Thiru M.S.Viswanathan CD Relaunch

Few months back Mr.Kamesh Bavaratnam (@kameshratnam) contacted me through Twitter asking if I had any Gramophone records of Mellisai Mannar (King of Melodies) Thiru M.S.Viswanathan (MSV). That’s how we started one of our many messages over past few weeks. Thanks to an invite from him I went for today’s Relaunch event of MSV’s Thrilling Thematic Tunes Album by MSVTimes.com.

I learnt that this Album was originally launched in 1970s during a time when MSV was at his career peak working endlessly on Tamil Film music compositions. HMV had worked with MSV in bringing out this compilation of his individual tracks titled “Thrilling Thematic Tunes”. The album’s LP Record was the first in South India to be made in (then)Stereophonic system. The album contains tracks of varied themes  including Reminiscences, Village/Urban divide, War, Train Track, East-West Wedding, Melody & Lord Krishna’s Rasa Leela.

I was born in 1970s, so by the time I started watching Tamil Film’s it was all Ilaiyaraja. Even then I was touched by MSV music. Two of my all time favourite songs are composed by him, one is Romantic  “Mannikka Mattaya” (மன்னிக்க மாட்டாயா) from the film Janani (1985) and the other Spiritual “Pullanguzhal Kodutha” (புல்லாங்குழல் கொடுத்த மூங்கில்களே) penned by legendary Kaviarasu Kannadasan. Apart from this I have listened many times his compositions of older movies including M.G.R’s Anbe Vaa (1966),  Nagesh starring Kadalikka Neramillai (1964) & Sivagi Ganesan’s Karnan (1964). In latter movies that I probably watched in theatres I like his compositions on Mohan’s Mela Thiranthathu Kadhavu (1986), Kamal’s Simla Special (1982), S.Ve.Shekar’s Manal Kayiru (1982), Rajini’s Thillu Mullu (1981) and Kamal/Rajini’s Ninaithale Inikkum (1979).

Today’s launch event venue was Russian Cultural Hall, Kasturi Ranga Road, Chennai. The event started late by 60 minutes at 7PM instead of 6PM due to late arrival of chief guest who I suppose was delayed by his old age. A video clip of Kannadasan was shown where he recollects his trip with MSV to Afghanistan & Soviet Union, he mentions how MSV mesmerized the audience by his replaying of Russian composer Tchaikovsky when they visited a concert hall in Russia. In today’s event the dignitaries on stage were accomplished octogenarian’s and they recollected fascinating tales about the humbleness & dedication to music by MSV, it was quite an inspiring event.

Saregama have released the entire album in YouTube here, enjoy.

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