SOUTH INDIAN CINE MUSIC DIRECTORS [OLD] –XVIII

 MD XIII - T G LINGAPPA [22-08-1927--- 05-02 2000]

TIRUCHIRAPALLI   GOVINDARAJULU LINGAPPA 

It was just misfortune that TGL was not too well known among Tamil audience, though he had been among the best known composers of film songs in the T F industry. His father Mr. Govidarajulu was a musician himself and is credited to have taught music to Ms K B Sundarambal –noted for timbre in her voice. TGL had learnt to play many musical instruments- harmonium, guitar and Mandolin. Guitar and Mandolin were far out of reach for many boys / girls then. By around the age of 14, TGL had proficiency in handling such instruments.  With confidence when TGL approached MD C Ramachandra of Gemini studios, his claims were rejected on the grounds of his ‘low’ age.

Not disheartened by the rejection, TGL tried his luck with M/S Modern theatres, Salem; he was accommodated there by MD-- TA KALYANAM; he, also got acquainted with KV Mahadevan and TR Pappa –senior musicians in Modern theatres. Later he joined R Sudharsanam at Chennai; before long, TGL switched over to working for MD - CR Subbaraman. 

The young Lingappa was too vibrant for those times.  Yes, I intend amplifying on this. His penchant for playing more modern instruments and desire to procure the ‘latest’ items drove him to LONDON for purchase of latest sensations in music. He procured ‘an ELECTRIC GUITAR’, as early as 1948-49. Now TGL’s trump card worked well; the then experimenters in cine music, CR S,  G.Ramanathan  and KV M  preferred TGL  to lend support to orchestral elements typical of Western style.

Soon cine personalities like TR Mahalingam, B R Pantulu became closer to TGL and wanted him to work for their movies. In fact till the fag end of life, TGL and Pantulu sustained intimacy.  TG LINGAPPA was a name to reckon with in the then South Indian cine music.                                                                                                                    

LOOK at these pieces.

1957   ‘THANGA MALAI RAGASIYAM’  ‘ Amudhai pozhiyum nilave’ WAS A National hit as THE SAME TUNE WAS USED IN Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movies .

1958 ‘SABASH MEENA’ had the most popular songs such as  ‘chithiram pesudhadi’ [P Susheela],

 ‘kaana inbam kanindhadheno’[T A Mothi, P.Susheela]  both were outstanding by the lilt and intricacies there in.

1964  ‘MURADAN MUTHU’ ‘ Thamarappoo kolaththile’ a peppy item with folk structure / beat

He had composed music for several Kannada and Telugu movies and was a popular composer in  South Indian cinemas.

My salutations to TG LINGAPPA                                                                                       

  Prof. K. Raman