An appreciation of melody, harmony, emotion and the universal language of music.
When Music Speaks Without Words
For me, music has never been merely a form of entertainment. It is an experience, a companion and, in many ways, a part of life itself. Sometimes a melody brings back a beautiful memory; sometimes an instrumental passage creates a feeling that words cannot express. Music can relax the mind, inspire thought or simply make an ordinary day feel special.
As a teacher of physics, I spend much of my professional life exploring the laws that govern the physical world. Music offers me a different kind of experience. It invites me to appreciate sound not only as a physical phenomenon but also as an expression of human creativity, emotion and imagination.
I enjoy listening carefully—not just to recognise a song, but to appreciate its instruments, rhythms, transitions and subtle musical phrases. A small instrumental passage can remain in my mind long after a song has ended. Sometimes I anticipate the next instrument or recognise a familiar phrase even before it unfolds. For me, listening to music is a journey of discovery in which every listening experience can reveal something new.
Kannada: The Melody of My Mother Tongue
Kannada holds a special place in my heart. It is my mother tongue, and listening to Kannada songs connects me to something deeper than melody alone. The language, its lyrical beauty, its expressions and the emotions carried by its words make the experience deeply personal.
I have a special appreciation for composers such as Hamsalekha, Manomurthy and Anoop Seelin. Their musical contributions have enriched my listening experience in different ways. I enjoy the many shades of Kannada music, from memorable melodies that remain with us for years to gentle compositions that touch the heart in a moment.
My affection for Kannada does not limit my musical interests. Rather, it gives me a meaningful starting point from which I explore music in other languages. Loving one's mother tongue and appreciating the artistic beauty of other languages can naturally coexist. Kannada is part of my cultural identity, my memories and my emotional world.
Ilaiyaraaja and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam: A Musical Bond
Among the musical experiences I cherish most are the compositions of Ilaiyaraaja and the voice of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, affectionately known as SPB or Balu. I particularly enjoy their collaborations, including the memorable songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja and sung by SPB for Mohan's films.
What fascinates me is not merely the main tune. It is also the musical journey surrounding it: the opening notes, instrumental interludes, interplay between instruments, rhythm and the subtle transition back to the vocal melody. A familiar song can reveal something new each time I listen. A flute phrase, a violin response or a carefully placed rhythmic passage can become as memorable as the song itself.
SPB and S. Janaki: Voices That Became Our Own
For many years, I thought of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki amma as our own Kannada artists. I had grown up listening to their songs, and their voices were so naturally woven into the Kannada musical world that I never felt they belonged elsewhere. It was only much later that I became fully aware of their origins outside Karnataka.
That realisation made me reflect: had their place of birth ever mattered to me while I was enjoying their Kannada songs? Their voices had already become part of my memories, emotions and experience of Kannada culture. I had accepted them as our own long before I knew the details of their geographical origins.
What amazes me even more is the clarity and naturalness of their Kannada pronunciation. Sometimes I wonder whether even those of us born and raised in Karnataka could sing Kannada with the same clarity, musicality and emotional expression. Speaking a language as one's mother tongue and rendering it beautifully through music are different skills. Their singing reflects exceptional vocal ability and remarkable sensitivity to the sounds, rhythm and emotional character of Kannada.
Perhaps this is one of music's greatest gifts: it allows us to welcome someone into our hearts without first asking where they were born.
S. Janaki Amma and K. S. Chithra Amma: Voices Beyond Language
My love for melody is inseparable from my admiration for S. Janaki amma and K. S. Chithra amma. I enjoy their songs irrespective of the language in which they are sung. A melody in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi or another language can move me just as deeply as one in Kannada.
Even when I do not understand every word, the voice, phrasing, expression and musical flow can communicate emotions that need no translation. Language gives a song its words and cultural identity, while the singer brings those words to life. Their songs remind me that the beauty of a voice is not confined by the language in which it sings.
Dr. Rajkumar: When the Voice Itself Becomes Music
When I think of Dr. Rajkumar, the first thing that comes to mind is the sweetness of his speaking voice. Even in ordinary conversation, his voice had distinctive warmth, clarity and natural Kannada pronunciation. His words seemed to carry a musical quality of their own.
When that same voice began to sing, the experience became even more special. His singing could express devotion, affection, compassion, courage and the many emotions of human life. His pronunciation and expressive delivery gave his performances a distinctive identity.
When I listen to a beautiful song sung by him, I sometimes wonder whether heaven is really somewhere far away. Perhaps a glimpse of it can be experienced when music completely absorbs the mind and carries us beyond everyday worries. Some voices delight the ears, some touch the heart, and a rare few seem to create a little heaven within us.
Kumar Sanu and the Charm of Hindi Melodies
My musical interests also include Hindi film songs, particularly the melodies sung by Kumar Sanu, whose songs I love to listen to often. There is a distinct pleasure in returning to familiar Hindi melodies and allowing the voice, tune and arrangement to unfold naturally.
Whether I am listening to a Kannada melody, a Tamil composition, a Telugu song or a Hindi film song, what draws me in is the ability of music to create a feeling, hold my attention and become part of a personal memory. A beautiful melody can establish a connection before we have even begun to analyse its words.
K. J. Yesudas: When Music Becomes a Spiritual Experience
There are voices that touch the heart, and there are voices that seem to quieten the mind itself. For me, the singing of K. J. Yesudas can create such an experience. When I listen to his songs, particularly devotional compositions, I often find myself immersed in a feeling of peace and reverence.
The depth of his voice, the gentleness of his phrasing, the richness of the melody and the sincerity of the musical expression come together in a deeply moving way. Sometimes his devotional singing awakens a longing to experience the divine—to seek the presence of a God who cannot be seen but may be felt within. Music becomes a quiet space for reflection, devotion and inner stillness.
Perhaps heaven is not merely a distant place. A glimpse of it may be experienced when the mind becomes still and the heart is absorbed in a devotional melody. When I listen to Yesudas, I sometimes feel that music can create a little world of the divine within the heart.
Beyond One Composer or One Language
Although certain composers and singers hold a special place in my heart, I do not believe musical appreciation should be restricted to a few familiar names. Every composer has a creative identity, every singer brings an individual expression, and every musical tradition has something worth discovering.
I enjoy instrumental music as much as the vocal portions of a song. A flute phrase, a violin passage, a carefully placed rhythm or a brief instrumental response can sometimes become the most memorable part of a composition. These details make listening an active experience and reward attention.
Music does not need to belong to a particular language, country, religion or culture to be appreciated. Loving Kannada does not require me to love only Kannada music. Appreciating music from other languages does not weaken my affection for my mother tongue; each language introduces me to a different world of expression.
Listening Beyond the Sound
My interest in audio equipment and high-quality recordings comes from a desire to experience music more fully. I appreciate recordings that allow individual instruments, vocal details and rhythmic layers to be heard clearly.
Good audio reproduction can reveal the finer details of a composition, yet equipment is only a means to an end. No specification, bit depth or sampling frequency can independently explain why a melody touches us. Technical quality may help us hear more clearly, but musical meaning is something we experience personally. The most satisfying listening experience is one in which the equipment fades from our attention and the music takes centre stage.
Music and the Life Beyond Physics
Physics helps us understand sound in terms of vibrations, frequency, amplitude, resonance and waves. These concepts explain important aspects of how sound is produced, transmitted and perceived.
But knowing the physics of sound does not exhaust the experience of music. We can measure a frequency, analyse a waveform and study a recording's spectrum, yet the personal significance of a melody cannot be reduced to those measurements alone. Music allows scientific curiosity and emotional appreciation to coexist. Understanding the physical world and experiencing its beauty are complementary parts of life.
Music Is a Way of Living
Over time, I have come to see music as much more than a hobby. It can help us relax after a demanding day, inspire us when we need encouragement, reconnect us with memories and offer quiet companionship when we want to be with our thoughts.
My musical journey continues through Kannada melodies, the compositions of Ilaiyaraaja, the voice of SPB, the songs of S. Janaki amma and K. S. Chithra amma, the Hindi melodies of Kumar Sanu, the musical contributions of Hamsalekha, Manomurthy and Anoop Seelin, the timeless singing of Dr. Rajkumar and the devotional depth I experience in the voice of Yesudas.
We can cherish our mother tongue without placing limits on our appreciation of other languages. We can belong deeply to one culture and still feel at home in the music of another. Our differences need not prevent us from sharing beauty, emotion and joy.
Music is not just to listen. It is to live. It is to lead. It is to relax. It is to breathe.
For me, music is not merely sound entering the ears. It is an experience that finds its way into life itself. And perhaps, when a voice we love begins to sing, the distance between music and life disappears altogether.
Share Your Thoughts on Music
Which song, composer or singer has left a lasting impression on your life?
ನಿಮ್ಮ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಚ್ಚಳಿಯದ ಪ್ರಭಾವ ಬೀರಿದ ಹಾಡು, ಸಂಗೀತ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ ಅಥವಾ ಗಾಯಕ ಯಾರು?