Ilaiyaraaja's interviews and articles (by him)

Lets have all the interviews/articles BY (not on him) Ilaiyaraaja here in this thread...

Ilaiyaraaja's photoshoot by photographer VenkatRam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Drc4FXhaNQ

Shares anecdotes, opinions and most importantly, has fun!

wow.. he used to sleep for 2 hours a day during his stint as GKV's assistant...! this is prob one of the best 'interviews' by maestro..

Also another important thing that the maestro talks about - that he is not a trained musician ie; does not follow patterns followed by 'trained' composers like john williams etc. He says most composers use certain unwritten rules/patterns in their arrangements for brass/flute/strings etc, which he does not follow in his scores. I believe the same can be said for the carnatic/raaga aspects of his compositions as well. This is the biggest reason why IR is probably the greatest composer alive, for his uniqueness.
This is also the reason why some TFM fans of ARR/MSV et al argue that their songs sound 'sweeter' compared to IR numbers - it is because their melodies are set in familiar territories/comfort zones (for eg; if raaga based, the melody will be set in a tune similar to a popular keerthana etc. or a sad BGM would have an arrangement similar to a hollywood BGM/ a popular sad composition by Mozart etc.)
Becuase IR was not trained in carnatic/WCM music, he comes with no preconceived notions, and is able to look at those raagas/WCM techniques with a very different perspective, and MOST importantly, add his unique contribution.

Thanks aakarsh. This is how an IR interview should be. He appears so at ease, enjoying the moment and shared so much information. An interview to treasure.

Thanks aakarsh. What a lively man. Still talking highly of his predecessors and the contemporary Hollywood composers.

groucho070 wrote:contemporary Hollywood composers.

Yeah.. never knew he liked Hans Zimmer's work as he is from a different school of music (more of electronica and less acoustic) unlike John Williams.

If you have not seen today's DD where they telecast musical discussion with Raja, TVG, mridhangam player Arun Prakash [ I vaguely remember a couple of his posts in TFMPage during ULiyin Oasai" times. But Iam not too sure if they are the same ], and the ever present Mano , you have missed a fantabulous session with Raja big time. Hurry up and grab the youtube links of the DD programme from hyper[linked]active youthu like SKV and get saaba vimOchanam. 

Being a DD programme and having a carnatic music doyen and legend like TVG who is Raja's Guru, the session seemed to revolve around classical raagas used by Raja. I could watch only from the middle, Hamsadhwani in "Mayile mayile". I think there was some recap about the composition of the kannada evergreen "jotheyalli" before that. Then Raja recalled how he got motivated by TVG constantly humming a ThyagarAja kruthi in Bilahari and came up with the classic in Raja's own stamp, "koondhalilE mEgam vandhu". Raja was also showering his appreciation on KaNNadAsan who could on the spot come up with the poetic lines that followed the long, short phrases and the tumbling fall like flow in the pallavi tune. This was the first of the last 3 songs penned by him. Raja was at home and ease with musicians and the session was music focussed. Compare this with the apparent discomfort with sycophant kodambAkkam gumbal and gnyAna shoonya media/press who conduct interview session with him

Interview in K TV with Sundarrajan and IR. muzhusa paakkala. But lot of anecdotes. Youtube la vandha peragu inga share seyyalAm.

But reproducing what I saw towards the end. A couple of key questions and alla therikka vudara answers:

1. Trend'ku Erpa neenga maararadha pathi enna nenaikkareenga?
A: "Trend nu enna?" Interviewer dhomsam aaitaar. "Trend naa maarikittE varradhu. naa maarittu dhaanE irukkEn?"
2. Youth Music. Mottai: Youth'ku pidikkaradhu oru vaarathula yaarum kEkkaradhilla. adhukkellAm music pOda mudiyAdhu. iLamai isai la irukkaNum.
3. Mottai: Guna maadhiri oru padatha Kamal innikki edukka mudiyudhA? Mudiyala. Kamal kitta kEkkarEn, "enna Kamal neenga Guna maari padam ellAm eduthuttu innikki ippidi..." Kamal: "enna seyya? appidi aayi pOchu."

ippidi dhairiyamA uNmai nu padaradha Kamal'a pAthu kEkkara thagudhi ivarukku dhaan irukku. kEkkarAru.

nanRi DM!

I would love to watch this show on youtube or anywhere

Though not an IR-loyalist, R Sundarrajan is a big fav 

Main reason, of course, is being the starting point of "iLaiyarAjAvin innisai mazhaiyil" on posters + getting laddu songs from rAsA.

Another compelling reason is being the main reason in switching Gounder to full-fledged comedy tracks (from the somewhat-villainy-side-kick characters he played prior, as in BR movies)...

Drunkenmunk wrote:2. Youth Music. Mottai: Youth'ku pidikkaradhu oru vaarathula yaarum kEkkaradhilla. adhukkellAm music pOda mudiyAdhu. iLamai isai la irukkaNum.

Raaja Raaja thAn is totally apt here.  

Drunkenmunk wrote:3. Mottai: Guna maadhiri oru padatha Kamal innikki edukka mudiyudhA? Mudiyala. Kamal kitta kEkkarEn, "enna Kamal neenga Guna maari padam ellAm eduthuttu innikki ippidi..." Kamal: "enna seyya? appidi aayi pOchu."

Seriously, who but IR could ask Kamal that?

If you guys find the link please share. Eager to watch the programme. That was a nice reply. Even those replies are spontaneous and very very true. It is about staying young vs youth/trend. Nicely put by Maestro. No one can even think of such a perfect answer.

MOPRANGMANCH_ Ilayaraja's 75th Birthday


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg7SzQxipC8



isaiyai polave vaarthaiyum.. adhu dhanae IR........

indha pengalai.. chorus pada vaikum azhagu.. epadi elidhaga pada vaikirar. adhu Raja.....

My first recording was a bad experience - Ilayaraja

indha interview.. ipodhudhan parthen...... kalam kadandhu.. than kashtathai solli irukar........ nallavargaluku kashtam.. idhu dhane
kaliyugam. veru enna solla.....

annakili unnai thedudhe.. paatai epadi ninaithu epadi isai amaithen endru solli irukirar....Sincere..... adhu IR.......
Feelings.. character.. adhu adhai vida mukkiyam.. adhu dhane IR... adhai than feel seidhen........ enna oru innocent.......


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxQ-6T1B5-Y

காப்பி அடிக்காம பாட்டு போடுங்கடா: இளையராஜா அட்வைஸ் |

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWaZef42S80

எனக்கும் ஆஷா போன்சலேக்கும் சண்டை! சென்பகமே.. சென்பகமே உருவான விதம் | Ilayaraja speech


ungaluku pidicha isaikaruvi edhu........

Raja.. En manasu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psbAJ5ByPco

pesum pengalai ..correct seiyum vidham.. Raja.........

Kadal alaiyidam paduvadhu pola iruku.... kadal alai.. iraichalaga irukum.. adhu pola.. ungalin pechu Iraichall.
thavarai puriyara madhiiri sollum IR........

TMS patri..
Malaysia show.. 4 padam seidhu kondu irundha podhu.. Music show..
adhil TMS.. Rajavai patri.. mattam thatti pesinar..

Ipodhu dhan mudhal muraiyaga.. TMS patri.. avarin gunathai patri solli irukar....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROiHwDUTPzU

Nallavarkellam satshigal rendu..
pattuku.. kannadasan udan anubavam patri solgirar..
(MSV paatu..lyric endru solgirar.. udane solgirar... Naan thavaraga solvadhu pola yarum ezhudha vendam...... Niraiya purindhu
kondullar.. indha kalathu reporters patri.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sREubBlrCo

Ilaiyaraja 75 Iyakkunargal interview..

ipodhu dhan link kidaithadhu.... computer repair... adhuuvm ipodhu dhan sari achu.......

interview parkiren.... Iyakkunargal.. nalla thervu......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsWXLjZJRQM

indha interviewil.. Re recording patri.. sollum vaarthaigal...

16 vayadhinile.. moochu vidalam endru theermanithu... Great Words.....

Interesting to see that IR felt 'pAdaRiyEn situation' as a challenging one for him

I wish directors throw (threw) him more such...

IR's 1987 interview (includes a written article) for the Illustrated Weekly of India dated 16-08-1987 (August-16-1987) titled "SHEER GENIUS":

Pages: 205, 206 in the web-archive below (Pages: 56, 57 in the actual newspaper)

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.110088/page/n205/mode/1up

The year is just 1987 (barely 11 years since his debut) and yet, he talks about how the media has treated him and why he preferred to shun the press!  No wonder, he is being heckled more, after the Internet era and advent of the bane called social media.

The interview starts with: "IR has consistently shunned the press, to the extent of being accused of rude behavior.  His reason: 'The press has a tendency to quote things out-of-context, dragging a person willy-nilly into controversies.  I feel safer away from them'."

And to think, things have only gone from bad to worse to worst now!

The article documents everything from his early years, his journey as a composer and the interview is no-nonsense, crisp and eye-opening.

Then or now, his clarity of speech is as amazing as his magical wizardry in music!  He eats up all the questions of the interviewer (K.P. Sunil) like a piece of cake.  He answers all the questions to the point, is unaware of diplomacy, and is intrepidly outspoken with no fear of the consequences - as usual, unlike other composers / celebrities / personalities I have seen and heard.  Astonishing is just a mere word.

Page: 56 - https://ia801601.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/33/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.110088/2015.110088.The-Illustrated-Weekly-Of-India-Vol108-No26-49july-dec1987_jp2.tar&file=2015.110088.The-Illustrated-Weekly-Of-India-Vol108-No26-49july-dec1987_jp2/2015.110088.The-Illustrated-Weekly-Of-India-Vol108-No26-49july-dec1987_0204.jp2&id=in.ernet.dli.2015.110088&scale=4&rotate=0

Page: 57 - https://ia801601.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/33/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.110088/2015.110088.The-Illustrated-Weekly-Of-India-Vol108-No26-49july-dec1987_jp2.tar&file=2015.110088.The-Illustrated-Weekly-Of-India-Vol108-No26-49july-dec1987_jp2/2015.110088.The-Illustrated-Weekly-Of-India-Vol108-No26-49july-dec1987_0205.jp2&id=in.ernet.dli.2015.110088&scale=4&rotate=0

I listened to this only recently, an interview so rare, its worth its weight in gold. why? Because it was recorded in 1979, when IR was a rising star and both the questions and answers are quick, musical, the answers are crisp and refreshing. We have seen and heard many later day interviews of Raaja, but this one sheds light on his thinking process and his drive in his early years and he doesnt turn philosophical with his answers. And surprise surprise he even throws a hint on composing a western/folk type special musical effort for a broad audience,  but then stops midway and says he doesnt want to reveal any further. who knew at that time that he was going to achieve this 14 years later in 1993?


More such gems here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woGQa-tAYew

Please post more such rare interviews from his early years..