Concern over fall in standards of Carnatic music
MADRAS, July 12, 1965: Sangita Vidwan Palghat T. S. Mani Aiyar expressed concern at the “alarming” fall in the standards of Carnatic music and said that all that the Government had been doing in the past so many years, though motivated by a desire to preserve standards, had produced the contrary results.
Palghat Mani Aiyar thrills world audience
EDINBURGH, Sept 13, 1965: Palghat T.S. Mani Aiyar, the renowned mridangam player, established himself as a great world artist when he thrilled an international audience with his wizardry for an hour and a half here, last Wednesday.
The packed hall repeatedly applauded the Indian percussionist's performance, the second Indian item in the Edinburgh Festival.
The magic of Mani Aiyar's hands was evident from the start of the recital in which K. V. Narayanaswamy provided vocal music, Lalgudi Jayaraman violin accompaniment, and Mani Aiyar's son Rajamani second mridangam.
—PTI.
Proficiency in Music: Palghat Mani Aiyar's plea
MADRAS, Dec 18, 1966: In his presidential address, Mr. Mani Iyer referred to the methods of learning music and said that one should be put under a teacher even before he attained 10 years. And he should never take to it with a view to acquiring wealth. The period of training should last for 10 years at least. He should acquire a listening habit and must cultivate an ear for good music, by attending top-class performances for at least five years.
Music Academy honours Palghat Mani Aiyar
MADRAS, Jan 1, 1967: The title and insignia of Sangita Kalanidhi were to-day conferred on Sri Palghat Mani Aiyar at the Music Academy sadas. A number of musicians and musicologists felicitated Sri Mani Aiyar on the honour done to him by the Academy.
Love of money cause of cheap music
MADRAS, Dec. 21, 1968: Mr. Palghat T.S. Mani Aiyar to-day attributed the present-day fall in the standards of music to the “love of the lucre”. It had led to the use of art for achieving mercenary objects.
Mr. Mani Aiyar said musicians who had been trained under the ancient gurukulavasa system rose to eminence and in their concerts exercised a magnetic influence on the listeners who, in turn, were steeped in a similar state of ecstasy. Mr. Mani Aiyar regretted the use of loudspeakers even in small concert halls where there was no need for any amplification. The Tamil Isai Sangam also could in future arrange for mike-less concerts.
Mridangam maestro Palghat Mani Aiyar felicitated
MADRAS, Feb. 15, 1973: The mridangam maestro Palghat Mani Aiyar made his advent in the field as a boy nearly five decades ago when it was ruled by giants and stunned audiences wherever he went not only by the enormous prowess he showed but by the fight and fire he displayed in matching up to the giants. Now he is past 60 and with his dedication and artistry undiminished, can look back on a career during which he has made history both by his amazing techniques and creative musicianship which have projected the mridangam as a dynamic unit of the concert ensemble in a manner never heard of before him.
Mani Aiyar was felicitated on his Shastiabdapoorthi at an impressive function got up by an influential committee of leading rasikas and musicians on Tuesday at the Krishnamurthi Centre, Adyar. He was greeted on arrival with Poornakumbam and Vedaparayanam and the function later was preceded by prayer by M.S. Subbulakshmi and Radha.
Take it from me, it’s the musicians’ low pitch which is the culprit
MADRAS, Jan 22, 1978: With his rich experience of Carnatic concert music, Palghat Mani Aiyar, the great mridangam vidwan, in an interview, presents his frank comments on the contemporary standard of classical music. In his opinion, Ariyakudi Ramanuja lyengar combined in him all the virtues of an ideal gayaka. He is firm in his view that the lowering of the pitch is the basic reason for the poor showing by performing vocalists.
According to him, the mike is the culprit luring classical singers away from the painstaking path into the lethargic comfort of low and lack-lustre pitches. They desperately seek the amplification “rebound” creating a false atmosphere on the concert platform in which it is difficult for clarity to survive. This realisation crystallised into his resolve some years ago to play only in mikeless concerts, Mani Aiyar said in an interview.
- N.M.N
Greatest of all mridangists
MADRAS, May 30, 1981: For over 50 years, Palghat T.S. Mani Aiyar, the man who had held rhythm in his fingers, remained unequalled. He had accompanied several front-rank singers, helping them embellish their performance. He had boosted the quality of several concerts. His touch on the instrument was feathery but glittering.
Shocked at the sudden demise of one of his contemporaries and close associates, Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Aiyar said: “The world of music and particularly the science of Laya, has lost a stalwart I feel so lonely now.”
During his visit to the United Kingdom Mani Aiyar stunned the audience which gave him a thunderous ovation wherever he played. It was this appreciation of foreign audience which touched him most Yehudi Menuhin, described him as “the greatest of all mridangists.”
As one who was against the use of mike he had refused his concerts to be broadcast or relayed by AIR for long. He also remained unyielding in the matter of accompanying women artistes.
