M D Ramanathan

In the mid eighties, I had the opportunity to visit Sri V V Sundaram when he was still living in Cleveland and get copies of some concerts; it used to be marathon session over the weekend copying from a reel player to a cassette; he was gracious to allow me to make the copies some fantastic concerts.

The first few concerts of MDR were from his collection.

With Chalakudy Narayanaswamy & Umayalpuram Sivaraman

Listening to his bhairavi swarajati in this specific concert today is as enthralling it was almost 30 years ago.

  • vAtApi gaNapathim – hamsadwani
  • mundhu vEnuka – darbAr
  • tyAgarAja gurumasraye – kEdaram
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi
  • koniyAdedusu – kOkiladwani
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – kalyANi
  • yArendru rAgavanai – yadukulakamboji
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • mangalam

Concert with T N Krishnan and U K Sivaraman

  • varNam – sree – Adi – karoor dEvudu ayyar
  • angAraka – suruTi – mutthuswAmi deekshadhar
  • nannu brova – AbOgi – Adi – tyAgarAjar
  • ninnu vinA gathi – kalyANi tyAgarAjar
  • hariyum haranum – aTANA – m d rAmanAdhan
  • maname rAmanai pAda – sindubhairavi – m d rAmanAdhan
  • tillAnA – sindubhairavi
  • mangalam

Concert 1 with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Sivaraman:

  • varNam – navarAgamAlika – Adi (starts midway)
  • tera teeyaga rAdA – gowLipantu – Adi – tyAgarAja
  • diwAkara tanujam – yadukulakamboji – Adi – muttuswAmi deekshadhar
  • sri saraswati namOstutE – Arabhi – roopakam – muttuswAmi deekshadhar
  • enta bhAgyamu – sArangA – Adi – tyAgarAja
  • paridAnamiccitE – bilahari – kanDa chApu – paTnam subramanya aiyyar
  • kalikiyuntE – keeravANi – Adi – tyAgarAja
  • vina nAshakoni – pratApavarALi – Adi – tyAgarAja
  • mOkshamu galada – sAramati – Adi – tyAgarAja
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – bEgaDA
  • slOkam – rAgamAlika
  • vElavanE – sahAnA
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • paripAlaya paripAlaya – reetigowLa – Adi – tyAgarAja
  • mangaLam

Concert 2 with M Chandrasekaran

  • nAdupai balikEru – madyamAvati – kanDa chApu – tyAgarAja
  • siva sive siva ena rAdA – pantuvarALi – Adi – tyAgarAja
  • nAjeevAdhAra – bilahari – Adi – tyAgarAja

Music Academy 1968 (Dec 12) concert with T N Krishanan, U K Sivaraman & V Nagarajan

  1.  Fabulous concert; the kannada and todi pieces are out of the world; i am yet to hear anyone else render ‘brindavanalola’ yet.
  2. We know that ‘enadaro mahanubhavulu’ does not use the ‘pa da ni pa ma’ sequence and MDR in his alapana takes care not to employ this pattern, but TNK does and while it sounds beautiful at that instant, it seems to break the mould that MDR had set up; perhaps he did not remember that MDR had avoided that pattern and played a traditional alapana.
  • varNam – nArAyaNagowLa – ata
  • mahA gaNapathim – nATa – Eka – muttuswAmi deekshadhar
  • guruleka eTuvanti – gowrimanOhari – kanDa chApu – tyAgarAjar
  • brindAvana lOlA – tOdi – tyAgarAjar
  • bhajarE bhaja mAnasa – kannaDA – tyAgarAjar
  • endarO mahAnubhAvulu – Sree – Adi – tyAgarAjar
  • lOkAvana chathurA – bEgaDA – Adi – tyAgarAjar
  • marivEre – Shanmukapriya – tyAgarAjar
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – kalyANi
  • enna kuttram seydanO – husEni – m d rAmanAdhan
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • rAma rAma rAma sita – neelAmbari – tyAgarAjar
  • tillAnA – kAnaDA
  • mangalam

Concert with T N Krishnan and U K Sivaraman

  • varNam – bhairavi – aTa
  • gajavadanA mAmpahi – hamsadwani – m d rAmanAdhan
  • mAnasa guruguha – Anandabhairavi – roopakam – mutthuswAmi deekshadhar
  • vidajAladhura – janaranjani – Adi – tyAgarAjar
  • brOvabArama bahudAri – Adi – tyAgarAjar
  • kamalAmbAm bhajarE – kalyANi – Adi – mutthuswAmi deekshadhar
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • nandagopa yasoda – kApi – m d rAmanAdhan
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • maname ramanai pada – sindubhairavi – m d rAmanAdhan

Concert with M Chandrasekaran and U K Sivaraman

  • Beautiful ‘pahiramadoota’ in shadvidamargini
  • great accompaniment by M Chandrasekaran
  • Perhaps the best slokam I have heard (starts around 1:57:00) – he explains the meaning of the slokam he is rendering (in English) too
  • varNam AbOgi
  • diwAkara tanujam – yadukulakamboji
  • pAhirAmadhoothA – shadvidamArgiNi
  • sAdhinchanE – Arabhi (a bit too slow)
  • subramanyam bhajare – hindOLam
  • dorakunA iTuvanTi – bilahari
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • hariyum haranum – aTANA
  • …dayamado ranga – kAnaDA
  • nandagopa yasOdA – kApi
  • tillAnA – pooryA

Concert with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Palakkad Mani Iyer

  • girirajasudA tanayA – bangalA
  • vidulaku mrokEda – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • enthani ne varNintunu – mukhAri
  • nee bhajana gAna – nAyaki
  • dAriNi telusukonti – suddasaveri
  • koluvamare gada – tOdi
  • kOri sevimparare – karaharapriyA
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – bEgaDA
  • paripAlaya paripAlaya – reetigowLa
  • hecharikagA rAra – yadukulakAmbOji
  • upachAramu jesevaru – bhairavi

Concert with M S Gopalakrishnan and Guruvayur Dorai at Ragasudha, Coimbatore (late 70’s)

  1. 60 second alapana of gowlipantu between them – genius’ at work
  2. swarams for ‘samaja vara gamana’ – unforgettable; my father-in-law could not get it out of his head for weeks !
  3. Interesting choice of neraval line in ‘balagopala’
  • varNam – mOhanam
  • diwAkara tanujam – yadukulakamboji
  • tera teeyagaradA – gowLipantu
  • sitapate namanasuna – kamAs
  • sAmaja vara gamanA – hindOLam
  • bAlagOpala – bhairavi (parts of the neraval is cut off)
  • slOkam rAgamalikA
  • nandagopa yasoda – kApi
  • tillAnA – sankarAbaraNam

Concert with T N Krishnan

  • varNam – kalyANi – aTa
  • sogasugA mrudanga tALamu – sreeranjani
  • nidumurtini – nATakurunji
  • rAmabakthi samrajya – suddabangala
  • tyAgarAjam bhajarE – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • O jagadamba – Anandabhairavi
  • innamum – bEgaDA
  • rAma pahi megasyama – kApi
  • tillAnA – pooryA
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • hariyum haranum – aTANA

Concert with T N Krishnan followed by part of another concert

  • varNam ReetigowLa – aTa
  • manasu garuga – hamsadwani
  • ninuvinAga mari dikkevarura – poorvikalyANi
  • pAdayugamulu – janaranjani
  • chakkani rAjamargamu – karaharapriyA (incomplete)
  • bAgAya muvvagopala (padam) – sAveri
  • jAvali – kApi
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • mangalam
  • varNam – hamsadwani
  • tera teeyagarAdhA – gowLipantu
  • sree chAmundEswari – bilahari
  • aparadamulannu – latAngi
  • rAma niyeda – karaharapriyA

Concert with Lalgudi Jayaraman (muffled recording)

  • varNam – navarAgam
  • tyAgaraja palayasumam – gowLa
  • paridAnamichide – bilahari
  • meenakshi memudam dehi – poorvikalyANi
  • sandhehamunu – rAmapriyA
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – tOdi
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • sivalOkanAdam – kApi
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • mangalam

Concert with T N Krishnan (Bangalore)

fabulous ‘hari hara putram’; love the chittaswara which must be his addition based on the approach and structure.

  • vallabha nAyakasya – bEgaDA
  • guruleka eTuvanti – gowrimanOhari
  • harihara puthram – vasanta
  • yOchana kamala lochana – darbAr
  • birAna brOva itE – kalyANi
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • nandagopa yasOda – kApi
  • tillAnA – pooryA
  • Misc pieces:
  • rAma ninne – husEni
  • neevADa ne gana – sAranga
  • rAamakatha sudha – madyamAvati

In 1992, I got acquainted with one Sri Parmeswaran living in Dubai; his father was a student of Tiger Varadachariar and naturally was a big fan of MDR. We exchanged a bunch of concerts and the concerts below are from him and you will agree that they are great concerts and i thank him for sharing these concerts.

Concert with Lalgudi Jayaraman, U K Sivaraman & V Nagarjan – Padmasri felicitation concert at Bharatiya Sabha in Mumbai (1975/76)

  1. The short talk by Pallakad Mani Iyer talks about the realities of a musician so aptly; and the way he talks about it is so frank and blunt !!
  2. The pace of the concert is slower than ususal, but a marvelous concert
  • varNam kalyANi – aTa
  • tyAgaraja gurumAsraye – kEdaram
  • ElAvatharam – mukhAri
  • danDamu bettedanura – balahamsa
  • padhavi nee – sAlagabhairavi
  • nAdOpAsanache shankara – bEgaDA
  • nAma kusuma mulachE – sree
  • nA moralikimpa vemi – dEvagAndAri
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • bAgAya muvvagOpAla (padam) – sAveri
  • vAvA murugA – kApi
  • tillAnA – poorvi
  • hecharikagA rAra – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • jO jO sri rAma – reetigowLa
  • mangaLam

Concert with M S Gopalakrishnan and T K Murthy at Music Triangle, Vile Parle, Mumbai – 1980/81

  1. I attended this concert 🙂
  2. Varugalamo – he adds an interesting twist – listen to find out the twist.
  • varNam – bhairavi – aTa
  • vAtApi gaNapathim – hamsadwani
  • mEru samAna – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • paridAnamichide – bilahari
  • mOkshamu galadhA – sAramati
  • giripai – sahAnA
  • nee bhajana gAna – nAyaki
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • kaDaikkan – bEgaDA
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • varugalAmo – mAnji

Concert with Lalgudi Jayaraman, U K Sivaraman & V Nagarjan – Mumbai

  • varNam – bhairavi – aTa
  • vAtApi gaNapathim – hamsadwani
  • rAmachandram bhavayami – vasanta
  • O jagadamba – Anandabhairavi
  • nata jana paripala – simhendramadyam
  • brOchevarevarura – kamAs
  • nagumomu ganaleni – AbEri
  • kaddanuvaariki – tOdi
  • mAnasa sancharare – sAmA
  • nava neeraja nayana (not very clear) – sAramati
  • tapamEmi – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – sAveri
  • bhAvayAmi raghu rAmam – rAgamalikA
  • varugalAmo – mAnji
  • tillAnA – sankarAbaraNam
  • mangaLam

Concert with Lalgudi Jayaraman and Palghat Mani Iyer

  • varNam – kalyANi – aTa
  • tyAgarAja gurumAsrayE – kEdAram
  • ksheeNamai thiruga – mukhAri
  • harihara puthram – vasanta
  • nenarunchinAnu – mALavi
  • nannu vidachi – reetigowLa
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – sankarAbaraNam
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • hariyum haranum – aTANA
  • sAgara sayana vibhO – bAgEswari
  • tillAnA – kAnaDA
  • sharanu sharanu sharanu sharanu sharanu (p) – cenjuruTi
  • mangaLam

Concert with T N Krishnan

  • varNam – kalyANi – aTa
  • brOchevarevare – sreeranjani
  • ninuvinA gamari dikkevarura – poorvikalyANi
  • padhavi nee – salakabhairavi
  • nA moralikimpa vemi – dEvagAndAri
  • manasu vishaya nata – nATakurunji
  • dArini telusukonti – suddasAveri
  • bhakti bichha – sankarAbaraNam
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – tOdi
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • enna kuttram seydanO – husEni

Concert with ??? (T N Krishnan or VVS)

  • varNam – sree
  • vAtApi gaNapathim – hamsadwani
  • budhamAsrayami satatam – nATakurunji
  • ksheeNamai thiruga – mukhAri
  • varanarada narayana – vijayaSree
  • parama pAvana – poorvikalyANi
  • sAmaja vara gamanA – hindOLam
  • akshayalingavibhO – sankarAbaraNam
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • kanakasabhai – suruti

Concert with M Chandrsekaran

  •  varNam – kalyANi – aTa
  • gajavadanA mAmpahi – hamsadwani
  • mAnasa guruguha – Anandabhairavi
  • yOchanA kamala lOchana – darbAr
  • manasu vishaya nata – nATakurunji
  • padhavi nee – sAlakabhairavi
  • baDalika dheerA – reetigowLa
  • slOkam rAgamalikA
  • vAvA muruga – kApi
  • maname rAmanai paDa – sindubhairavi
  • tillAnA – hindOLam

Filler from some other concert

  • nannu brova – AbOgi
  • tulasi bilva mallikaadi – kEdaragowLa
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • vagalAdi – behAg

Concert with T N Krishnan, U K Sivaraman & V Nagarjan – second half of the concert

  • RTP in kAmbhoji
  • viruttam – rAgamAlika (varALi, sAmA, bilahari, neelAmbari, rEvagupti); beautiful meaning and love the part in sAmA
  • manasA sri rAmuni – rEvagupti
  • kanaka sabhai – suraTi
  • tillAnA – kAnaDA (incomplete)

Concert with T N Krishnan and Palakkad Raghu – AIR Sangeeth Sammelan concert

  • varNam – bEgaDA
  • sri mahAganapatiravatumAm – gowLa
  • Ananda natamAduvAr – poorvikalyANi
  • sukhi evvarO – kAnaDA
  • kAmAkshi – bhairavi

Concert with T N Krishnan and T V Gopalakrishnan

All Muthuswamy Deekshadar compositions concert

  • roopamu jooci (tODi varnam) – is it really a Muthuswamy Deekshadar composition
  • Ananda naTana prakAsam – kEdaram
  • neelakantam bhajEeham – kEdaragowLa
  • kamalAmbAm bhajarE – kalyANi
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – kAmbOji
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • mAmava pattabhirAma – maNirangu
  • sree vENugOpAla – kurunji
  • tillAnA – hindOLam

Concert with V V Subramaniam, Tiruchi Sankaran and ???

  • ninne bhajana – nATTai
  • endarO mahAnubhAvulu – sri
  • nannu viDaci – reetigowLa
  • RTP – tODi

Concert with Lalgudi Jayaraman, Pallakad Mani Iyer and T H Vinayakaram (1955??)

  • scintillating ‘bhajana sEyavE’ in kEdAram; Mani Iyer’s mridangam unmatched in anticipation
  • varNam – bhairavi – aTa
  • vAtApi gaNapathim – hamsadwani
  • ninuvinA gamari dikkevarura – poorvikalyANi
  • bhajana seyave o manasa – kEdaram
  • endarO mahAnubhAvulu – sree
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – sankarAbaraNam
  • viruttam
  • kanaka sabhai – suraTi
  • tillAnA – kAnaDA

Unknown Violin

  • sri raghukula – hamsdwani
  • pAhi rAmadootA – shadvidamArgiNi
  • raghuvara – pantuvaraLi (Hindustani leaning )
  • tanayuni brOva – bhairavi
  • RTP – harikambhOji

Navaratri concert with Chalakudy Narayanaawamy (?) – Incomplete

  • paramAnanda naTana – kEdaram
  • pankajAsanan – tOdi
  • jagadeesa sadA – nATakurunji
  • bhAvayAmi raghu rAmam – rAgamalikA

Concert with M S Gopalakrishnan and ?? – short, but memorable concert

  • varNam – sree
  • ninnE bhajana – nATa
  • anyAyamu sEyakurA – kApi
  • mAyammA – ranjani – m d rAmanAdhan
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – shanmukapriya
  • filler: slokam +  sAgara sayana vibhO – bAgEswari

Two concerts in one track

with M Chandrasekaran and T K Murthy – AIR broadcast of Sangeeth Sammelan perhaps

  • sri ganapathini – saurAshtram
  • neemadi challaga-  Anandabhairavi
  • Ananda naDamAduvar – poorvikalyANi
  • pAlinchu kAmAkshi – madyamAvati
  • sarOjadaLanEtri – sankarAbaraNam

with MSG

  • vAdEara – pantuvarALi
  • sree chAmundEswari – bilahari
  • nAdupai palikEru – madyamAvati
  • nAdOpAsana – bEgaDA
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • varNam – sree
  • tyAgaraja palayasumam – gowLa
  • niravati sukadA – ravichandrikA
  • mOkshamu galadA – sAaramati
  • etAvuna nErchitivO – yadukulakamboji
  • marivEre – Anandabhairavi
  • bhajana seyave o manasa kEdaram
  • sukhi evaro – kAnaDA
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • kshEmam guru gOpalA – mOhanam
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • kanakasabhai – suruti
  • jO jO rAmA – reetigowLa

Navaratri concert with Lalgudi Jayaraman

  • varNam – nATa
  • pAhi sripathE – hamsadwani
  • smara mAnasa – darbAr
  • satatam tAvaka – karaharapriyA
  • bhArathi mAmava – tOdi
  • vihara mAnasa rAmE – kApi
  • mangalam
  • thuLasi jagajanani – sAveri
  • hariyum haranum aTANA

with Chalakudy Narayanaswamy & T V Gopalakrishnan

  • varNam – reetigowLa – aTa
  • diwAkara tanujam – yadukulakamboji
  • mangala saranE – hindOlam (m d rAmanAdhan)
  • korina varamu – rAmapriyA
  • padhavi nee – sAlagabhairavi
  • vanajAsana – sree
  • rAgam tAnam pallavi – sankarAbaraNam
  • kaNmaNiyE sollaDi – kApi
  • mangaLam
  • niravadi sukadA – ravichandrikA
  • mAmava meenAkshi – varALi

with M Chandrasekaran, Tiruchi Sankaran & K S Manjunath (ghatam)

  • varNam – kalyANi (aTa)
  • rAma neepai tanaku – kEdaram
  • angAraka – suruTi
  • sAmaja vara gamanA – hindOLam
  • lEkanA – asAvEri
  • tatva meruga taramaa – garuDadwani
  • prakkala nilapadi – karaharapriyA
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • kadaikkan – bEgaDA
  • paripAlaya paripAlaya – reetigowLa
  • rAma rAma – neelAmbari

with Lalgudi G Jayaraman and unknown mridangam & kanjira

  • sri mahAganapati – gowLa
  • sri balasubramanya – bilahari
  • syAma sundarAnga – dhanyAsi
  • pAdayugamulu – janaranjani
  • kaligiyunTE – keeravANi
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • alivENi – suruTi
  • kaNmaNiyE sollaDi – kApi
  • tillAnA – poorvi
  • mangaLam

Assorted pieces

  • sri raghukula – hamsdwani
  • brOvavamma – mAnji
  • nannu vidaci – reeetigowla
  • RTP – kalyANi

AIR Concert

  • brOvavammA – bhairavi
  • marachitivO – poorvikalyANi
  • mAnasa sanchararE – sAmA
     

with M S Gopalakrishnan & Palakkad Raghu

  • varnam – tODi – aTa
  • vignarAja – sriranjani
  • dorakuna – bilahari
  • sAmaja vara gamana – hindOLam
  • sri subramanyAya – kAmbhOji
  • kanakasaila vihAriNi – Ahiri
  • nAdabindu kalAdi namO namO – kurunji
  • tirupugazh
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • mangaLam

with T N Krishnan & Vellore Ramabhadran

  • Speech about Tiger Varadachariar
  • varnam – kalyani – aTa
  • samayamide – kAdAram – Adi
  • kshinamai tirugA – mukhAri – adi
  • etAvuna nErchitivO – yadukulakAmbOji – adi
  • janani ninnuvina – reetigowLa – misra chApu
  • RTP – bEgaDA
  • ratnAkarOptisadanam – rAgamAlika
  • tillAnA – behAg
  • mangaLam

with T N Krishnan & Tiruchi Sankaran

Annoying clicking sound all thru the recording 😦

  • ninne bhajana – nATa (incomplete)
  • nA moralanu – Arabhi
  • maragata mani varNa – varALi
  • vanajAsana – sri
  • palukavEmi – poornachandrikA
  • ninnE namminAnu – tODi
  • danDamu bettedanura – balahamsa
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA (nava rasa)
  • jO jO sri rAma – reetigowLa
  • hecharikagA rAra – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • tillAnA – ranjani (incomplete)
  • managaLam

with M Chandrasekaran & U K Sivaraman

  • varNam – AbhOgi
  • tyAgarAja gurumasraye – kEdaram
  • siva siva siva – pantuvarALi
  • nA jeevAdhArA – bilahari
  • slokam

with M Chandrasekaran & T K Murthy

  • varNam – kalyANi
  • sri mahAgaNapti – gowLa
  • ksheeNamai – mukhAri
  • appa rAma bakthi – pantuvalrALi
  • niDumurti – nATakurunji
  • nEjEsina nEramu – poorNachandrika
  • dasarate – tODi
  • mOhanamayi – yadukulakAmbhOji
  • anyAyamu sEyakurA – kApi
  • slOkam – rAgamAlikA
  • innamamum – bEgaDA
  • tillAnA – poorvi
  • mangaLam

with ???? & Palghat Mani Iyer

apologies for the annoying clicking sound all thru the recording 😦

  • varNam – kalyANi
  • sri mahAgaNapti – gowLa
  • manasu vishaya – nATakurunji
  • Ananda naTamAduvAr – poorvikalyANi
  • mundu vEnuka – darbAr
  • nee daya rAvalegAka – tODi

with M S Gopalakrishnan (repeat from the memorable but short concert earlier)

  • RTP – shanmukapriyA
  • slokam

with L Subramaniam and Vellore Ramabhadran

  • varNam – darbAr
  • bhajana sEya – kEdAram
  • evarani – dEvAmritavarshiNi
  • geetArtamu – suruti
  • baDalika deerA – reetogowLa
  • nenaruncinAnu – mALavi
  • ninnE nammiNanu – tODi
  • slOkam – rAgamalikA
  • sAgara sayana vibhO – bAgEsri
  • tillAnA – poorvi
  • mangaLam

with Lalgudi G Jayaraman, Palghat Raghu & K S Manjunath – Music Academy 1969

  • varNam – darbAr
  • gajavadana mAmpAhi – hamsdwani
  • diwAkara tanujam – yadukulakamboji
  • harihara putram – vasantA
  • jaya jaya padhmanabha – maNirangu
  • giripai – sahAnA
  • rAmanakku – hindOLam
  • RTP – kalyANi

with V Tyagarajan & T K Murthy – AIR

  • mEru samAna – mAyAmALavagowLa
  • nAdasudhArasam – Arabhi
  • meenAkshi – poorvikalyANi
  • nAdupai – madyamAvati

with T N Krishnan & U K Sivarman

  • varNam – navarAgam
  • rAma ninnE – husEni
  • neevADa nEgAna – SAranga
  • sogasugA mrudanga tALamu – sreeranjani
  • sripatE – nAgaswarAvaLi
  • rAma kathA – madyamAvati
  • sri subramanyAya – kAmbhOji

with M S Gopalakrishnan and Umayalpuram K Sivaraman

  • sree mahAgaNapatiravatumAm – GauLa
  • entani nE varnintunu – mukhAri
  • ninnuvinAga mari dikkevarunnAru – poorvikalyANi
  • niDu murtini nanugoni nemmatini sEvinchi – nATakuranji
  • endaro mahAnubhAvulu – sree
  • seetApati – kamAs
  • nannu viDachi – reetigowLa
  • RTP – tODi
  • slokam – rAgamAlika
  • mOhanamayi – yadukulakAmbhoji
  • rAamanukku mannan – hindOlam
  • varugalAmO – mAnji
  • tillAnA – kadanakuthoohalam

with T N Krishanan

Not so great recording quality

  • varNam – kalyANi – aTa
  • Ananda naTana prakAsam – kEdAram
  • rAmachandram bhAvayAmi – vasantA
  • idhi samayamurA – chAyanATTai
  • RTP – sankarAbaraNam
  • paripAlaya – reetigowLa
  • Slokam – Ragamalika
  • saTRe vilagiyirum – poorvikalyANi
  • nADi mATalAda – kApi
  • tillAnA – ranjani
  • ??? – suraTi (unable to decipher :-()
  • mangaLam

with T N Krishanan (??)

  • varNam – bhairavi – aTa
  • gajavadana mAmpAhi – hamsadwani
  • idhi samayamura – chAyAnATTai
  • sukhi evarO – kAnaDA
  • janani ninnuvinA – reetigowLa
  • slokam – rAgamalika
  • nanda gOpA – kApi
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • enna kuTram seidEnO – husEni
  • dinamum rAmanai pADa – sindhubhairavi
 
with T N Krishnan and Vellore G Ramabhadran
  • varnam – darbar – Adi
  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadvani
  • Aananda natamaaduvaar – poorvikalyani
  • palukavEmi nA daivama – poornachandrika
  • kaamaakshi Anudinamu – bhairavi
  • angArakamAsrayAmyaham – suratti
  • seetApati – kamas
  • toli janmamunu – bilahari
  • tulasi bilva – kEdaragaula – Adi
  • Slokam
  • vagalAdi bOdanaku – behag
  • tillAnA – ranjani
 
with T N Krishnan, Palghat T S Mani Iyer and Pudukkottai D Swaminatha Pillai
 
Bharatiya sabha, Mumbai 1962
 
  • varNam – bhairavi – aTa
  • gajavadana bEDuvE – hamsadvani
  • endaro mahAnubhAvulu – sree
  • koniyAde – kOkiladvani
  • evaranee – dEvAmrutavarshini
  • jalajanAbha mAmava sri nAyaka – kEdAragauLa
  • sree subrahmanyAya namastE – kAmbhoji
  • sogasugA mridangatAlamu – sri ranjani
  • RTP – tODi
  • slOkam – rAgamAlika
  • nivanTi daivamu – kApi
  • sharanu sharanu sharanu sharanu sharanu (p) – cenjuruTi
  • apakAra nindai – chakravagam
  • kOri sEvimpa rAre – karaharapriy
  • paripAlaya paripAlaya – reetigaula
  • mangalam

with  T N Krishnan and Palghat T S Mani Iyer

  • varnam – kAnadA – aTA
  • samayamidE nannubrOva – kEdAram – Rupaka – Patnam Subramania Iyer
  • vidulaku mrokkedA – mAyAmAlavagaula – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • telisi rAma chintanatO – poorNachandrika – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • O rangasAyee – kAmbhoji – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • baDalikadheera – reetigaula – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • RTP – sAvEri
  • bhAvayAmi raghurAmam – rAgamAlika – Rupaka – Svati Tirunal
  • neevanTi daivamu – kApi
  • tillAnA – behAg
 
Venue – Ragasudha?
 
  • varNam – hamsadhvani – Adi – Manambuchavadi Venkatasubbayyar
  • tera teeyagarAdA – gaulipantu – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • sree chAmundesvari – bilahari – Adi – Mysore Vasudevacharya
  • aparAdhamulanniyu – latAngi – Adi – Patnam Subramania Iyer
  • rAma nee samAnamevaru – karaharapriyA – Rupaka – Thyagaraja
  • ksheerasAgarasayana nannu – dEvagAndhAri – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • rAmachandram bhAvayAmi – vasantA – Rupaka – Muttusvami Dikshitar
  • brOvavamma – mAnji – Misra Chapu – Syama Sastri
  • rAma pahi meghashyama pahi gunadhama mam – kApi
  • tillAnA – poorya – Rupaka – Tirugokarnam Vaidyanatha Iyer
  • mangalam

with T N Krishnan and Ramanathapuram C S Murugabhoopathi

Venue – Music Academy
 
  • varNam  – AbhOgi – Adi – Patnam Subramania Iyer
  • jagadAnandakAraka – nATTai – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • entani nE varnintunu – mukhAri – Rupaka – Thyagaraja
  • palukavEmi nA daivamA – poorNachandrika – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • nAma kusumamula – sree – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • paridAnamichite – bilahari – Khanda Chapu – Patnam Subramania Iyer
  • vara nAarada nArAyana – vijayasree – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • O rangasAyee – kAmbhoji – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • RTP – tODi
  • sreekAnta enagistu – kAnadA – Misra Chapu – Purandaradasa
  • vagalADi bOdanaku – behAg – Rupaka – Tirupati Narayanasvami
  • mangalam
with Lalgudi G Jayaraman – Violin and  ??
 
  • AnandanaTanaprakAsam – kEdAram – Misra Chapu – Muttusvami Dikshitar
  • raghuvara – pantuvarali – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • ninnuvinA marigaladA – reetigaula – Rupaka – Syama Sastri
  • janani natajana pAlini – sankArAbharaNam – Misra Chapu – M D Ramanathan
  • slOkam – rAgamAlika
  • sivalOka – kApi
  • tillAnA – kApi
  • mangalam
  • viribhoni (varNam) – bhairavi – aTa – Pachchimiriyam Adiyappayya
  • manasu karuga – hamsadhvani – roopaka – Patnam Subramania Iyer
  • sukhi evaro – kAnaDA – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • niDu murtini nanugoni nemmatini sEvinchi – nATakuranji
  • giripai nelakona – sahanA – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • slOkam – rAgamAlika
  • kaDaikkann – bEgaDA – Misra Chapu – Ramasvami Sivan
  • rAmA pAhi – kApi
  • tillAnA – hamsAnandi
  • mangalam
with T N Krishnan and Pazhani M Subramania Pillai
 
  • vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadhvani – Adi – Muttusvami Dikshitar
  • telisi rAma chintanatO – poorNachandrika – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • sAdinchane O manasA – Arabhi – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • EtAvunarA – kalyANi – Adi – Thyagaraja
  • ninnuvinaaga mari dikkevarunnAru – poorvikalyANi – Misra Chapu – Syama Sastri
  • O jagadamba – Anandabhairavi – Adi – Syama Sastri
  • RTP – Saveri
  • yArenDru rAghavanai – yadukulakambhoji – Adi – Arunachala Kavirayar
  • slOkam – rAgamAlika
  • sri gaNanAtam – eesamanOhari
  • tyAgarAja pAlayAsumAm – gowLa
  • mAnasa guruguha – Anandhabhairavi
  • kamalAmbAm bhajarE – kalyANi

An unusual and unique video profiling M D Ramanathan.

Following is the video of his concert at Kalakshetra with T N Krishnan and Umayalpuram K Sivaraman (date unknown); quality is not that great.

47 thoughts on “M D Ramanathan

  1. Thank you very much for the collections sir .MDR is the Genius and I had the opportunity to hear him at RamSamaj West Mambalam.on few occassions. Thanks once again for the same.

  2. Enjoying MDR concerts one by one.The third concert with LGJ has the following items as starters! The concert also has kanjira as upa pakka vadyam.
    Varna Navaragamalike
    Diwakara Thanujam – A mind blowing Chitta Swara in Yadukula Kambodhi
    Arabhi – Sri Saraswathi….A slow paced presentation……the other items will be added….Full applause for this presentation….
    entha bhagyamu – saranga

  3. When a slokaragamalika is rendered in Tamil, it is called ‘viruttam.’ Palghat Raghu is proving here — once again — that he is one of the all-time great mridangam artistes. Just as his guru, the great Paghat Mani Iyer, told him ‘come, see, listen and learn, it’s that simple’; he did precisely that, the next thing we know he , this BSc(Mathematics) graduate of Palghat’s Victoria College which also produced a BSc(Physics) student named MDRamanthan, rose to the top row in his chosen profession. AIR ‘sangitha sammelan’ did lot of yeoman service in propagating our great music. I always enjoyed the AIR announcements no matter which language they came in. Once in a while they came with English too following a Hindi pronouncement if they were broadcast from Delhi. This Gowla song with that delightful mishrachapu is one of the best, if not the very best(I have his another version with an elaborate alapana with Sri TVG, I think, to his right.) Any way, this is equally pleasing. That gap filling is in progress now. What a joy! MDR wisely adapted the Tavil gap-filling joy to his own recitals and made it part and parcel of his kutcheri paddhatis. Good for him. That was his way of paying tribute to the BEST percussion in the whole wide universe of ours. Thank Saraswati Devi for giving us MDR. Narayanakurup Kanthikumar/Post Falls/Idaho/USA/ Jan 12, 2016/220pm on a cold winter afternoon

  4. What a collection… Just listening to the Short concert with MSG. What a nattai and Kapi. Could not go beyond that. Great! Thanks a ton

  5. I am a great admirer of MDR and his music. I have attended most of his concerts held in Bangalore during the period 1966-67 to 1981-82. However as student i did not have where with all to record any of the concerts. Since the sad demise of MDR I had to be satisfied with what little was available on CDs. Thank You very much putting back in touch with the wonderful music of MDR. Have listening to the concerts one by one and enjoying them immensely. Once again thank you for making this available to all of us.
    m k sridhar

  6. Shankar, This is an awesome site – I seem on one of these pages most of the time. Thx for the music and your annotations

  7. What a great collection. Shankar Krish, you have done a fantastic service to Carnatic music, beyond anyone’s imagination. Is it possible to download this?If so how?I will be obliged for an answer.

  8. Pingback: M.D.RAMANATHAN.WEBSITE | sathvishayam

  9. Recently I came across this Blog. In one of MDR oncerts there is a remark

    This concert is available in full in my Archives. =

    • I am regret thr inadvertance. Here is the particular listing from my Data Bank

      CONCERT: MD025 M.D.RAMANATHAN
      Violin LALGUDI G.JAYARAMAN
      Mrudangam PALGHAT MANI IYER
      Ghatam T.H.VINAYAKRAM
      Date 01-01-1955

      Krithi Ragam Thalam Composer Remarks
      1 VIRIBONI – (V) BHAIRAVI (20-J) ATA PACHIMIRIYAM ADIAPPIAH
      2 VATHAPI GANAPATHIM HAMSADWANI (29-J) ADI DIKSHITAR
      3 NINNU VINAGA MARI POORVIKALYANI (53-J) CHAPU SHYAMA SASTRY
      4 BHAJANA SEYAVE O MANASA KEDARAM (29-J) RUPAKAM AANAI AYYA
      5 ENDARO SREE (22-J) ADI THYAGARAJAR
      6 MOKSHAMU GALADA SARAMATI (20-J) ADI – 2 KALAI THYAGARAJAR
      7 R.T.P. SANKARABARANAM (29) TISRA TRIPUTA
      8 T H A N I AVARTHANAM
      9 SLOKAM RAGAMALIKA
      10 KANAKA SABHAI SURATI (28-J) JAMPA GOPALAKRISHNA BHARATHI
      11 THILLANA KAANADA (22-J) ADI
      12 M A N G A L A M

      • Thanks for the info.
        Someone else referred me to a youtube link with the recording of this concert – that seems to have some speed issues though.
        If you happen to have a recording of this concert, I would appreciate if you can share it.

  10. tbh, I was misguided in my under teen days about MDR being slow and boring and did not pay attention until one of my sister’s classmates in music school (Mythili by name, iirc) turned out to be raving about MDR. (Same story with listening to Hindustani music!) But once I started MDR’s unique delivery style (never saw him live) I had become a fan of his. A much bigger MDR fan than me is my nephew (Karthik Krishnan) who introduced to me to this treasure house of a blog!

    MDR is not for everyone (just like SKR) nor can one listen to his entire recorded concert at one sitting. It is slow food, taken in small quantities. Of course, it is just me.

    • Agree, listening to MDR is an acquired taste that takes several years too !
      I go to hear him in person early in life with MSG on the violin (MSG happens to be my favorite from very early on) and that got me into appreciating the style and approach of MDR; sadly I did not get to hear him in person except the one single time in Mumbai in 1981.

      • This is the same concert that was released as a twin cassette pack by GIRI Trading Agency (Gitaa cassettes) in Chennai in the 90s. My music teacher gifted me this one seeing my MDR craze! To be honest, the quality of recording on sangeethapriya is better than the one in the cassette. I had wandered and collected over 45 live recording cassettes of MDR in the 90s from his fanatic fans but now I see that most of them are available here on Sri. Shankar Krish’s page and on youtube! 🙂 Words are inadequate to express my gratitude for that kind act of sharing !

  11. Hi Shankar
    Can you share the audio files after the assorted pieces seems to be error in playing thanks
    srikanth

  12. Came across this treasure of MDR concerts today. I have been an ardent fan of MDR, my most favourite Carnatic singer. I still remember his divine Navaratri mandapam concerts which I used to attend at close quarters. Thrilled to get this goldmine of his concerts at one lot. Many many pranams to you, sir.

  13. Dear Shankar Krish,

    On MDR’s birth date (20th May), it’s my pleasure to announce the release of a new website dedicated to the maestro:

    https://musicofmdr.com/

    This site is a humble attempt to list out some of MDR’s specialities with links to audio files which illustrate the point under discussion. I hope you will like it 🙂

    Many audios linked in the above site have been taken from this blog post. So, a BIG “Thanks” for sharing this valuable treasure.

    If you like the contents of the site and find it worth sharing, do spread the word.

    #musicofmdr

    • Glad to know about your website. I look at a couple of pages and they are very enlightening. Will continue to read all the posts you have.
      I am glad you were able to use the recordings from my site in the way it meets your needs and that is exactly my hope.

      Shankar

  14. Pingback: M.D. Ramanathan: A Musician's Musician - G Sreekumar

  15. Kodi kodi pranamam, Shri Shankar Kish. Actually I lack words to appreciate you to the extent you deserve. The true and great musician, the great MDR has been all time legend and live in the hearts of the real music rasikas. Needless to mention, yours is a rare and great contribution for the benefit of the posterity.

  16. Gem of compositions and superfine rendtions by our great Guru’s Guru(Musicians Musician).Thanks for these uploadings.

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