Maestro Ilaiyaraja New Albums 2011 - Hello Jaihind / Sri Rama Rajyam

[baroque]

Though songs sound good, but the orchestration is something which is missing.I would better stick on to 70's & 80's Compositions. Wish maestro goes back to the same acoustic orchestration.

yeah.... checked out the songs at Raaga.com
then
பருவமே புதிய பாடல் பாடுன்னு.....I returned back to 80s ராஜா yesterday evening ....heavenly கிடார் , ப்ளுட், வயோலின் orchestration , smooth singing by பாலா and ஜானு .

maybe someone should request Shri.Ilayaraja to do a unplugged album.
That would be fantastic.

ஒரே நாள் உன்னை நான் நிலாவில் பார்த்தது...,Chandni raat mein, ek baar tujhe dekhaa hai ..... gone back lovely beautiful, ஸ்ரீ.இளையராஜா!

Please fulfill our wishes,Ilayaraja!

Vinatha.

[Sureshs65]

While I do love his 80s songs as any other Raja fan, I can confidently say that I will give away a few of the top 80s song for a couple of songs in 'Thandavakone'.

I am amazed by 'neeraal udal kazhuvi'. When I first heard it, it did not sound like a Raja song. The orchestration was so very different, seemingly random that I was wondering where was the 'Raja touch'. I listened to it multiple times and slowly the reassuring hand of Raja emerged in the song. While the orchestration at one level seems random, it very tightly controlled and the whole orchestration creates a different mood altogether. Then the reciting of the poem itself. There you can clearly see Raja's hold. The way he has structured the tune, not letting any emotion go overboard, the way a tight leash is kept on the singer, the way he touches Punnaagavarali but never gets fully into the carnatic mode. Fantastic Raja.

People may wonder as to why I am so enamored with this song. I see this as something new and also something very difficult to achieve. The merger of say violins and flute for this would have been natural. But to come out with a new age synth based orchestration is quite challenging. I mean, for many such poems I have heard other music directors use synth based backing, but someone I never felt they gelled well. In this case it makes perfect sense. To give an analogy, it is like asking Raja Ravi Varma to paint a beautiful maiden and then asking Picasso or M F Hussain to do the background. You can imagine how that would. If you do that and yet make the picture seem as a single whole, then you would have achieved what Raja has achieved in this song.

To me, after a few more listening today, this is the standout album of this year.

[app_engine]

To give an analogy, it is like asking Raja Ravi Varma to paint a beautiful maiden and then asking Picasso or M F Hussain to do the background. You can imagine how that would. If you do that and yet make the picture seem as a single whole, then you would have achieved what Raja has achieved in this song.

What an interesting description!

You've stirred strong interest in me to listen to this song / album!

[V_S]

What an interesting description!

You've stirred strong interest in me to listen to this song / album!

+1, yes fantastic description Suresh ji! I am still waiting for a separate/special moment to relish this soundtrack.

[MumbaiRamki]

+1, yes fantastic description Suresh ji! I am still waiting for a separate/special moment to relish this soundtrack.

+2 -> This song neeral udal is superb . It justs has that feeling of listening to the devaram /thiruvasagam by odhuvaar in old big temples

[rajkumarc]

+3 on Neeral Udal Kazhuvi and so wonderfully put forth by Suresh. This is a such an arresting song that you cannot get distracted from. The orchestration and the rendition create a very surreal ambiance. I haven't listened to anything like this before, IR

[Nerd]

Not sure if already posted. Promo of SPB/ShreyaG song for RamaRajyam. What a combo

[MumbaiRamki]

+3 on Neeral Udal Kazhuvi and so wonderfully put forth by Suresh. This is a such an arresting song that you cannot get distracted from. The orchestration and the rendition create a very surreal ambiance. I haven't listened to anything like this before, IR

Manicka vinayakam - IR : is this is the first ? He has done a rocking job !

[AravindMano]

[V_S]

Kaattu Vazhi Thumbam Illai - Penetrates everywhere right from the word start. A perfect song for meditation and also need to listen in a dark room at night. A song like this 5 times every day is equivalent to mediate for 30 minutes. As we start listening and meditate, the prelude flute already takes us to the dark forest at night, as if we are walking in fear and trance with no visibility. Lyrics and singing follows it exactly for us to hear and walk towards where we hear it. After hearing 'kaattu vazhi thunbam illai kallum mullum thollai illai' we get some confidence and after this line 'sumaigalellaam sumaiye illai kaala dhooram bayame illai' we get more and more confidence and once we hear the name of God 'Shambo shiva shiva shiva sada shiva shiva' all fear leaves us and we walk towards him, as we start seeing the light. Such a wonderful beautiful haunting song after long time.

Unlike other melodies, this song and tune has not much variations, but how come it still etches and makes a deep impact right and makes us surrender right from the first listen. It's all because Raja is singing it with powerful lyrics, that too a song in the name of God, Shambo shiva shiva shiva sada shiva shiva… Yes as Sunil said, the middle-eastern (feel with mandolin?) is there. I feel it's because Maestro want to differentiate it from totally devotional feel and since it's also for a film. The low flute and haunting synth arrangements takes our breath away. Even though they seem very simple and straight forward, these arrangements support the tune excellently and pierces the song to provide the serenity just the Shambo shiva shiva chants provides the light.

Haunting low flute with mandolin in the first interlude takes us to meditation. Second interlude seems to me a string instrument rather than flute with mandolin. 40 seconds of pure divinity. No one would have ever imagined getting this divine feel with synth as Maestro does. I just can't stop listening to the interludes. Everytime I listen my eyes become more wet.

Another 'Pitchai paathiram yendhi vanthen ayyane en ayyane'. I hate to compare both these masterpieces, but unable to resist as i think both belong to same genre, genre of God, Lord Shiva. If Pitchai paathiram is rich in orchestration, Maestro keeps the orchestration simple, but haunting. Tunewise, again the variation in former especially the connecting last line from charanam to pallavi gives the depth, here Maestro chants Shambo siva siva to connect to pallavi with serenity. Singing wise, Raja takes honor here slightly better than Madhu, given his experience and his affinity towards singing these type of songs. So it's a tie for me. Still I prefer Raja's singing, so more rewinds for this one.

Stuck in the first song. Can't think of listening to any other song from this soundtrack for few days. It will take a big round to come back to next song. I believe this song is enough for me in Thandavakone. Five minutes of pure bliss.