head.
9. Once, in RR SABHA in Mylapore, when the Secretary informed him that more than 4 or 5 ladies, claiming to be his sisters were admitted, though the HOUSE FULL BOARD was on display, he admonished him saying, that none of the family members would dare to attend the concert without his approval. He also jocularly remarked that he was grateful, that none sought admission, pretending to be his wife. As a matter of fact, his wife attended only one of his concerts in her life time, in Rashtrapathi Bhavan , after being conferred the PRESIDENTS AWARD.
10. His catholicity of outlook was proverbial, appreciating Western and North Indian Music alike. When serving AIR as Dy Chief Producer of Carnatic Music, he demonstrated to an amazed visiting Russian Delegation the close connection between the music of the West and Carnatic Music. Pandit Ravi Shankar was one of his admirers and never missed an opportunity to call on him, whenever he visited Madras. It was due to GNB's efforts that Artistes like Roshnara Begum and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan were introduced to Madras and South Indian audience. His touching the feet of Bade Ghulam, in one of his concerts, was taken as an attempt to malign his name and create a flutter among the traditionalists, finding a CASTE BRAHMIN, touching the feet of a Muslim. But as ill luck would have it, there was overwhelming support from the public, of an artist paying tributes to a Muslim, by the fraternity of music lovers. It was quite another matter, that GNB was only reciprocating Bade Ghulam's gesture, in one of his own concerts.
11. In late 1940 or early 1950, when TAMIL ISAI SANGAM insisted on all the musicians participating in December series of concerts , to sing ONLY TAMIL SONGS, the entire fraternity of the doyens of music boycotted the Sabha, with the exception of GNB, who succeeded in his attempt to convince the Sabha authorities to sing MOSTLY Tamil songs, with a couple of songs of the TRINITY. Needless to say that the rest followed suit in the succeeding years. GNB's argument was that MUSIC is beyond language, as it only satisfies the aesthetic pleasures of the listeners and also countered his opponents, saying, that when Krithies are rendered on an instrument like Nadaswaram, Flute or Veena, can any linguistic fanatics claim that the artist was rendering a Krithi in a particular language.
12. He used to reiterate to all his disciples that they should make it a point to listen to all the stalwarts of music and imbibe what is best in each one of them. A Bani is nothing but a synthesis of the prevalent different cultures and traditions in any Art.
His exhortation to his disciples was to selectively handle APOORVA RAGAS, and not indulge only on it, as he used to say, a richly laid fare of dinner can afford to have only a couple of rare delicacies like Badam Halwa etc, as too many of this genre will have the opposite effect of creating a distaste for it.
13. A very staunch devotee of SRI VIDHYA UPASANA, into which he was initiated by no less a person than the famous THETHIYUR SUBRAMANUA SASTRIGAL, he did not think twice to resign his Asthana Vidwanship of Travancore, as it came in the way of his performing NAVA VARNA POOJA both in the morning and evening, during Dussera. His Royal Highness was immensely pleased and lauded him for his devotion to RAJARAJESWARI, when he explained the reason for his resignation. His compositions, running to about 200 Krithies in Telugu, Sanskrit and Tamil were mostly devoted to AMBAL and in the process, he composed quite a few of them in newly created ragas like SARANGATHARANGINI, SIVA SAKTHI, CHAYA RANJANI etc. etc.
14. It was customary of him to introduce two or three new songs every year to be presented exclusively at both MUSIC ACADEMY during December season and at Trivandrum Palace during Navarathri, for which he will set to tune these songs, three or four months prior to the concert and practise it rigorously with his disciples every day.
He has the unique distinction of being the first GOLD MEDALLIST in the music competition held by MUSIC. ACADEMY in the year 1928 ,when he was just 18, to be conferred the prestigious SANGEETHA KALANIDHI award 30 years later in 1958-59. He never accepted any remuneration for any of his concert there and used to donate it back to the Institution. The prestigious PRESIDENT's AWARD followed a year or two thereafter and was conferred on him by Dr Radhakrishnan, and the Hon'ble President remarked to him, it is learnt , that the AWARD.actually was for his father, and, a good friend of his, Mr Narayanaswamy iyer.
15. I have personally known several instances of marriage dates being re-fixed to suit his convenience. There are also several instances of his coming forward to sing in marriages or Sabhas at a very much reduced remuneration or even without any remuneration, if they could ill afford to pay his normal remuneration. There is yet another instance of his waiting in a railway station to board a train to Madras, when a local Zamindar rushed to the platform and earnestly requesting him to sing in his daughter's wedding the next day in a nearby place. Feeling tired, he tried to dissuade him, but the Zamindar persisted with his request. Thinking that by quoting a VERY HIGH FEE, he could make him relent and leave, he informed that if he was paid Rs 5000 for himself ( he normally charged Rs 1000 for himself in those days in mid 1940s, when the price of GOLD was around Rs 50 per sovereign) he will accept to sing. To his dismay, the Zamindar readily agreed and he had to necessarily oblige him .
16. It was rather strange that while the father was totally against Sruthi Bedha and had written an article criticizing it in the journal (he was in the experts Committee of Music Academy), GNB created a flutter in indulging in it not too infrequently in his concerts , forcing the Academy to discuss this issue threadbare under the chairmanship of Dr T.V. SUBBA Rao. After a detailed discussion, the final verdict of Dr SUBBA Rao was that, there was nothing wrong in indulging in it, as THYAGARAJA himself has made use of it, in BAGGAYANAYYA Krithi, but one has to be extremely careful in the most slippery grounds of Sruthi Bedham. Not all could successfully venture into it.
17. He was an adept in singing songs to suit a particular event or occasion and to illustrate this , can be mentioned two instances, namely 1. Just having finished a song, on seeing the Revered DAYANANDHA SARASWATHI entering the Concert Hall, he bowed his head in humility and immediately started singing the song DANDANITTEN ENRU SOLLADI SWAMIKU NAN in Thodi, with the entire assemblage going into a thunderous applause. 2. On another occasion, while in the middle of a concert, he saw a lady, leaving the concert hall, he sang NALLA SAGUNAM NOAKI CHELLADI in Shanmugapriya.
18. He was scheduled to give a concert in SriLanka in 1954, during Queen Elizabeth 's visit to the island and the passports were arranged for my brother, his disciple T.R. Balasubramaniam, Rajamanickam Pillai and Palghat Mani Iyer. Due to some political problems in the Island State, the Concert was called off.
19. He was one of the great devotees of PARAMACHARYA, who used to COMMAND him to come and sing for him for a couple of hours, whenever, GNB was near the place where the LIVING GOD was camping. Whether one can call what follows as a MIRACLE or HIS DIVINE BLESSINGS is a great puzzle for our family members. ..When PARAMACHARYA was in San Thome for a PADA PUJA, coming to know that GNB was living nearby, immediately after the POOJA, PARAMACHARYA thought it fit to bless him, by condescending to visit our house personally in San Thome, taking all us in the most blissful and unannounced ecstatic pleasure and surprise. We consider this in our family as the greatest honour, more than either the PRESIDENTS AWARD or the award of SANGEETHA KALANIDHI.
20. There is a prevalent misconception, that he
never sang Raga Karaharapriya in his concerts. To set right the record, it has to be said that he rendered KARAHARAPRIYA as the main raga (RTP) in both PERAMBUR SANGEETHA SABHA, as well as in KRISHNA GANA SABHA, in T. Nagar. . Lalgudi Jayaraman who accompanied him in both these concerts has testified to the above.
21. Almost on his death bed in mid April, 1965, he was supposed to have told his last disciple Trichur Ramachandran and a couple of his colleagues in the Music College, Trivandrum , that , after so many years as a practising musician, he was able to comprehend the real essence and import of MUSIC ONLY NOW , but was too frail to give shape to it and offer it for the benefit of his Rasikas . Perhaps, he was very well aware subconsciously that he was leaving behind him a vast LEGACY OF UNFINISHED AGENDA in Music, for his disciples and future generation of musicians to explore the vast horizon of MANODHARMA SANGEETHAM .
I thought it wise to conclude the article with a quotation from one of the Music Critics, SIVAN, in DINA MANI KADIR , where he concluded an article on GNB by observing " I should admit I did a mistake in listening to the music of GNB & TNR. After listening to them singing or playing (on nadaswaram), the music of others seem to fall on deaf years. Their passing away is a very great loss for our Carnatic Music." ## GM PR ( for publication in SAMAGHANAA)
Statistics: Posted by SrinathK — 06 Jan 2016, 12:36