I was listening to a lesser known telugu number of Smt. Susheela from the telugu movie "Missamma" (1955) titled "Balanura Madana". It was her early years as a play back artiste when S Varalakshmi, P Bhanumathi, Ravvu Balasaraswathi, Sarala, TG Kamaladevi, P Leela, Jikki were at the peak of their respective careers.

A great classical piece composed by S Rajeshwar Rao. Originally thought PS disguised her voice. Sounded like T R Rajakumari from the movie "Chandralekha" (1948) singing "Manamohana Saranae", under the same composer (in hindi was rendered by Uma Devi, Lyrics by Pt. Indra who was responsible for of the hit movie "Murti" sung by the great soprano Kursheed and composed by Bulo C Rani). The song itself was very romantic as the french would call it.

Remember Felix Mendelsohn's "Songs without Words". What cannot be said in words can be said in music. The songs is pure lyric poetry, tender confessions and emotions expressed in music. The song in itself was a like a soul in the highest form of meditation. It was like listening to Jules Massenet.

I should admit not every singer is as eloquent as PS. But she is an exception. Music begins where language falls silent. But thats not the case here. Her intoxicatingly beautiful voice fills that void and by the stupendous virtuosity the song flows smoothly from her like a balletic bowing.

Its like listening to Paganini or Brahms after a long day at work. It is the real miracle of PS's art of rendering songs and it is the foundation of the musical romance. The mentioned song bears witness to this miracle.

It looked like a debut not before any audience, but sounded like Anne Sophie Mutter making her debut before a Salzburg Festival audience (as most of the southies are carnatic music critics) in her early playback career.

Yet her musical breath is already fully under control and her changing tonalities perfectly concentrated. In every demanding performance, PS demonstrates that she can do everything else expected of a great legendary mezzo-soprano.

Nothing intervenes between our ears and the fragile, vulnerable side of her singing style. That is music-making.