The fourth edition of the ongoing Samvada series took place at the Raga Sudha Hall on November 27, 2009. It was a conversation between veteran violinist M.S. Gopalakrishnan and Sriram Parashuram. Gopalakrishnan, popularly known as MSG, was assisted by his violinist-daughter Dr. Narmada in the Q&A (question and answer) session. She also demonstrated some finer nuances of the Parur style of violin-playing. Sriram Parashuram, a Hindustani vocalist, fired some tough questions to the veteran intelligently.

Courteous yet focused, Sriram Parashuram guided the Samvadha in an exemplary manner. Could he recount the emotional learning experience from his father? To this inquisitive question, MSG said he had a loving father and a disciplined guru. "I started to learn violin since I was five years old,'' he said. His father was a strict teacher and used to teach him sincerely on all aspects.

Hard task master: His father also made him to listen to artistes such as Palladam Sanjeva Rao, Aryakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, M.L.Vasathakumari, M.S. Subbulakshmi, G.N. Balasubramaniam and others. MSG said he was able to gain proficiency in music by listening to such stalwarts. Asserting that he owed everything to his father, the veteran violinist recalled how his father would make him practice eight hours a day.

The interviewer wanted to know if MSG had done continuous sadhana. To this, MSG said he had played a lot as a trio with his father and brother or in duet with any one of them. His father, he said, had taught him ragas, swaras and what not. Also, he had taught MSG all melakartha ragas and sruthi bedam. His father would chide him if he made any mistake. He said playing pakkavadyam in former times was a challenging task. In a jocular way, he said he wouldn’t wish to comment on the present day scenario. His father would always tell him to note down if someone played a good sangathi.

Sriram Parashuram wanted him to identify three great musicians? According to MSG, Aryakudi always sang well. While GNB used to sing new ragas, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar sang in four sthyayis. There were Semmangudi, Madurai Mani Iyer and many others. "It’s not right to mention just three or four. There were many stalwarts in this field,’’ he asserted.

Flexibility: There was this canny question from Sriram Parashuram, who wanted to know from MSG if he adopted flexibility while accompanying other artistes.

MSG said Balamuralikrishna often would sing new sangatis. GNB used to sing ragas such as Nattai so well. Madurai Mani Iyer’s music was so nice. “I must be comfortable for them,” the veteran violinist said. He said he had even played for female vocalists such as M.S. Subbulakshmi and a few others. He said he had played for Subbulakshmi in the recording of “Saroja Dhala Netri”.

Tribute to father: Even as MSG insisted that he owed everything to his father, Sriram Parsuram quizzed him about his own contributions to the cause of music. Deftly fielding this question, MSG said each raga was a devatha. It must be sung with devotion and not with an air of pride, he said. While playing Kalyani and other ragas, sky was the limit. A guru must always be respected, he kept on insisting. His first recording was “Manavyala Kim”. He had attributed it to his father.

The Chennai story: Sriram Parashuram asked him why he had not thought of moving out of Chennai to settle down in Bombay or Delhi or Benaras. The interviewer said violin had not got the prominence in Hindustani music the way instruments such as bansuri or sitar did. Sriram Parashuram felt MSG could have got violin a special place in Hindustani music if only he had located himself up North. “We have to be there where we should be. You must be independent. Awards have come my way. There should be contentment. I don’t want to go anywhere. I play the Hindustani music while I go to the North,” he said.

The guru: Sriram Parashuram was keen to know the role of MSG as the guru? No one would do eight hours of practice in the morning and evening every day these days. That being the case, what could be the teaching technique nowadays, he queried the senior violinist. VCDs and tape had become gurus these days, Goplakrishnan said in a lighter vein. In the modern day, the pressures were one too many, he conceded. Many who had settled abroad would ask him to send a record of the lessons. "Fingering should be proper,’’ he said. Violinist-daughter Narmada demonstrated how to play raga “Sankarabharanam” in all three speeds. MSG was of the view that each and every raga should be practiced sincerely.

Laya king: Sriram Parashuram said "the 50s, 60s and 70’s were golden periods in violin playing. Now everything is a mirror and incorporation.’’ He went on to ask Gopalakrishnan about the techniques adopted by artistes such as Lalgudi G Jayaraman and others? Between Lalgudi Jayaraman, T.N. Krishnan and Chandrasekhar – who did he like most of the three, Sriram Parashuram asked MSG. "Lalgudi is a king in laya and nobody could beat him on that. Krishnan brings sowkyam. We play our style,’’ MSG said.

Practice & habit: A member of the audience wanted to know from MSG how one stayed inspired to do practice. For this, MSG said ragas such as Anandabhairavi and Sahana were tough and had to be practiced a lot. Similar was the case with Kalyani and Todi. In this context, Narmada intervened to say that practice had to a part of one’s habit like drinking a cup of coffee. Practice had to be internalized, she felt. One had to give a time slot for practice. Parents should give exposure to their children. Narmada said that her mother had made her practice every day. She said she also had listened to her father playing in the early morning.

Best music: Someone in the audience wanted to know which music was the best to learn - Carnatic or Hindustani. MSG said Carnatic music was more expansive. It was the backbone. “You have to learn this first. Others will follow you or they will become much easier to learn,” he said. MSG said that the Hindustani musicians played the bhajans well and their tambura sruthi was more. Narmada briefly demonstrated jantais of 16, 32 etc in a single bow.

Impartial rasika: There was this beautiful question from Sriram Parashuram. Since MSG was a legendary violinist and a guru, would he be able to enjoy the music of others and be an impartial rasika? Narmada was quick to intervene. She said MSG always listened to her music as a good rasika. "He always encourages me. He is such a good rasika. He used to listen to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and praises Omkarnath Takur and others. MSG’s is a world of rasika-cum-performer,’’ she said.

Lucky Chennai: Turning the table on Sriram Parashuram, MSG informed the audience how Sriram Parashuram was settled in Chennai, though born and brought up in Bombay. MSG said Chennai had brought raasi (luck) for all musicians who had settled down in the city from elsewhere. In this context, he cited the examples of Semmangudi, Chowdiah and others. As the session was coming to a close, MSG took the bow and played a Ghana raga tanam comprising ragas such as Nattai, Gaula, Arabhi, Varali and Sri. It was breath-taking experience to listen to this violin maestro playing.

Sky is the limit: MSG advised youngsters to learn vocal music first. This would help them to play violin easily, he pointed out. "Practice gives foundation and strength,’’ MSG said, “If one practices for four hours daily for five years, then one can become a normal violinist. Sky is the limit,” he said.

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