can sharp Iron pieces too make music !!

Music is divine ~ in our culture, Temples & divinity have always been associated with music.  At Thiruvallikkenki Thamizh Thalaivar Peyazhwar has a sannathi (it is a temple by itself) and a street named after him. Yesterday mellifluous music reverberated – and this post is on an instrument!  - “Morsing”  !!  At first sight cannot imagine that these iron pieces can produce music too !!

 

On 25.12.2024, this year’s Margashi isai Kondattam started at Peyalwar thirukkovil – was fortunate to listen to Sri Sai Vignesh (of Varaha roopam fame).   I could not but  wonder how a small iron instrument held on teeth could produce sweet music .. .. wonder-struck, took some photos of that odd looking instrument ~ now I realize the greatness of the person who played it and produced stirring music ! ~ the post is on  ‘morsing’ played by young Sri Krishna.

 

The ability to express thoughts through sounds has evolved into an art which we call music.  Carnatic music emphasizes the voice and singing, accompanied by the tambura, violin, mridangam, gadam, Veena and more.  The raga style is commonly used, and improvisation is common.  Three forms are hailed : Iyal, Isai, Nattiyam [Prose, Poetry and Drama] .. There are 2 sets of people ~ connoisseurs of music, especially the Carnatic one, who know the nuances; others who know nothing !! ~ … ~  I belong to the latter variety and hence this post may not be anything to the first category people. 

The mysticism of ragas often finds avenues of expression when rendered by sensitive musicians.  It was an amazing performance of Sai Vignesh accompanied by Violin, Mridungam and Morsing.   

 

Have once had an occasion to be close and picture this instrument – and another yesterday ~  a  morsing (Telugu: మోర్సింగ్, , Tamil: நாமுழவு அல்லது முகச்சங்கு) , [jaw harp] is an instrument similar to the Jew's harp, mainly used in Rajasthan, in the Carnatic music of South India, and in Sindh, Pakistan. It can be categorized under lamellophones, which is in the category of plucked idiophones. It consists of a metal ring in the shape of a horseshoe with two parallel forks which form the frame, and a metal tongue in the middle, between the forks, fixed to the ring at one end and free to vibrate at the other. The metal tongue is bent at the free end in a plane perpendicular to the circular ring so that it can be struck and is made to vibrate. This bent part is called the trigger.

 

By some accounts morsing is an instrument with a history of 1500 years, its exact origin in India is not well documented. In the tradition of the Indian gurukul system of teaching, thus folk tales are a secondary source of its history. In South India, it features in Carnatic concerts and percussion ensembles. It is said to be the percursor to subsequent instruments such as the harmonica and the harmonium. 

The morsing is placed on the front teeth, with slightly pouted lips and held firmly in the hand. It is struck using the index finger of the other hand to produce sound. Movement of the player's tongue while making nasal sounds is used to change the pitch. By every means a very tough one physically !!    While this is sounded through the nose,  air is pushed out or pulled in through the mouth. This aids the meditation process and thus some players use it as a form of practising pranayama. Movement of the player's tongue with constant plucking can produce very fast patterns of sound. It certainly looked and is a tough one to perform, though Sri Srikrishna  played it with ease, matching the voice,  mridungam and violin.  Together they made a great team and treated us all to divine music for nearly 1.30  hours.

 

While traditionally morsing is made of iron, variants can be made from brass, wood, bone, and even plastic and credit cards.

 

The vidwan who played Morsing yesterday – Sri Krishna, is a Percussionist too!  - and holds a MS in Music Technology from Indiana University, USA.  Understand that he presently lives in Mylapore and was a Triplicanite for long.

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
26^th Dec 2024.

PS : handful of recipients of my posts  are acclaimed critics of Carnatic music.  To some of you this could be no news at all ..  request you to please  ignore this post… for the rest – this iron also could make sweet music !!