Per week in the past, musicians Sangeetha Sivakumar, N Guruprasad, B Sivaraman and I had the privilege of spending a morning with the mrdangam maestro Dr T Okay Murthy. On August 13 2024, this nice man turned 100! It’s uncommon to satisfy centenarians; and even rarer to search out them amongst musicians. For many who could not have heard his title, let me introduce him. Murthy represents one of many nice colleges of mrdangam. He has adorned levels throughout the globe and collaborated with the who’s who of Indian classical music. One musician with whom he had a continued aesthetic partnership was MS Subbalakshmi. He anticipated her each transfer, accentuating her electrical prospers together with his breath-taking wizardry and her pauses together with his silences.
Murthy’s fashion of enjoying was completely different from his luminary contemporaries. His fingering approach, delicate and misleading. At instances, what appeared like an easy sample revealed a fancy methodology when slowed down. And an easier means of enjoying the sample didn’t create the identical impact. Murthy by no means made a hullaballoo about what he performed; by no means making it overtly evident that one thing spectacular had simply occurred. All the things he performed had a lot class written over it, but he didn’t put on it on his sleeve. He would merely smile in happiness. No matter he performed was enmeshed within the melody to such an extent that it dissolved into the raga and composition. Murthy was selfless. He wouldn’t wantonly shift the main target onto himself or distract you together with his individualism. As a substitute, he would be sure that you stay glued to the singer and the violinist. Individualism is touted as a great, a needed requirement for achievement. However it additionally at instances tramples upon others. Murthy’s method was collective-individualism the place the distinctness is a collective expression.
As a younger scholar of music and even in my early years of performing, I keep in mind listening to innumerable live shows that includes TK Murthy. At the moment, although I used to be enamoured by sure points of his fashion, I used to be unable to grasp the grandeur of Murthy’s musical thoughts. It appeared too subdued, not flashy sufficient. After an extended hiatus, I shared a stage with him and, in that second, I realised that it was my immaturity and insensitivity that stopped me from emotionally experiencing Murthy’s contributions. His arithmetical calculations have been of the identical vein, grounded in his faculty of thought, with minute gildings and quantity progressions. He was additionally not one to obsess over arithmetic correctness, a present-day preoccupation. What mattered greater than “correctness” was musical class and circulate. Murthy makes us ponder over our over-emphasis on the theatrics in musical presentation. I’m not for a second suggesting that his method was sans the drama that efficiency necessitates. However by no means did he permit this to take over his thought or modus operandi. For him to retain this mental readability for almost a century, particularly when every little thing has been altering round him, solely demonstrates his self-control and perception in his path.
Murthy was uncommon in different methods. He was musically energetic at a time when many musicians most popular to not share the stage with girls. The explanations for not doing so consisted of the standard tropes utilized by all males. Proper by way of his profession, Murthy not solely shared the stage with MS Subbulakshmi, but additionally with many different girls. I’ve heard by way of the musical grapevine that the truth that he was continuously accompanying MS Subbulakshmi was even used as an excuse to say that he was unavailable for different’s live shows. None of this deterred Murthy. He went on together with his music and life, as he noticed match. Once I was writing Sebastian and Sons, a ebook about mrdangam makers, the older era of makers spoke of him with a variety of affection. My studying was that he developed relationships with mrdangam makers that went past occupational requirements. On this trendy age, when progressiveness is prized as a particular advantage, Murthy reminds us that searching for equality transcends eras. It’s only a query of the alternatives we make.
Once we went to see Murthy, he exuded pleasure. His reminiscence, intact. With small cues, he regaled us with tales of the bygone days. Identified for his inimitable humour and quaint storytelling method, he had us in splits of laughter. The respect with which he handled every of us, although we’re many years youthful, was a lesson in humility. Not as soon as did he flaunt his data, expertise or stature. There was no bitterness in his tone, no underlying sarcasm and never one unfavorable phrase about some other artiste.
Earlier than leaving his residence, Sangeetha and I made a decision to sing a tune for him. Sivaraman, who was with us, can be considered one of Murthy’s senior disciples. He introduced a mrdangam from Murthy’s cupboard and we started singing. Because the tune progressed, we witnessed the fervour of the person. Murthy was mentally accompanying us and having fun with his protégé’s each transfer. On the finish, each of them exchanged a number of rhythmic sequences, Murthy uttering the rhythmic vocables, Sivaraman following on the instrument. When the music ended, Murthy pointed to Sivaraman and requested me “Are you aware what individuals name him?” Then, with a proud smile, he stated “He is called Junior Murthy!”
I hope I will probably be as beneficiant with my scholar!
TM Krishna is a Carnatic musician and author. The views expressed are private
