Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna was a towering achiever among Carnatic musicians. The volume of his work alone was sufficient to have followers gasp for breath: he rendered 25,000 concerts across the world. Music lovers were in raptures over his 400 compositions, a great tribute to his creativity. His stunning virtuosity, the felicity with which he sang in so many languages, and his mastery of Hindustani music and musical instruments he could play, including percussion, left all in awe. His experimentation with the classical may have upset some, as he satisfied his creative urge by inventing ragas of great simplicity that took not only his singing to a higher plane but embellished music itself. From the Godavri’s banks in Andhra he went on to conquer the classical music world, living mostly in Chennai, spiritual home of the Carnatic tradition.
Musicians who knew him well speak of his mystical inspiration as an artiste and a mischievous trait that made it appear he was cheekily enjoying himself at the world’s expense. He had bones to pick with the establishment, yet he blossomed in the sabha concerts while flying far beyond in his musical journey as he forayed into fusion in jugalbandhis. Besides acting, he also took up playback singing, and in doing so reached audiences far beyond the conservative and cloistered classical music world of his heyday. He leaves behind a phenomenally versatile body of work through which his memory will be cherished, including in the home state he left when peeved with the closing of a music academy.
