Manadhil oru paattu - Song of the moment - Vol 1

Is there some actual rap/hip-hop set to such delicious chords?  Would be the very thing that gets me into that genre.

Not that I am aware of. The craziest parts are the portions where the bass guitar takes over from the female chorus and vice versa in the 1st and 2nd interludes respectively. Hits you like a hurricane.

While listening to songs from aanand, there is a simple kuththu song ola olakkudisayile
which could be dismissed easily as a mandatory kuththu number. But a closer listen reveals that
the song has a touch of sadness. How did that melancholy enter the tune? How much does Raaja internalise
the character and situation before composing? Unbeleivable.

Jai,

  Beautiful Finding.. enakum idhu pola thonum sila paatugalil...

1. Raaku muthu raaku  -  sandhoshamana situation.. ana sogam theriyum........ Interludes reflects the serious or the Sogam......

2.Sondham vandhadhu vandhadhu  - indha paatilum.. Interludes reflects some sogam............

3. Oru kola kili.... same....... engaeyo sogam theiryum..........

Thazham poove   vasam veesu  - sandhoshathil sogam theiryum............... edho nadaka poradhugara madhirii........(actually IR's Madhyamavathi gives the true happiness only. 2 paatu dhan konjam sogam irukum...  2. Thulli thulli nee padama.)

4. Ola thumbathirunnu

Reading Kannadasan's autobiographies, Vanavaasam and Manavaasam. Done with Vanavaasam and into Manavasam, already feel personally very close to Kannadasan. In the முன்னுரை of Manavaasam, Kannadasan says this:

Kannadasan wrote: இந்த வானம்பாடிக்கு முதலில் அறிமுகமானது ஒரே ஒரு ராகம் தான். அந்த ராகத்தில் நான் பாடமுடியாது என்று தெரிந்தும், பாடம் செய்து கொண்டேன்.

அது என் ஜீவராகம். சிறு வயதில் கற்றுக் கொண்டதால் அது தெவிட்டாத ராகம்.

முதிர்ச்சி இல்லாத அந்த பருவத்தின் கனவுகள் ஒன்றிரண்டல்ல.

ஆனால் பிஞ்சு காயாவதற்க்கு முன்பு மரத்திலிருந்து உதிர்ந்துவிட்டது. அந்த ராகத்தை என்னால் மறக்கத்தான் முடியவில்லை. அதற்காக எதையுமே பாடுவதில்லை என்று சங்கீதத்தையே வெறுத்துவிடும் பருவம் அல்ல எனக்கு.

வாழ்க்கையை துவக்கவே ஆசைப்பட்டேன். அதற்காக நான் தேர்ந்தெடுத்து சுட்டிக் காட்டிய தெய்வீக ராகம் எதுவும் எனக்குக் கிடைக்கவில்லை.

As I read that yesterday night, I am only able to go back to this song. It's as if it was written and composed for Kannadasan to appreciate from the skies. Haunts everyone too.

இயல்பான நடை,அருமையான உருவகம். Do you recommend VanavAsam? 
Deiveega raagam - Great song, beautiful haunting tune, but IMHO, that folkish chorus in the second lude, brief though it is, sort of detracts from the experience. Have never got around to be able to enjoy it somehow. Only reason I don't listen to this song too frequently.  

I was listening to Ponnar Shankar's 'Bavani Varugira' song yesterday. Experimental folk in my opinion (the kind of folk that I like, from Raaja). The initial chorus keeping the whole song a mystery... the flamenco backing to Shreya's melody.. the changing percussion patterns.. Raaja keeps on throwing up surprises. Great composition

fring151 wrote:இயல்பான நடை,அருமையான உருவகம். Do you recommend VanavAsam? 

Highly recommended. Especially if you are interested in politics, it's insightful because he gives his experiences in DMK from its inception till he left the party (1949-1961) which he calls his Vanavaasam. Revealing stuff about the leaders (especially Anna and MK) and very honest about where he rated himself and found himself.

Thanks DM for recommending Vanavaasam. Hoping to get my hands on a copy soon. Can you also list the books by IR that's a must read?

rajkumarc wrote:Thanks DM for recommending Vanavaasam. Hoping to get my hands on a copy soon. Can you also list the books by IR that's a must read?

There is a 511 page book, "Yaarukku Yaar Ezhudhuvadhu" by IR. It is a collection of his 5 books, "Paal Nila Paadhai", "Sangeedha KanavugaL", "VazhithuNai" (3 autobiographical books with anecdotes from his personal life), "Ilayaraaja'vin SindhanaigaL" and "Vetta VeLiyil Kotti Kedakkudhu" (both of which are collections of poems written by IR). I've not started reading this 511 pager with these 5 books yet since I am with Kannadasan now (ellA pusthagamum sErndhu vAnginadhu ) but I am sure this 511 page collection is going to be a treasured possession that I'll strongly recommend it without reading  Publisher is கவிதா வெளியீடு, based in Masilamani Street, Pondy Bazaar, T Nagar.

There are a few other books and 2 more that caught my eye made me buy them too. One is "Yaadhumaagi Nindraai" which is a book of IR poems and veNpAs. The other is Ilayaraaja's commentary on Adi Sankara's Viveka ChoodamaNi which is again in கவி நடை in Tamil, i.e. IR analyzes Adi Sankara's Sanskrit philosophies and interprets them as poems/veNpAs in Tamil. idhu reNdaiyum kooda inimE dhAn padikkaNum quite sure these will be worth the money as well. Both are கவிதா வெளியீடு again. In fact, I flipped through Viveka ChoodamaNi and found a part of his Neeraal Udal Kazhuvi from ThaandavakkOnE as a poem (veNpA nadai la) in it. I believe the full song is there in various veNpAs in this commentary which he compiled as one song with Kavignar Muthulingam and composed as a song for ThaandavakkOnE.

I would also highly recommend Manavaasam now that I'm half way through. Vanavaasam is Kannadasan's life from 1943-1961 which he published in 1962 and Manavaasam is from 1961 meant to go till 1976 as Kannadasan was writing this in 1980 as a series for Kalki but it ended incomplete as he passed away in 1981 and was published as a book in 1988 with his life complete in his words only till 1971. Vanavaasam and Manavaasam are both published from Kannadasan Publications, Kannadasan Saalai, T. Nagar by his son, Gandhi Kannadasan. But since Kannadasan's works have been nationalized, I believe you can get them almost everywhere.

Have been meaning to buy/read PAl nilA pAdhai for a while. Curious if there is lot of tattvam in it...

fring151 wrote:Have been meaning to buy/read PAl nilA pAdhai for a while. Curious if there is lot of tattvam in it...

PM :-)

For whatever reason, haunted by Swargathin Vaasapadi last few days.  Manadhil vera oru paatum vara vudamaatengardhu.  One change since 90s, not only in Ilayaraja's music, but in music generally is brass has fallen out of favour. Stylish, brash brass parts were a trademark of his music in the 80s.  It was so nice to hear at least some saxophone/oboe again in Vaangum Panathukku/Kaatrai Konjam.

Remembered this song after a long time today: http://www.inbaminge.com/t/c/Chithambaraththil%20Oru%20Appaasaami/Ponnaa%20Porandha.eng.html

The tinge of pathos reflects so aptly in the tune. And the strings section... Tippu (for a change) sounds good here.

Thanks for the pick.....  At the time.. IR fans..... didnt like this album. But my son.. his age was 14.. like this album.. He recommended me to hear the songs....(Amma kelumma.. indha padathula pattu ellam nalla iruku.....)

is this Bhava or Preeti Singh? haven't heard anything near this quality..raja4ever  

enna pAttu wiz?

Un Kaadhalan from Naanum oru Indian. It's by Bhava only. Yes, outstanding quality.

Snehaveedu again. Nothing like it http://www.raaga.com/channels/malayalam/moviedetail.asp?mid=m0002448

V_S wrote:Un Kaadhalan from Naanum oru Indian. It's by Bhava only. Yes, outstanding quality.

thanks..what about 'Dosedu Mallelu' from Shambu? we might need a thread for Bhava   

Wizzy wrote:

V_S wrote:Un Kaadhalan from Naanum oru Indian. It's by Bhava only. Yes, outstanding quality.

thanks..what about 'Dosedu Mallelu' from Shambu? we might need a thread for Bhava   

Are you serious? I always felt she ranks last (along with Preeti Uttam) in the army of Raaja singers. No expression, no range, no depth, shallow voice. Above all, it isn't even any pleasing to the ears (my opinion strictly). I already have that as an issue with Raaja, that he wasted some good tunes on her voice. Like this very song for example. Nice song.  In a parallel world, I'd have loved to hear Chitra singing this song (and no, I am not stuck with SPB, Chitra, KJY etc.. i really feel he could have found better singers.. all the tier-2 ones like Rita, Anitha, Manjari etc.)

No expression, no range, no depth, shallow voice.

in other words unique voice    I have conditioned myself
to be Bhava/Preeti Singh tolerant they are simply too many good songs in their staple to miss out which survived the onslaught.
their voices are set in stone for that transitional period from puberty to being more mature.
sample songs like 'O Chinnari Chilakamma'  which are right up their alley.

Wizzy wrote:

V_S wrote:Un Kaadhalan from Naanum oru Indian. It's by Bhava only. Yes, outstanding quality.

thanks..what about 'Dosedu Mallelu' from Shambu? we might need a thread for Bhava   

also nanu neetho from Gundello

This is a problem. If he gets stuck with Chitra, Janaki, maniacs spread propoganda that "While older MDs didn't let young talent prosper, Rahman ushered in an era of democracy and justice bringing in one new talent every day"


Anyway, as wizzy said, there are songs where the emotion perfectly accomodates Bhava. She is a dreadful concert singer, but even IR's poor recording techniques seem to mask her limitations well in these type of songs. I am haunted by nanu neetho

Was talking with Plum and Rozavasanth on twitter about Yugandhar's music. Into Dasthe Dagega the whole day as a result. Uploaded song too:



What a delight! Raaja in his rAkshasan mode. The solo violin in the prelude, the tabla in the charanam, the chord progressions in the first interlude reminding me of Dilwaale Raat Hai Jawaan (this is also a female partying, crimson king, engu irundhAlum mEdaikku vandhu idhai kEtkavum ), the violin again in the second interlude, SPB and S Janaki's intoxicated rendition. Wow!