Pick of the week: 1 Mar to 5 Aug 2006

Pick #133

http://tfmpage.com/stream/songs/paarthu_crp.rm

Song: paarthu koNdirundhaale
Film: chittoor rani padmini
Singer: Seergazhi Govindarajan
Lyrics: ?
Music: GRamanathan

When you think you have listened to almost all the tfmgems, you come across a masterpiece like todays pick and restart your search all again.
Sirgazhi has sung very few songs for Sivaji and i feel this is his best.
The song just took my breath away..He sings the swaras nonstop , barely taking a breath for almost 68 seconds(Listen to the tail end of the song). I personally feel this song deserve much more appreciation that it has now(not many are aware of its existence).

I think CRP had Sivaji and Padmini(or is it vaijayanthi?). I believe it was not a hit and the songs were soon forgotten.

This is a lenghty song(just over 7 minutes long). Somehow the file i have starts with 'vaarthaiyil viLangaadhu'. Im not sure if this is the start of the song.

Ramki: Nice song! I think it was Vaijayanthimala.

Ramki

Thanks for one more find. Godo to hear SG's ganeer voice.

yes Andhi Mazhai was played often, but more like later part of May/June. Madhura geetham (the 4:15 to 5:30 vividh bharathi program) used to play 'Azhaghe Azhagu' almost every day after June/July)

But being a person, who thought no other song other than that of IR deserve air -time , the new songs of other MDS playing often was hard digest then when I was a boy with litle maturity

Anyway thanks for your excellent selections

Bala

Ramki, a real gem. Seerkazhi's songs need to be explored further. This one belongs in the same league as his "Shivashankari"- another scintillating rendition. A reminder as to how "light" playback singing has fallen down to, these days.

Thanks raj, Balaji and Vijayr

Pick #134

http://tfmpage.com/stream/songs/sangeet_bn.rm

Song: sangeetham en dhegam
Film: Bala Nagamma
Singer: Vani Jairam
Lyrics: Pulamaipithan
Music: iLaiyaraja

A brilliant composition by IR based on chitrambhari raagam(detail from raaga based songs thread). This is the only film song listed under this raaga.

VaniJairam displays again her mastery over classical based songs. She sings the difficult sandhams in the charanam with ease.

Ramki, I think "en vazhvil pudhu pAdhai kandEn" from Thanga padumai (PS) is also based on Chitrambari rAgam. Experts can confirm.

Bala nagamma had one more VJ solo, I guess. Any idea?

SN23 : it is manmatha ragangalae
u can find it in www.vanijairam.com

VJ's solo (as well as songs with PJ) always mesmerizes me. Her pronunciation, sandhams etc. thanks for uploading this song as POW.

Anatomy of Pleasure

What a bravura performance! Makes one think up phrases like "goose-flesh inducing," "delicious drowning" "force of nature" and "super dhool kilappal" - and still the essence, the pace, the clarity and the purity of the composition and voice - dodge such pithy punches.

In an interview published in The Economic Times (February 3, 2005) VJ says this: "I am a real nut for hard work. That is how I have earned a good reputation in my line." The hard work in a song like the one featured today might just be to make it all look so easy. ...As in the taan that follows "Aagaya Gangaikkum Theeradha Dhagam..." and returns to the first syllable of the opening word seamlessly. The gentle sigh in "perumoochchu vaangum" and the rhetoric of sympathy within "adhu engu thoongum?" and the repetition of "Sangeetham" - short, tall, grande - these are all moments of love's labour.

IR , when he sets himself up for a challenge like this, invariably peaks. The composition captures a royal hall (or a temple courtyard) congregation at dusk (jaathi mallippoo pole andhi maalai pooththaval) and the song washes over like a quick wave of starlit sky. The rhythmic and melodic patterns merge with grace, like two palms pressed in greeting, and the recital begins. The heat of excitement, the descending hush...It is all there in the interludes, you just have to come a bit closer to the song...

Body Music. Body of Music. An Out of Body experience.

Sangeetham... Nam Yogamandro?

Sn23 thanks for the info. 'sangeetham' and 'manmatha raagangaLe' are for Manju Bhargavi i think.