After this concert, I must have listened to recorded music of BMK’s for thousands of hours. Whether it was his rendition of Badrachala Ramdas Krithis, Sadguru Tyagaraja’s ghana raga Pancharatna Krithis, Dikshitharval’s Navagraha Krithis, Syama Sastri’s Devi Brova, or several of his own unique varnams, Krithis, or thillanas, the rendition had a style of its own.
In the following paragraphs, I would like to share whatever little I know about this great musician, musicologist, and composer.
Dr. Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna (BMK) was born on July 6, 1930, in Sankaraguptam, East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. He was a versatile musician, who excelled in both vocal and instrumental music. BMK had a remarkable voice and a unique style of singing, which made him one of the most celebrated musicians of all times.
BMK was born into a family of musicians. His father, Pattabhiramayya was proficient in playing the flute and violin. He showed a keen interest in music from a very young age, and his father recognized his talent and began teaching him music. As per information available in the internet, BMK gave his first public performance at the age of 8 and by the time he was 15, he was an established musician having composed Krithis in each of the 72 melakartha ragams.
BMK was a child prodigy, and he quickly gained recognition for his musical abilities. He was a self-taught musician, who learned to play a variety of instruments, including the violin, mridangam, and kanjira. He was also a prolific composer, who wrote more than 400 compositions in various languages, including Telugu, Sanskrit, and Tamil. As per Wikipedia he has given over 25000 concerts during his lifetime.
BMK was known for his unique style of singing, which was a blend of various musical traditions. He was also known for his ability to sing effortlessly in a wide range of octaves.
BMK was a musical innovator, who experimented with different musical genres and instruments. He popularized the concept of jugalbandi, or musical duets, in which two musicians of different styles perform together.
He has created unique ragas - ragas with 3 swaras (Ganapati) or 4 swaras (Lavangi) and talas (Mukhi talas – Trimukhi, Panchamukhi, Saptamukhi, Navamukhi). The tala system is more elaborate. Readers can google to find out more about this.
He was one of the most celebrated musicians of his time, and his contributions to Indian classical music are immeasurable. He was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Padma Vibhushan, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Sangeetha Kalanidhi.
BMK's legacy as a musician and composer continues to live on, and his contributions to Indian classical music have inspired generations of musicians. His compositions are widely performed, and his unique style of singing remains a benchmark for many aspiring musicians.
He was not just a musician but also a philosopher, who believed that music had the power to bring people together and break down barriers. He was a staunch advocate of cultural diversity and believed that music was a universal language that transcended all boundaries.
Dr. Balamuralikrishna was a musical genius, whose contributions to Indian classical music will always be remembered. He was a visionary, who pushed the boundaries of traditional music and experimented with different genres and instruments. His unique style of singing and innovative compositions continues to inspire and influence musicians all over the world.
It would be difficult, very difficult for me to list down songs rendered by BMK which are my favorites, but this would probably be the top 5 – Maha deva sudham (Arabhi), Nagumomu (Abheri), Thanga Radham Vandhadhu (Abhogi – film song), Thillana (Kunthalavarali), Ramchandraya Janaka (Mangalam).
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