Music Composer T. K. Ramamurthy(1922 -2013) passes away - Wednesday April 17,2013

T.K. Ramamurthy(91) the older of the music director duo Viswanathan-Ramamurthi who revolutionised orchestration in Tamil film music and became known as ‘Mellisai Mannargal’, died here on Wednesday April 17,2013

The title ‘mellisai mannargal’ was conferred on them by thespian Sivaji Ganesan at a function on June 16,1963 organised by Triplicane Cultural Academy to mobilise funds for the Kasturi Srinivasan Library

Ramamurthy was senior to MSV. In the beginning of their career, the duo was called Ramamurthy-Viswanathan and it was the comedian N.S. Krishnan who changed the order while introducing them in his film Panam(1952)

The two began their journey at a time when Tamil film music was dominated by G. Ramanathan, K.V. Mahadevan, Subbaiah Naidu, T.G. Lingappa and T.R. Papa.

The duo first set to music the songs of late Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram and their career graph touched new heights when Kannadasan joined hands with them.

M. S. Viswanathan and T. K. Ramamoorthy split up after the release of'Ayirathil Oruvan(1965).They came together in 1952 and split up in 1965 and scored music for 86 films.The duo composed for over 700 films during the 50s and 60s

Three decades after their split, the duo came together and scored music for the film Yenkiruntho Vanthan(1995)

T K Ramamoorthy could not achieve success as an individual composer and composed music only for 19 films between 1966-1986

• Sadhu Mirandaal (1966)
• Thenmazhai (1966)
• Madras To Pondicherry (1966)
• Marakka Mudiyuma (1966)
• Alayam (1966)
• Enggalukkum Kalam Varum (1967)
• Pattatthu Rani (1967)
• Naan (1967)
• Moondrezhutthu (1968)
• Soappu Seeppu Kannadi (1968)
• Neelagiri Express (1968)
• Thanga Surangam (1969)
• Kathal Jothi (1970)
• Sangamam (1970)
• Sakthi Leelai (1972)
• Praarthanai (1973)
• Avalukku Ayiram Kangal (1975)
• Antha June 16 (1984)
• Ival Oru Pournami (1986)

Both Ramamurthy and MSV were assistants of C.R. Subbaraman, the music director of HMV. Subbaraman died at the age of 28 and it was left to his assistants to complete music for the films he had agreed to score. 

MSV and T K Ramamurthy as special guests in airtel super singer 3

 

Cho Ramaswamy inaugurates the website on MSV. M.S. Viswanathan and T.K. Ramamurthi

To mark the beginning of the 14th year in Aug 2012 of Jaya TV. The occasion also saw the Kings of Melody — Viswanathan and Ramamurthy – honoured for their yeoman service to Tamil cinema.