Madhukar Pednekar

An European import, the harmonium is considered an ersatz instrument in Indian classical music, with good reason. Its discrete keys are incapable of effectively reproducing the subtle curves and glides of swara that lie at the heart of Indian musical expression. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the 20th century, the harmonium has been widely adopted for vocal accompaniment not only in classical music but also in genres such as Marathi natyasangeet and bhajan.

While it is facile to get started on the harmonium, mastery over this instrument is an entirely different story. It takes an unusually high degree of felicity to hold the listener’s attention in a solo performance on the harmonium. In the hands of a master though, it can inspire awe and joy. Goa has produced many formidable harmonium masters such as Mohanlal Ramnathkar, Vitthalrao Korgaonkar, Vasantrao Amonkar, Ratnakant Ramnathkar, but one name stands head and shoulders above all: Madhukar Pednekar.

Madhukar was born in Bombay in a family with roots in the Goan village of Malpem (the same village as Anjanibai Malpekar’s). Since Malpem is located in the Pednem area of north Goa, Madhukar was referred to as ‘Pednekar’ as well as ‘Malpekar.’