An eminent musicologist
C. S. Iyer
"IF NOBEL Laureate Sir C. V. Raman is a 1,000-watt light put on the top of a hill, his brother C. S. Iyer is a 1,000-watt light put inside a house" — said Queen Elizabeth after a violin concert by C. S. Iyer in the early Fifties. He was 70 then. It is worthwhile to remember this eminent musicologist whose 119th birth anniversary was celebrated last month.
Iyer was the elder brother of C. V. Raman, and father of Nobel laureate Dr. S. Chandrasekhar. All Iyer's descendants up to the fifth generation now are keeping the 1,000-watt glory alive by doing pioneering work in various fields of science. Dr. Shantha, founder director of the Cancer Institute in Chennai is his grand daughter.
Iyer was the founder member of the Madras Music Academy whose annual music festival in Chennai in winter draws audience from across the globe.
Iyer was an amateur whose interest in music was an avocation while his career was in another (he was an ICS officer), a tragedy that strikes many a prodigy on this earth. Iyer was a controversial figure in the world of music. He would intervene frequently challenging others' statements and offer his views and comments while taking part in the deliberations of the experts committee of the Music Academy.
Iyer belonged to a time when, at the Music Academy especially, those concerned with the state and fate of music did not keep away from controversy and were willing to take stands. He gave lecture-demonstrations at the Academy, and also the Carnatic Music College (now the Tamil Nadu Government Music College) in Madras and the Music Department of Madras, Bombay, Delhi and Calcutta universities. He also gave lectures in Lucknow and Lahore, then part of British India, and also in London.
Iyer's interest in the science and grammar of music prompted him to conduct scientific experiments with regard to tonal values of Carnatic music and to write books as well. Iyer's book, "Grammar and Syntax of South Indian Music," published in 1919 is a prescribed textbook the world over. It contains the fruits of his detailed research on the origin and interpretation of the 22 srutis, which is equivalent to the Do Ray Me of western music.
Prof. P. Sambamoorthy, music historian, called this book `a valuable piece of work' while A. I. Fox Strangeway, redoubtable music scholar of the West, was of the view that the study `refutes some of the nonsense and elucidates some of the sense that has been talked about quartertones in India and elsewhere.' Iyer also wrote three other books, "Art and Technique of Violin Play," "Acoustics" and "Kritis of Thyagaraja" (in two volumes).
Iyer had been ardently practising Carnatic Music on the violin with a spirit of persistent enquiry literally till his death on February Six, 1960. On the final evening, the Shyama Sastry Day, Iyer attended music concert at the Thygagaraja Vidwat Sabha in Mylapore (in Madras) and while returning home in hand-drawn rickshaw, died a massive heart attack. In memory of C. S. Iyer his family donated Rs.5000 for the annual celebrations of the Music Trinity — Shyama Sastry, Thyagaraja and Muthuswamy Dikshitar.
Iyer passed on his love for music to his sons and daughters, and all ten of them, including Nobel Laureate S. Chandrasekhar, learned music. But only one of them entered the music arena.
She is Vidhya Shankar, now 84, veena player and a member of the experts committee of the Madras Music Academy. Even now she gives concerts and teaches veena.
The following are a few that belong to Iyer's illustrious family tree:
Sir C. V. Raman, Nobel Laureate, was Iyer's younger brother.
Dr. S. Chandrasekhar, FRS, Nobel Laureate, was Iyer's son.
Dr. C. Ramaswamy, Iyer's younger brother, was Director General of Observatories.
Dr. Shantha, Iyer's grand daughter, is founder director of Cancer Institute, Chennai.
Dr. S. Ramaseshan, former Director of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, was Iyer's sister's son.
Dr. S. Chandrasekhar, FRS, founder director of Liquid Crystal Research Centre, Bangalore, was Iyer's sister's son.
Prof. V. Radhakrishnan, eminent radio astronomer, is C. V. Raman's son.
Prof. R. C. Sekhar, Professor Emeritus, Pai Institute of Management, Manipal, is Iyer's brother's son.
Dr. S. Ramnath, space scientist, with whom Dr. Abdul Kalam had worked in Tumbha, was Iyer's son.
N. MALLIKESWARAN
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