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2021-08-07T22:01:18Z

Music career

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{{expert needed|India|date=November 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{infobox person
|name = Mudikondan Venkatrama Iyer
|image = Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer.jpg
|birth_date = 15 October 1897
|birth_place = Mudikondan, Tiruvarur district, Tamilnadu
|death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1975|9|13|1897|10|15}}
|parents = Chakrapani Iyer, Kamakshi
|children = Kamakshi,Mathuram
|death_place = Chennai, Tamilnadu
|occupation = vocalist

}}
'''Mudikondan Venkatarama Iyer''' (Tamil: முடிகொண்டான் வெங்கடராம ஐயர் 15 October 1897 – 13 September 1975) was a
[[South India]]n [[Carnatic music]] singer and musicologist. He was also known as '''Mudikondan''' - the name of his native village.<ref name=hindu>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/The-Master-from-Mudicondan/article15780037.ece | title=The Master from Mudikondan | first=Sriram | last=Venkatakrishnan | date=14 October 2010 | newspaper=The Hindu | accessdate=13 July 2020 }}</ref>

==Background==
Venkatarama Iyer was born in Mudikondan, a small village in the [[Nannilam taluk]] of [[Tiruvarur district]] in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]<ref>[https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=mudikondan+village&aq=&sll=10.882183,79.577777&sspn=0.022547,0.042272&vpsrc=0&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Mudikondan,+Thiruvarur,+Tamil+Nadu,+India&t=m&z=16&iwloc=A Mudikondan locality]</ref> to parents Chakrapani Iyer and Kamakshi. His father was a singer of [[Hindu]] [[Rigveda|religious hymns]] while his maternal grandfather Srivanchiyam Swaminatha Iyer rendered ''padams'' and ''javalis'' with lilt that earned him the pet name 'talukku' Swaminatha Iyer.<ref name="hindu"/> His uncle Bommalattam Mani Iyer was also a famous musician.<ref name=podhigai>[http://bhagyavijaya.blogspot.in/ Interview by R. Vedavalli to Podhigai TV]</ref>

==Education==
Mudikondan's father wanted him to learn English, so he went to college in [[Chennai]] (then called Madras) after school. However, his father died, which forced him to leave college and return to his village. He then decided to receive formal training in Carnatic music. He furthered his education with help from [[Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Ayyar|Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer]]. He learned ''[[Tala (music)|tala]]'' and ''laya'' from a '[[Tavil]] [[Vidwan]]' known as ''[[Ammachatram]]'' Kandaswami Pillai. [[Simizhi Sundaram Iyer]] taught him the ''bhava'' aspect.<ref name=hindu/> Swaminatha Iyer came from Saint [[Tyagaraja]]'s lineage while Sundaram Iyer was from [[Muthuswami Dikshitar]]'s lineage. This ensured that Mudikondan acquired a very rich repertoire of [[Kriti|Krithis]].

He also spoke many languages, including [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Sanskrit]], and [[English language|English]], had a working knowledge of [[Hindu astrology|Astrology]] and [[Ayurveda]], and frequently prepared [[Herbalism|herbal medicines]] at home.<ref name=podhigai/>

==Music career==
Mudikondan's inaugural concert took place at [[Cuddalore]] when he was 17 years old. In 1919, he performed his first concert in [[Chennai]] under the auspices of the [[Mylapore]] Sangeetha Sabha.

Mudikondan was an expert in rendering [[Ragam Thanam Pallavi]]. He had information at his finger tips. When anyone wanted to clear a doubt, he could explain without referring to any book. He would answer the dispute without ambiguity.<ref name=podhigai/> He lived in his native village and taught students there.

''[[The Hindu]]'' newspaper reported that Mudikondan was "a great debater on the nuances of music and he used to explain in a remarkable way even obscure points." From 1935 onward he regularly attended the [[Madras Music Academy]]'s annual conference. He was an expert on both Lakshana and Lakshya aspects of [[Carnatic music]]. He explained the correct way of rendering [[niraval]], [[ragam]], [[tanam]], and [[pallavi]]. Dr. V. Raghavan, President of the Music Academy successfully convinced him to move to Chennai. Mudicondan moved to Chennai in 1948 and thereafter took a very active role in the Academy's activities. He was appointed Vice-Principal of the Teachers' College of Music. He became its principal in 1956<ref name=hindu/> succeeding illustrious predecessors such as [[Tiger Varadachariar]], [[Appa Iyer]], and [[Valadi Krishnaiyer]]. He published many articles from time to time. They have been reproduced in the Souvenir Publication of the Chennai Music Academy.<ref>
[http://www.musicacademymadras.in/backoffice/uploads/Souvenir-Articles-Index.pdf Index of Articles in Souvenir]</ref>

According to ''The Hindu,'' his lecture and demonstrations at the annual conferences of the Music Academy were well-attended by scholars, students, and professionals. In 1952 he gave a presentation of a pallavi in Simhanandana [[Tala (music)|Tala]] that made waves (128 aksharas).<ref name=hindu/> He retired from the Teachers' College of Music in 1972, but continued there as an Honorary Professor.<ref name=hindu/>

==Awards==
* [[Sangeetha Kalanidhi]], 1948/49 by [[Madras Music Academy]]<ref>[http://www.musicacademymadras.in/fotemplate05.php?temp=ac1c9891-da71-11e2-b2c0-00167688e545&tc=acb9c3bc-f620-11e2-8d59-00304891133e&shid=acb9f4b8-f620-11e2-8d59-00304891133e Recipients of Sangita Kalanidhi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101059/http://www.musicacademymadras.in/fotemplate05.php?temp=ac1c9891-da71-11e2-b2c0-00167688e545&tc=acb9c3bc-f620-11e2-8d59-00304891133e&shid=acb9f4b8-f620-11e2-8d59-00304891133e |date=2016-03-04 }}</ref>
* [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]], 1961 by [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]]<ref>[http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm#CarnaticVocal SNA Awardees list] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530204253/http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm |date=2015-05-30 }}</ref>
* [[Sangeetha Kalasikhamani]], 1971 by The Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai<ref>[http://www.theindianfineartssociety.com/oldevents.html AWARDEES OF SANGEETHA KALASIKHAMANI]</ref>

==Death==
After a short illness, Mudicondan died on 13 September 1975 in Chennai. He was 78.<ref name=hindu/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050126150313/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/11/05/stories/2004110502650400.htm Nuances of Mudikondan neraval]
* {{YouTube|xFJ9zkReNrE|R. Vedavalli demonstrates Ragam Thanam (01:10-10:01)}}
* {{YouTube|fLf2vgMmqqw|Presentation of a pallavi in Simhanandana Tala: 1971 repeat of 1952 lecture}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer}}
[[Category:Tamil musicians]]
[[Category:Tamil singers]]
[[Category:Male Carnatic singers]]
[[Category:Indian music educators]]
[[Category:Sangeetha Kalanidhi recipients]]
[[Category:1897 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian musicians]]
[[Category:Educators from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:India articles needing expert attention]]
[[Category:Tamil Nadu articles needing expert attention]]
[[Category:20th-century singers]]
[[Category:20th-century male singers]]

Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer - Revision history

imported>Shawrkat: /* Music career */