PMI Stories Episode Three: Pillaivaal's Unforgettable Legacy

Welcome all to Episode 3 of three of anecdotes involving the legendary Vidwan Dakshinamoorthy Pillai. This episode includes interesting experiences of 'The Duo - Sri Palghat Mani Iyer and Sri Pudukottai Dakshinamoorthy Pillai', as narrated by Palghat Sri T R Rajamani, Son of Sri Palghat Mani Iyer.

[@nkrama]

A great experience listening to Sri Rajamani share his first hand impressions of Sri PMI & his interactions with Pillai vaal. If Pillai vaal could control the likes of Sri ARI on stage, it speaks volumes of his command over his craft and the respect he has among his peers. What a lovely throwback series 👍👏

[@sesh7357]

Sir Ramprasad, Thanks so much for dwelling on this great master of Khanjira. My father, a great admirer of Sri Dakshinamoorthy Pillaival had also related to me, some of the stories you have spoken of. I think, in your own very subtle way, you have clearly brought about how insecure, how fallible this great vidwan was. A secure person with a high self esteem would have merely said it with his fingers instead of resorting to objectionable practices he had resorted to causing annoyance and distress to his fellow musicians. Melody with an aggressive competitive percussion may appeal to people who love combat in everything, but, to my mind, it does music a lot of harm. There is so much to learn from western classical, where a bunch of 100 people wielding different instruments create that harmony, a way more complex than a single melody....pretty sad that such tantrums, and belligerence was encouraged! Hari Shankar, a true percussion genius, would hardly play (again for survival purposes in the world dominated by mridangists), would create melody just by merely caressing his Khanjira. I would rather encourage these vidwans.

[@anandasatya483]

Correctly said.
But
remember in those days
This was the only music without competition.
It was like a sport....
Two thavil vidwans play of competition received applause and welcomed.
Harmony as in west was unknown here. It was Madurai Mani who introduced that in carnatic swaras...which was appreciated by Nathaswaravidvans.
Nowadays accuracy is not important in laya so much .
It should be pleasing to the ears of the listener, that's all.....

[@PremKumar-nk3db]

Pillai Vaal was my grandfather's Guru. My grandfather's name is Thangavellu Pillai in my country, Malaysia.

[@SamA-jw1pb]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏Koti Namaskarams

[@ramnaidu6842]

No words.. simply awesome

[@ganesann9636]

Semmangudi used to tell me abt Mani iyr's fond of Pudukottai Pilliwal vasippu..No doubt they all Methaigal
Ganesan Tiukodikaval

[@kannanps7040]

Kaliyuga Nandi.