Re: Anything about IR found on the net - Vol 1

app_engine Tue Jun 25, 2013 2:42 pm

Gokul,
Me too have similar opinion about the overall "cinematic" style of his speech. ('sethhA azhamAttEn / azhuvEn ellAm simbly too much and should have been avoided in a stage IMO)...

However, he got me in that 'thAlAttu kEtka nAnum' song...(fellow can even sing ok)...pullarips!

app_engine Tue Jun 25, 2013 2:43 pm

Visit of "rajsmed" to Drunkenmunk's blog (he is only 28) :

http://raajasongadaykeepsboredomaway.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/11-soaring-to-the-skies/#comment-76

app_engine Thu Jun 27, 2013 3:58 pm

A long but interesting "savukku" article about a journalist

However, the reason for giving the link here is the brief IR reference :

அகங்காரம் பிடித்த ஜெயலலிதாவின் ஆணவப் பயணத்துக்கு தடை போட்டவர் என்று சுனில் இந்தியா முழுக்க பிரபலமானார். அவரின் இந்த பிரபலத்தை பயன்படுத்தி அப்போது வளர்ந்து வரும் தொலைக்காட்சி ஊடகத்தில் ஒரு வலுவான நிலையை ஏற்படுத்திக் கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்று ஏ.எஸ்.பன்னீர்செல்வம் உள்ளிட்ட பத்திரிக்கையாளர்கள் முன்முயற்சி எடுத்தனர். சொந்தமாக ஒரு தொலைக்காட்சி நிறுவனம் தொடங்கலாம் என்று தொடங்கப்பட்டதுதான் டெலிஜும். இந்த தொலைக்காட்சி நிறுவனம் தொடங்க ஆரம்பகாலத்தில் பொருளுதவி கொடுத்து உதவி செய்தவர்கள் இளையராஜா, கமல்ஹாசன் மற்றும் அனந்து ஆகியோர்.

app_engine Thu Jun 27, 2013 4:30 pm

GA too approached for SJ Surya project?

After a long sabbatical, S.J. Suryah who has worked with the likes of Ajith and Vijay, is back with a film, titled Isai (music) which is said to have a sensational subject. It is rumoured to be loosely based on the clash between two music composers, which, inside sources reveal, happen to be ‘Isai Gnani’ Ilayaraja when he was at his peak and a budding A.R. Rahman. Suryah declines to talk about the subject matter of the film.

Suryah plays the role of a budding composer, akin to ARR, and Sathyaraj, who is riding high at present, has been roped in to essay a role similar to Ilayaraja’s. Earlier, Prakash Raj and Gangai Amaren were approached to act in the maestro’s role, but the former opted out after he came to know that the story was based on Ilayaraja whom he respects immensely. The buzz also was that Gangai Amaren demanded a huge sum as salary. Jayaprakash is said to be playing the role of a filmmaker who promoted the young composer, someone similar to Mani Ratnam. Suryah has also taken on the onus of composing the music for Isai.

Raaga_Suresh Sat Jun 29, 2013 7:53 am

Hey, see what I found on the net. Super. (HaHaHa. In case you are wondering it is my writeup Smile

)

My blog link here: http://onlyraja.wordpress.com/2013/06/29/the-song-of-incomprehension-kaatu-vazhi-thunbam-illa/
The song of incomprehension: Kaatu Vazhi Thunbam Illa
I was having a small conversation on twitter with my friend @equanimus when he mentioned ‘kattu vazhi thunbam illa’ song from ‘Thandavakone’. He further said he was reading my review of this album, which I had written in tfm when the album was released. I asked @equanimus to give me the link and was shocked to find that I had written very casually about this song, without understanding what the song stood for!! This is an attempt to correct that mistake.
If you haven’t heard the earlier, please do hear it now. Only then what I am going to say will make sense:
http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=308610&mode=100&rand=0.6930773393251002
This is a song of movement. A set of people are travelling on foot and the orchestration is done to give us that effect. It was a similar effect that Raja gave in ‘poovar senni mannan’ of ‘Thiruvasagam’. That was from ‘yaathirai paththu’, which is about travelling to meet the lord. The whole orchestration suggests a forward both in ‘poovar senni mannan’ and in this song. The strong drums, the rhythm it plays, the synthesizer (which plays as if someone is blowing a conch) and later the mandolin like instrument, all combine together to give you a sense of movement. The mandolin effect almost seems to be pushing the reluctant traveller to move faster. Along with the sense of motion, the orchestration gives us an eerie feeling, an uneasy feeling, a feeling of dread.
Raja’s voice is calm but slowly when he gets to ‘adhu dhaan perum thuyaram ayya’, pathos emerges. The constant mandolin which follows, the jangling anklet like sound and the strong drum beat keep the eerie mood intact. When we arrive at the refrain, ‘sambho siva siva siva’, the drums play asynchronously adding to the uneasy feel. The conch like sound doesn’t let up and it is this sound which starts the first interlude before the mandolin (?) joins it. The charanam is constructed that it reaches the its peak when Raja sings, ‘aridharam kalaindha pinne alari ninrom’, where the tune and words merge outstandingly to give you the creeps. Raja joins the pallavi with his trademark twist in the charanam. The second interlude keeps the mood intact with some passages remind us of the music of Arabia.
This is not a bhakthi song in the traditional sense. It is not something like ‘Janani Janani’ which is sung by someone who has surrendered oneself to God and believes that the only path to salvation is to believe in God. This song is sung by someone who is still a seeker, someone who has not fully come to terms with the world and is looking at Siva to offer answers. The questions still remain. This is not the song of someone like Ramana Maharishi, a seeker turned seer. This is a song of someone who is still a seeker, who believes that the feet of the Lord will offer him solace and yet cannot comprehend this world and its absurdity. The song quite evidently is closer to the Siddhar padal in its tone.
The song is in two parts. The first part is the one which talks about the absurdity of the material world and the second part exhorts people to see the light and embrace it. Yet, a sense of dread prevails all over the song. Maybe it is because the singer himself is not sure if the act of merging with the Lord will provide the answers. Maybe the singer thinks that even after the surrender questions will still remain and the world at large will be incomprehensible. It is this uncertainty that Raja brings out through his music. While the words of the second charanam are quite sure about the efficacy of joining the order, it is the music which refuses to clear the doubts. It is the music which tells us that maybe there is no relief and the world will remain a strange place for the true seeker.
The paradox of art is that irrespective of whatever emotion the artist conveys, the final emotion that gets conveyed is the emotion of joy. How fast the intended emotion gets converted to joy depends on the intensity of the emotion conveyed but slowly it happens. Very few pieces of art remain as they are intended to be. Even the saddest of songs like ‘aanso bari hai’ in the saddest of voice like Mukesh turns into an enjoyable song after listening to it for some time. Now whenever this song plays, instead of feeling sad, I feel happy!! I have been listening to this song since the time of its release (probably 9 months back) and still whenever Raja sings, ‘aridharam kalaindha pinne alari ninrom’, I shudder. To me, that is what makes this song very successful.
My friend @equanimus, when this album and movie trailer made an insightful comment that Bala had changed the perception of darkness in mainstream cinema. He made mainstream cinema accept dark themes. This is very true and something like ‘Thandavakone’ may not have happened if not for Bala forcing the doors open. (Ofcourse ‘Thandavakone’ has not been released. I am basing my statement on music and the trailer.) Yet, even in Bala’s dark movies, Raja’s music was never this dark. The music of this movie, which includes other dark songs like ‘neeral udal kazhuvi’ and ‘unnapol oruvan’ (both of which require a separate writeup), is brooding, dark, introspective and eerie. It is beyond doubt, Raja’s darkest album in his entire career. In the annals of Indian film music, this is a very unique album, both for its theme and execution.

**V_S** Sat Jun 29, 2013 6:18 pm

Suresh ji
Super, one of your best write-up. applause

Really brought out the essence of the song. Remember discussing so much about this song in the other forum. The song is such that whenever you sit and listen you tend to write more about the song. This is an experience rather than just a song. Thoroughly enjoyed reading every word, thank you!

**V_S** Sat Jun 29, 2013 9:01 pm

@musicmafia shared this rare musical tribute of Maestro on twitter. Many thanks. Not to be missed.

Raaga_Suresh Sat Jun 29, 2013 10:16 pm

Thanks V_S. You are right. The more you listen to the song, the more you will want to write Smile

fring151 Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:59 am

Many of you have probably already seen this. But sharing the videos for the record.
Raja sharing interesting tidbits in one of his shows in 1986.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZqWFe1-kqo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKT7psGQ41E&feature=youtu.be
Gotta love his no-nonsense views in the second video.

app_engine Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:11 pm

mikka nanRi, fring151, for sharing these interesting youtube links!

Very interesting!

**V_S** Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:14 pm

BTW, these were uploaded by our Bala (Karthik). Smile

Many thanks to him.

app_engine Mon Jul 01, 2013 5:47 pm

Now saw the tweets of B(K) on the IR-GA-Singapore videos Smile

mikka nanRi Bala(Karthik) for these wonderful treats!

=========

Next article by T Sounder on rAgams in TFM :
http://inioru.com/?p=36264

This one focuses on 'mOhanam' exclusively Smile

app_engine Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:31 pm

After listing out tons of mOhanams by a variety of TFM MD's, the writer dedicates an entire section for rAsA Smile

இளையராஜாவின் மோகனம் .

தமிழக நாடுப்புற இசை உள்ளுணர்விலும் ,செவ்வியல் இசைராகங்களிலும் புதிய ஒளி பாய்ச்சிய திரை இசையமைப்பளர்களில் முதன்மையானவர் இசைஞானி இளையராஜா.நாடுப்புற இசையின் இதய ஒலியும் ,ராகங்களின் நுண் அலகுகளும் ஒன்றிணைந்த பாடல்களைத் தந்து தமிழக மக்களின் இதயஒலியை இசைச் சனாதனிகள் கைகளிலிருந்து விடுவிதது தன்னுடைய இசைத்திறத்தால் தமிழக மக்களின் உள்ளங்களில் கலந்த இசைமேதை ஆவார்.

அவரது வருகை.தமிழ் சினிமாவில் நிகழ்ந்த இசை நூதன நிகழ்வு [ Music phenomenon ] . மண் சார்ந்த இசை செல்வத்தை வழங்கும் ஒரு பேராற்றல் மிக்க கலைஞனை மக்கள் அடையாளம் கண்டு கொண்டாடினர்.

இளையராஜா தமிழக நாட்டுப்புற இசையின் ஆன்மாவை காட்டிய விதம் பன்மடங்கு நாட்டுப்புற பாடல்கள் , இசைப்பாடகர்கள் வெளிவரக் காரணமாயிற்று.” எல்லாம் வெறும் தன்னானே தானே ” என்று இகழ்ந்த நாட்டுப்புற இசைக்கு மவுசு ஏற்ப்பட்டது.

ராகப் பயன் பாட்டிலும் தனித் தன்மையை காட்டிய இசைஞானி தனக்கு முன்பிருந்த இசை மேதைகளைப் பின்பற்றிச் சென்றாலும் , அதிலும் ஓர் புதுமையை [ Novelty ] காட்டி வெற்றி பெற்றவராவார்.மோகனத்தில் அவர் முன்னோடிகளான பல இசை யயமைப்பாளர்க்ளின் பாடலகளைப் பார்த்தோம்.அவற்றில் பெரும்பாலான பாடல்களின் மெட்டுக்கள் கிட்டத்தட்ட யார் அதைப் போட்டார்கள் என்பதை இனம் காண முடியாத வண்ணம் [ ஒரேமாதிரியாக ]அமைந்திருப்பதை அவதானிக்கலாம்.இசையமைப்பாளர்கள் யார் என்று அந்தப் பாடல்களை வைத்துக் கண்டு பிடிக்க முடியாதளவு க்கு ஒரே தன்மை இருக்கும்.

இசை மேதைகளான பெண்டிலாய நாகேஸ்வரராவ் , எஸ்.ராஜேஸ்வரராவ் ,T.சலபதிராவ் , R.சுதர்சனம் , கண்டசாலா , TGலிங்கப்பா ,

சில சமயம் விஸ்வநாதன் ராமமூர்த்தி , கே.வீ .மகாதேவன் , R.கோவர்த்தனம் , வேதா ,GK வெங்கடேஷ் இன்னும் பிற இசைய்மைப்பாளர்களின் பாடல்கள் இன்னார் தான் இசையமைத்தார்கள் என்று கண்டு பிடிக்க முடியாதளவு இருப்பதையும் அவதானிக்கலாம்.

KVமகாதேவன் இசையமைத்த ” மயக்கும் மாலை பொழுதே நீ போ போ ..” என்ற குலேபகாவலி திரைப்படப் பாடலை உதாரணம் கூறலாம்.ராமண்ணா இயக்கத்தில் வெளியான ” கூண்டுக்கிளி ” படத்திற்காக KVமகாதேவன் அவர்களால் இசையமைக்கப்பட்ட இந்தப் பாடலை , தன்னுடைய மற்றொரு படமான குலேபகாவலி யில் பயன்படுத்திக் கொண்டார்.குலேபகாவளிக்கு இசையமைத்தவர்கள் விஸ்வநாதன் ராமமூர்த்தி இரட்டையர்கள்.

இன்றுவரை இந்தப் பாடலை இசையமைத்தவர்கள் மெல்லிசை மன்னர்களே என்று வானொலிகள் சொல்லிக் கொண்டிருக்கின்றன.பின்னர் 1960 களில் தனித் தன்மை புலப்பட்டாலும் அதிலும் குறிப்பிடத்தக்க வித்தியாசங்கள் குறைந்த அளவிலேயே வெளிப்பட்டன.நடிகர்களின் பெயர்களை வைத்து அடையாளம் காட்டபட்ட அளவிற்கு இசையமைப்பாளர்களின் படைப்புக்கள் என்று பரந்து பட்ட மக்கள் மத்தியில் புகழ் பெறவில்லை.

ஆனால் இந்தக் குறையை நிவர்த்தி செய்தது இளையராஜாவின் இசையே.அவருடைய பாடல்களைப் பாடும் எந்த பாடகரோ பாடகியோ , அல்லது நடிகரோ யாராக இ ருந்தாலும் அங்கே இளையராஜா இசை என்றே அறியப்படும்..அந்த அளவுக்கு அவரது இசை அவரை அடையாளம் காட்டி இருக்கிறது.

இளையராஜாவுக்கு முந்தைய இசைமேதைகள் எல்லோரும் மரபு வழி நின்றும் , மீறியும் மோகனத்தில் நல்ல பாடல்களைத் தந்தாலும் ,அவர்களை விட மேலைத்தேய ஹார்மொனி இசையை விஸ்தாரமாக நமது மரபு இசையுடன் இணைத்த பெருமை இளையராஜாவின் இசைச் சாதனை ஆகும்.இம்மாதிரியான இசைக்கலவை இசை எனபது தமிழுக்கு மிகவும் புதியது.இப்படிப்பட்ட ஹார்மொனி கலந்த இசையை இந்தியாவில் வேறெங்குமே கேட்க முடியாது.இந்தவகை இசையை பெரும்பாலும் ஒவ்வொரு பாடலிலும் கேட்டு மிகிழலாம்

app_engine Wed Jul 03, 2013 5:23 pm

article on Madurai composers

Justin Prabhakaran wrote:
After completing a course in sound engineering he joined music composer Harris Jayaraj and worked for him till the movie Thuppakki. With his earnings, Justin has now set up his own recording studio.

So far he has composed music for more than 35 short films. He was selected best music director in the Nalaya Iyakkunar season 2 and 3.

“Legendary composer Ilayaraja is my biggest inspiration. I used to go to Prasad Studios only to have a glimpse of the maestro. I wanted to become a composer only after hearing his songs,” says Justin, also a student of Carnatic and Hindustani music.

Composing music for his debut movie ‘Pannaiyaarum Padminiyum’, is like a dream come true..

kamalaakarsh Thu Jul 04, 2013 3:39 pm

Ilaiyaraaja's NEPV gets a nomination for best music: http://www.filmfare.com/features/60th-idea-filmfare-awards-2013-south-nominations-3603-4.html#descArticle

Karthik for Kaatre Konjam and Ramya for Sattru Munba get nomination as well.

Contrast this with Telugu - Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu does not get a nomination: http://www.filmfare.com/features/60th-idea-filmfare-awards-2013-south-nominations-3603-3.html#descArticle Thats telugu audience for you Very Happy

kiru Thu Jul 04, 2013 11:51 pm

Just got back from a 2-week trip to India. Very hectic. Could not meet Suresh or any our forum friends. One thing, I noticed, instrumental versions of IR songs are playing all over the place from vaitheeswaran koil hotel gardens to Pondy hotel at. Surprisingly, the street vendors in Mysore, play IR songs in the toy flute when they see a tamil tourist. Even the guy begging with a bull accompanying him ( what do you call him ? as kids we called him - boom boom maattukkaaran) played IR songs when he saw me speak in tamil in B'lore (he had a clarinet/pipe instrument).

app_engine Thu Jul 04, 2013 11:53 pm

Link from the V S Narasimhan interview in solvanam, of the rAjapArvai famous violin piece :

This comment is quite interesting on this youtube :

Ananth Singeetham wrote:
The songs from the movie are simply superb! Not to mention the movie which itself is a classic! From all the movies my grandfather Singeetham Srinivasa Rao directed, this is one of my favourite!

fring151 Fri Jul 05, 2013 2:46 am

One thing, I noticed, instrumental versions of IR songs are playing all over the place from vaitheeswaran koil hotel gardens to Pondy hotel at. Surprisingly, the street vendors in Mysore, play IR songs in the toy flute when they see a tamil tourist.

Very pleased to hear this, Kiru sir. Affirms my prediction that Raja will someday attain the status of national icon and become a part of our identity like the great wcm composers have in their respective countries.

Drunkenmunk Fri Jul 05, 2013 9:30 pm

I had written a post on Sugamo Aayiram from Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi 15 days back. Plum visited the song and shed his views in his own inimitable style.

Do read, for it is fantastic: http://raajasongadaykeepsboredomaway.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/28-to-be//#comment-125

**V_S** Fri Jul 05, 2013 10:21 pm

Thanks @_Drunkenmunk for posting this valuable song.

plum,
What a write-up! noteworthy

Yes as you pointed out there is much more than just notes and sounds in Raja's music. I know you are very passionate about this song. Whenever some one posts (I think you even commented when I posted this song in evening classics thread) about it as your mind runs this song automatically. It's great to know from you what Maestro is actually conveying through this song highlighting the true essence of samsaara bandham. True delight to read. Thank you! thumbsup

app_engine Fri Jul 05, 2013 10:29 pm

Got so much irritated at the stupidity of vikatan & BR this morning when I saw this link via twitter :

BR Q&A in vikatan about IR

I don't really care about what BR badmouths rAsA. It is the clever question that the vikatan-BR combo placed that raised my BP:

''ஊடகவெளியில் வாய்ப்பு கிடைக்கும்போது எல்லாம் இளையராஜா உங்களைக் கடுமையாக விமர்சிக்கிறாரே?''

What kind of nonsense is this?

How many times had this trash mag seen rAsA criticizing BR on media?

I can see the malicious intention of the mag to apply tar on rAsA - as someone who goes around slandering BR Mad

Outrageous nonsense!

Only for a couple of questions in the kumudam Q&A I've ever seen rAsA scolding BR - despite all their differences over the years! That too got prompted by an irate IR who went as a virundhALi to BR's annakkodi function, only to be publicly abused by him! Even in the dinathanthi varalAtRu suvadugaL, rAsA had so much praises for him. Not just that, even in that annakkodi public function, there was nothing on record that rAsA badmouthed BR.

While those are the facts, how can the stupid vikatan publish such a mischief? That too about a generally-media-avoiding person like IR, who is also one of the rarest of cultural gems the TN maN had produced?

நல்லதுக்குக் காலமில்லை!

Drunkenmunk Fri Jul 05, 2013 10:41 pm

app saar,

What is even more noteworthy is BR kuththikaatifying IR for his Fiji photo. Yennamo naalu poNNungaLOda IR photo eduththA avar senjadhum BR senjadhum oNNAyidra mAdhiri Evil or Very Mad

Also, notice the Freudian slip there. //இசைஞானி பேச வேண்டிய வாழ்க்கைத் தத்துவத்தை அன்னிக்கு அந்த மேடையில் பாரதிராஜா பேசினான்.
ஆனா, பாரதிராஜா வழக்கமாப் பேசுற விஷயங்களை... இளையராஜா ஊடகங்கள்ல பேசுறான்.// oththukkarAr thAn appidi dhAn pesuvEn nu. Also, his self-righteous nonsense on God given talent and needing to stay humble. A man unaware of his ego and sunk in narcissism comes out as a hypocrite the way BR does.

**V_S** Fri Jul 05, 2013 10:42 pm

I too felt very bad at the way they posted the question. Twisted Evil

Easy fore-hand shot for BR to answer. He would be waiting fo this. Actually that question should be posted to IR having suffered a lot from his friend many times recently. Cheap way to publicize their magazine.

app_engine Fri Jul 05, 2013 11:06 pm

I guess vikatan is trying to get as much mileage as possible from the IR-BR (and/or IR-VM) ladAi.

It's not unknown that both kumudam & vikatan are competitors for years. Possibly kumudam had some gains in recent times from the IR Q&A (especially after it underwent a lot of difficulties in the last few years, difficulties that possibly benefited vikatan & other competitive mags in a big way also).

Now, true to 'paththirikai adharmam', vikatan wants to organize anti-IR gumbal and get a lot of mileage. (Interestingly, since it has to do that in a nAzook way, a clever "IR Short Story" got published a few weeks back to pose as a 'good mag' as well).

I've also seen another tweet where BR claims to have given ARR the puyal nAmam. (enna ezhudhinAlum ARR won't touch him even with a 100 ft pole is a different matter, but it's possible BR fancies that to be another attack on IR).

Anyways, like I mentioned earlier, very rarely TN media acknowledges real genius. OTOH, it uses every opportunity to malign such greats!

Drunkenmunk Fri Jul 05, 2013 11:22 pm

Again this is heresay from a friend and has no place in a civil discussion but considering he mentioned Vigadan, it isn't beyond them either.

Upon Malaysia passing away apparently they had a piece which mentioned Malaysia died a poor man and IR did not help him in need whereas early in their careers, Malaysia helped IR. If Vigadan did not publish this, no use going further for it is a waste of sperm. If it was true that Vigadan published this, nothing again can be more ridiculous. It gives one the feeling that Vigadan itself off late has become anti-IR.

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