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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Some IR Tit-Bits to Munch !!!

Some IR Tit-Bits to Munch !!!

Alaipayudhe - Ethanai Konam Ethanai Parvai A paradox in itself…the first charanam sung by Janaki is perhaps the shortest of any raja song (lasts hardly 15 seconds) while the second charanam by K.J.Yesudoss is perhaps the longest charanam in any of IR's songs (spanning more than 100 seconds)..

Chinnathambi (film) It seems Raja scored the entire score (all songs) in a staggeringly short time of less than 25 minutes.

Hey Ram (BGM) The 90 odd members of the symphony artist group of Hungary that played the BGM score (running nearly 2 hours) were aghast with bewilderment when they were informed that the entire score was written by ilaiyaraja in mere two weeks time.

Hey Ram (Film Songs) The songs were all re-tuned by ilaiyaraja, based on picturizations already made based on previous existing tunes composed by another composer. So ilaiyaraja had to fit his tune to existing picturization/lip synchs and acting/dancing movements done for some other composer's tunes.

How to Name it (Non-film Album) Hold your breath…all the scores for this non-film album of ilaiyaraja was written in those small breaks/intervals he got amidst his film-music composing schedule.

Idhazhil Kadhai Ezhudhum - Unnal Mudiyum Thambi The song is set in raga Lalitha and in the preceding scene before the song, the hero learns the heroine's name, which is "Lalitha"..hence the choice of the raga for the song !!

Ilaiyanila Pozhigiradhe - Payanangal Mudivadhillai Did you know that Vairamuthu had initially written "Salavai Nila Pozhigiradhu"…it was changed to "ilaiyanila" by maestro ilaiyaraja..

Kadhalin Deepam - Thambikku Entha Ooru Maestro ilaiyaraja had undergone an operation in his tummy at that time. But producer Panchu Arunachalam was desperately in need of the songs to be composed. The bed-ridden maestro whistled the whole tune while Panchu Arunchalam recorded it. Later raja had written down the score for orchestration too. Later when SPB had come to sing the song, small suggestions and corrections were suggested by ilaiyaraja (by just whistling) over the phone. [In this bed-ridden condition only, he also completed the BGM work for film "nooraavadhu naal"]

Kalaivaaniye - Sindhubhairavi Features only arohanam and no avarohanam

Kaatu Vazhi Pora Pennay - Malaiyoor Mambuttiyaan During those times, the entire song has to be recorded in one shot (unlike the bits & pieces possibility of today's technology). Raja, who also sang this song, was under the most distressing stomach ache during the recording of this song. He asks in his book,"But you wont find that pain getting reflected in the song...my personal pain & pleasures never intrude into my works.."

Konji Konji Alaigal Oda - Veera The harmonium bit in this song was played by raja himself

Malaiyoram Mayilae - Oruvar Vaazhum Aalayam Ok the hero here is music illiterate while the female is carnatic scholar - the male voice in this song is malaysia vasudevan and female is chitra. Watch the flat way in which Malaysia vasu sings the word "mayilae" and when chitra repeats, note how she sings the same "mayilae" with extra gamakkams & carnatic touch.

Manasu Mayangum - Sippikkul Muthu It is the female who sings a line, and the male follows by repeating what the female sings....It has to be, as the hero is totally ignorant of the roles he has to assume, even after he tied the nupital knot. This "male voice following female voice" trend continues till second charanam. Then the pallavi is repeated for the last time, but now - see what has happened...the male takes full control. The roles are now reversed, and the female voice repeats what the male sings..Next time u watch the song, look out why ;-)

Meetadha Oru Veenai - Poonthottam It seems that it took several gruelling hours before the singers Hariharan and Mahalaxmi Iyer could sing the song to that level of perfection that ilaiyaraja was expecting !!!! That’s why they say…if you want ilaiyaraja to consider your voice as a singer, you better put some real hardwork & practise in classical music.

Megam Kottatum - Enakkul Oruvan According to Mr.Purushothaman, senior percussionist in IR's troupe, this was the most complicated and challenging work he has ever done. Towards the climax of the song, the mirudangam-drums jugalbundi has IR's contribution too - Yes, the mirudangam was played by raja himself.

Oh Vasantha Raja - Neengal Kettavai Completely contrasting styles of charanams (one charanam in clean carnatic rythm background, the other western popish rythm background).

Pazhamudhir Solai - Varusham 16 Western style interlude followed by Carnatic Charanam and carnatic flavoured interlude followed by a western style charanam.
Putham Pudhu Kaalai - Nenjathai Killaadhae The harmonium bit in this song was played by raja himself

Raja Rajathi Rajan indha Raja - Agni Nakshathiram The entire song just has percussions. No other instrument (wind/string), apart from a bass guitarist!! Totally only 3 musicians worked in this song.

Rakkamma Kaiyya Thattu - Thalabathy Ranked 4 in BBC's worldwide opinion poll. The entire song's orchestration and BGM works were completed in one single take.

Thol Mela Thole Mela - Poomani While ilaiyaraja was quite happy with the lyrics, Lyricist Pazhanibharathi especially got special from maestro for the lines," Veezhdhadhum Nalladhe, Dhaagamai Ulladhe"…

3 comments:

  1. Nice post Vel.

    I wish the Carnatic world took a cue from Raja's Alai Payuthe. Without screwing up the song in any way, Raja throws some fantastic interludes and liberally uses the guitar. If several Carnatic songs are sung this way (duet, orchestration, interesting interludes) our classical music will become totally popular. Where are the takers?

    Another interesting Tamil contribution of Raja - Mu Metha wrote the famous song 'Paadu Nilave' from Udhaya Geetham. Raja suggested to Mehtha to add one letter when SPB starts singing and it gave a new dimension - SPB sings 'Paadum Nivale'.

    The interesting video of Raja I like is the one where Bhavadha asks him how he sees Western music just playing the harmonium and you have to watch him play Bach. His hands switch between the bellows and the keys so effortlessly. Normally, harmonium players keep one hand on the bellows and the other is used to play the keys. You can see that Raja will push the bellows enough to use both hands on the keys - talk about counter melody- you do not need a better visual.

    Cheers

    Ravi Natarajan

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  2. அருமையான பதிவு! இதையும் சேர்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள்
    புதிய பூவிது பூத்தது - தென்றலே என்னைத்தொடு
    இந்த பாடலில் வயலின்கள் போல் ஒலிக்கும் இசை உற்றுக் கேட்டால் தெரியும் அது வயலின் இல்லை என்று. ராஜா நோட்ஸ் எழுதி ஒலிப்பதிவிற்கு செல்லும் போது தான் தெரிந்தது வயலின் கலைஞர்கள் எல்லோரும் மும்பை சென்றுவிட்டார்கள், ஹிந்தி படத்திற்கு வாசிப்பதற்காக. ராஜாவோ இயக்குனர் ஸ்ரீதருக்கு வாக்கு கொடுத்துவிட்டார், பாடலை அன்றே முடித்து தருவது என்று. ராஜா உடனே சென்னையில் உள்ள மாண்டலின் கலைஞர்கள் அனைவரையும் கூப்பிட்டு இந்த பாடலை பதிவு செய்தார். வயலினுக்கு எழுதிய நோட்ஸை மாண்டலினிலும் எளிதாக வாசிக்க்கலாமாம்.
    இது நான் சமீபத்தில் இணையத்தில் படித்தது இதை எழுதியவர் ரவிஷங்கர் என்று நினைக்கிறேன்.

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  3. Putham Pudhu Kaalai - Nenjathai Killaadhae The harmonium bit in this song was played by raja himself

    This song is from the film Alaigal Oyvathillai.

    N.Murali

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