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M S Subbulakshmi

There is very little for me to say anything about her! And I am sure you will agree too and then ask given the abundance of recordings that are available on youtube and other places, why I should be setting up a page for her. My one and only response is the ease at which one can access and listen to her concerts without having to go from page to page, view ads or skip ads that have become even more prevalent on youtube; gone are the days where one could listen to a youtube video without break 😦

Coming to MSS, I had the opportunity to listen to her only once in Shanmukananda Hall, Mumbai in 1980 or 1981 when I was a student. After about an hour and half, the auditorium lost power, meaning no lights, but she continued to sign without missing a beat (literally); the organizers placed some lamps in the stage. The amazing thing was that the acoustics were so good that from the balcony which is like miles away from the stage we were listen to her very clearly. Plus none of the people in the audience moved out – they just stayed and continued to listen. The other thing I distinctly remember is that the tani avartanam started without the power, some of the listeners started keeping the talam; to start with I dislike the listeners keeping talam because it not only interferes with the listening experience but most times they are not good at it. That part of the concert was quite annoying and fortunately the power came back in about 40 minutes.

The concerts are in no particular order. There is one concert with M S Gopalakrishnan accompanying her; I suppose he has accompanied her many other times too but recordings don’t seem to exist. There is an LP with him accompanying her which you can find on the page ‘From Vinyl records’.

Let me start with her recordings from the 78RPM era and then move on to later concerts.

A young MSS

• Elavatara – mukhAri
• EmandunE – mukhAri
• nee sari samanamevaru – kalyANi
• ninnuvinA gati – balahamsa
• paralOka bhaya – mandhAri
• vADEra daivamu – pantuvarALi
• vidajAladura – janaranjani

• aDangAdu un mahimayai
• brindAvanattil kaNNan
• brOchevArevarurA – kamAs
• charAcharam – hamsAnandi
• E harE dayALA
• enadu uLLamE
• engum niraindAyE
• ennagAnu rAma bhajana – pantuvarALi
• giridhara gOopAla – mOhanam
• janArdhanA
• kAlai tookki – yadukula kAmbOdi
• kATrinilE varum geetam
• leelaigaL seivAnE
• mA ramaNan – hindOLam
• marainda koonDil irundu
• maravEnE ennALilumE – paras
• nanda bAlA
• nee irangAy – aTANA
• saraguNa pAlimpa – kEdAragowLa
• uDal uruga
• vanDADum sOlai – harikambOdi
• vanDinam uralum sOlai – tODi

With G N Balasubramaniam from the film Sakuntalai

• mana mOhana
• prEmayil

Old Gems

• aruL purivAy – hamsadhwani – Adi – SuddhAnanda bhArati
• mA dayai – vasanta – Adi – pApanASam Sivan
• ennagAnu rAma bhajana – pantuvarALi – roopakam – rAmadAsu
• saraguna pAlimpa – kEdAragowLa – Adi – rAmanAD SreenivAsa ayyangAr
• tavamum palitatammA – rAgamAlika – Adi – kalki
• daiva tamiL nATanile – rAgamAlika – Adi – kalki
• kara charaNa kRUtam vA (SlOkam) – Adi Sankarulu
• SambhO mahAdEva – bowLi – Adi – rAmaswAmi Sivan
• kanneDutAgilam – simhEndra madyamam – Adi – SuddhAnanda bhArati
• kulam tarum – viruttam – tirumangai ALwAr
• nArAyaNa divya nAmam – mOhana – Adi – pApanASam Sivan
• muDi onDri – rAgamAlika – Adi – periya ALwAr

V. V. Subramanian – Violin
T. K. Murthy – Mridangam
T. H. Vinayakaram – Ghatam

Music Academy 1968

• vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadwani
• saravaNa bhava – shanmukapriyA
• hari nArAyaNa – kEdaram
• O rangasAyee – kAmbhOji
• hiranmayim – lalitA
• sooryamoortE – saurAshtram
• talli ninnu nera – kalyANi
• ksheerasAgara – mAyAmALavagowLa
• sri kAmakOTi – sAvEri
• jagadeeasa – nAdanAmakriya
• sri dakshinAmoortE – sankarAbaraNam
• sabApatikku – AbhOgi
• sambO mahAdEva – bowLi
• rAma charaNa sukhadAyi
• various

M S Gopalakrishnan – violin

T K Murthy – mridangam

Rasika Ranjani Sabha – 1961

• varNam – bhairavi – aTa
• jagadAnandakAraka – nATa
• dEva dEva – mAyAmALavagowLa
• sri kAntimati – hEmavati
• sri kAmakOTi – sAvEri
• dAriNi – suddhasAvEri
• kA vA vA – varALi
• akshayalinga vibhO – sankarAbaraNam
• pAlincu kAmAkshi – madyamAvati
• nArAyaNa divya nAmam – mOhanam
• RTP – simhEndramadyamam
• various

Tiruvalngadu Sundaresa Iyer – violin
Tanjavur Ramamurthy – mridangam
Alangudi Ramachandran – ghatam

Tyagaraja Aradhana

• vidulaku – mAyAmALavagowLa
• vAchamagOcharamE – kaikavasi
• koluvai – bhairavi
• swara rAga sudhArasa – sankarAbaraNam

• bAlakanakamaya – aTANA
• sringa giri vAsini – pantuvarALi
• muripamu galikE – mukhAri
• ksheera sAgara – mAyAmALavagowLa
• sri chandrasekara yateendram – sankarAbaraNam
• kA vA vA – varALi

• angArakam – suruTi
• rAmanannu brOvara – harikAmbhOji
• sArasAksha – pantuvarALi
• saraNam saraNam – saurAshtram
• ksheeNamai – mukhAri
• gOpanandana – bhooshAvaLi
• rAvE himagiri kumAri – tODi
• gajavadanA – sri ranjani
• sarOjadalanEtri – sankarAbaraNam
• harihara putram – vasantA
• RTP – bhairavi
• various

• varNam – kalyANi – aTa
• mEusamAna – mAyAmALavagowLa
• ninnuvinA marigaladA – reetigowLa
• dAsarati – tODi
• RTP – bhairavi
• turpugazh – rAgamAlika
• rAmA ninnE nammitini – sArangA
• sankara dayAkara – harikAmbhOji – Sivan
• dEvasree tapasteerta – madyamAvati
• kaNNaniDam – nAdanAmakriyA

• varNam – kalyANi – aTa
• rAmanannu brOvarA – harikAmbhOji
• dArini – sudhasAvEri
• birAna brOvaitE – kalyANi
• sri kAmakOTi – sAvEri
• gOpanandana – bhooshAvaLi
• kA vAvA – varALi
• sarOjadaLa nEtri – sankarAbaraNam
• sri pArvati – bowLi
• manasulOni – vAramu
• RTP – karaharapriyA
• rangapurvihArA – brindAvanasAranga
• bhajarE bayya
• bhaja gOvindam – rAgamAlika
• saki prANa – senjuruTi
• mangalam

Kandadevi Alagiriswamy – Violin

T K Murthy – Mridangam

T H Vinayakaram – Ghatam

• jagadAnanda kAraka – nATa
• ennEramum undan – dEvagAndhAri
• RTP – bhairavi
• kallArkum kaTTravarkum – senjuruTi

At Carnegie Hall

• sri mahAgaNapati – gowLa
• vandEham jagadvallabham – hamsadwani
• sObillu saptaswara – jaganmOhini
• rAma rAma – simhendramadyamam
• muruga muruga – sAvEri
• nArAyaNa – suddha dhanyAsi
• O  ranga sAyee – kAmbhOji
• dEvi brOva – chintAmaNi
• ikanaina nA – pushpatilaka
• hE gOvind hE gOpAl (bhajan)
• baDE pAnDuranga (abhang)
• viruttam – rAgamAlika
• ArAr Asai paDAr – nAdanAmakriyA
• kanDu kanDu – rAgamAlika
• maitrim bhajata

Annamayya Compositions

• brahma kaDigina – mukhAri
• Adi purusha – kalyAni
• sarvOpAyamula jagatina itaDE – kalyAni
• kaladindE mATa kantuniu mATa – kAnaDA
• kanTi kanTi niluvu – rAgamAlka
• idiyE sAdhana – reetigowLa
• kannu ledu – jOg
• namO nArAyaNaya – madyamAvati
• neenAmamE mAku – madyamAvati
• rArA chinnanna a- jinjhOTi

• gaNEsa pancharatnam
• madhurAshTakam
• dasAvataram/geetagOvindam
• nAma rAmAyaNam
• hanumAn cAleesa

• sriman nArAyaNa – bowLi
• manujuDai puTTi – AbhOgi
• bhAvamulOna – suddha dhanyAsi
• kseerAbdi kanyaku – kurunji
• DOlAnchala – kamAs
• chEri yasOdaku – mohanam
• dEvadEvam bhajE – hindOLam
• nAnATi bratuku – rEvati
• venkatEswara karAvalamba stOtram
• kanakadAra stavam
• lakshmi ashTOtaram
• durgA pancharatnam
• gOvindAshtakam
• sree ranganAta gadyam
• dvAdasA stOtram
• sikshAshTakam

• varNam – tODi – Adi
• ninnuvinA nAmadendu – navarasa kannaDA
• birAna brOva idE – kalyANi
• nagumOmu – AbhEri
• brOchevArevarurA – kamAs
• janani ninnuvinA – reetigowLa
• sirai Arum – suddhasAvEri
• raguvamsa – kadana kuthoohalam
• kaligiyunTE – keeravANi
• ADum chidambaramo – behAg
• heccarikaga rArA – yadukula kAmbhOji
• vAlattil meede – mAnD
• jagadOdAraNa – kApi
• bhajOrE bhayya (bhajan)
• tillAla – jinjOTi
• manju nigar (kAvaDi chindu)

• vandE vAsudEvam – sri
• tAzh saDaiyum – simhEndramadyamam
• entamAtramuna – rAgamAlika
• tolliyunu mArAku toTTela – neelAmbari
• bhAvayAmi gOpAlabAlam – yamunA kalyANi
• naTanala bhramayapu – lalitA
• okapari kokapari – karaharapriya
• kurai onDrum illai – rAgamAlika

• sri mahAgaNapati – gowLa
• vandEham jagadvallabham – hamsadwani
• sObillu saptaswara – jaganmOhini
• rAma rAma – simhendramadyamam
• muruga muruga – sAvEri
• nArAyaNa – suddha dhanyAsi
• O  ranga sAyee – kAmbhOji
• dEvi brOva – chintAmaNi
• ikanaina nA – pushpatilaka
• hE gOvind hE gOpAl (bhajan)
• baDE pAnDuranga (abhang)
• viruttam – rAgamAlika
• ArAr Asai paDAr – nAdanAmakriyA
• kanDu kanDu – rAgamAlika
• maitrim bhajata

• nAma rAmAyaNam
• hanumAn cAleesA
• mudAkarArta mOdakam (gaNESa pancakam)
• SlOkam
• jaya jagadeeSa harE (ashTapadi)

• SambhO mahAdEva – bhoopalam – Adi – neelakanTha Sivan
• varuga varugave – mOhana – Adi – ambujam kRUshNa
• parama purusha nirupamAna – shaNmukhapriya – Adi – annamayya
• Siva pancAksharam – shaNmukhapriya – Adi – Adi Sankara
• durgA pancaratnam – shaNmukhapriya – Adi – candraSEkhara sarasvati
• guruvara deejO caraN – madhuvanti – Adi – AtmA
• kanakaSaila vihAriNi – punnAgavarALi – Adi – SyAma SAstri
• rAma simira (panjAbi) – gurunAnak
• Sreeranga gadyam – punnAgavarALi – Adi – rAmAnujAcArya
• nAnATi bratuku – rEvati – Adi – annamayya
• kurai onDrum illai – rAgamAlika – Adi – rAjAji
• nenjikku neetiyum – rAgamAlika – Adi – bhAratiyAr
• marali marali – rAgamAlika – Adi – annamayya
• maitreem bhajata – rAgamAlika – Adi – chandraSEkhara sarasvati

A mix from various recordings

• brahma kaDigina pAdamu – mukhAri – Adi – annamayya
• nArAyaNa divya nAmam – mOhana – pApanASam Sivan
• entamAtramuna – rAgamAlika – Adi – annamayya
• okapari kokapari – kharaharapriya – Adi – annamayya
• hari tumhArO- meerAbAy
• bhaja gOvindam – rAgamAlika – Adi Sankara
• kATrinilE varum geetam – kalki kRUshNamoorti
• oLi paDaitta kaNNinAyi – bhAratiyAr
• SikshAshTakam – caitanya mahAprabhu
• bhAvayAmi gOpAla bAlam – yaman kalyAN – annanmayya
• broohi mukundEti – sadA siva brahmendra

Venkateswara Pancharatnamala

• sri mahAgaNapati – gowLa
• vandEham jagadvallabham – hamsadwani
• sObillu saptaswara – jaganmOhini
• rAma rAma – simhendramadyamam
• muruga muruga – sAvEri
• nArAyaNa – suddha dhanyAsi
• O  ranga sAyee – kAmbhOji
• dEvi brOva – chintAmaNi
• ikanaina nA – pushpatilaka
• hE gOvind hE gOpAl (bhajan)
• baDE pAnDuranga (abhang)
• viruttam – rAgamAlika
• ArAr Asai paDAr – nAdanAmakriyA
• kanDu kanDu – rAgamAlika
• maitrim bhajata

• SObhillu saptaswara – jaganmOhini – roopakam – tyAgarAju
• akhilAnDESwari – dwijAvanti – Adi – deekshitar
• pAlinchu kAmAkshi – madhyamAvati – Adi – SyAma SAstri
• nAnEke baDavAnu nAnEke paradESi – behAg – jhampa – purandaradAsu
• kanakaSaila vihAriNi – punnAgavarALi – Adi – SyAma SAstri
• tillAna – dhanaSree – Adi – swAti tirunAL
• peTra tAy tunai – nAdanAmakriya – rAmalingaswAmi
• ArAr Asai paDAr – nAdanAmakriya – Adi – muttu tAnDavAr
• hE gOvinda (bhajan) – indirAdEvi

• annapoorNAshTakam – Adi Sankara
• kanakadhArA stavam – Adi Sankara
• Siva panchAkshara stOtram – Adi Sankara
• SreeranganAtha gadyam – rAmAnujAchArya
• SreevEnkaTESa karAvalamba stOtram – narasimha bhArati
• gOvindAshTakam – Adi Sankara

Meera Bhajans

• mOrE tO giridharagOpAl
• pag ghunghru
• mA haricharanan ki
• hari awan ki Awaz
• kunjan ban chADi
• basO mOrE nainOn mE
• pyArE darshan deejO
• daras binA dookhan lagE
• ChAkar rAkho ji
• haritTum harO

Concerts with Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

Here are two concerts with Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer with no accompaniments; One of these released as a CD with accompaniments mixed in; i prefer the ones with no accompaniment where one can hear the nuances in their voices without any interference of any kind.

• sri dakshinAmoortE – sankarAbarNam
• endarO mahAnu bhAvulu – sri
• rAvE himagiri – tODi
• sri lakshmi varAham – AbhOgi
• saki prANa – senjuruTi
• mAyE twamjAyE – tarangiNi
• entarA ni tana – harikAmbhOji
• yEnATi mOmu palamu – bhairavi
• ennaka manasuku – neelAmbari
• teliyaleru rAmA – dhEnuka
• evarimATa – kAmbhOji (incomplete)

Along with K S Narayanswami on the Veena

• teliyaleru rAmA – dhEnuka
• kAmAkshi – bhairavi
• dEva dEva kalayAmidhE – mAyAmALavagowLa
• sri dakshinAmoortE – sankarAbarNam
• chakkani rAjamargamu – karaharapriyA
• rAmajOgi – kamAs
• saki prANa – senjuruTi
• hiranmayim – lalita
• ennaka manasuku – neelAmbari (incomplete)

5 Responses to “M S Subbulakshmi”

1. Excellent. Please keep up your good work. Best Regards, Sam

   By Sam S Krishna on September 1, 2022 at 6:19 am

2. You have presented it so systematically all MSS songs. Very many thanks to you. Balakrishnan

   By Balakrishnan on December 24, 2023 at 10:45 am

3. The 8th set seems to be that of MLV.

   By R.Uppili on January 5, 2024 at 1:52 am

   1. You are correct. Removed it now.

      By Shankar Krish on January 5, 2024 at 11:10 am

4. Excellent service for the music lovers. God bless you!

   By siva san on September 26, 2024 at 4:39 am

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