Over 1,500 people belonging to 100 nations heard Srimathi M. S. Subbulakshmi sing at the General Assembly Hall yesterday, U.N. Day. She had been specially invited by the VJU. Secretary- General, U Thant, to do so. For two hours diplomats from five continents forgot the rough and tumble of politics and other drab affairs and were transported to another world, which in the words of U Thant knows no geographical boundaries or artificial frontiers. Srimathi Subbulakshmi sang compositions of the music Trinity. (Tyagaraja, Dikshitar and Syama Sastri). Swati Tirunal, Purandaradasa, uango and Jayachama Raja Wadiyar. "Jagadodharana" and "Rangapuravihara" were particularly well received by an audience which, besides Indians, was largely composed of Westerners, Africans and Asians. Mr. C V. Narasimhan, Chief of Cabinet, before the concert began, explained the general principles of Indian music and the instruments that provide the background.
A feature of the concert, especially to Western members of the audience, was an English hymn sung after intermission by Srimathi Subbulakshmi and her daughter Srimati Radha Viswanathan. Composed by Mr. C. Rajagopalachari specially for the occasion and set to music by Mr. Handel Manuel of Madras, the hymn's theme "here under the uniting roof’ was an appeal to the world and the members of the United Nations to renounce hate and war and unite in peaceful endeavours. Srimathi Subbulakshmi, who though she has sung songs in almost every Indian language, has never attempted it in any Western language, gave a recital which was an entirely new artistic experience. She gave an excellent rendition which not even a Western critic, let alone all those who felt she would not be able to do justice to it, would have found fault with. Her voice blended easily with the piano accompaniment.' Another song specially composed for the Day and equally appropriate for United Nations Daj was a Sanskrit benediction by Sri Sankaracharya of Kanchi and sung as a finale. During the intermission U Thant called the performance "extraordinarily good" and said the enthusiastic reception accorded to the artiste showed that "music knows no geographical boundaries.” "It speaks a universal language," he said.
The article was originally published on October 25, 1966. We're republishing it as a part of M.S. Subbulakshmi Centenary Celebrations.
