Global recognition for IR's music.......

[jaiganes]

@ raja saranam
The article is commenting on pieces scored in the 80s like how to name it (which is timeless) and nothing but wind (which had pop beats of 80s). As far as MX goes - much of its jazz pieces were assembled in late 80s and early 90s according to Guitar prasanna. So no issues here. Having an 80s style is not an issue. The strings he employs are 14th and 18th century music - so does it mean IR is stuck in 14th century?
The reviewer has given a clue to the listener to have an 'open mind' when it comes to expecting the kind of music from Ilaiyaraaja and I dont see it as a problem. In fact here in USA 70s and 80s are associated with glorious music and great artistes like Pink floyd, Bee Gees, Phil Collins etc.,

[eagle]

irir123,

Its heartening to see an american reviewer took effort and spend his time to analyze raaja's music.

Raja_fan,

This is something we people should be happy about...

spreading his music by his disciples is spreading a religion. You dont see converts overnight. It takes a lot of time and patience and understanding cross cultural issues for an westerner to appreciate raaja's music.

I wish he scores music for a hollywood film last time he scored (i think as a co-composer) is for "bloodstone". May be its time he takes an initiative again.

One thing i am not simply happy about is the replies... mostly from fans like us. People may find it really overwhelming.

irir 123 hats off to you!!!

[raja_fan]

raja_fan - do I need to keep reiterating that the article was written by Steven A Kennedy a veterain music critic and not by any IR fan, over and over again ? Steven took his time to do some background research and most likely also visited this forum (we never know), and read a bit about him and his music and then wrote this article

I dont understand, why you should be cribbing instead of being happy about it!

and pls dont make hilarious comments such as things happening naturally - nothing happens naturally, when the CD of 'Mumbai xpress' and 'TiS' HAD to be hunted for, online for several days before getting hold of one and sending the same!

irir123,

Please understand !

Do you want me to believe that Steven himself got every details right from South Indian film music scenario, the situation based film music in South India to the latest Naan Kadavul ?

It is simply unbelievable...At least I think you will accept that some IR fan introduced him to the fact that such a composer exists in India and gave him the necessary details about IR upon which Steven has written this.

You have yourself mentioned that he asked for the original CDs. So how did he come to know about such albums ?

If you are going to maintain that he did this all on a fine day suddenly out of blue, then I would say that it is simply marvellous !

Anyways , my intention is not to find some fault with all your great efforts to popularize IR. Just that I want to check things before I jump in joy

And about my "hilarious" comment that things should happen naturally, by naturally I meant for example like what happened with ARR. I don't think any of his fans had the need to yearn like "He is an unknown composer.underrated.. When are you going to recognise him ? " etc..

I just feel it unfortunate for a genius, not that what you are doing is bad.

So my wishes and support is always with you. Go ahead !

[irir123]

raja_fan - sorry to broach the issue of other composers here, but a certain gentleman has a high-profile agency doing stuff for him - check this out http://www.gsamusic.com/ - let me get this straight - nothing happens naturally - that particular agency am sure takes care of all promotional aspects!! trust me, most people have absolutely no clue as to how things work here in the US, especially the music industry

Nothing happens naturally - you promote things bigtime, aggressively, rigorously, then you reap the benefits! like how one gentleman managed to become the President of the USA, by simply aggressively campaigning through the internet (he even has a Facebook profile!!)

In the music business, one hires an agent/agency, that does the marketing/promotional stuff, in a very well-planned, professional manner and gets a decent cut from the profits/benefits - without an agent/agency, artists simply dont stand a chance

Thats the way things work - its not the substance alone that matters, its the gloss that covers the substance that really does matter these days in showbiz!!

As a passionate fan I only sent a few of IR's CDS, gave him the link to raaja.com and Steve Kennedy did the rest - if you would like, I can send you his original email reaction after listening to HTNI first! compared to that reaction, his article is highly toned down and sober! that was the genuine reaction of a genuine music-love who KNOWS music!

If a random set of CDs sent to a reviewer can elicit such a response/review, you can just imagine, how things will turn out, if some bigtime agency takes up IR's case!!

IR with his genius, will be treated as the musical equivalent of a maverick mathematician in Hollywood (a la a musical John Nash)!

[Plum]

"by naturally I meant for example like what happened with ARR"
Well, in his case, ARR himself did the networking. Nammalukyu andha netowrking matter-lam theriyadhungaradhunala alladhu interst illain adhanala dhaane fans seyya vendi irukku. Good work irir123. However, idhu illattalum IR's music will live centuries - let's not get vexed with "current" global recognition.

[rajasaranam]

irir,

Hmmm... ARR has also told about the ways and methods to be adopted and the agencies were contacted to promote the music of SDM , in various inerviews.. I just went through the agency in wiki here, Their client list is astounding and many of my favourite composers are over there. 'Kali muthiduthu'

Even then Iam confused over what will they do when ARR, John Williams, James newton, Hans zimmer, Thomas newman are all their clients, whom they will promote

[Sureshs65]

irir123,

Excellent work. A lovely article. It is definitely written by a westerner. No doubt about that. I particularly liked his conclusion. "... will make it easier for the curious to hear the work of one of India’s finest composers writing music that even as it suggests Western forms has a global transcendence often missing in much of the USA’s simplistic hinting at global cultural styles. "

Excellent summing up. Kudos to irir123 and whoever helped him in this endeavor

[raja_fan]

irir123,

Seriously, that was a wealth of information to me !

Thanks a lot !

And why should you wait for my consent to paste/send the reaction of that man on HTNI ?

Karumbu thinna kasakka pogudha ?
Anuppunga please !

[irir123]

here are his initial responses: "these are quite intriguing blends of Indian (and I am guessing Southern Indian) music with that of Baroque and Classical period styles...the style in the two crossover discs that were sent seemed to take what I would describe as raga-like melodic ideas and cast them into either a Italianate, almost Vivaldi, Baroque sound that also reminds me of Hovhaness' music at times. I'm not implying it is derivative, I was fascinated at the way the violin idea in "How to Name It" felt at home in that approach to "melody" writing. There were even some moments there that felt a bit minimalistic to my ears. The inclusion of electronics reminded me of some of Morricone's experimental work as well. It's a far cry of course from the old de Massi score for the India documentary from the 1950s/1960s which introduced the West to the sitar. But the approach to the music here has a distinct quality that feels more "Indian" if you know what I mean? The incorporation of the Western period sounds, though likely as much as an acquired taste as say a Claude Bolling jazz/orchestra crossover, seems to work--though I felt the second album far easier to listen to (though my ears may have adapted to the style). Thanks again for enlarging my musical universe "

[app_engine]

irir123,

Great work!

Excellent article by Kennedy. Interestingly, he shares my view that NBW is easier to catch than HTNI for a new listener of IR's scores. Why, it was that way even for me When both these got released one after the other, HTNI cassette was collecting dust while NBW was played frequently by me.

It wasn't until late 90's (a decade later) when I started liking and admiring the HTNI better. This time I obtained the CD's from a store in Mumbai.

That way this article is an 'alpa santhOsham' for me personally as well