IR News and Other Titbits Ver.2009

R.Latha, is there a link which confirms the news? Shahrukh khan and IR together...I really doubt. Or did you confuse with the movie titled "SRK" for which IR and Gulzar are working together?

thanks,

Krishnan

krish244,

Yes. Latha would have read "IR scoring for SRK" :)

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/03/25/s...2550340100.htm

“Raga Symphony” in a way harks back to what Ilaiyaraja did years ago – the two symphonies “How To Name It” and “Nothing But Wind” and the more recent “Tiruvazhagam”. Ilaiyaraja fused Western classical with Carnatic classical, using compositions of Thyagaraja and 8th century Tamil poetry. Shaarang Dev does it with khyal music in the tradition of the 150-year-old Mewati gharana.

Raja_fan

interesting bit. Thanks for that.

I listened to 'Raga Symphony' and it is a good album, in its own right. But i dont think it harks back to HTNI, NBW o Thirvasakam. Probably the 'intent' - to mix the two genres, traces back to those albums, but not the content. Shaarang Dev did a good work no doubt, but the way the fusion has been presented is not in the dimension of IR's albums, but different. Ofcourse i am not comparing. Fusion has been attempted by many composers. Pt.Ravi Shankar did it. IR did it. More recently, i was fortunate to attend a concert of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan with Scottish Chamber Orchestra and it was a mindboggling concert, which had wonderful fusion. Every fusion is unique in its own way and so was IR's. This album is a good album, no doubt, but the magnitude and direction of fusion choosen, is different from HTNI, NBW or TSI.

I read the article as well. What stuck me in the article was what lot of people have been saying in this forum: about the lack of musicians available to play instruments and that mostly everything is done electronically. That is what Shaarang Dev says in his interview. He had to take a lot of pain to get the musicians he wanted. Very sad indeed.

Nostalgia: Vintage Ilayaraja


In the rush of new movies and music, many gems are either lost or forgotten. No one can be blamed for this happening; it is just the way the world is, the old making way for the new. Here, we attempt to bring back to you memory some wonderful pieces of art, some of them worth the label of vintage classics which got lost in the madding crowd. You might not be able to instantly reconnect to the long forgotten number, but give it some time and the magic might begin to work again. Though the song has been reviewed, more importantly this is a look back at the fascinating way in which Tamil cinema evolved, with a touch of nostalgia. Hope you enjoy it.

This charming number from the movie Kavikkuyil starring Sivakumar and Sridevi is an evergreen Ilayaraja piece. The song cleverly uses both the top and bass flute notes to start and carry the song forward as the song itself centers on the Radha-Krishna imagery. The yearning search for the beloved by the man is accompanied by soft lyrics that touch upon a myriad dreams. The very opening salvo shows off the Rithigowla raga so well, when the flute goes' ni ni saa-;ni sa ga sa; ni-sa-ni;ga ma pa ma ga ri saa.' Then you have a gentle cascade of notes with the guitar, violin and what feels like santoor, adding to the 'dreamy' feel. what is special about the whole song itself is that the flute articulates each line at the beginning of the pallavi and the charanams.' sa ga ri ga ma ni ni saa ;ni dha ma paa; saa ni dha ma pa; ga ma pa ma pa ma pa ma pa ma ga ma pa ma ga ri sa nii' goes the flute. And Dr. Balamuralikrishna follows up with the words 'Chinna Kannan Azhaikkiraan; raadhayai, Poongodhaiyai, Aval manam konda ragasiya raagatthai paadi'--- in his delectable voice. It is the 'pa ma pa ma pa ma' repetition that adds a whole new dimension to the aesthetic appeal of this song. Just close your eyes and savor the emotion conveyed in the line 'kangal solginra kavidhai' which line starts at the top 'sa' note. Though Ilayaraja has stuck to traditional sangatis, he brings in a dramatic note two and a half minutes into the song where the flute wails 'ni ri ri sa---' .There is a sense of urgency now in calling out. Please note how the percussion sound (tabla mainly) is smooth and subdued right through the song which therefore preserves the mood of the whole piece so well!

Let us know if this helped you relive the magic of the beautiful composition or whether you discovered something hitherto unknown to you.

It doesn't sound like Shri.IR's orchestral works. :D

Sharangdev Pandit's Raga Symphony IS IMMENSELY REFRESHING WITH intense Indian classical ragas-melodies, not over powering percussion or disjoint or excessive orchestration(pouring music on a weaker melody) , nice usage of saraangi, sitar, vocal chorus, veena, violin drums, viola, khanjira, mirudhangam etc..., good vocal dhiranas ... Tracks length are rt and sufficient to indulge the beauty of the musicals.

This album, I relate to Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji's meditative musical cds like RAGA SAGARA, NADA HIMAYALAS , CELESTIAL MESSAGE etc..

I think we can call this kind of music as NEW AGE - fusion albums, with ethnic touch, vocals - aalaapana, swara rendering etc...

Rahman is doing already in films, remember Delhi -6.

An embrace of passion...RAGA - பாகேஸ்ரி my mind was longing, humming நிலவே என்னிடம் நெருங்காதே ....., நீ என்ன சொன்னாலும் கவிதை... ஸ்ரீ.விஸ்வநாதன் :thumbsup: Within time 0:01 - 0:51 is enchanting, masterpiece மாதா ராகா at composer's WILL ... nice rapid jathi
increase in usage of indian percussion, free flowing cool musical,
alternate dhirana/chorus..singing by vocalists, glamorous violin passages.

Raga LALIT (7:43) is a flute ecstasy with female alapana, chorus swara renderings, .... :musicsmile:

Mr.Anand, that's a wonderful post on early Ilayaraaja :musicsmile:

In Raga Symphony..there is a track in Rag Malkauns(carnatic - Hindolam)soulful Raaga aalaapana followed by emotive saarangi and poignant violin passage with a rhythm, soothing flute, vocal chorus smooth humming / dhiranas..... STUNNINGLY gorgeous 8:00min ....:swinghead:

I was running around Early IR's Naan thedum sevvandhippoovidhu... IR's aalaapana with scintillating violin, romantic flute, brisk jathi... the musical pours in speed...GOLDEN 80's Ilayaraaja...
நான் தேடும் செவ்வந்திப் பூவிது
ஒரு நாள் பார்த்து அந்தியில் பூத்தது.... :swinghead:

Film CHITCHOR has an enchanting MALKAUNS aalapana by Shri.Yesudas before the song Gori tera .... like Shri.IR's Sri devi en vaazhvil.... Aalapana.

Shri.Ilayaraaja's NOTHING BUT WIND - TRACK...Composer's Breath..(16 mins) in Rag Malkauns's Hariprasad Churasia's flute is breezy. after 9:30 , Ilayaaraja's bell kind of sound orchestration (until10:40) spoils the listening sugam/சுகம் , irritates me(though I love his prelude bell sounds to entice our mood inஆத்தாடி பாவடை...poovilangu) ... I find that 1.5 min musical chunk சம்பந்தமேயில்லாம insipid musical insert suddenly :roll: thus IR didn't guard the mood he brought for me while showing his virtuosity. Aesthetics of music lost...என்னவோ, என்ன fusion இது Shri. Ilayaraaja? :roll: not to mention initial மெலடி (before 9:30) also very same நான் தேடும் செவ்வந்திப்பூ ...tune.


I liked the album... Raga symphony is different kind of fusion music.
Mood was preserved smoothly.
Sharangdev Pandit's Raga Symphony - STUNNINGLY SOULFUL album . :)
vinatha. :musicsmile:

vinatha, great review I guess. Is this CD available for sale online ?
BTW, IR has come a long way from NBW, HTNI. Maybe you should compare with TIS. Also, IR's fusion approach I think is different. He probably approaches the composition from the Western classical end. His understanding is, the orchestra should be used fully and all sections at the same time (symphony) if possible. Raagas are just a tool for him to write the notes for the whole composition. Maybe I am wrong, but this is the impression I get. I have not seen other indian MDs do this level of 'polyphony'. The music is going to be complex and not easy on the Indian ear. There are so many preludes to songs which extended for a long time will 'exhaust' the indian audience. There will 2 or 3 threads of music playing vigorously against each other and come/align together at the end of a 30-40 secs. This is how a full IR composition is going to be but ofcourse with not just some 'tension' but also some 'relief' as well. Again, all my conjecture.

Let him think polyphony orchestration, Kiru.

But I don't find the brilliant / magnificent Ilayaraaja always shines as put together, churning out variety of stunning orchestral pieces still preserve the intended mood/emotions in that track. That bell orchestration in COMPOSER'S BREATH is not tasteful for my ears. It is tacky.

Pay attention to the grand third lude of hindolam...Sri Devi en vaazhvil.../ interludes of ila nenjey vaa...vanna vanna pookkal- percussion /second interlude of chinnakkannan azhaikiran.../short enticing prelude of sorgaththin vaasapadi.... / gorgeous strings prelude of nilavondru kanden....kai rasikkaran - early years.

The above mentioned film songs are better fusion in terms of aesthetics and technicalities.
இது ஒரு நிலா காலம்......டிக் டிக் டிக் ...
FUSION at the BEST.. 80s Ilayaraaja glory! :musicsmile:
Some of the above compositions , IR has done even earlier than NBW.
So I am not accepting the argument, he has come a long way...:)
Regarding CD.
AMAZON.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_m?...mphony&x=0&y=0
Please suggest for the Library collection. They will bring too.
Label is TIMES.. you can request the local Indian music stores to bring.
vinatha. :)

"THE WORLD OF MUSIC" journal reviews Ilaiyaraaja's "THIRUVASAGAM - A CLASSICAL CROSSOVER" -

http://www.vwb-verlag.com/Katalog/m816.html

Reviewed by Hollie Longman

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=c...4e75f6e8ebb871
article can be downloaded from there - it looks like an elite journal read by ethnomusicologists and scholars!