‘Call me GNB’

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ENCORE

‘Call me GNB’

SRIRAM VENKATKRISHNAN

Most of his knowledge had been acquired by listening intently to music, assimilating it and later making it his own.

Star: G.N. Balasubramaniam

It was said of him that letters simply addressed as “GNB, Madras” would make their way to his residence, such being his star status. And considering that he frequently shifted home, this was no mean task.

The Prince Charming of Carnatic Music, G.N. Balasubramaniam, GNB to fans and friends, both of which were legion, presided over the annual conference of the Music Academy in 1958, exactly fifty years ago.

On January 1, 1959, the birudu and insignia of Sangita Kalanidhi was conferred on him and as befitting his stature “a large and distinguished gathering of musicians and music lovers was present at the P.S. High School pandal, where the function was held and cheered GNB” (The Hindu, January 2, 1959). It must be remembered here that the Academys’s present auditorium was still being built.

Guru-sishya relationship

The Governor of Kerala, Dr. B Ramakrishna Rao presided over the event and in his speech “stressed the value of guru-sishya relationship and said that the lack of that personal relationship between the teacher and the taught was responsible for the calamitous things that that had happened in the field of general education.”

It was rather ironic that the Governor chose guru-sishya relationship as the theme of his talk, for GNB was rather unique in that respect.

Barring his initial learning under his father G.V. Narayanaswami Iyer, some further training under Madurai Subramania Iyer and still later a couple years under Tiger Varadachariar, GNB hardly had any guru to speak of. Most of his knowledge had been acquired by listening intently to music, assimilating it and later making it his own, giving it his unique stamp by means of his great intellect.

New phenomenon

His briga based music was a new phenomenon in the world of Carnatic Music. In fact, the citation mentioned that with “a unique style of his own and a speedy virtuosity of voice he gained a large popularity and a school of followers and pupils.” Of course, not everyone felt comfortable with his music and some detractors even went to extent of calling it ‘English Sangeetham,’ owing to GNB possessing a BA (Hons) degree in English literature.

It is interesting to read that the Academy’s sadas began on that day with a prayer sung by KV Narayanaswami, then a rising star. It must have made up somewhat for the absence of KVN’s guru, Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar who was in those years not accepting any concert opportunities at the Music Academy. GNB must have missed Ariyakkudi keenly, for to him Ariyakkudi was the very embodiment of music.

Among the vidwans assembled on the occasion, mention must be made of GNB’s close friends, T Chowdiah and Palani Subramania Pillai. Both spoke on the occasion and Palani in his speech complimented GNB for the way in which he conducted the Academy’s annual conference that year. Madurai Mani Iyer too was present and said “that he was very happy that his friend GNB was honoured on the occasion. Whenever GNB and he met, they would be speaking for hours on the intricacies of music. The music of GNB was noted for its verve.” GNB was still a relative youngster and there were seniors present as well. Among them, Tiruvizhimizhalai Subramania Pillai (the first nagaswaram artist to be conferred the title of Sangita Kalanidhi) and Annasami Bhagavatar, the Harikatha exponent, spoke.

In his acceptance speech, GNB said that he owed his present position to “his father, Tiger Varadachariar and Sri Ramanuja Iyengar.” He must have remembered the early days when Ariyakkudi was a frequent visitor at home. That was a period when GNB’s speed of singing had worried his father no end and he had consulted Ariyakkudi about it. The latter had said that a natural voice should never be tampered with and had encouraged GNB to sing the way he felt best.

GNB had always prided himself on being an “Academy boy” for he had performed along with Tiger Varadachariar as early as 1932 when the Teachers College of Music was begun by the Academy. His speech therefore also paid tributes to the institution. He said that “The Expert Committee of the Music Academy was an august body and he had not had the courage to reject the offer of Presidentship of the conference.” He said that “art was big and an artist was a mere dwarf before a giant”.

Unknowingly or perhaps otherwise, GNB had also sparked off another revolution in Carnatic music, albeit a minor one. With him, the trend of referring to musicians by initials and not by village name began and his were perhaps the most famous initials among them all. And so he wound his speech up with the request that “the musically minded public would continue to call him “GNB””!

(The author can be contacted at srirambts@gmail.com)