Musical Genius Mr. Handel Manuel [ 1918-1995] : Mr. Handel Manuel was one of the greatest and rarest musical geniuses of western music that this world has ever produced . He was a globally acclaimed Pianist and musical celebrity of the twentieth century. Mr. Handel Manuel's mother Mrs. Daya Manuel was a great-granddaughter of the legendary Daniel Paramanadam, the first Indian Deacon of the Nagercoil Home Church. By his extraordinary musical accomplishment Mr . Handel Manuel had become a legendary personality in the filed of western music .
His Birth and Parents : Mr . Handel Manuel was born as a male child to Dr. Manuel and Mrs. Daya Manuel , on 27 April , 1918. Mrs. Daya Manuel was an offshoot of a great illustrious christian family of Nagercoil. Mrs. Daya Manuel's great grandfather Mr. Daniel Paramanadam was the first ordained Indian Deacon of the Home Church , Nagercoil . Mr. Daniel Paramanadam and Mrs. Paramayee Paramanadam begot Marthal Fanny; and Mrs. Marthal Fanny and Joseph Munshi begot Mr. Ambrose ; and Mr. Ambrose and Mrs. Luis Ambrose begot Mrs Daya Manuel and Daya Manuel was the mother of our legendary Music Maestro Mr. Handel Manuel.
His family and his education : Dr. Manuel and Mrs . Manuel were blessed with four children [two sons and two daughters ] namely:[1] Mr. Handel Manuel ,[2] Sunder and [3] Rajeswari and [4]Lister. Music was the great love of Dr. Manuel senior and his children also inherited this great quality from their father Dr Manuel. Sunder is an adept at the clarionet and cello and an accomplished soloist on the flute. Lister is an accomplished pianist , organist and conductor of church choir and Rajeswari is a singer and pianist . But Handel Manuel was a genius and surpassed all of his siblings in western music. Handel Manuel's son Viji Manuel and his grandson Sajjid are also great musicians Handel Manuel did his school Education in Tuticorin and collegiate education at the famous Madras Christian College , Tambaram , Chennai.
The back ground of Handel Manuel's name: On the eve of Handel Manuel's birth , his father Dr . Manuel with great musical flair attended a musical performance of the iconic Oratorio Composer George Frederic Handel's [ 23 February1685-14 April 1759],masterpiece Oratorio, "Messiah" at the famous St. Andrew's Church, Chennai [The Kirk ]. Dr Manuel was highly impressed and infatuated by the musical performance , so he decided to christen his boy child as Handel after the great German born British music composer George Frederic Handel. True to his name Handel Manuel touched and reached great heights in his musical career.
Handel Manuel was multifaceted Musical Genius: Handel Manuel was born in the family of music lovers and musicians . He was a self taught musician . As born musical prodigy Handel very easily picked up mind and soul the music, naturally and easily. Handel began his musical travel and training with violin and very quickly he became an excellent expert to play keyboard. He became a world class Organist , Pianist.and in short became fluent in any type music; including classical or light.
Some unique places of his musical journey: The Madras Musical Association was founded in 1893 by European Expatriates in Madras[Chennai] with the then Governor of Madras Presidency as it's Patron ; to propagate and perform western music in the city of Madras in particular and India as a whole. He became the first Indian Conductor of Madras Musical Association at the tender age of 23. Mr. Handel Manuel was the Founder Director of the Madras Philharmonic and Choral society. He served as the Organist for more than fifty years at the St.Andrew's Church, Chennai [The Kirk ].Day by day his musical fame was reaching far and wide.
Handel Manuel's Musical Performances in Foreign Countries : Handel Manuel's remarkable musical talent was recognized throughout the world. In 1964 at the invitation of the British Council he went to UK and gave performances in West Minister Abbey , London and in Edinburgh Cathedral, UK and his recitals were recorded by BBC[British Broadcasting Corporation ] and also recorded by French Radio and broadcast in UK and France ; and also televised in Germany. Thus the musical talent and fame of Handel Manuel ,wafted above these countries in the air and brought indelible fame to Handel Manuel in European countries also.
In 1984 Handel Manuel was privileged to visit the United Kingdom and Europe again and gave outstanding musical performances at several celebrated Centres and Cathedrals and impressed the British and other European audiences overwhelmed by the reception and encouragements Handel Manuel extended his musical tour to USA, and gave mind blowing musical performances and recital in many important cities like Minneapolis , Philadelphia, San Francisco etc. At San Francisco Mr . Handel Manuel, in a fantastic manner played on a new huge Six-Manual Organ commissioned just one month before. In 1993, musical genius Handel Manuel revisited UK and Europe and gave mesmerizing western musical recitals..
Handel Manuel was a peerless Accompanist : Handel Manuel was a world class Pianist and Organist and he was sought after by foreign and Indian artistes like Melli Metha , the father of the world famous musician Zubin Metha ,American violinist Jack Gladzer, Argentinian violinist Alberto Lysy [Protege of the great violinist Yehudi Menuhin]; Australian violinist Michael Grube ,the Dutch Cellist Francois Vetter and some other outstanding instrumentalists. Handel had also accompanied many great vocalists from UK, the USA , Japan and some other countries. After rearing a recital of Handel Manuel in Madras , Michael Grube paid Handel Manuel a public tribute and said, "I have played with many Pianists in the world , but none like Handel Manuel "
Mr. Handel Manuel as a Guest Pianist had appeared many a time with number of internationally acclaimed Jazz Groups such as Barrel House Jazz Group from Germany; Bob Barnard's Jazz Group from Australia , Clark Terry and his Jolly Giants from USA etc.
Handel Manuel as a Conductor: Handel Manuel was an extraordinary Orchestra Conductor .He was the first Indian to decorate the post of Music Director of the Madras Musical Association [MMA].and he held the post with great distinction and acclaim for 36 long years. He had the honour of conducting many mind blowing world class Orchestral and Choral Concerts. Once he got the rare distinction of performing as the Guest Conductor of the Berlin Chamber Orchestra .He had the privilege of directing the music part of several stage productions of most of Sullivan and Gilbert operas and musical plays like Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, Hans Christian Anderson , Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Papp's version the Pirates of Penzance etc.
Handel Manuel rubbed shoulders with great international musicians : Handel Manuel had the distinction and opportunity to participate at the International Congress of Organist at Cambridge. After his returning from this International Congress of Organist , he had exchanged notes with tall names such as Westminister Abbey's Simon Preston, Frederick Swann of the Crystal Cathedral, Los Angeles , William Mathias [ who was commissioned to write Prince Charles' wedding anthem] Frederick Jackson and Carey Blyton. Handel Manuel in fact commissioned Blyton to write a piece for his own choir , the Madras Philharmonic and Choral Society.
Handel Manuel and the Madras Musical Association : The one man Institution of western music Handel Manuel joined the Madras Musical Association [MMA] in 1939 as a chorister under Lady Papworth. In1945 the Conductor of MMA , Mr. Long walked out during the rehearsal of Mendelssohn's , "Hymn of Praises" in a fit of anger , in that context Handel Manuel was requested to step into Long's place and Handel Manuel accepted the position as the Conductor of the MMA . He worked tirelessly and enthusiastically and gave good practice to the MMA choir; and the "Hymn of Praise " was performed as scheduled on March 20, 1945. in remarkable and impressive style. Since then there was no turning back for Handel . The Madras Musical Association [MMA] was consistently flourishing for forty years under the leadership and guidance of Mr. Handel Manuel , the first Indian Conductor of the MMA ; receiving laurels from outstanding musical personalities like Sir. Malcolm Sargent for it's musical productions like the Gilbert and Sullivan favourites. Another outstanding landmark in the annals of the MMA was when the acclaimed American Composer Alan Hovanhes dedicated his ," Arjuna Symphony " to Mr. Handel Manuel [ KIRKSPIRE , January 1995 ] .
[Part II will follow shortly ]
P. BABU MANOHARAN. M.A, [Rights reserved. This Article will be enlarged, modified or corrected later, if needed ]
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