Must read/must see IR related articles and interviews

^nice dig pullarips when he talks about his RPO experience. must be in all mafia's bucketlist  
was that John Scott who was all praise for his bgm markings?

Wizzy wrote: was that John Scott who was all praise for his bgm markings?

Yeah

Terrific find, thanks. Great interview.

Watching that left me a bit sad. Wishing that these two could have just stayed in that 1995 mode frozen for ever. The casual camaraderie, IR's many innocent laughs/smiles.The casual exchange of anecdotes worth their weight in gold. Two special artistes who were still at the peak of their powers. I hope these links get archived somewhere and we don't lose them. The IR fan club has to do something about this.

There was another interview from 1991 in DD where they show IR conducting the strings section of andhiyile vaanam from Chinnavar. Is that available?

DM Can't thank you enough for bringing this together and sharing. A very rare and precious moment. I was really enjoying the innocent laughs and smiles of Maestro which is now long gone. I definitely think he must have been fed up of today's music scenario. Really loved the anecdotes what he said about Scott watching him composing the score live. When a person writes notes on the fly watching the film without any manipulation or correction synching perfectly with the film narration (when he himself says synching normally takes a month), what can we describe this person other than the genius? Genius unparalleled. There is no Big 3, only Big 1 always.

counterpoint wrote:There was another interview from 1991 in DD where they show IR conducting the strings section of andhiyile vaanam from Chinnavar. Is that available?

No I don't have that. I have another interview of IR's from Hey Ram times. Shall upload that this weekend. Some of it is from Sun TV, some from Jaya TV. Copyright claim nu avanga muttu katta pOdAma irukkaNum YT'la. That only biggest beedhi for me now. Even now for this, had to acknowledge some of the copyright holders because of the video songs footage in this interview. Nothing gone amiss till now.

And V_Sji, you're welcome. idhellAm perumaiyA? kadama. plum has asked for a transcript since YT is giving his laptop problems, shall post it here soon.

Thanks DM for uploading the interview. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I was looking for the video where Raja speaks to Pudhu Maapillaiku and how the song was inspired by Naan Paarthathile and this is it!

I liked the bonus of his Lathangi play as well and how he did Yaar thoorigai...

We will never witness such great musicians and friendly interactions for the next few decades for sure. In today's competitive world, I am tempted to say perhaps a century!

Thank you so much DM.  Watching now and really enjoying it.

Thanks ravinat. Glad all of you are enjoying. Plum asked for a transcript since youtube is not working/crashing his laptop for him. It is impossible to transcribe the camaraderie, the crackling laughter, spontaneous eye glances communicating emotions to each other and above all, the terrific friendship. So sorry plum, you are losing a lot by not watching even if I'm transcribing the crux of the 50 mins  obviously not word by word. But an accurate transcript.

So it starts with other music composers/directors opining on IR.

MSV-TKR first. TKR says Poove Sempoove is a good song. MSV agrees. "oru new style adhula" says he.
SPB: Ilayaraaja was an ordinary musician. avaru enna maari oru raatshasa saadhana pannittu indha alavukku vandhurukkaarna, avurukku enna credit kedachaalum adhukku thagudhi irukku.
Deva: ungulukku Raaja saara evvalavu pudikkumo, adha vida kodi madangu enakku avara pidikkum saar.
Gangaiyaar: Ilayaraaja'ngara oru periya sothu en kitta irukkarappo naan isaiya thedi vera engayum poga vediya avasiyame illa.
SA Rajkumar: Isaiyil enakku oru periya inspiration'aa irundhavar, irundhu kondu iruppavar Isagnani Thiru Ilayaraja avargal.
Sirpi: Naan isai kalaignan aa aaganamnu school lerndhu aasa, oorulerndhu poraptu Madras vandhadhe Ilayaraaja saar songs'a kettu dhaan.
Vidyasagar: ovvoru paattulayum edhadhu pudhuma pannanumnu avurukku irukka koodiya oru... the attempts he makes, the way he fuses music...
Adithyan: ippo MSV saar kaalathula, Ilayaraja saar Western classical music, lot of string sections irukkum. adha namma folk'la... ippo "Megam Karukkaiyile" nu oru pAttu irukkum. adhula (goes on to sing the string sections/chorus)... andha 3/4ths, voice'la use panna bitsa, eppidi namma music'la blend pannirukaar'ndradhu nalla theriyum.

Cuts to what looks like IR's home with him playing the harmonium. SPB walks in with a bouquet.

IR: ennada somberi! yen ivvalavu neram?
SPB: Dei eppayum pola irundha parava illa, innikki Sunday kadaiyellaam leavu. indha bouquet vAngittu varadhukku time aaidchu.
I: edhukku enakku idhellAm?
S: nAn thaniya vandhA paravA illa. idhu enga show sArbula directors kudukkanamnu aasa pattAnga (Horlicks Sapthaswarangal in 1995). Prabhu, Gerrard, please come... (pleasantries over, it's proper interview now).
S: ippo, nee Isaignani, nan nyAyamA unna ennAnga, vAnga, pOngA nu dhAn koopadnam. nAnum oru senior singer'ndradhu nAla neeyum apdi koopadlAm. AnA adhu ennamo restricted'a irukkumnu nenaikkarEn (IR nods in agreement). adhunAla eppayum pOla vAdA pOdAne pEsuvOmA? unakkedhum objection illayE?
I: enakkenna objection?
S then asks about the many directors coming to IR and the juniors with seniors (like KB, BR, MR, etc) getting his music. "ovvortharkum oru taste irukkum. ivanga ellArayum accommodate seyyarappo what were the difficulties you faced or how comfortably you brought them to you?"
I: (Smiling), No no no. avanga oru edhipArpOda varAnga. oru pAtharatha koNdu vandhu adha nerappi thara solluvAnga... Then IR goes on to say what he said in Dhoni audio launch about giving it to the director before they ask and quoted the very same Naanoru Sindhu and KB kai nadungi poi sthambichu ninna anecdote here (mind you this was 1995). Cuts to Naanoru Sindhu video footage.
I: AnA music'ngradhu cheating dhAnE?
S: You mean film music?
I: illa motha music (S: Oh you mean total music?) I: AmA 7 notes pAdnA motha music'um mudunju pOchu. apparAm ellAm (circles his hands)... S: permutation combination...?
I: Goes on to the Aboorva Sagodharargal anecdote of how Kamal wasn't happy with the tune first saying it was a melody and he wanted a thuLLalAn pAttu and gave "Naan Paarthadhile" as an example with all due respect to IR's philosophy. IR then gives Pudhu Maapilaikki. The moments where he waits for SPB to sing but SPB goads him to sing followed by IR bursting out laughing shyly are to be seen. No use transcribing. Tubechop pOdrEn. See if it works: http://www.tubechop.com/watch/3631509
(Transcript: Sings Naan Paarthadhile's lyrics in Pudhu Maapilaikki's tune to say how this is inspired and music is all cheating. But unless he tells us, how would we know? )
Cuts to video footage of song.
S: innoru example?
I: innoru example naa... nAn Lathangi ragathula compose seyyanamnu nenaippEn. Sings ArOhaNam avarOhaNam. Says he won't show them the Shadjamam. Ematharadhu. Takes Gandharam. Says he'll assume it to be Sa and starts off with Yaar Thoorigai Thandha Oviyam and sings pallavi in thathakAram. The Yaar there as per the Swaras is Ga  Tubechop if you wish to see that: http://www.tubechop.com/watch/3631517
S: ippo nee sonnaye Kamal saar thuLLalAna tune kEttAr'nu. I understand nee thEvanA 1 illa 100 illa 150 tunes thara. But why un mela unnecessary complaintu? "ivar sonnadhu dhAn" tune nu? enakku theriyum uNma ennAnu solli. But yen indha parabarappu?
I: adhu oru sila edathula sollirukkalAm. illAma solla mAttAnga illiyA? sila edangaLLa solla vENdi irukkum. indha situation'ku indha tune dhaan saar correct'a irukkum'nu (pAtheengla kodumaya? Director vEla'yin nammAL director'ku senju adhukku ketta pEr vEra). AnA adhu ellArukkum sonnadhA eduthukka koodAdhu. onakku sonnadhu onakku. en son'ku sonnadhu en son'ku.
S: Raaja, nee narrrriyA (rrr not my emphasis. SPB's) singars'a nee encourage paNNirukka, narrriya writers'ku chance kuduthurukka. But tharchamayathula 99% songs Vaali saar dhAn ezhudharAr. Any particular reason?
I: silaridam irundhu nAn vilagi koLvadharkku kAraNam nAn vilagi irukka vENdum enbadhAl dhAn. ippozhudhu nAnE kooda pAdal ezhudha mudiyum. sila pAdalgaLai nAnE ezhudhi viduvEn. sila nEram neengaL ezhudhi kodungaL endru ennai kEtpArgaL, sila nErangaLil idhai nAmE ezhudhinAl nanrAga irukkum enRu enakku thONum. andha pAdalgaLai nAnE ezhudhi vidugirEn. AnA Vaali saar oda work panradhukku kAraNam ennoda wavelength'um avarOda wavelength'um match Agudhu. adhu kAraNam. nallA speed'a ezhudhi tharAr. Corrections kEttA senju tharAr. nallA iraNdu thalaimuraigaLukku ezhudhi koNdiruppavar, idhukk vEra kAraNam solla mudiyAdhu. AnA innum nerayA kavignargaLum ezhudhittirukkAnga.
S: From KB, goes to K Vishwanath (national award for Sagara Sangamam gets mentioned), Bharathi Raja and how every song was a hit with BR, Mani Rathnam, episode anga cut Agudhu... Next continuation'la he asks about why Ennapetha Raasaave and Avathaaram were composed after the film was shot (the songs also).
I: Songs compose pannittu shoot panradhu ellaa padangaLLayum panradhu dhaan. AnA indha reNdu padangaLum... EPR vandhu enakku nambikka illa. Rajkiran adhukku munnAdi naduchurundhAlum avar iyakkiya modha padam idhu dhAn. enakku nambikka illa avar nalla padam eduppAr nu. avanga en permission illAmayE en pEra pOttutu padatha AramichuttAnga. nAn pAkkalAm pAkkalAm nu solli, 6 mAsam thatti kazhuchEn. yennA nambikka illa. AnA 6 mAsathukkapparam ennada ippidi alaya vekkaramE nu kooptu "un padatha pOttu kAttuyA"... padam eduthu 6 mAsam Achu. padatha pAthA, ennaiyE nAn thittikittEn, ennadA ippidi muttALA irundhuttOmE nu. ivan ivvaLavu azhagA feelingsoda, timing kuduthu eduthurukkAn. enakku romba puduchu pOchu padam. "enna mannichuru yA, nAn madayanA irundhuttEn, nALaikkE composing vechukkalAm"nu solli compose senjadhu dhAn EPR.
Avatharam Nasser kadhaiya sonnappO "ennada therukoothA irukkE. koothu pAttu dhAnE"nu, adhAvadhu ErkanavE senja subjects dhAnE nu solli thayanginEn. But padam pAthuttu enakku romba puduchu pOchu. adhula vishayam irukkara mAri therinjudhu. enna impress senjadhAla nAn senjEn.
EPR songs athanayum nAn sonna placement dhAn. Avatharam Nasser'e situations'oda vandhAr. ellAmE picture'ku romba apt'a irundhudhu.
Cuts to Sandhirarum Sooriyarum from Avatharam.
S: nee firstu paadnadhu?
I (thinks, cute expression imo): Annakkili Background score'la pAdirupEn. S: first song? I: SOLam vedhaikkaiyilE, 16 Vayadhinile.
S: Asks about singing interest and reminisces about their young days together where they traveled on a cycle like a seeval vikkaravanga. IR laughs out loud (obviously taken back in memories; can't really transcribe. Must be watched). eppidi interest vandhudhu?
I: Talks about how brother Pavalar would beat with a perambu if he touched the harmonium as a kid because of fear if the harmonium would be harmed. But IR in his brother's absense would practice in the harmonium by himself. One day Pavalar and his troupe's harmonium player fight and break off. That evening kacheri. Mother suggests his name and says he's singing. Pavalar hears him play and says he's to perform. "enakku tharaila nikka mudila, AgAsathla parakka mudila." Says he played thappum thavarumA. But still audience applauded. Will copy paste jaiganesh's comment on FB under my share because it summarized what is to follow well:

Jaiganesh wrote:A little boy (boynnaave little dhaanada)giving a performance in southern rural India &getting applause to think at that age that the applause belong to the composers of the songs and to try to become a composer,that's the spirit only a true genius,chosen by music can possess. That is why Ilaiyaraaja or Raaja is the only contemporary composer I will respect. The rest can join me in getting awestruck at his presence.

I continuing: enakku Aramikkarappo notes'na ennane theriyAdhu. Dhanraj Master GKV anna'ku vAsippAr. avarOda nAn pOvEn. appovandhu Dhanraj Master "notes ezhudhu da" nu sonnAru, ezhudhunEn. enna solrAngannA avanga pAtta swara paduthi solrAnga, nAn adha ezhudhuvEn. Time signature pOdunnAr. apdinA thALam, thALa kurippu. appidinA enna saar'nu kEppEn. "time signature raa. 6/8 aa 2/4 aa?" 6/8 saar nu sonnEn. apparam "Bar mark paNNu da" Bar na enna saar? "enna tempo da?" 6/8 saar. "appo 6 notes in a bar." purunju pochu. oru vArthayA dhAn solluvAr AnA music uLLayE odittu irukkaradhAla purunjurum. apparam GKV anna enna oru mukkiyamAna edathula vechAru. avar oru nAL 10 songs compose pannArnA athana tune'um nyAbagam vechukkittu adutha nAL 1 to 10 order la pAduvEn. appavE nalla memory. avarukku romba puduchu pOchu enna. Orchestra'kellAm notes solla solluvAr. annikki night thappum thavarumA pOi swaratha ezhudhi adutha nAL sollum bOdhu vAi oLarum. Musicians ellAm sirippAnga. avamAnamA irukkum. appidiyE pazhakkam Achu, apparam swaram'naa oNNum illa nu purunjudhu.
S: Western notations ellAm ezhudharadhu Dhanraj Master'ta dhAnA?
I: AmA Dhanraj master dhAn.
S: enakku theriyum nalla, namma reNdu pErum en scooter'la pOvOm (IR bursts out laughing; must be seen) Luz corner'la ninnuttu MSV saar car 5052 eppo varudhu nu pAthuttu, Santhi Vihar'la sAptutu... adha mAri unna narayA influence panna music directors yAru?
I: Countless machaan (yes! he used machaan!). Naushad enna? Madan Mohan enna? Roshan enna? C Ramachandra enna? Khemchand Prakash enna? Hasanlal Bhagathram enna? yaar illa? ellArum irukkAnga (reverence in tone deserves to be seen/heard!)
S: South India'la?
I: sollAma irukka mudiyumA? SV lErndhu CR Subburaman, G Ramanathan, MS Viswanathan, KV Mahadevan... evvaLavu pEr irukkAnga... adhellAm sollalainA romba thappu...

idhOda pAdhi mudiyudhu. meedhi nALaikki.

(To be continued)...

DM appreciate your effort in transcribing this. Have been thinking about this interview, rather a conversation between friends. Couple of things struck me:

1. SPB's praise, nakkal, kindal all seem to be spontaneous and in flow. Of late when I have seen him talk about IR in pre-concert previews and such his praise seems to be a bit more rehearsed and also measured. Maybe age has mellowed him down a bit but couldnt help but think that the relationship has now become a bit more formal. The fun moment  for me was when SPB turns to the camera after praising IR and getting him embarassed and says "idhayum kaaminga. avar vekka padaradhayum ellarum paakka venaama" or something like that

2. IR's attachment/recall of certain anecdotes. That KB& IR independently thought of the same opening lines for naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu is an anecdote I only recently knew when IR spoke about it in a  function where KB was also present. That he has already  talked about it on TV almost 20 years back shows how much such incidents have affected him or inspired him. Also the consistency in the facts when he narrates such incidents. The details have not changed even after 20 years. It has made quite an impression on him.

Watching this I also wished that had internet and e-fanclubs and youtube existed back then then somebody like ilayathalam could have recorded many such anecdotes for us, when they were still fresh in IR's memory.

Part 2.

So SPB continues by asking IR who his favorite singers are. IR laughs at him and SPB catching the signal says he doesn't have to tell SPB's name.

I: nAn sonnAlum sollalainAlum, nee...
S: adhu namma reNdu pErum andha nelamaila illa (IR slaps SPB's hand LOLing)... Lataji onkitta nariyA pAttu pAdrukkAnga...
I: Lataji romba pidikkum. Ashaji'yum romba pidikkum. ovvotharum ovvoru ragam.
Video cuts to Shenbagame Shenbagame.
I: TMS sollalAm. aaN kural'nu sonnA avar otharukku thAn irukku.
S: appa nAngaLLAm pombaLa koralla... *mimicks a crude lady voice* female voice'la paadrOmA? (IR begins to LOL heartily). *turning to camera* summa joke, don't mistake me. anna'va romba madhikkarEn, vaNangarEn.
S: ippo Annakkili recording'ku nee AVM studio'la nozhanju ippo symphony varaikkum, London la oru periya Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) vechu periya studio'vula... I know it's very difficult. Explain pannanam'na pAdhi vAzhkkai'ya sollaNum.  But Annakkili'la nee work pannappo what was your feeling?
I: oru kozhandha porakkarappo, adhu ezhundhu nadandhadhuna petrOrgaLukku sandhOsham, adha kai thatti urchAga paduthuvAnga. adhuvE valandhu 40 vayasu AchunA adhu nadakkarappO yArum kai thatta mAttAnga. adhu iyalbAnadhu. Annakkili vandhappO nAn oru kozhandhaya irundhEn. idhu oru vaLarchi. isai'la evvaLavO paNNalAm. Cinema'la konjam dhAn paNNa mudiyum. idhu... andha nigazhchi, oru periya vishayam.
S: enguLukkelAm... enakku ummEla kObam. I: yEn? S: en Raaja anga RPO'voda record pantrukkAnE, adha ennAla pAkka mudilayE, adhukku sonnEn, record release function'ku nee enna koopadnam'nu (oru adhatra tone'la).
I: ethana music director'ku kedaikkum?
S: enna ethana music director'ku?
I: illa... ethana music director'ku RPO'oda symphony seyya mudiyumnen?
S: adhu dhAn nAnum solrEn!! yArukkum kedaikkAdha oru vishayam, en naNbanukku kedaichudhE, adha ennAla pAkka mudilayE... How was it?
I: Unbelievable. Score nAn 1 month'aa thayAr paNNitrindhEn. enna dhAn irundhAlum, paper'la ezhudharappO, compose seyyarappO 32 lines irukkum. anga 1st part ezhudhittu, adhukkenna 2nd part, adhukkenna 3rd part nu ezhudharadhu vEra. Mind'la varra sounds'a mental'a visualize paNNi "ippidi dhAn irukkum" nu oru anumAnathula dhAn ezhudha mudiyum. appO oru line dhAn attatayathula ezhudha mudiyum. ellA instrument'kum orE nErathula ezhudha mudiyAdhu. oru Sa... Sa Ga Ma, Dha Ni Sa'nu oru instrument'ku ezhudhinA... indha instrument'oda SaGaMaDhaNiSa'ku matha instruments enna vAsikkarAnga appO'nu ennAla ezhudha mudiyAdhu. Oru instrument'ku ezhudhittu... adha ezhudhi mudikkaradhukkuLLa matha instrument'ku vandha idea washout Ayidum. adutha instrument'ku enna accompaniment'ngradhu pOidum. romba kashtam adhu. adha eppdi epdiyO ezhudhi, enna sound vara poradhungradhE theriyAma, mental'aa namma kEttutu irundhAlum, adha instrument'la kEkkAma anga score'a mattum pOttutu, andha conductor vandhu unguLukkAga vAsikka pOrOm nu sollittu, avanga rehearsal'la vAsikkum bOdhu... adha vAsikkaradhukku munnAdi oru silence. andha silence.. adi vayitha kalakkiduchu. karuvE kalangina mAdhiri. appidi oru... kalangiduchu. apparam pAthA they started playing my symphony. "Oh! This is the symphony I wrote!! This is my sound! My composition!" apdinu solli, score vAngi correct'a irukkA'nu pAthA avanga full music vAsikkarAnga. nAn Edho I thought they are going to play a few bars. avanga full score'a vAsikkarAnga. ennAla edhuvum seyya mudila, score'la compare paNNi pAkkavE mudila. yEnnA andha sound'puduchu izhukkudhu. kanla thaNNi. pakathula Karthik azhugarAn, nAn azhugarEn, en asst Narasimhan azhugarAru (same VS Narasimhan). ennudaya music! kanlErndhu... azhuga illa adhu!
S: adhu explain paNNa mudiyAdhu. adhu oru bAvathukku appArpattadhu. nAn un moolamA visualize pantrukkEn. eppidi irundhurukkum'nutu... adhu onakku eppdi irundhurukkum'nu. And we are very proud of that!
Video cuts to Raakkamma Kaiyya Thattu
S: ippo Scott conduct senjavaru, inga vandhurundhAr unna pAthuttu pEsa. avar un re-recording'a pAthuttu asandhuttAr'nu kELvi pattEn. What was that experience?
I: avarum film'ku music paNNirukkAru. "Diana Rose", "Westside Story" andha mAdhiri films'kellam... Diana Rose... S: Musical AchE adhu... I: avar arranger, composer. avar vandhu ennOda work panrappO nAn oru background work pOitrundhudhu. avar oNNumE pEsala. oru moolaila okkAndhu enna mattumE pAthutrundhAru. unakku dhAn theriyumE, nAn film'a pAthuttu score ezhudha AramichuduvEn. Score ellAm ezhudhi rehearsal senjAchu, avar ennayE pAthutrukkAru. oru vArtha pEsala. Rehearsal ellAm mudunju picture oda vAsikkarAnga, avarukku Acharyam. "How this syncs!" appidinu solli. avangaLukku score'a picture'oda sync paNNa 1 month Agum! avar inga ellAm appidiyE nadakkaradha pAthuttu orE Acharyam. Recording room'la final take pOrappO avar gudhikkarAru! "Oh this is amazing! ellAm eppidi sync'la vandhu vuzhudhu!" nu solli, "bar ellAm calculate paNNAma eppidi paNreenga? nAn vandhu enakku adhu varum, the moment I stopped writing, the picture'la sequence would end nu sonnEn.
S: nee pAkkum bOdhu neeye spotting pantrukura, neeyE music'um compose'um seyyara, you're giving the notations...
I: adhu oNNum illa (waving his hand like it's no big deal). avar vandhu idha anga oru music magazine'la vEra ezhudhinAru. nAn sameebathula pAtha composers'la he writes scores on the fly without counting bars and it syncs perfectly. Very fast and excellent composing nu solli... ezhudhirundhAr.
Cuts to Nayagan scene for a few seconds.
S: sameebathula nee Kalapani'ku BGM 20 days compose senja. nAn padatha pAthappO it was incredible. padam blank'a irukkarapa kooda andha silence itself will elevate it. andha padam, with your music it has taken a different dimension. athana nALre-recording paNNaNam'nu nee padam pAkkum bOdhe mudivu paNtayA eppidi?
I: Actual'aa... AmA. padam pAkkum bOdhE idhukku oru different BG score irundhA nallA irukkum'nu... S: You were impressed with it. I: AmA. padam pAthuttu... namakkirukkara feelings dhAnE reflect Agudhu music'la. ithana nAL re-recording seyyaNam na producer'ta discuss paNNaNum. sila pEr "illa saar. Budget'la paNNaNum. Orchestra'ku kAsu kuduthu kattupadi AgAdhu..." ndradhunAla producer'ta discuss paNNala ithana nAL Agum'nu. thaniyA composing'ku mattum 5 nAL eduthukkutEn. indha padathula.. nAn sAdhArnamA fast'a ezhudha koodiyavan dhAn. indha padathulayum appidi dhAn ezhudhinEn. AnA separate parts'ku ezhudhina score'a copy paNNa romba time Achu. adhu dhAn 5 days Achu. illainA eppavum pOla oru film'ku 3 days'la mudikkara mAri muduchurukkalAm. adhukku oru orchestra'va pOttu, players'a select paNNi, best players'a kooptu, enakku romba thripthi'aana oru work. S: All were from Chennai? or Bombay...?
I: AmA ellA orchestra players'um ingErndhu dhAn. Best players available here. nallA vandhudhu. indha padam enaku oru thripthikAga dhAn orchestra'va vechu senjEn. 700 padam paNNittu enakku sollikara mAri oru mark vENum BG score'la nu solli dhAn idhu... idhu en imagination uraindhirukka koodiya ideas enakku mattumE theriyum. adha oru orchestra koNdu nAn senjA dhAn unguLukku puriyum. Oho, neenga Kalapani'la ippidi ellAm senjurukkeenga nu, symphony paNNeenga'nu neenga kEkkareenga.
Cuts to Kalapani scene with BGM.
S: nAn kElvi pattEn. IndhiyavulayE maximum time eduthu re-recording senja padam Mughal-E-Azam, Naushad saab paNNadhu. adhukkapparam adhiga time eduthu paNnadhu indha padam dhAn nu solli...
I: illa, appidi solla mudiyAdhu. yEnnA, Bombay'la ellAm endha padathukkum 16 days easy'aa re-recording'ku eduthuppAnga.
S: nAn mathavanga pathi pEsavE illa. Naushad saab pathi dhAn solrEn.
I: illala! nAn solrEn. avangallAm normal commercial picture'ke 16 days edukkum. adhu indha mAdhiri scoring panradhA irundhA... S: adhAn! indha mAri scoring... avanga paNradhA irundhA, it will take them at least 2-3 months?
I: adha nAn solla mudiyAdhu.
S: Hahaha. nAn kEkkalAm illayA?
I: Nee kEkkalAm AnA nAn solla mudiyAdhu (starts laughing himself).
S: Anyway adhuvum enguLukku peruma pada koodiya vishayam. ennA koodiya seekram neeyum idha oru CD'la release seyyaNum'tu Asa. Full BG score'aye. Padathula sila scenes'a music kammi paNNiduvAnga volume'a, dialogs'kAga effect'kAga. So you must release the score with the producers.
I: KandippA seyyalAm.
S: Raaja, ippo KArthik, Yuvan, Bhavatharini ellArum music'kulla enter AgitrukkAnga. Karthik compose seyyarAr. Yuvan has also started. Bhava is singing. So indha vazhi nee avangaLukku thErndheduthadhA illa avangaLA, un rathama adhunAla vandhAngalA?
I: ippo reNdAvadhu sonniyE adhAn. avargaLai nAn kattAya paduthavE illa. En vazhi avargaLai nEr vazhi paduthuvadhu. S: Discipline. I: nAn vandhu avangaLa veLIla kootitu pOravan illa. Beach'ko engayum... AnAlum avangaLukku daddy'a disturb seyyarOm'nu therinjudhu'na kitta varavE mAttAnga. avargaL pAdhai avargaLA thErndheduthukkoNdadhu. adharkkum nAn thadai sollavillai.
S: Excellent. Karthik pathi...
I: Karthik.... (is lost for words) adhu enna solradhu... avana mAri oru payyan porakkaradhu romba kashtam. S: romba nalla payyan'nu... I can see tears in your eyes (IR laughs). You are proud of him. Yuvan? I: Yuvan edhuvum padikka mAttAn. AnA correct'a adippAn. Karthik ellAthayum thorough aa paduchuttu dhAn eranguvAn. Yuvan appidi illa. enakku theriyAdhu'nu sollittu adippAn. adhu correct'aa irukkum (laughs). S: Bhava pAditrukkA... I: AmA nalla practice seyyaNum'nu sollirukkEn (tone suddenly turns reverential) Dakshinamurthy Swami'ta kathukkara.
Video cuts to Masthana*Masthana.
S: pAttukku vArtha dhAn mukkiyamA? illa isai dhAn mukkiyamA? sila pEru isai illAma vArtha illai'nu solvAnga, vArtha illAma isai illa'mbAnga. unnOda view enna?
I: indha kELviyE... reNdayum ozhungA purunjukkAdhavangaLudaya mana kONathulErndhu varradhu dhAn. nAn idhE kELviya Kannadasan aNNA'ta kEttEn. "annen, ilakkiya vAdhigaL cinema pAdalAsiriyargaLa othukkoLvadhillaiyE annen"'nu... avaru sonnAru "appidi illa thambi. ilakkiya vAdhigaL'ku engaLukku ilakkiyam theriyAdhu, nAnga thadaigaLukkuLLa kattupattu vara mAttOm'nu nenachukkarAnga. uNma adhu illa. sandham illAmal vArthai illa. vArthai illAma tune illa. Sandham illAma tune illa. Tune illAma vArthai illa. nee endha vArthai eduthukka. adhu tune'kuLLa dhAn irukku." ippo... avuru solrAru. Kavignar sonnadha nAn solrEn. "Naan vandhu Maan dhaane naan dhaane nee dhaane thEn dhaane nu ezhudhinA unakku sandham pirikka theriyum. enga piri?" thandhAnE thAndhAnE thAndhAnE thAndhAnE. "ippo nee  thandhAnE thAndhAnE thAndhAnE thAndhAnE nu tune pOttA nAn Naan vandhu Maan dhaane naan dhaane nee dhaane thEn dhaane nu dhAnE ezhudhaNum. appO vArthai'ngaradhu sandhathukkuLLa dhAnE irukku..." appidi nu sonnAru. adhunAla indha kELvi'ye romba muttAL thanamAnadhu. vArthaiyE podhum nA "pOnAl pOgattum pOda"ngradha dialog'aa pEsittu pOidalAm. (voice acts modulations of that line to say how ineffective it is when just said however with emotion and then sings to say it is good only with music which transports the emotion). evanAvadhu en kavidhaigaLukku dhAn nee tune pOdaNam'nu solrAnnA adhu avan iyalAmaiya thAn kAttudhu. ippo nee tailor'ta pOra. avan nAn thechadha dhAn pOttukkaNum'nu sonnA adhu avan iyalAmai'ya dhAn kAttudhu. un size'ku enna shirt'o adha thechu kudukka vENdi dhAnE? (points at SPB and laughs).
S: ennA da sirippu? ennA sirippu? (IR starts LOLing uproariously). enakkum thaikkaradhukku oru tailor irukkAnda. enna, en kerchief'a nee sattaiyA pOttuppa (Both LOL).
Video cuts to Enkitta MOdAdhE.
S: ippo MSV anna, Ramamurthy anna time'la nee vandhu establish Agi nalla vandha. ippo unnOda nerayA pEr vandhuttAnga. Deva, Rahman, Vidyasagar'nu. avanga music ellAm kEtnu iruppayA?
I: AmA kEttu dhAnE AgaNum,
S: kEttu dhAnE AgaNum'na?
I: illa, kEkkAma eppidi irukka mudiyum'ngren?
S: ok, what do you think of theirmusic?
I: ellArum nallA pannitrukkAnga. men mElum vaLara vAzhthukkaL. mElum pala sAdhanaigaLai puriya vAzhthukkaL.
S: That's excellent. apparam, nee pAdna edhAdhu pAtta pAdEnda, neeye vaaschu pAdnainA...
(The following portions cannot be transcribed as they take the interview to its conclusion and SPB is obviously unscripted and avarukkE suleerngudhu IR pAdi kEtka, he requests an encore and goes bonkers praising IR. Needs to be seen. Hence tubechopping. I can't do it the justice with words).

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/3636684

Video cuts to Ejamaan kaaladi maNNeduthu, followed by pleasantries and IR asking SPB to sing a Kannada song of his and plays the notes on his harmonium reeds and the video ends.

End.

Munk

Songs compose pannittu shoot panradhu ellaa padangaLLayum panradhu dhaan. AnA indha reNdu padangaLum... EPR vandhu enakku nambikka illa. Rajkiran adhukku munnAdi naduchurundhAlum avar iyakkiya modha padam idhu dhAn. enakku nambikka illa avar nalla padam eduppAr nu. avanga en permission illAmayE en pEra pOttutu padatha AramichuttAnga. nAn pAkkalAm pAkkalAm nu solli, 6 mAsam thatti kazhuchEn. yennA nambikka illa. AnA 6 mAsathukkapparam ennada ippidi alaya vekkaramE nu kooptu "un padatha pOttu kAttuyA"... padam eduthu 6 mAsam Achu. padatha pAthA, ennaiyE nAn thittikittEn, ennadA ippidi muttALA irundhuttOmE nu. ivan ivvaLavu azhagA feelingsoda, timing kuduthu eduthurukkAn. enakku romba puduchu pOchu padam. "enna mannichuru yA, nAn madayanA irundhuttEn, nALaikkE composing vechukkalAm"nu solli compose senjadhu dhAn EPR.

a good shoutout for Rajkiran, cant remember any other actor/producer being so Raajacentric in their titles/characters.

One for this weekend. Uploaded a 45 minute video of mostly IR speaking with Santhanabharathi on Hey Ram around 2000. Must watch again. All mafias duly take note:

DM, Awesome. One of the best. Those BGM recording bits are superb and sound symphonic as it gets. Pity he didn't release it as a CD.  at Santhana Bharathi's casually, charmingly, innocently ignorant "Symphony orchestra na enna irunooru, munnooru pEru iruppAngla?"

Interesting to note that the Hungarians don't even use the standard, nearly universally adopted Italian WCM technical terms like andante, but prefer to use their own Hungarian equivalents. Note that Hungarian is one of the few major non-Indo-European languages of Europe and, from what little I have heard, also have a culture that is related, yet distinct from that of neighbouring countries. So maybe they have a language/cultural pride thing going on there too. His aacharyam about their communicating, writing in pure Hungarian and Tamils' inability to do so is well noted. As also his  aathangam about lack of institutions to preserve, promote and propagate TN arts. One can see he feels quite passionately about this which is possibly also one of the reasons he has not fallen trap to trends and always stuck to his guns.

One needs to appreciate the difficulty of coming up with an entirely original tune for pre-written lyrics, not only already set to another tune, but also picturised and lip-synced for it. That's a lot of information overload. To blank all that from your mind and overwrite it with a masterpiece like "Nee pArtha pArvai" is a unique cerebral achievement.

"Every note is mine" andha "garvam" thAn kalaignana kuRikkum.

P.S: Any idea who the Veenai artist in the reception was? And what was the composition that he was playing? It sounds somewhat familiar, but I am not able to identify it.

mung, awesome. indha Hey Ram score ellAm oru sequencela pOttu WCM CD-niu solli vithuralAmE..

Huge thanks DM for the Hey Raam interviews. I remember watching parts of it but not the Sun TV portions. It's probably one of a kind achievement to score for songs that have already been tuned & picturized.

Drunkenmunk wrote:One for this weekend. Uploaded a 45 minute video of mostly IR speaking with Santhanabharathi on Hey Ram around 2000. Must watch again. All mafias duly take note:

Star India has blocked this video after 4 months/15K+ views because of some copyright nonsense for a few secs in between

Uploaded one 3 minute video excerpt from Sun TV from 2003 where Raaja speaks about Pithamagan and also records and finetunes the BGM of the film. Got it thanks to our skr who brought it as 2 videos. I fused it to one using freemake software and uploaded it on YT. No mindblowingly awesome insight or anything. But still quite interesting nonetheless when he recalls the opinions of a couple of Bombay filmmakers. For all your watching pleasure:

had a good chuckle whilst reading this  



from Bishwanath Ghosh's Tamarind City.

"Years ago, I escorted an associate of mine to meet the great musician Ilayaraja. My colleague was full of the latest post-modern nonsense and determined to impress the musician. We sat casually in a room in Prasad Studios, Chennai and while I savoured the moment, my associate sprang into attack. He turned to Ilayaraja and asked, "Where do you stand between Stravinsky and John Cage?" The question was both pompous and funny and Ilayaraja smiled. He answered in Tamil. "What is that? Is it sweet? Can you buy me some? I love sweets." The musician then quietly explained, "Music is God's gift. I do not know what happens. It is like asking a river why do you flow." The interview was a disaster but the opening moments were memorable. Reading the notes of farewell to Virender Sehwag, I remembered this story, because Sehwag, like Ilayaraja, was a natural genius not subject to the straitjacket of methods. Trying to reduce him to a set of techniques - a scienticized collection of dos and don'ts - was a waste of time."


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/deep-focus/Viru-was-like-butter-chicken/articleshow/49521095.cms?



Of course - I am not qualified to comment on Raaja = Sehwag opinion (which sounds exaggerated), but I get the drift of the writer. Funny incident!

^^^  Yeah, while I could relate to the comparison on the ground of spontaneity, I did think it was a bit off base. Sehwag gave himself a very limited set of options but which he could execute with amazing consistency.  IR's speed of ideation comes from the hard yards he put in in his struggling years.  As SPB had said in the mid 90s interview, IR was once an ordinary musician so to rise to the level he has is full credit to him.  It's not quite 'natural talent' in the way it is characterised in the article.  I think IR is more like Federer.  Both know exactly what they are doing but like to build an air of mystique with these cryptic soundbytes; both also appeal to a classical sense of aesthetics even though they are actually very unorthodox.   Nevertheless, that John Cage joke was funny. Adyar Anandha Bhavan-la kidaikuma?

Agree. Sehwag is like what 0.1% of what IR is. If the comparison is just about we cannot really categorize their genius in a strait jacketed or pre programmed or pigeon holed way, then ok.
Other than that, IR could be a combo of SRT, VVS, RSD and VS put together and in fact, even that would not define him. He is much more than that.

The article is sort of falling in the same pitfall as the musician friend the author alludes to.

Take this for example
"Sehwag, like Trumper a generation earlier, was singular."

WT heck - Trumper pre-dates Bradman. Unless the author meant "Sehwag, like Trumper a century earlier, was singular", he is way off the mark. And is probably trying hard to make an analogy and dropping names, because what we know of Trumper is hear say and one cannot make definitive comparisons like that, so this is exactly the same as the author's musician friend name dropping Stravinsky et al

plum wrote:Sehwag is like what 0.1% of what IR is. 

OTOH, IR would have made 0.1% of money that Sehwag had made (or may be even less than that)

plum wrote:Agree. Sehwag is like what 0.1% of what IR is. If the comparison is just about we cannot really categorize their genius in a strait jacketed or pre programmed or pigeon holed way, then ok.
Other than that, IR could be a combo of SRT, VVS, RSD and VS put together and in fact, even that would not define him. He is much more than that.

The article is sort of falling in the same pitfall as the musician friend the author alludes to.

Take this for example
"Sehwag, like Trumper a generation earlier, was singular."

WT heck - Trumper pre-dates Bradman. Unless the author meant "Sehwag, like Trumper a century earlier, was singular", he is way off the mark. And is probably trying hard to make an analogy and dropping names, because what we know of Trumper is hear say and one cannot make definitive comparisons like that, so this is exactly the same as the author's musician friend name dropping Stravinsky et al

Exactly what I thought too as I read it.  Having started off with that IR joke, the author proceeded to commit the same mistake of stretching comparisons too far just because journalists love to contextualise anything and everything in the wildest ways.

crimson king wrote:^^^  Yeah, while I could relate to the comparison on the ground of spontaneity, I did think it was a bit off base. Sehwag gave himself a very limited set of options but which he could execute with amazing consistency.  IR's speed of ideation comes from the hard yards he put in in his struggling years.  As SPB had said in the mid 90s interview, IR was once an ordinary musician so to rise to the level he has is full credit to him.  It's not quite 'natural talent' in the way it is characterised in the article.  I think IR is more like Federer.  Both know exactly what they are doing but like to build an air of mystique with these cryptic soundbytes; both also appeal to a classical sense of aesthetics even though they are actually very unorthodox.   Nevertheless, that John Cage joke was funny. Adyar Anandha Bhavan-la kidaikuma?

Federer is a good comparison even in the way innocuous self-recognitive appraisals are mis-construed as ego. Both are prone to precise self-appraisal, down to the last decimal point, they know exactly where they stand.
This, however, doesn't sit well with the humility mafia that is normal society in all of the world, who expect sole privilege to the right of calling IR a genius. They don't even want to extend that privilege to IR himself(or Federer)

However, Federer, as great as he is, is still not in the same genius ball park as Raja.

ellA instrument'kum orE nErathula ezhudha mudiyAdhu. oru Sa... Sa Ga Ma, Dha Ni Sa'nu oru instrument'ku ezhudhinA... indha instrument'oda SaGaMaDhaNiSa'ku matha instruments enna vAsikkarAnga appO'nu ennAla ezhudha mudiyAdhu. Oru instrument'ku ezhudhittu... adha ezhudhi mudikkaradhukkuLLa matha instrument'ku vandha idea washout Ayidum. adutha instrument'ku enna accompaniment'ngradhu pOidum. romba kashtam adhu. adha eppdi epdiyO ezhudhi, enna sound vara poradhungradhE theriyAma, mental'aa namma kEttutu irundhAlum, adha instrument'la kEkkAma anga score'a mattum pOttutu, andha conductor vandhu unguLukkAga vAsikka pOrOm nu sollittu, avanga rehearsal'la vAsikkum bOdhu... adha vAsikkaradhukku munnAdi oru silence. andha silence.. adi vayitha kalakkiduchu. karuvE kalangina mAdhiri. a

Just noticed this. Wow!
Buttressing the point I made in the previous post, about the phenomenal self-awareness. Although he uses his own equivalent of "ellA pugazhum iRaivanukkE" to explain his music, IR is also capable of figuring out exactly where his music is coming from. And articulating it this precisely.
This is rare genius, and it is only  possible because of the rare genius.

And this insight into a composer's mind, who else can give? And precisely for talking like this, he will be called an ego maniac and self-praiser. What kind of society we live in?


nyAyamA "beautiful mind" nu padam edukkaNum ivara paththi...effing society cannot even stay away for slandering him constantly.