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I am all the more surprised by the absence of any shades of Reethi gowlai - considering how he embellished Sitha raama kalyaanam hari kadha in swathi muthyam with that raaga.
If at all there is some disappointment it is the absence of this raaga along with charukesi from the songs.
Raaja has done quite a few "Lord Rama" numbers before in his career (the ones like "Janaki anuko ledhu" - a sudhdha saveri beauty from Rajkumar - pointed out by raj_musing in his blog), the whole Rama -sita shades in Swathi muthyam etc.,) . It appears as if he sat down with vehemence to not use any of those templates. This album in that way is totally different even from the "Sri Balaji mahathyam" (Ezhumalayan mahimai in thamizh). On this count the album slightly suffers from "melody" quotient a little, but makes up with the innovation and voice arrangements.
After all this is the album in which every listener's long standing dream of hearin Shreya G, Chitra and SPB sing together was realised and sweetness me that was under Raja's baton..
What a dream this?
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V_S,
Fully agree with your assessment. Infact that is what I said in my initial review of this album. It is as if Raja's hands are tied up and still he delivered!! I know the older generation music directions love to tune for pre written lyrics and have done some outstanding work that. For us, it is Raja's imagination of tune that is so important that we miss it in this album. Yet he satisfies us fully in different ways.
As you said, the three Ramayanam songs are superb. The rhythm changes, the tune changes, the voices, the words, everything jells well. I am enjoying the album thoroughly.
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Yes Sureshji. I could not believe in spite of all the limitations, we are getting some blissful tunes in Jagadananda karaka, Sri Rama lera, Kalaya Nijama, Gali Ningi Neeru, Sita seemantham added to those wonderful story compositions.
Nice post Jai!. I too agree Maestro did not stick with earlier templates. But as you said, charukesi should be a very good raaga for this kind of film and situation. Still I thought he could have come up with other new raagas instead of Keeravani, Sindhu bhairavi, Hindolam which we heard a lot from him, but that does not take away anything from enjoying atleast for me. Even though they are same raagas, the treatment offered is totally different and unique!
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I am blown by the variety of music that is on display in this movie. I am glad that it did not turn out to be a mere 'devotional' album!
I hope Rama doesn't pour milk or honey or whatnot over Seetha's belly in any of the songs! (Having seen a few of Balakrishna movies, it is not unlikely)
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Writefac2, that is unlikely as the Director is Bapu, not Raghavendra Rao.
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Writeface,
:lol: As Plum assures us, it is Bapu so you will not get such scenes, however much you may want it :lol:
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'gali ningi neeru' - is strongly close to 'mada vilakka yaaru ippo' from virumandi - same raaga ?
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Sitarama Charitam - A power-packed composition. Not much prelude. In first 30 seconds pallavi-anupallavi is over. The tune in pallavi-anupallavi is so sweet that you don't want to go over to charanam at all. I think the songs starts with Rama, Lakshmana and Sita start their vanavaasam. In just under 2 minutes of song, the story travels too far to Sita abducted by Ravana. Unbelievable!. In next 2 minutes story conveys the strategy being worked between sukreev, maruti and Rama how to get to lanka to get back Sita. First Hanuman goes to meet sita with kanayazhi, and later on, Rama wages war and wins. Next 1:45 minute is where the most important part of the song and most of the time spent on the song, where Rama asks Sita to perform agni pariksha. Beautiful portion in the whole song after pallavi. In last 1.15 minutes, Maestro ends with mangalagaramana Madyamavathi (?). What a lovely and soothing end when Sita passes the test.
The mood in the song switches back and forth brilliantly and within 6.30 minutes Maestro and Jonnavithula finishes four major portions of Ramayana; Aaranya Gaandam, Kishkinta Gaandam, Sundara Gaandam and Yuddha Gaandam. Unbelievable by any means. :notworthy: In all these busy timing, Maestro uses every possible instrument to match the mood. Also Maestro checks the depth of tune at every moment not to dip at any cost. As mentioned earlier every 30-40 seconds he changes the rhythm arrangements and the raagams too. Singers Anitha and Keerthana sang extremely well and supported Maestro. Can't get out of this.
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DevuLLe Mecchinde - Out of the world composition. Unlike the earlier Sitarama Charitam, which has more mood swings, this song has nice good feel to it. It has a beautiful flow like a complete song, as the song describes right from the birth of Rama and brothers till he gets married to Sita (if I am not wrong). So the mood is constant here. Still how Maestro makes it more arresting is a point to note.
Maestro begins the song in folkish style, but later on during first charanam he gives a glimpse of classical touch. In second charanam he opts for bhajan and goes to light classical in third charanam. Last charanam he brilliantly fuses carnatic semi-classical with hindustani punch, before routing back to folk at the end. During the last charanam portions surprisingly the bass lines are clearly heard. The most 'arajagam' part being Maestro using piano/synth interludes which sounds so modern for this composition.
But all the four charanams are so sweet, totally different from each other and equivalent to separate song. During last charanam he changes the scale during 'nee needaka saguninka janaki yanae' and slows down for the first time unexpected. But my most favorite portion of the song is the third charanam. The tune is so absorbing here:
shiva dhanu vadhigo, nava vadhu vidhigo
raguramuni tejam abhayam abhi gadhigo
sundara vadhanam choosina madhuram
nagumo munavelike vijayam adhi gadhigo (fanastic!)
Chitra and Shreya at their best!
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Ramayanamu Sri Ramayanamu - Begins in 'pitchai paathiram yenthi vanthaen' fashion. Absorbing start. I believe the song start itself tells that it is going towards sad end. While Dasaratha arranges for Rama's pattabhishekam Kaikeyi sends them to vanavas and the whole Ayodhya turns dark (amavasya) and people revolt. Jonnavithula brilliantly describes the pattabhishekam arrangements to Kaikeyi sending them to vanavas in just two lines. Briliant! Maestro wonderfully sets the tone and slows down during charanam. The interludes this time is more authentic and conventional to the situation using mridangam, tabla, nathaswaram and veena.
Only complaint about this song is the singing part. Somehow I feel Chitra sings whole-heartedly with that bhakti and sadness, while Shreya singing little casually with smile in her face (at least sounds like that) especially at the beginning. At later stages, she catches up.
You can clearly hear the difference in Chitra and Shreya's singing during these lines.
Adugaduguna thyagamu anuanuvuna dharmamu
anuraagamu anubandhamu anupamaanamu
sahala shell dheera veera varaga bheeeramu (again what a finish to pallavi by Maestro!)
Another haunting portion of the song:
yemmaiyya ramaiyya yemai povaal ayya me memai povaal ayya
Wow! what a sudden change of mood and Chitra dazzles here!
(sorry for my horrible telugu mistakes)
Song to remember for lifetime! These three songs in nested loop! :smile: It will take a while (loop :smile:) to come out of these rare gems.
Three great epic songs for the great epic. Colossal contribution by Maestro. :notworthy:
PS: Still another minor rant. Almost every singer has atleast one or more solo, SPB, Shreya, Tippu, Swetha, but Chitra didn't even have one. She didn't' have much of a chance here except two female duets, where most of the time they sing together. Little disappointed there.
