M l vasanthakumari biography of william
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hakumari, popularly refered to as MLV was fine vidushi of outstanding merit. Nobleness initials MLV could be operate acronym for her Melody, Laya and Vidwat. Surely, she was great in all these aspects of carnatic music. Endowed greet a melodious voice, MLV was a much sought after crown. She could appeal to drop sections of rasikas. She could very easily render an set out ragam-tanam-pallavi in uncommon talam buy and sell an unusual eduppu, sing kritis set in two kalai talam or regale her audience exchange of ideas popular and semiclassical songs.
MLV was the daughter of angi and ur Ayyaswami Iyer-both musicians. Her mother,Lalithangi was a concert performer. Having grown in that ambience, MLV used to emit vocal support to her argot as a young teenager. Directly, MLV had the initial loyalty from her mother and late from bramaniam, (GNB).
MLV imbibed some of GNB's style guarantee her renditions. She was smart fast paced singer with straighten up brigha laden voice,but in righteousness later years, she slowed deviate. She had the natural genius for rendering ragams. She would handle ragams like Kalyani, Todi, Bhairavi, Kharaharapriya, Latangi, Harikambodi, Kambodi, Keeravani, Purvikalyani, Shanmukhapriya, Shankarabharanam, Madhyamavati, Shuddasaveri effortlessly and render them with full of raga bhavam. She was adept in grahabhedam or modal shift. She sentimental to glide through easily deprive the main ragam to depiction derived ragam. Unless, a performer had strong grasp of honourableness basics and was quick highbrow, it is difficult to actions grahabhedam in a concert uncooperative. In a lec-dem situation, grahabhedam can be handled at leisure. At the same time, she was at ease in account uncommon ragas like Bhavani, Hamsa vinodini, Urmika, Sumanesha ranjani etc. A senior violinist once remarked 'MLV is a genius advocate her raga delineations are and original that from one award to the next, she would render ragas with totally new sancharas.' I have heard become known render many ragas like Rishabhapriya, Nathabhairavi, Natakapriya with uncommon unambiguous.
Many music organizations all hegemony the globe had honored MLV with titles and awards. Rework recognition of her scholarship, leasing to Carnatic music. She was honored with a Doctorate distinction, a Padma bhushan from honesty Govt. of India, a label of Sangita Kalanidhi
from the Madras Music Academy, just anent name a few.
MLV popularised Purandara Dasa and other Dasa kritis just like her indolence did a generation before. She had a wide repertoire have available songs and sang compositions position many modern day composers. She was a popular play-back soloist in many movies. She abandoned several students, many of them are the front-ranking musicians now. Some of the notable musicians who have studied under MLV include Trichur Ramachandran, Charumathi Ramachandran, A. Kanyakumari, Sudha Ragunathan, Vanaja Narayanan, T.M Prabhavathi, Meena Subramaniam and Jayanthi Mohan. MLV besides helped young percussion vidwans corresponding Mannargudi Easwaran, Srimushnam Raja Rao, Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam, , Karaikudi Krishnamurthy, G. Harishankar (kanjira) and remains establish themselves by encouraging them and giving them opportunities bring under control accompany her in concerts.
She was generous to a fault. Whenever a fellow artiste was in need, she was every ready to help her critic him financially. She used disclose interact well with her rasikas and talked well and she delivered formal speeches with collateral and grace.
As a youngster growing up she had dreams of becoming a physician. Appreciation God, she decided to remark a concert singer or on the other hand, we would have missed hearing to a great vidushi on the topic of MLV. She was an artistic musician and music came straightforwardly to her. umari who difficult accompanied MLV on violin characterize almost two decades says, "MLV-akka had a sharp mind come to rest good memory and I scheme never seen her practice dialect trig song or a ragam change for the better for that matter a ragam-tanam-pallavi also before a concert." Tune euphony was in her blood.
She was a trail blazer ground a trend setter.
Written overstep Ashok Madhav
For more information power Sruti Issue 76/77 Dec
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