Love for all the genres
GOWRI RAMNARAYAN
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An accomplished violinist, V.S.Narasimhan is an expert in Western music and has had a long association with film music.
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Photo: S. R. Raghunathan
Passion for Western classical:V. S. Narasimhan.
The boy grew up in Mysore, listening to chaste Carnatic strings. Father Srinivasa Iyengar, disciple of the esteemed Narayana Iyengar, was a staff artist on AIR, a gottuvadyam vidwan proficient in veena and violin. His collection of instruments included a cello. From an early age he trained son Narasimhan to accompany him in concerts on the violin.
When Iyengar assisted Sethur Zamindar in film production, and composed music for K. Subrahmanyam’s ‘Stri Ratna,’ the 15-year old son played in the orchestra. Later, the boy came to Madras for a studio recording. Right from the black and white ‘Lavakusa,’ countless songs established V.S.Narasimhan as part of the city’s filmdom.
Worked with the famous
“I’ve worked with Ghantasala, Pentyala Naheshwara Rao, Vijayabhaskar, Padmarajan, Suswarla Dakshinamurthy, Aswathama, M.S.Viswanathan, everyone except G. Ramanathan!” he laughs. VSN worked with Ilaiyaraja from his first ‘Annakili’ until about three years ago, including violin solos in albums (‘Nothing But Wind’ and ‘How To Name It’). He continues to play for A.R.Rahman.
Was it disheartening for a Carnatic musician to give up grandeur for glitz? “I developed a love of all the genres I came across jazz, Western classical, Hindustani, African drums, Middle-Eastern strains, Russian, Hungarian, Bulgarian folk melodies… But for films, I’d have never had exposure to such variety.” The scores could be evocative, as the violin solo he played in ‘Raja Paarvai.’ VSN also remembers assisting Ilaiyaraja in transcribing his symphony for the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, without quite realising its aural impact. “I was stunned when I heard it played.”
VSN’s passion for Western classical music began early. Often, Goan or Anglo Indian “top violinists” were called to reinforce the orchestration. He saw how the western violin was held, its fingerboard handled, its variety of tones. “I tried it and produced all kinds of unmusical sounds!” he smiles. Australian violinist Adrian L’Armand’s arrival was a godsend. From him VSN absorbed the fundamentals of practice and theory in the Western genre.
Meanwhile Fulbright scholar Edward Vanness suggested that the group of musicians including VSN, holding Sunday sessions of western music, should form the Madras Chamber Orchestra, and introduced them to French, British, American cultural centres in the city. Franz Nagel, Director, Max Mueller Bhavan, proved extraordinarily helpful. Himself a musician, he performed with them, and got them music sheets from abroad. Every foreign musician who came to Chennai held master classes, and gave recitals with the group. Leon Spierer, leader of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, appreciated the high standards maintained under conditions far from ideal.
Does VSN regret not becoming a top class Carnatic musician? “I had to support my family. Besides, film music was rich then. Not like now, when tech-smartness produces fluff. Depth is mostly gone, and with it the challenge. Why, I don’t know. Western influences are followed blindly, superficially. People’s tastes have changed too, we lean towards the West.”
As music director too VSN found he had to please directors, producers. “Finally the music suffers.” Only three out of 15 such films (‘Achamillai,’ ‘Yaar,’ ‘Pasa Malargal’) were satisfactory. Touring with Karaikkudi Mani’s Srutilaya, composing music for dance ballets (‘Shanti’ and ‘The Living Tree’), and teaching, are part of growth.
“I have a complaint against Carnatic musicians – they are uninterested in other forms of classical music. Few Indians abroad listen to Western music. I’m lucky that films opened other frontiers for me, enabled me to learn from some really great artistes.” VSN has performed abroad. He knows he is not trained enough to have worked in European orchestras, but is proud to have won praise from world famous musicians such as cellist Yoyoma and conductor Zubin Mehta.
Inspired to experiment
After the chamber music group broke up, VSN started a string quartet. Listening to western quartets also playing jazz fired VSN with the ambition to experiment with his own heritage. Ilayaraja had done it before but “mostly with his own compositions. I’m obsessed with presenting traditional pieces in organic, integrated harmonic settings.”
“Resonance” was a first step. Fusion? “I hate that word! So much raw stuff gets by under that label.”
Shortly to be released album, ‘Raga Saga,’ is a riper attempt in the same direction. This time VSN plays all four strings — two violins, a viola and cello – melding four tracks to shape the Abhogi varnam, ‘Vatapi Ganapatim’ (Hamsadhwani) or ‘Sri Mahaganapati’ (Gowla). No percussion, though the strings at times perform that function.
Reticent, soft spoken, VSN prefers to talk about facts than feelings. It is obvious that he has thought more about the happenings in his music than the events in his life. If you ask, “Do you think your efforts in performing Western music and experiments in melding two classical genres have made a difference to this city, VSN will probably say, “I don’t know. But they have made a difference to the way I play, compose and perceive my music.”
(A fortnightly spotlight on music gurus, musicologists and representatives of different schools, who have enriched Carnatic music.)
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