A
LEGND IN CARNATIC MUSIC
Madurai S Somasundaram is one of the
most popular musicians from Tamilnadu. Madurai Somu, as he was
affectionately known, had his early training under Sesha Bhagavatar, Abhirama
Sastri and Sundaresa Bhattar. Later, he went to the great master, Chittoor
Subramanyam Pillai. He gave his first public performance in 1934 at
Tiruchendur. His music was highly appealing because of its rich emotional
content and very soon, Somu became a household name in Tamilnadu. He
popularised plenty of Tamil songs. The Annamalai University
conferred upon him an honorary doctorate during its golden jubilee
celebrations.
Madurai Somu was universally acknowledged as the greatest interpreter of Chitoor school of music. A great innovator, Somu, who became a legend in his lifetime, irked the die hard purists by taking liberties with form and style. It is undeniable , though, that his efforts injected vivacity into the entire tradition of Carnatic Music.
The music of Somu was possibly the best conceivable blend of technique and appeal. His voice was so unique in its expressiveness that it could afford anything from a mere quiver of resonance to a flood of melody. Added to this potential for infinite musical expression was a vivid imagination that reveled in a variety of stylizations and improvisations, all within a larger framework of the Carnatic tradition. He adopted his medium to render fluent raga alapanas, complex Pallavis,Tamil sprituals and soulful bhajans with an artistry all his own.
Madurai Somu was universally acknowledged as the greatest interpreter of Chitoor school of music. A great innovator, Somu, who became a legend in his lifetime, irked the die hard purists by taking liberties with form and style. It is undeniable , though, that his efforts injected vivacity into the entire tradition of Carnatic Music.
The music of Somu was possibly the best conceivable blend of technique and appeal. His voice was so unique in its expressiveness that it could afford anything from a mere quiver of resonance to a flood of melody. Added to this potential for infinite musical expression was a vivid imagination that reveled in a variety of stylizations and improvisations, all within a larger framework of the Carnatic tradition. He adopted his medium to render fluent raga alapanas, complex Pallavis,Tamil sprituals and soulful bhajans with an artistry all his own.
It is a pity that his talent is not fully recognized in
Chennai Sabhas which are fully dominated by some high caste people as they prefer Madurai
mani than Madurai Somasundarm
One Video Clip of his famous devotional song in Tamil in
Praise of Lord Muruga (Karthikeyan) is attached separately
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