Ilayaraaja's Score Sheets

Sivaji Thevar Magan la sonna kadamai. Just starting this thread here so that whenever in the future, however further down the line, as his score sheets are released publicly, we can save them. Balki spoke of it recently. Plum, ravinat ellAm thalappAra aduchukkara vishayumum kooda. Long term aim is to nationalize his music through all his score sheets. Wishing at least his score of all the songs (not a small task) gets published soon.

Remember having saved the score sheet in IR's handwriting of Paruvame Pudhiya Paadal Paadu, Nenjathai Killaadhe, 1980 (recording date: 24-11-79 ), a few months back when Ilayathalam released it.

Sheet:



Song:



PS: Hoping Karthik Raaja won't have a problem with fans sharing it publicly since the photo has the Ilayathalam watermark   Thanks to him for releasing this via Ilayathalam.

Violin Vicky posted the score sheet for Thumbi Vaa here: http://raagadevan.blogspot.in/2008/11/thumbi-vaa.html The score sheet:



Song:

Goodness gracious me, is that the original paruvame scoresheet in IR's handwriting!!! Wow, thanks a lot DM for sharing this. Was there only 1 page that was released? Really hope the score sheets of at least a couple of hundred of his very best songs and background scores are released. It really will ensure that the music continues to be played and performed for a LONG LONG time.

Now can you believe that someone can actually conceive that song entirely in his head and write the whole thing down rigorously in one sitting?

Yes Fring. That's IR's handwriting of Paruvame's score. At that time a few months back, only this one song's score was released. A look tells me the entire song's score is adakkam in this sheet. No clue on how to read it. But the good morning dialog between Suhasini-Mohan is a part of the song in the score sheet! Everything from Janaki-SPB's dialog from their laughter is from the composer as he writes ragam fade in, laughter (சிரிப்பு) in his sheet. LOL at all naysayers who think SJ, SPB added their extra inputs (if there are any and even here, the dialogs might be Raaja's and not the director's looking at the score sheet). They were the best who could service what IR had in his mind in the 80s. Massive respect to them for that. But I guess I'd stop there. And in this sheet, I guess I is 1st background (prelude), II is second BG (1st interlude) and III is 3rd background (2nd interlude). He also marks the solo harmonium and flute that comes in the respective interludes. Wow, everything is encompassed in here no   Unbelievable, like you say that anyone can rigorously write that down in one sitting. In my opinion, he'd have taken 15-20 minutes to map the entire song in his head. Such is the genius.

I scrounged the internet for more such sheets and recovered a share on a forum site which stole 2 original sheets in IR's handwriting (10 yrs back. adha kooda casual aa dhaan share senjurkkAnga score sheets nu. No seems to be overtly excited that they found this too. Telugu forum. Justu pure hardcore fandom I guess. vAzhga manavAdus ) from a now defunct Maestro Ilayaraaja fan club on yahoo (shared possibly 13+ yrs back).

Not sure of the first song since he has only written Pavalar Creations and the date. Maybe if anyone in our forum could read notations, they can say what song it is. He has written Balu and I presume it is SPB who is the singer and it's a solo:



The second song is rendered by S Janaki and recorded in 1991. I am able to make out "adhO andha..." from the first 2 words of the song. Not sure of the remaining word which will give away the song. Is it Adho Andha Nadhiyoram from Ezhai Jaadhi, 1993? (last word reads like nadhikkaraiyil though I can't be sure)



And yes, I sincerely hope people close to Karthik Raaja and Ilayaraaja make it possible for at least 1000 top classics of his from all languages published as scores.

Well, I can "read" that scoresheet, should be able to anyway. Learnt classical guitar for ~3 years, though I can't say I ever got too proficient at sight reading. Bloody thing takes time and lots of practice. I know how hard it is, which is why I got so irritated by KR's comments in Ilayathalam. It's like learning a new language - and to sight read and play extempore, a piece of music from a score sheet like that wold require lots and lots of practice and experience. And where did Indian musicians even have a chance to get proficient in this sort of thing back in the 70s and 80s? 

Naan medhuvA dhAn padippEn. I am used to score sheets transcribed for the guitar, so this is also different for me, let me try to figure out "what parts" this score is for by messing around on the guitar.

DM,

The ones you mentioned are:  Pudhucheri Kacheri (Singaravelan) and Adho andha nadhiyoram (Ezhai jaathi) score sheets.

The interview with Bhaskar Chandavarkar someone posted in the forum few months back has the score sheet of Shenbagame Shenbagame on the cover.

I also remember seeing a score sheet of Raja from Hope (Telugu) movie posted in idlebrain.com.

Thanks a lot crvenky Yes I got the idlebrain score sheet from Hope too with his autograph. Forgot to post here:



I don't remember seeing the sheet of Shenbagame in that BC interview. Could anyone please post it here? Much thanks

Great thread and great start DM!

Also, nice posts!

ungaL sEvai thodarattum!

BTW, those two links (pudhuchchEri & adhO andha) do not work for me...the forum says "forbidden"...may be you can upload these into ours using the "Host an image" icon of the toolbar

I often try host an image. I choose from file and get a set of links and click upload and then nothing happens   am I doing it right?

And is this working? Tried something using host an image.

Pudhu Cheri Cutchery:



Song:



Adho Andha NadhiyOram:



Song:

DM wrote:
And is this working? Tried something using host an image.

It does

Way to go!

DM- sooper. oru mAdhir dhairyam paNNiNdu karthikeyana nErA pOi pAthurugnaLEn?

DM, Hope you can see that image - Ashaji, Shenbagame, Meenakshi Arts, 4.12.86, ...... 2....

crvenky - Thanks a lot. Lovely

Plum - Hehe. Karthikeyan has closed Ilayathalam link. But pursuing him for this is worth it even if it meets a dead end. Shall try speaking to another FB friend who is close to Karthik and attends Ilayathalam meets every once in a while. Shall message him to see if this can be taken up. Publishing the score of every classic often through fan pages will be a boon IMO. Or even better, publish the scores of 200 songs first as a book. Onnyum purilennAlum I will buy, scan every page and post it on the net and forum.

edhuvum work AgalEnnA, dhegiriyamA pOi oru naaL Prasad studio vAsalla kEttupudarEn.

Ilaiyaraaja is not very comfortable in sharing his notes to the outside world. I have had this checked at prasad studios and at various meetings. Even in the last 2 meetings conducted related to their official page in FB and the website, i am told that they are not very comfortable in sharing the original notes.

Let us respect Ilaiyaraaja's words here and not play around with things which he considers as sacred and does not wish to share it outside.
Read the reply given to sripathy ramesh on the notes sharing where he has asked about watermark

I hope sense prevails and we dont do anything to irk IR

idhu enakku theriyAdhu. The intent is to absolutely not irk IR. We want his compositions to prevail the turn of time in good intent. Thanks for letting know. IR knows better than us obviously.

Balu - thanks for this. I think no harm in mooting the idea of nationalisation with Karthikeyan. Govt gives lumb sum for nationalisation I think.

Balu - thanks for this. I think no harm in mooting the idea of nationalisation with Karthikeyan. Govt gives lumb sum for nationalisation I think.

Indeed!! As IR fans, that would be the culmination of our online efforts over the years (inga "years" applies to veterans Plum, app etc) increasing awareness about his work, discussing and anaylsing it like virtually no other MD's work in India is.