Noted Carnatic vocalist T. M. Thyagarajan passed away at his residence on June 27.

He was 84.

Popularly known as TMT, Thanjavur M. Thyagarajan was a disciple of the legendary musician Semmangudi Srinivasier. TMT was also a much sought after guru. He taught in Govt. music colleges at Madurai and Chennai. Well known musicians like O. S. Thyagarajan, 'Veena' Gayathri, Nirmala Sunderrajan, Subhashini Parthasarathy and Lakshmi Rangarajan trained under TMT.

He had notated the compositions of the trinity. A book of 101 Dikshitar Kirthanas well-notated in Tamil authored by TMT was published in 1992 by Tanjore Music Tradition, Chennai. This book is a useful tool for the learners as well as the performing musicians.

He was a recipient of the prestigious title Sangita Kalanidhi from the Music Academy, Madras.
TMT is survived by five sons and a daughter. His family resides at G-2, G.S. Iyyappa Flats, 12, Ramachandra Road, Near Nageswara Rao Park, Mylapore, Chennai - 4. Phone : 044 - 2498 2331

I am probably one of the oldest and senior most intrumentalist disciples of Sri T. M. Thiagarajan.
I met him in early 80s,at a time when I was absolutely fed up of performing and I began to wonder, "Is kutcheri the only aim of music?" I had started to feel the urge to know a different destination other than a concert platform and I shared my views with Sri T. M. Thiagarajanin my first meeting with him.I told him that the mere thought of practising veena for kutcheri was beginning to bore me to tears and even the charm of music started to wear off due to many pressures.

I sought his help to inject some spirit into my creativity. He heard me out silently, with a characteristic twinkle in his eyes.He merely commented, "To see something different, you will have to start from the scratch,like start from varnams!" I said fine,I would do whatever he instructed me.

That was the start of exciting rollercoaster sessions of heavenly music with Sri TMT Sir. From the very first day, I was captivated by sheer under currents of high level IQ and brainy music. His music was all about "intellect-via-soul"! I would get transported to some other plane and used to literally be in a trance as I kept learning not less than one whole piece and many ragas in every session.
Many times I would even record our music interactions with conversations inbetween, I never bothered to press the stop button, whenever he stopped to explain something inbetween. Every word he uttered became divine and precious to me as I started to regard him as my saintly music Guru.

'Veenai' Gayathri, Chennai
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Carnatic music has in recent months lost a number of senior musicians.

Way back in 1948 I happened to hear T. M. Tyagarajan for the first time at a Radhakalyanam performance at Sendangudi, a part of Mayuram and was struck by his immense talents. Ever since I have been an ardent admirer of his music. His contribution as a Guru is equally praiseworthy. He has died full of years and honours. May his soul rest in peace.

M.G.Swaminathan, New Delhi.
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TMT was a friend of our family for over 60 years thro the good offices of Semmangudi his Guru. I visited him about 18 months back along with my father the late K.S.Mahadevan. He was a recluse because of his indifferent health but yet very sharp about the events around him in the Music scene in Chennai and elsewhere.

Over the years TMT struck me most as one of the Most principled Artistes that the Cultural World has ever produced. He was very sincere and loyal to his friends and admirers. He would not bow down to any individual, no matter how high a honor he was being bestowed. Throughout his life, he was steadfast in his loyalty to his students and admirers---no wonder all of them reciprocated equally.

He had an uncanny knack for tuning compositions that conveyed the richness of the sahitya and brought out the colors of the raga with an admirable aesthetic quality (no cheap sangathis or frills that went against the grain of both the sahitya and the raga. The piece in Hamsadhwani - Namami Vinayakam on Lord Ganesh is one example of how skilfully he blended the melody with the tala (Tisra) illustrating the fine balance and sense of proportion that is critical to Carnatic music.

As a teacher I have heard glowing accounts about his sincerity and dedication--strict no doubt but not vindictive. Being one of Semmangudi's leading disciples, he can be rightfully anointed as a true torch-bearer of his Guru's hoary tradition. Although concert opportunities were few partly because he did not "seek them" and partly because of his strict code of conduct and self-respect that precluded any cozying upto Sabha secretaries or fellow musicians,he still retained the respect and admiration of his "peers". He had a good sense of humor and always exhibited a remarkable quality of restraint,tact and diplomacy no matter how annoying the provocations may have been.

An anecdote I vividly remember from my boyhood days.
In the late Forties, my father had arranged (at the behest and suggestion of Semmangudi) a concert in Bombay for TMT-- the first solo concert in Bombay for TMT because uptil then he had always accompanied his Guru.
TMT was in his Mid - twenties at that time-- Semmangudi had suggested for violin his nephew (and grandson of the famous Tirukkodikaval Krishna Iyer)and mridangam by the late Mylattur Ramachandran. All three of them were staying in our house in matunga (a small flat). The concert was so-so, not because of TMT but because the violinist was anything but a support or accompanist--often more eager to indulge in precarious forays landing himself and the vocalist in trouble. While his nervousness was understandable being his first exposure to a big audience in Bombay, his lack of sensitivity to the vocalist was not palpable.
When they all came home after the concert, before they retired for the night, the violinist knowing that he had not been much of a help, was still looking for some comforting words from TMT asked him how was his playing.
TMT's response-"Anna, Innikki oru Vashippu Vasichele, athaii eppadi varnikkanalam enru Yojikkiren"-- (translation: I am trying to figure out how to describe your performance today)--the naive violinist truly thought it to be a complement. Imagine TMT's situation - being the first concert early in his career before a much bigger audience than in Chennai eager to take the city by storm working under the shadow of a giant maestro Semmangudi. Having been literally forced to have the novice violinist accompany him (afterall he was his Guru's nephew and TMT owed his concert to his Guru for his recommendation) would have been seething with anger over the opportunity lost to make a splash in Bombay in his first debut, frustrated entirely by an inept violinist!
But TMT was calm and composed despite the chance he got to "unload" when the vilonist unwittingly asked for his opinion!!

TMT always showed his class even when he was needlessly provoked (the Music Academy brouha over TMT's Sangeetha Kalanidhi nomination) and stuck to his guns. He never sought accolades from anybody and when he got them, he always let them rest lightly on his shoulders.
An artist noted for Classicism and Class--a rare combination.
Our family's condolences to TMT's family.
May his soul rest in peace!

M. K. Ramsubramanian ('Ramesh')
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