Articles on K.S.K.

  Sangeeta Acharya

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Sangeeta Acharya

Calcutta K.S. Krishnamurthi, who passed away recently, was a true sangeeta acharya. Born on December 21, 1921, KSK, as he was popularly known, grew up in a musical enviornment. During his early days in the Hindu High School, Triplicane, G.V.Narayanaswamy (father of G.N.B.) was his teacher. It was KSK's association with G.V.N. that ignited his musical instincts.

KSK himself recalled that his joining the Annamalai University was an accident. His initial idea was to do mathematics. However, he chanced to be present when an interview was taking place for the selection of students to the Music College.

Tiger Varadachariyar, who was one of the interviewers, recognised KSK immediately, having seen him at GVN's house. He asked KSK to sing. When KSK sang ``Perundaambe'' (Suddhadhanyasi) of Muthiah Bhagavatar, Tiger asked him to join the college.

Annamalai University was a model institution for learning Carnatic music. At that time, the staff was dominated by doyens such as Tiger Varadachariyar, Sattur Krishna Iyengar, Ponniah Pillai and Madurai Subramaniya Iyer. The degree offered was ``Sangeeta Bhushanam''. The course was tough and gruelling. It was a residential course and students lived in hostels. They, thereby, benefited from a replication of the gurukula system combined with modern concepts like degrees and syllabi.

KSK recalled his experiences in Chidambaram, saying that the students had to get up early in the morning to do ``akaara saadhagam'', etc. They were given regular assignments and in fact, the first assignment given was to perform Sruti Bhedham in all the 72 Melakartas. They also sharpened their skills by conducting mock conferences.

Calcutta Krishnamurthi's association with the legendary composer of this Century, Papanasam Sivan, brought to fore many of the latter's rare compositions.

In the late 50s, when concert opportunities were few and far between mainly because of the domination by stalwarts, KSK moved to Calcutta. It was here that KSK's creative instincts bloomed. He set to music the songs of Subramaniya Bharati, Suddhananda Bharati, Ramalinga Swami, Jayadeva, Meerabai, Bharatidasan, Kannadasan etc. With the aid of students, Vasanta Kannan and Sumati Narayanan, KSK has presented innumerable thematic programmes like ``Yahi Madhava'' and ``Panchali Sabadham''. His last mega thematic presentation, ``Kannan Vandan'', received an overwhelming response owing to the unique concept.

Getting back to Chennai in the early 70s, KSK was a reference point for most musicians, old and young. He was a repository of compositions and musicians regularly sought his clarification and advice. He also served in institutions such as Kala Peetham, Rishi Valley School and as a guest lecturer for the Institute of Correspondence Education, Madras University.

As a musician, KSK's strength was his raga alapana. He could elaborate ragas for any length of time and was equally at home with rakthi ragas and apoorva ragas. His immaculate swara gnanam and gamaka suddham were the hallmarks of his music. His sense of gamakas was almost perfect. He questioned the need to oscillate swaras extensively and was a firm believer in the optimum use of gamakas. His lecture demonstrations on gamakas and raga laksnanas were a treat to musicians and laymen. KSK had been closely associated with GNB and his alapanas did have a GNB flavour sometimes. However, his extensive listening and accumulation of material over the years had made him a unique and original musician.

His repertoire was extensive and varied. It was as if he knew all the songs. Musicians regularly sought his help for learning songs and he taught a number of scholarship students also.

KSK had composed varnams, kritis and tillanas besides setting compositions to music. He sought to give proper shape to ragas like Kadanakutoohalam, Malavi and Janaranjani. He introduced many new ragas not used often in his tunes like Priyadarshini, Gopikatilakam etc.

KSK was a sought after guru. His prime disciples include Sanjay Subramanyam, P. Unnikrishnan, K. N. Shashikiran, Sudha Raghunathan, Uma- Geetha, Suguna Varadachari, Bhushani Kalyanaraman, Salem Sriram, S. Kasturirangan, V. K. Manimaran and others.

His method of teaching was also very original. The songs were taught to students based on the student's ability to grasp sangatis and reproduce.

Therefore, two disciples may render a song taught by KSK with subtle differences in sangatis. He was always available to clarify doubts whatever be the time. He was also very open and forward thinking. He thought that music had come a long way since the days when musicians implicitly obeyed their gurus. He believed that there should be more questioning among students. He said it will make the system stronger and the musicians more capable.

Hailing from a traditional background, Krishnamurthi's interest in propagating Carnatic music and appreciation of innovations, motivated him to make a major contribution in the first Video CD on Carnatic music, titled `Nadopasana', towards the learning and understanding of Carnatic music.

Among the many awards that he received were ``Sangeeta Acharya'' and the prestigious ``Sangeeta Kala Acharya'' from the Music Academy in December 1998. During a special study organised by the Sruti Foundation on GNB, KSK was honoured with the title of ``Sangeeta Kala Nipuna''.

For him Carnatic music was spiritual and uplifting and more a way of life. He breathed music till his last on May 16, 1999.