Thyagabrahma Nadha Vibushan for Balamuralikrishna

Speakers at the function praised his talent and dedication to music

M. Balamuralikrishna Photo: K. Pichumani

Musician M. Balamuralikrishna was conferred the ‘Thyagabrahma Nadha Vibushan’ title on Friday by Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha.

R. Seshasayee, executive vice-chairman of the Hinduja Group, who conferred the award on the musician, said the title was appropriate for him as it had nadha in it, which is the primordial part of music.

When one listens to several compositions of Saint Thyagaraja, it would be evident that

nadha assumes great significance in them, he said. “For many years now, it has become a habit for me to listen to Beethoven’s Symphony and Balamuralikrishna’s songs,” Mr. Seshasayee said.

Just like how one should ideally listen to the first 17 bars of Beethoven’s Symphony, the opening 15-20 seconds of Balamuralikrishna’s rendition of a raga essentially captures its essence, said Cleveland V.V. Sundaram.

Balamuralikrishna has about 400 compositions to his credit which includes varnams and kritis . Between the age of 4 and 7, he learnt about 300 varnams and performed his first concert at the age of 8, he said. “Forty years ago, soon after he sang a song in Madhava Manohari raga, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, who listened to it, said only Balamuralikrishna sang that raga without slipping into Sri Ranjani raga,” he said.

The programme was followed by a concert by Mr. Balamuralikrishna.