G.N.Balasubramaniam

His ragam statements had clarity of expression. There were no ugly syllables .His statements were also deliberate and applied and never unduly long. Even his bursts of speed were short and sharp. You wouldn’t get an unstructured torrent of molten passion from him. It was therefore possible for a listener to comprehend and assimilate his music conceptually. Reproduction in imitation form is not important or desirable and I believe he did not encourage it either.

Gamakams

His Gamakams especially in the middle tempo had a wholesome rotundity - what they called a ravai shaareeram in Tamil. He never overworked the oscillating Gamakams. Not more than one or at best two oscillations. The violin would take care of the rest of the oscillations. While traversing between two points in a scale he would do it with the minimum Gamakams inflexion. He also used flat notes frequently but these were sung with strength and firmness – one never got the feeling that it was less than Carnatic. He must have believed in the preciousness of the Gamakams and used it optimally so that he got the best mileage out of it.

Jharus


This is where he was in an altogether different zone. He would produce the cascading Jharu coming down from the upper octave and going down to the lower octave or he would do a looped Jharu in the middle tempo with different combinations of stress notes. The effect was simply breathtaking. He would do this with symmetrical / asymmetrical plain scales, and Vakra scales with consummate ease.

Brikha

As I said about his voice, the Brikha was his USP – which probably gave him a distinct competitive edge. While his Brikha sallies across the scale held the listener in thrall what delighted more were the subtle Brikha - laden nuances, which he wove into his raga delineations. Even commonplace time- worn statements would sparkle afresh in his hands because of its Brikha orientation. Having said this I must also state that the Brikha, not being a note -defined and controlled statement – more an exceptional voice faculty – has many a time proved his undoing when it didn’t work. But he could never resist it. It brought him a lot of runs, didn't it!

Note orientation

While environment would have imbued in him the essential flavour of Carnatic Music, his style was very note-oriented especially when in an expansive mood in the Pallavi raga alapana and he was a bold experimenter. He would come up with sharp note combinations, which were very attractive and original especially across octaves. He had a penchant for varjams and used them very effectively.

His Dha Ga Ri Sa in Thodi coming down from the madya sthayi Dha with all its variations was a thing of beauty. He would also employ catchy phrases where they were not conventionally in vogue. He was prepared to set convention. His one -off panchama varjam on the ascent in Kambojhi at the end of the alapana is a case in point. He would dwell at length on notes, which a "purist " would for example the flat Ni in Thodi or the flat Ga also in Thodi, which produced a Sindhu Bhairavi effect. He would negotiate an elaborate spell in Kambojhi around Ni in the madya Sthayi gingerly poised below the Thara Sthayi Sa.

While he was note-conscious he didn't have a fetish about note precision or note - based grammar and would give convention its overriding place where it was established. I have heard purists arguing over how popular usage in the treatment of the two Dha's in Bhairavi was grammatically incorrect. GNB's handling of Bhairavi seemed to suggest that he respected popular usage once it got into the fabric of the ragam over time. Even Shyama Shastri’s Amba Kamakshi as sung today by masters whose credentials were beyond discussion would testify to this .He would for example invariably employ a " truncated " Kaakali Ni (read Kaisiki Ni) in one of his favorite finishing sangathis in Panthuvarali - his most often sung ragam.

Ragams handled as alapanas

Alapana was a distinct strength area and he had a penchant for creating ragam melody out of any given scale. He is known to have authored quite a few ragams as alapanas. His repertoire was vas

Melakartas

He was most at home with Panthuvarali, Kalyani, Thodi and Shanmukhapriya. Shankarabharanam to a lesser extent .His Chakravaakam was very impressive. He has sung cameo alapanas in Rishabhapriya, Sarasangi and Harikambojhi. There is also an ‘unfinished ‘ Simhendramadhyamam on tape - part of an RTP. Not on tape are some Melakartas which he is said to have excelled in - Shubha Panthuvarali, Dhenuka, Natabhairavi, Keeravani, Charukesi. Karaharapriya I am told he hardly touched. I don’t know how a performer of his standing got away with this. I can understand him saying No to Rasikapriya, but surely to one of the Ghana ragam majors. I will be only too pleased if somebody would disprove this with a tape where he has majored in this ragam I have only heard a Virutham. Besides these I don’t know if he cared much for Latangi Vachaspathi Ramapriya, Hemavathi etc., among the old Vadi Melakartas. It didn’t seem that he was much into Vivadi Melakartas. I believe he has sung Jyothiswaroopini.

Symmetrical plain scales


He was fond of Hindolam, Shuddha Saaveri, Aboghi, Madhyamavati, Amritavarshini, Hamsaanandi, and Malayamaarutham. Mohanam - yes - but not often enough for such a popular scale and I wont say he particularly excelled in it. He was also known to have popularised a few like Vijayanaagari, Vivardhani Vandhanadharini, and Saarangatarangini either through major composers’ works or his own compositions- these are not on tape. I haven’t heard Valachi, Shuddha Dhanyasi or Sriranjani amongst the better known plain scales. I know he has sung them. There is short and bright Hamsadhvani, which I like - this ragam is not often sung in alapana form.

Asymmetrical plain scales

His favorites were Saaveri, Bilahari, Dhanyasi, Ranjani, Poorvi Kalyani, Andolika (this one almost belonged to him), Kedaragowlai, Kaapi Narayani, Kiranaavali, Arabhi. And of course the peerless Bhairavi and Kambojhi. He sang a good Narayani I am told. I don’t think he took the popular Abheri very seriously - it is not on tape.

Vakra scales

He has handled most of them. Natakurinji, Devamanohari Sahana, Malavi, Senchu Kambojhi, Yadukula Kambojhi, Surati, Kanada Nayaki, Aananda Bhairavi, Reetigowlai (I thought he had no peers in this ragam), Ahiri, Asaveri, Begada, Atana, Poornachandrika, Kannada, Devagaandhaari, Saaranga, Hamir Kalyani, Sindhu Bhairavi, Paadi, Behaag, Of these his Malavi is much talked about. His Yadukula Kambojhi and Nayaki were perfect in their precision. Durbar is missing.

I haven’t heard the popular madhyamashruthi Ragams – Punnaagavarali, Naadanaamakriya, and Chenchurutti excepting Misra Yaman (Radha Sametha). GNB’s admiration for Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan is legendary in Carnatic circles. The Hindustani ragam Gaavathi that GNB incorporated into his repertoire was I believe inspired by Bade Ghulam. He even went on to compose a Varnam in Gaavathi. Very original, considering that most Hindustani ragams are adapted to Carnatic Music through the medium Thillanas.

Varnams

He was quite regular with varnams but seemed content with the three elementary ones in Aboghi , Mohanam and Begada , and the popular Kanada - Ata Thala and Navaragamalika Varnam starting with Kedaram.

Kirthanams

I did a rough number recall of his repertoire as heard on tape. Kirthanams include numbers, which were sung as thukkadas in the post - pallavi phase

Thodi - 7, Kalyaani-8, Kambojhi - 3, Bhairavi - 3, Shankarabharanam - 4, Panthuvarali - 6, Poorvi Kalyani - 5, Harikambojhi -3, Bilahari - 3, Saaveri - 2, Madhyamavati - 4, Hindolam -3, Aananda Bhairavi - 4 , Reetigowlai - 3 , Andolika -2, Yadukula Kambojhi -3 ( includes one of his own ) , Begada -3 , Kanada - 2, Khamas - 3 ,Kiranaavali -1 ,Hamsadhvani -2 , Bhairavam -2 , Arabhi - 2 ( includes Saadinchane), Paras -2, Shurutti-2

Shuddha Saaveri, Sahana, Malavi, Senchu Kambojhi, Mohanam, Manirangu, Atana, Malayamaarutham, Amritavarshini, Aboghi, Nattai, Gowlai, Shuddha Dhanyasi, Jayamanohari, Kaapi, Kaapi Narayani, Kannada, Mukhari, Dhenuka, Durbar, Veera Vasantham, Vasantha, Sindhu Bhairavi, Jayanthashri, Shuddha Seemandini, Shuddha Bangala, Ravichandrika, Poornachandrika – 1.

I must qualify here. The available tapes were mostly recorded I would imagine between say 1955 and 1965 and do not cover his full concert career. I am aware from people who have heard him through the 40s and from some hard material that his repertoire was much larger than the 100 or so that I have been able to recall. He seems to have discarded a few down the years. His Ethaavunara in Kalyani and Thathvameruga in Garudadhvani for example were quite famous and sought after though there is no recording available. One possible reason I suspect for this not very vast repertoire - apart from limited available recordings - could have been his divine involvement with composing during this period - 55 to 65 - which may have left him with little time and perhaps inclination to devote to further increasing his repertoire of other composers’ works. He did not as we all know sing his own compositions - about 250 of them - in concerts except for the beautiful Paramakripa in Yadukula Kambojhi. Even so, while he did have a reasonable repertoire for a concert professional it didn’t seem that he was an avid collector or accumulator of kirthanams.

His paatantharams were very sleek and precise and easily lent themselves to assimilation by an informed listener. He chose and moulded paatantharams to suit his brisk voice and style and did it with flair and restraint. Marugelara in Jayanthashri - one of the most all time popular songs of Tyagaraja - was, I would like to think, a GNB contribution. Ethaavuna in Yadukula Kambojhi - a kirthanam was sung with chiseled perfection at a slightly brisk pace .One could go on. He also embellished a few kirthanams with chittaswarams - Swaminaatha, Vararaagalaya, Shobillu, Eevasudha, Nennarunchinaanu, and Sudhaamayi, Rama Ninne (Saaranga). I am not sure on the origin of these chittaswarams. Talking of chittaswarams there is a shocking thing that he has done. He has completely edited out the beautiful chittaswarams and its matching lyrics from Shyama Shastri’s Paalinchu Kamakshi in Madhyamavati. I wonder just why he did this and on what authority.

Thanams

His Thanams were crisp and rendered with a clean diction. Some of the bols that he used had a very catchy rhythmic gait with a sparkling Brikha streak built into it. He hardly ever went into the top octave when doing a Thanam. I would call this a shortcoming.

Pallavis

He chose all the major ragams for the RTP suite - Thodi, Kambojhi, Kalyani, Bhairavi, Shanmukhapriya, and Simhendramadhyamam. Shankarabharanam is not on tape. He also handled ragams like Devamanohari, Sahana, Natakurinji, Aananda Bhairavi, and Ritigowlai for elaborate alapana treatment befitting an RTP.

The Pallavis themselves were generally not complex or out of the ordinary. He did many pallavis in Adi and Misra chapu. He did not do the variation in three speeds - anulomam I think its called .I would have thought this was a must for Pallavis. Today’s singers respect this as a prerequisite for pallavis.

Kalpanaaswarams

His Kalpanaaswarams were sharp and very imaginative. The swaram sequences were however never very expansive and lengthy. His swarams in a two-kalai adi kirthanam for example would mostly be restricted to one avarthanam at a time, would occasionally go into two and very rarely into three. Kuraippus and Kanakkus/ Korvais he hardly did. He probably felt that Kanakku was the domain of the mridangist. He was one of the early practitioners of the concept of poruthams in Kalpanaaswarams i.e., variations in the approach or end note coinciding with the sahityam eduppu note. He usually did this in the first tempo. Conventionally all Kalpanaaswarams generally have the same end note. Poruthams as the word suggests incorporate appropriate variations in the endnote logically flowing into the eduppu note. This concept has in modern times been developed into a highly sophisticated science by super brains like Balamurali Krishna, Lalgudi, T R Subrahmanyam (TRS) and TN Seshagopalan whose Kalpanaaswarams blend intricate kanakku patterns with poruthams.

Shruthi Bedham


GNB's name is inextricably and controversially linked with this subject as the man who started it all on the concert stage. We are all aware of the concept. I have really not heard him do any full scale-shifts in any of his alapanas available on tape. Only the occasional shift within a limited note range in Thodi Shanmukhapriya and Sindhu Bhairavi. Doing a Shruthi Bedham or a Swara Bedham is not easy and requires technical skill - I would like to use the word vidhwath - just as you require vidhwath in handling anulomam, nadai shifts etc. when executing a Pallavi. So why the cynicism and objection to this concept

as a concert feature as long as it is done by exception . The modern masters, aforementioned will surely agree. They have all handled Shruthi Bedhams - I am not sure of TRS - on stage with telling effect. GNB's disciple - the legendary MLV - was an instinctive exponent of this technique

Bhaavam

There is a large consensus of opinion that GNB's music was short on bhaavam or emotional appeal. Now this is something very relative and not easily defined. The strength and brilliance of his voice and the flair

With which he sang imparted its own emotional appeal, maybe at a slightly more cerebral level. I would for example rate his Saaveri, a relatively somber ragam, as superlative sung the way he did. True, if you wanted to experience an emotional catharsis or unison with God through music he was perhaps not the right choice. I will concede that his music had to be heard sitting up, not leaning back with eyes closed. I have an explanation for this. While he was himself aesthetically very sensitive and responsive to bhaavam-laden music, his voice, facile and fast paced as it as it was, probably took longer than most others to settle down and mature with time.

Conclusion

GNB's name will figure in anybody’s short list of all time greats. He was perhaps the first of Carnatic Music’s intellects -and a bit flawed at that like all great intellects. At an emotional level I will say he still had a good twenty years of music left in him to evolve and experience, notwithstanding his phenomenal success and reputation as a performing artist. In terms of music his heart had perhaps only just begun to rule his head. Alas the body was weak. His music will remain modern in any generation.

---

Era of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Shri. G. N. Balasubramaniam (1910-1965).

A musical prodigy was born with all the blessings of God in an environment and facility for a musical prodigy to grow up under his father Shri. G. V. Narayanaswamy Iyer, who was a teacher in Hindu High School, a keen student of music with an almost professional thoroughness. The other inmates of the house being Shri. Guruswamy Bhagavather, a favored disciple of Shri. Patnam Subramania Iyer, Shri. Madurai Subramania Iyer, a good violinist who had completed his studentship with Karur Shri. Chinnaswamy Iyer (one of the four great violinists of the day) and frequent visits of many musicians who came to see Mr. G. V. Narayanaswamy Iyer, who was then the secretary of Sri. Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha. (This house in Sivaraman street in Triplicane was the meeting place of established vidwans, who were in Madras or came to Madras). One of the earliest prestigious music sabhas Sri. Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha had the distinction of being run by some of the real music lovers, scholars, pandits, vidwans, patrons and rising artists. Monthly concerts were arranged in the 1st floor of a building, where Shri. G. N. Balasubramaniam had every opportunity of hearing good music.

 The gift of voice is an asset to any musician and should be grateful for, but then there is a practical problem involved, which a moment’s calm analysis will show. In such a voice running at so fast a speed the effects of Brighas, twists and turns, come in quick succession that most of the audience, the lay audiences fail to appreciate and feel restless. Those with a musical ear, sure knows some of the nuances but this is loss to the lay audience, of course, and also a loss to the musician that his great achievements pass unnoticed. This was what I had to impress on Mani (G. N. Balasubramaniam) in those days. The cascade of notes were so overwhelming that our intimate friends failed to grasp the subtleties as confessed by them. In this attempt, another close friend and well-wisher was a trained mridangam expert Sri. K. Rajamani, B. A. B. L. (one year my junior in Presidency College, Madras) trained by Sri. Krishna Pillai of Pudukkottai, another disciple of Manmudia Pillai. The residence at No. 73, Big Street, Triplicane, Madras was where we three met. Mani got to practice to the accompaniment of mridangam. This helped him a lot and taught him many useful bits about mridangam technique which he could make use of in his concert. Some of the earlier appearances of Mani were with Rajamani on mridangam. Very many of the earlier performances of the few early years were at some friends’ house parties, college functions etc.

 A performance was arranged by one of his admirers a well-wisher in Theosophical Society, Adyar under the world famous Banyan Tree (which has been there for centuries and ever green) Srimathi Rukmani Devi Arundale was the patroness of the occasion. Her appreciation and applause were noticed by the press representatives present on the occasion and they gave a glowing report of the concert in the next day dailies and that meant Mr. G. N. Balasubramaniam ( still my Mani) had arrived and the road to name, fame and fortune were open to him. Tributes paid to G. N. B. by the press did start the period when he received invitation from many of the music sabhas in Madras and some important mofussil towns where they had established Music Sabhas. Nothing succeeds like success and within a few years, he was among the most sought after male vocal musicians. His style of Raga elaboration, rendering of standard kritis in the classic traditions and apt swaraprasthana endeared him to the average music hall audience as well as to the knowledgeable musically trained critical audience of this time.

 He had restricted the speed, ideally suited to his voice at the same time easily followed by the audience. He had gained by attending the vocal recitals of the all time great Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar the Kalpana Sangeetham of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer and achieved a synthesis of the two models, most attractive and technically perfect. No wonder, he was at the top of the profession and he had gathered around him a large number of admirers, and ardent audience. His fan mail grew fast. This was not an unalloyed good. The inevitable frequency of kutcheries, the frequent travel by air, and surface route, the irregular hours of food and rest began to tell on his health. When remonstrated with his undertaking 18 engagements a month often in places distant from each other, he had only one thing to say - I must meet my needs. They are great - my family is big, frequent marriages do and cost quite a bit and I cannot spoon pick and choose and not undertake so many engagements. This he again said when he came to Bombay for a concert and stayed in Wadala with his kinsman. The next evening he called on me at my house in Chembur, stayed for a few hours - would not eat - could not eat - just a mouthful of payasam and left early to take rest.

This incident depressed me and all members of my family to see him in poor health. He had taught and groomed during his active years number of his disciples to reach the top grade among professional musicians of the day - Radha Jayalakshmi, M. L. Vasanthakumari, Trichur V. Ramachandran, S. Kalyanaraman - to name a few - and they in their turn had trained musicians fast approaching the top. G. N. B. had the honor and pleasure of seeing his second generation shisyas numbering among the top of the profession. He had won all the top honors and distinctions in the field of music. He was made the state vidwan of Travancore, a Sangeetha Kalanidhi of Madras Music Academy etc. He developed and perfected a new style of vocal music rich-classical and very effective, appealing to the people as well as the pandits Mani was persuaded by his friends and admirers to act in a film called "Bhama Vijayam". This film was unique in the sense that Mani and M. R. Krishnamoorthy (brother of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer) together gave some excellent music in perfect unison. Later he acted with the celebrated musician M. S. Subbalakshmi in Sakunthala as Dushyantha. This film gave occasion and medium for the two top class musicians of the male and female groups to act and sing together - a feast of reason and flow of soul. The quality of such music is not strained but blesseth the person/persons who sing and those who hear as well. Kritis (or ragas)

GNB Introduced into Public Concerts which later gained currency and

Many Suggestions Key: X - introduced; XX - sung often

1. - Vardhani X

2. Manasiloni Marmamulu - Hindolam X

3. Makelara - Ravichandrika XX

4. Me Valla Gunadosha - Kapi XX

5. Muddhumomu - Suryakanthi XX

6. Yagnathulu - Jayamanohari X

7. - Hinditavasantham X

8. Varanarayana - Vijasri X

9. Vasudevayani - Kalyani X

10. Sobhulu - Jaganmohini XX

11. Sarasamudena - Kapi Narayani XX

12. Sundari Ni - Kalyani XX

13. Yet - Varali

14. nYenthundi Vedali - Darbar XX

15. Kalalaerchina - Deepika X

16. Koniyade - Kokiladwani XX

17. Jasinethalla - Thodi XX

18. Dasukovalena - Thodi XX

19. Natimata - Devakriya XX

20. Nadhaloludai - Kalyanavasantham XX

21. Nidhichala Sukama - Kalyani XX

22. Pakkala Nilabadi - Karaharapriya XX

23. Paramathmudu - Vagadhiswari XX

24. Brova Barama - Bahudari XX

25. Brochevarara - Sriranjani XX

26. Mathilonayu

---

G. N. Balasubramaniam

My friendship with late G. N. Balasubramaniam started in peculiar circumstances - with a friction.   During  early   1950s started  writing a column entitled 'Musings on Music' in the Deccan Herald.  One week it carried a review of an AIR broadcast  of GNB's   recital wherein  I  had criticized his off key singing. I knew that there would be protests by some GNB fans and I did  not mind  because  I   was  living at a safe distance, at Mysore city, from where I was filing the reviews. A  couple  of  months  later Balasubramaniam  visited  Mysore  and  gave  a concert at the Sri Prasanna Sitarama Mandiram (Bidaram Krishnappa  Ramamandiram).  I attended  the  concert but left early because it was a long drawn one due to the Radio relay starting only at 9.30 p.m.   I  had  to trudge a long distance to my home.

Next  morning  the  President  of the Ramamandiram, K. Puttu Rao, a respected advocate of Mysore, came to my place. I was surprised and when he said "I say what have you done to GNB? Yesterday night after the concert I took him home  for   Dinner  and  he scarcely  touched  the food saying repeatedly "that gentleman has done me an injustice, referring to you. What is  the   matter?"  I was  taken  aback.  I did not realise that the review which I had almost forgotten had hurt Balasubramaniam as  to  spoil   his  appetite  even several months after its publication. Then I decided that during my next visit to Madras to meet  GNB  in  person  and have   a straight discussion about this subject, as to what points did really hurt him etc., because after my talk with Puttu Rao  I had dug up that review and found nothing wrong.

During  the  December  Musical festival I went to Madras. But I could not meet him. Next year I visited Madras again during the  music  season.  This   time  I met Balasubramaniam through my friend M. A. Narasimhachar. GNB was very cordial and  invited  us to the AIR station where he had assumed charge as the Deputy Producer of Karnatic Music recently. During the following  three  or four  days  I  met  GNB several times, at his home, at AIR, Music Academy. We discussed various topics related to music  and  musicians.  But   GNB did not refer to my review of his broadcast even once.  Finally I raised the subject myself and asked  him  "Balasubramaniam,  I  was told that you were hurt by my review of your Radio broadcast sometime back. May I know what   part  of  it  did hurt  you  ?"  GNB said "Let us forget about it Sir. It is not an important matter." But I was not convinced and persisted. Finally he  said "No doubt I was hurt like any musician when unfavourable remarks are made about him or his music. Besides I was also a bit concerned abut the effect the review would have on the organisers of my concerts. After all I am a professional musician. I was unwell  on the day of the broadcast and could not cancel the broadcast at the last minute. That  is  the  reason   for  my  off  key singing,  which  of course you could not know," I retorted "Balasubramaniam, you are an established musician and a highly popular figure.  Even  if  unflattering reviews appear in the press every day for a whole year they will not affect your concert opportunities  in  any   way,.  But you must remember that you are almost a cult figure especially for the young musicians, who try  to  emulate  you. And if they hear your off key concerts, they will certainly follow giving apasruthi concerts and point at you in case anyone criticised them."

Anyway  after  this  heart  to  heart  talk  we became close friends. I also realised that GNB was a very  sensitive  musician and   also  a  gentleman. We regularly corresponded and personally discussed various aspects of music. These discussions were highly illuminating  and  thought provoking at least to me. His approach to music was not merely conventional and sentimental. It was  rational and the evaluation was intellectual. Combined with his attractive stage presence and a breezy style of   singing  that  reflected an youthful urge and vitality made him an ideal especially to the youth. During our discussions, I wanted to be  enlightened   about  certain points teasing my mind. First of all how did GNB, a literature honors graduate who was cut  out  for  prestigious  functions in life, chose music, which certainly had an uncertainty, as his career? GNB said he was born in a family  where music  was  a  part  of life. He grew up in an atmosphere heavily laden with music and "I may say," he averred "I could not  escape music.  But  there  was no necessity for any stimulants because I was inclined towards music even from my younger days and  divided my time between my studies and music. And I also had abundant opportunities to hear the best of music through   masters  of  music which strengthened my music faculties and also created an urge to pursue the art seriously. However the  real  turning  point   came through Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar" said GNB.

According  to him when Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar came for a concert at the Parthasarathy Swamy Sangeetha Sabha, his father  G. V.   Narayanaswamy   Iyer invited Ariyakudi to his home to discuss an important problem and seek his advice. Iyer's son "Mani,"  was a  precocious lad and had developed a disquieting habit of always occupying his spare time with music. His enthusiasm and   spirited singing somehow endeared him to many people and he was perpetually inveigled away to sing at any function  in  the  vicinity.  Of course,   this  did  not really interfere with his school studies. But even an infatuation has its limits. Mani was now  approaching the  age  when   the voice tended to break and when, too, he would have to make up his mind and concentrate on a course leading to a prosperous  and "respectable" life. In these circumstances, might it not be advisable to wean him away from music?

Ariyakudi asked the lad  to  sing.  After  listening   for  a while, he gravely said to his father, "I feel that you should not interfere, but allow him to follow up his zest for music.  It  is true   that  he  is  at an age when the voice comes to its natural form; also that he sings rather fast. But in due course both will settle  down  of their own accord; and I should say the boy has a great future."  Ariyakudi's words proved prophetic.

Narayanaswamy Iyer, as well as being  a  respected  teacher, was  the   Secretary  of  the venerable Parthasarathiswami Sangita Sabha and was considered one of the pillars of musical culture in Madras. His inclinations, naturally, were on the severely conservative side. Any musician who earned an appreciative nod from Iyer  was  almost  as elated as one of his students who scored high marks. Still, the responsibilities of  a  father  overriding  the predilections  of the connoisseur in him, he had his doubts about the rightness of the course his son was set upon. He  tried  once or twice, unsuccessfully, to stem the tide. By this time Mani had completed his way to his ultimate Honors in Literature  at  the Christian  College.  The father's last intervention was when, after gaining the Honors degree, Mani was persuaded to deposit the fee  for  a  Law  degree. The call of music presumably became too strong for him at this point and he was carried away on its  current.    Iyer threw up his hands in despair, exclaiming, "If it is written in his fate that he must earn his living by  music  only, who am I that I should seek to prevent it ?"

Balasubramaniam was born at Gudalur in Tamilnadu on 6th January 1910, but came with his family to Madras. Because his talent in  music  was  noticed when he was young, the boy was drafted to sing in any function. He even enacted the role  of   Dhruva  in  a drama  when he was barely 10. His debut concert occurred in peculiar circumstances. In 1928,  Musiri  Subramanya  Iyer   had  been fixed  for  a  concert  at  the Kapaleeshwara temple in Mylapore, Madras. Unexpectedly he could not  perform   that  day.  The  nonplussed  authorities  noticed Balasubramaniam in the audience and persuaded him to perform in the place of Musiri. The audience was as  surprised  as  thrilled  at this young man's reedy voice, the fast rolls, their lightning speed all delivered with an assurance and  non   chalance. GNB a new star appeared on the horizon and he never looked back.

Thus G. N. Balasubramaniam's musical life ran like an unbroken  stream  even from his early days.  Its course was steady and rapid, though not meteoric. Contrary to accepted forebodings, the graduate who made music his profession, singing with an energetic and thrilling style, gathered in no time a large circle of admirers,  who   affectionately abbreviated his name to the three letters, "G.N.B." He was soon a celebrity, commanding a high premium in  the  concert halls, and this led to some peculiar episodes in his life - he played featured roles in a  couple   of  Tamil  film hits,  in  which he acted with such prominent artistes as Vasundhara Devi (mother of Vyjayanthimala) and M. S. Subbulakshmi,  and won  the President's award and the much coveted Sangita Kalanidhi of the Madras Music Academy, and a host of lesser honors.

Two factors principally contributed to his  success:  first, the pleasant voice, the breezy style, the easy delivery ornamented with fast fluttering rolls, or brikas as they are  called,  in which  he  indulged with effortless nonchalance; second, the personality. Despite the ravages of illnesses,  the  tall   fair-complexioned  G.N.B.,  adorned with his glittering diamond ear studs and dressed in spotless white khadi, cut a handsome figure on the platform.  It will hardly be incorrect to describe him as a matinee idol of the musical world of his days. And the fair sex  outnumbered  the  rest   at his recitals. The picture of the handsome figure with the  lively,   effervescent  expression  and  slightly flamboyant  style so firmly impressed itself on the minds of most of his admirers that they cherished an illusion of his changeless youth  was  often  disconcerting to G.N.B. himself, when his fans made demands for features that were the highlights of  his   music some  decades ago. "These people seem to forget that their G.N.B. has grown in years and his name has grown with him," said he. "It is regrettable that the musical ideas and tastes of people do not develop with their years."

Naturally, the modalities  of  his  music  had  undergone  a change  with age. It is true that his voice - particularly in the upper reaches - became hazy and had lost some of its sparkle.  He had  to  gather   momentum  to negotiate some high points which he once sang effortlessly. But in the middle register the voice  was rich  in timbre and imparted a distinctively masculine quality to his music .

Balasubramaniam was a modern in a field  strongly  dominated by  tradition. Nevertheless,  he was not detached from that. His inherent love for music was nurtured during his formative  years by  the  congenial atmosphere of a home ringing with the songs of the stalwarts of the period, who were frequent visitors.   He  had his initiation from his father and later came under the influence of Madurai Subrahmaniayya, a scion of the Tyagaraja family,  considered  no   less  a  perfectionist than a purist. When a Diploma course in music   was  introduced  in  Madras  University,  G.N.B. abandoned the idea of a Law degree and was one of the first batch of students to be trained by the late "Tiger" Varadachariar.  Despite  such  courses of training, which were not in strict accordance with the ancient gurukula system, G.N.B. was not aloof from tradition. But with him its perspectives were tempered with realism.

"After all, what is tradition ? That  which  symbolises  the enduring   values  in art," used to say G.N.B. "Tradition is never static, always dynamic. Otherwise music becomes fossilised and is reduced  to the position of a museum piece."  Elaborating this in one of his speeches, he remarked, "In music, as in  other  fields of the culture which we have inherited from the past, we have now come to a stage when, I am afraid, a blind and  unmeaning   obedience  and adherence to time-honoured canons will no longer obtain amongst rising generations. Unless we are able to understand  and communicate  to   them  the why and how of our past traditions and practices, there is every reason for our being nervous about  the continuance of our inherited culture."

In  brief,  Balasubramaniam  may  be said to symbolise a new look in Karnatak, music. Indeed, we may add with some  justification  that  he was a bridge  between the old and the new and was to some extent instrumental in the streamlining of this art. Naturally,  he  was  the idol of a large section of music-lovers and the ideal for many musicians- in-the-making, most of whom -   however unsuccessfully-tried to emulate his style. Any aspect of music that   he  touched  automatically  became  the  popular   fancy overnight.  In this connection I may recall a casual conversation I had with Ariyakudi once.

Spirit of inquiry

After putting much hard work and organisation into the  task Mysore Sangeetha Kalabhivriddhini Sabha had published a collection of the compositions of Mysore Sadashiva   Rao.  Feeling  that  the purpose  of such a publication could not fructify unless the compositions were brought into circulation in a  manner   which  gave them a fresh lease of life, I sounded out Ariyakudi as to whether he could not render this service to the works of an  old  master. "There is no use in asking me," he said. "Persuade G.N.B. to sing a few of them and they will be popular automatically".

Though he deeply revered tradition and its positive  values, Balasubramaniam   had  no inhibitions, and his academic career had instilled into him the spirit of inquiry and the logic of a  modern intellectual, whose inclinations are more for the living substance of art than for the  superstitious  sentiment   surrounding it. Naturally, G.N.B. was always ready for new experiments and to take new directions - of course within the  sphere  of  classical Karnatak music-which may often appear too bold and unconventional to the orthodox. "Nothing new should be rejected  merely  on  the score that it is novel," he said. "For cultural progress, we have to thank the pioneers of new ideas  and   expressions,  though  in their own times they may have been called rebels."

"Like a staircase"

"Every  concert should have an educative aspect," said Balasubramaniam. "It should have new points of appeal and should never repeat hackneyed phrases or passages. The plan and pattern may be the same, but they need to be given new colour and life." Perfectly  at  home  in both the lakshana and lakshya aspects of his art, he was able to apply these ideas effectively  and  generally liked   to  do differently from what was customary. In an alapana, apart from the key notes which give the character of the raga, he dwelt  on  and revolved round other important notes too, inducing similar effects. Similarly, he often  chose   obscure  and  infrequently  used  ragas  for a spacious exposition which he did with effortless ease, imparting a wholesome form to the mode.  In  the swaraprastara   he  chose a different eduppu (starting point) from what was customary, and chose a different mould  when  presenting even  well-known and time-honoured pallavis. Above all, his music had a touch of originality and exuded a rich essence or  rasabhava, as it is called.   Appreciating his systematic manner of exposition, the late T.V. Subba Rao called   it  a  "sopana  paddhati" (like a staircase).

His  speech,  when presiding over the 32nd Conference of the Madras Music Academy, was itself highly significant.  Instead  of offering  the   customary  shop-soiled cliches, G.N.B. treated the subject and its problems logically and firmly. His  approach  was decidedly  catholic,  rather   than parochial, and his view was of Indian music as a whole. For instance, his may have been the only speech  to  have  suggested the need for learning dhrupads (which resemble Dikshitar's compositions in some respects) in the South, and   to  have  pleaded for their revival in the North, leading to the creation of kalpita sangita, in a more wholesome form  resembling  the  South   Indian kriti, rather than the free (often aimlessly) flowing khayal in the realm of kalpana sangita.  Unbiased and  unprejudiced in his appreciation of the finer aspects of the art, he was so overwhelmed listening to the music of Bade Ghulam Ali   Khan  that  he covered the maestro with a ponnadai (cloth of honour) and touched his feet. This naturally scandalised the  orthodox.

Musical thinker

"I am a neo-classicist," used to say G.N.B., when asked what was his stand in relation to contemporary Karnatak music. How did he  define this obviously paradoxical term ? - "That art which is born out of the profound and powerful   emotional  inspiration  of romaticism,  selected, controlled and chiseled by a classicist's exercise of reason, to give a structurally integrated   whole  and achieve a union of vigour and beauty in the parts, with exquisite attractiveness and appeal as a  whole."  He  has  discussed   this theme  in  interesting detail in an article, "Art, its Dawn, Perfection and Future Role."

A thinker among musicians, G.N.B. had analysed  the  subject taking  up various aspects and problems from different angles and recording his reflections in many articles. Unfortunately,  most of  these  lie  buried  in souvenirs-the fleeting by- products of conferences and festivals. But to read them is almost as  rewarding  as  a conversation with him. Urbane in manner, he was always prepared to discuss these matters and had an answer  to  most  of the conundrums with which Karnatak music is beset today.

"It  is futile always to live on sentiment. We must face realities," he used to say. "This is an age  not  of  musical  creators,   but  of exponents. We are subsisting on the fare provided by the great trinity of Karnatak music and their  successors  and whatever  we  produce   certainly follows the lines of their plans and conceptions. Music comes in cycles. At one time  it  will  be the turn of the creator, that is to say, the composer and then of the exponent. We have to await the next creative age." Be that as it  may, G.N.B. had also translated his creative conceptions into numerous compositions. A few of these have been  published  under title,  Ganabhaskaramanimalai, while many more still await publication.

His influence

Some of his compositions, such as "Parangmukhamela' in Kanada, at concerts and are especially preferred by the younger musicians. These compositions deserve separate discussion. Balasubramaniam  did  not profess to be the precursor of any school of music. Nevertheless, one cannot overlook the impact of his  personality  and art on the prospective course of Karnatak music. While his style was irresistible to the   younger  generation  of  musicians, his ideas earned the esteem of the intelligentsia.

"Why  blame  them?" he used to say of the younger generation of musicians who are customarily reproached for their  failings.  "No   doubt Karnatak music like any other classical art, is in a flux. But should we not also remember what we, their  elders in  the  field,  have given them?   A youngster needs guidance, an ideal, an inspiration and, above  all,  a   congenial  atmosphere. Whatever  lessons he may learn, he must have unlimited opportunities to hear good music that does not merely entertain  but   also inspires.  All  these  impressions  form a sort of amalgam in his mind and build up the nucleus around which his faculties and talents blossom." The response of the younger generation to such understanding and sympathy was seen in the large number  of  adherents  who faithfully trained themselves to emulate him and follow his style. Some of them like M.L. Vasanthakumari  became   celebrities.

Balasubramaniam passed away in 1965.