Known for his nuanced and sensitive accompaniment, Trichy Sankaran quips, “Accompaniment requires an IAS — involvement, attitude and aesthetics, and superior drumming patterns.”
The veteran mridangam exponent and academic, who turns 80 next year, has played for a range of stalwarts including Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Musiri Subramania Iyer, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Ramnad Krishnan, Madurai Mani Iyer, G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB), M.D. Ramanathan, K.V. Narayanaswamy, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Flute Mali.
He began his training in Tiruchi, with his cousin Poovalur Venkatarama Iyer, before joining the maestro, Pazhani Subramania Pillai. The best known of Pillai’s students, in 1971, at the behest of Jon Higgins (popularly known as Higgins Bhagvathar), Sankaran shifted base to Toronto. Now retired as Professor at York University, he has been such a regular at the Deember music season that many do not realise he does not live in Chennai.
Concerts this year
Sankaran has several concerts this year, including at Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, Mylapore Fine Arts, Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha and more. Tomorrow, he performs at Chennai Fine Arts with V.V. Subrahmanyam and V.V.S Murari. On Sunday, he plays with Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi at Sri Krishna Gana Sabha. “I have played for so many great musicians at Krishna Gana Sabha,” he recalls fondly, “including at Lalgudi Jayaraman’s maiden violin duet with his sister Srimathi Brahmanandam alongside my guru. Krishnan and Viji are doing an excellent job of maintaining their illustrious father’s legacy.”
Much of Sankaran’s learning came on stage from playing double mridangam with Pazhani Subramania Pillai, beginning with his debut for the Alathur Brothers in 1955. “Watching my guru adapt his playing for each artiste was fascinating. For instance, his accompaniment for GNB would be very different from how he played for Madurai Mani.” Pillai being left-handed and Sankaran right-handed helped further, allowing him to watch his guru’s technique clearly.
Speaking about changing approaches to mridangam playing, Sankaran says, “I would not want to generalise but the playing is more sollu-ful (full of rhythmic syllables) than soulful.” He advices young enthusiasts to attend concerts and indulge in ‘creative listening’ — keen attention to why something is played, where and when. He feels percussionists should give a thought to the ‘intent of the content’ rather than break everything down into numerical sequences. “Care should be taken in the selection of germinal or foundational patterns for a song. For example, one cannot play standard misra chapu sollus for ‘Ninnu vinaga mari dikkevarunnaru’ (Purvikalyani), which is in viloma chapu. We should pay attention to the gait of the piece, how the sangatis are being stacked, and add just the perfect sollus to augment each sangati.”
Since Sankaran is known for his ability to elevate a concert, do young musicians he plays with consult him? He says many of the artistes do. “However, I don’t impose my opinion. If asked, I offer suggestions. Some artistes include songs I like or try out new korvais (ending sequences).” He cautions against the trend to incorporate mridangam-based korvais in the music. “It will lack aesthetics. One should remember that korvais made for music are set for a particular ragam and song.”
Trichy Sankaran, Jon B. Higgins and V. Thyagarajan at a concert in Coimbatore in 1971.
Sankaran has always been a vocal proponent of sarvalaghu (spontaneous ‘timeflow’ patterns) over kanakku (mathematically focused sequences). From the start, he focused on music as a whole rather than on percussive calculations, and recommends strongly that percussionists also learn vocal music. He feels that while one should know the kanakku , it should be used only when apt, and with discretion. He also emphasises on playing the entire concert, including korvai and tani avartanam, without any pre-set calculations, like the methodical, purposeful build-up of sangatis in a song.
According to Sankaran, virtuosity should be demonstrated only in the tani avartanam, which should last not more than 10 minutes in a two-hour concert. “It would be good if all percussionists on stage played with mutual understanding of proportion to the overall concert. Anything overdone is not enjoyable.”
Sankaran has nothing against the current norm of short concerts, and says they can be impactful with proper planning. “Years ago, All India Radio pioneered both 60-minute and 90-minute programmes. Besides choosing contrasting ragas, go for different kalapramanams (speeds) and not just variety in tala. One can deliver an excellent concert with a few common talas if the speed and songs are appropriately selected.”
During lockdown, Sankaran worked on a composition, ‘Chaapu Tala Maalika’, set to a 24-beat tala counted as 3+5+7+9 (tisram, khandam, misram and sankirnam), based on Karaharapriya or Dorian mode. He presented it last month in Vancouver in a programme titled, ‘A Life in Rhythm,’ organised by his student Curtis Andrews. “We had guitar, vibraphone, mridangam, drum set and more, and were also joined by a Carnatic violinist, Kaushik Sivaramakrishnan, from Edmonton.” He has also worked on some korvais and different approaches to nadais that he will be presenting at his upcoming Margazhi concerts.
“My guru said I should follow his path but create my own style. I believe I have successfully done that,” says the veteran.
The Chennai-based author writes on Carnatic music and musicians.
