Remembering TVS, the master musician

There are musicians who enthrall the public, and then, there are musicians who cater to the connoisseurs. TV Sankaranarayanan straddled both worlds with effortless ease. TVS as he was popularly known, passed into the ages on September 2, 2022. Carnatic music lost its diamond pendant.

TVS had the gift to transport the audience to another world. His amiable personality, so evident on stage, blended with his “jana-ranjaka”, enjoyable style of singing. The result was sheer magic. For 3 hours, rasikas hung to his lips, forgetting themselves, sporting in a world that TVS created.

He mastered a template that formed the bulwark of his concerts. The selection of keertanas was impeccable. There was never a lull in the concert. He strung brisk pieces with the more elaborate compositions in a manner that made each concert engaging.

Ragam-Thanam-Pallavi (RTP) forms the main piece of a Carnatic concert. Traditionally, it is rendered in ragas considered suitable for elaboration like Thodi, Kalyani and Kambhoji. TVS made a departure from the norm. He sang RTPs in “light” ragas like Kapi, Desh and Brindavana Saranga. Sometimes, he forayed into obscure ragas like Surya and Andolika. The selection did not matter. Each piece shone with the indelible “TVS stamp”.

Teamwork is an essential component of Carnatic music. The vocalist must gel with the violinist, the mridangam and ghatam player. TVS brought out the best from his accompanists. When he teamed up with the legendary violinist MS Gopalakrishnan, they raised the concert to a new level. We loved the way TVS encouraged his accompanists, by openly expressing his admiration. When it was the violinist's turn to play, TVS forgot himself, and involuntarily joined the violinist and sang the phrases that the violin played!

He ended his concerts with “tukdas” that rasikas relished. When he sang “Eppo Varuvaaro” “When will He come?” theatrically, it brought tears to our eyes. Thereafter, he changed the mood with the lilting “English note” composition that listeners looked forward to. His trademark last piece- “Srinivasa” sung in dramatic style, took us to the portals of Tirupati.

TVS followed the “bani” of his illustrious uncle, Madurai Mani Iyer. Singing swara patterns was his forte. He mesmerized audiences with cascading swaras, that flowed effortlessly like a gushing waterfall. His unbridled enthusiasm rubbed off on us, and after the concert, we were fully charged and refreshed.

TVS passed away too early. We wonder if he was human or a “Gandharva” in human guise. Perhaps, a Gandharva who captivated us for a few decades and moved on to entertain other worlds. His music will stay with us. We will miss the unassuming man and his beaming smile. When will we have another TVS? “Eppo Varuvaaro?”