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

[thumburu]

thumburu,

Would love to have your uncompromising views on Ponnar Shankar. Hope you get to listen to it soon.

On ASK, I will beg to differ about the kuthirai song. It would have lost its nativity if SPB had sung it. The imperfection of Raja's voice adds a lot to the song and my guess is it will suit the character in the film better. We can decide on this only when the film is released

Hi Suresh, thank you for your understanding and I dont think the question of compromise or uncompromise arises here in this free forum where one can post what he or she opines about an album.As you had said in one of your posts, it is the urge to post one's opinion regarding a new music album that drives this thread . Suresh, regarding "kuthikira", I agree on the Raja's voice suiting the nativity part . I would have approved of Raja's voice in 70's or 80's when it had all the rustic youthfulness left. Now all I hear is a strained old man's voice singing for an innocent youth. You can ask me if SPB is young ,but his voice can still pull off that required youthful exuberance with nativity intact. Well, this is strictly IMO
I was wrong about the song quoted as example. It must be "maaman oru naaL". ok,I must listen to PS without delay

[Sureshs65]

Vel,

What I meant is that thumburu tells her views as she feels about the song. Uncompromising here means that not moderating your views (or bias) because you are posting in a forum where lot of others may have a different opinion. I don't have a problem with that. I personally love the music in ASK irrespective of what thumburu or someone else feels. I am always open to opposing views since it also tells us how Raja's music is being received by a wider audience.

RS: yov, 'metima geetima ellan illa. Everyone is expressing their liking. So here I go scolding you

[Sureshs65]

The music of 'Gayam-2' and 'Ponnar Shankar' are in wonderful contrast and give an idea of what techniques Raja is trying. Here is my brief analysis of the music of these two movies.

In 'Gayam-2', Raja predominently uses the synthesizer within its limitations. While he does layer his music, he brings to fore the piano type of sound. The melody of the piano is predominant in most of the songs there. In some other songs one particular instrument is more predominant that the other, like the violin (real or synth). He doesn't try to give a grand symphonic feel with many instruments playing at approximately the same volume. This gives a good separation of sound and also a sparse feel to the songs. 'andala lokam' and 'endhukamma prema'. Even in a song like 'Rama Rajyam', Raja achieves the angry feel more by the beats rather than trying to play too many instruments (on the synth) together. To me 'Gayam -2' was the best recorded album of Raja in recent times and the sparsness of the instrumentation has something to do with it. Added to this, the feel of the album was more of jazz.

Coming to 'Ponnar Shankar', what Raja seems to be trying here is to give the symphonic feel using only the synthesizer. I am sure there are lot of software / plug ins or whatever they are called available in the market but Raja wants to leave his own stamp behind. This is very evident in the 'annanmaar' song. The synthesizer is used to try and create the feel of a symphonic orchestra and truthfully that shows. In the other songs as well, when there is a constant accompanient in the background, providing for the harmony, you can 'hear' the synthesizer. As kiru used to constantly say, Raja wants to recreate his brand of music using the synthesizer. In other words, Raja is trying for a replacement of a manual orchestra using the synthesizer. He doesn't want to compromise on his ideas but maybe due to the financial constraints of the producers has to compromise on using the synthesizer. In my opinion what Raja seems to be trying is a very big thing. Getting the same effect on the synthesizer as a manual orchestra is not an easy thing I guess. I do understand that the recording technique may not be upto the standards to others but even in the music of other MDs you can clearly make out the instruments which are played on the synth.

In other words, if Raja uses his jazz style and orchestrates keeping the limitations of the synth in mind, you will not have complaints from people about the synth. It is only when Raja is trying to push the boundaries of synth that we will have all these complaints. As usual, whatever Raja does, to understand his ideas is going to take some time for all of us.

[vel]

Contrasting views are always welcome for me as well...provided it is without the unwanted sarcasm, offensively condescending finality, and/or disturbing bias...

Looks lot better now....thats a welcome sign...

[vel]

sambhavami ugae ugae....

[raj_musing]

. In other words, Raja is trying for a replacement of a manual orchestra using the synthesizer. He doesn't want to compromise on his ideas but maybe due to the financial constraints of the producers has to compromise on using the synthesizer. In my opinion what Raja seems to be trying is a very big thing. Getting the same effect on the synthesizer as a manual orchestra is not an easy thing I guess. I do understand that the recording technique may not be upto the standards to others but even in the music of other MDs you can clearly make out the instruments which are played on the synth.

.

Suresh,

The feel or "Sukham" of that manual orchestra arrangement is just unexplainable. Synthesiser may come close, but cannot replace our veteran orchestra.raja is experimenting and trying hard to fit his musical style into this and the output is like a flip of a coin and quiet unpredictable:- Sometime you win and sometimes you loose.

[appushiva]

Dear All,

We all have different reviews of the PS songs , but one thing in general , we love the pattern and raga's of Raja. The songs are significantly better than all other songs coming from Bolly or Kollywoods.

But we can see few reviews here are Pessimistic and writing as there were very good melodies available elsewhere and only raja is failing in music.

The fact is the King is giving still giving innovative ideas and pattern in flim songs. May Enthiran and Singam songs sounds better, we can appreciate them , Alas they are short liven, you can't hear now. But anyone can hear "July ganapathy", "Pithamagan" "Pahazi raja" "malli puvu " "Nannavan" etc at any time with short breaks.

I completely adhere the review of Mr.Sureshji which is optimisitic in this dying music era.....

[KV]

V_S, Raagas, Suresh, very good reviews on PS! Interesting thoughts you folks have there.
Like Suresh said, had IR had been able to rope in his favorite Budapest orchestra, we would've had a full-fledged 'saavadi' at hand!

The album has been in loop for about a week now and has surely grown well on me. It does take a while to get around the synth (sure, we can go on and on singing our gripe in Synthubhairavi, what impact will it have on us or IR?), but once done, there's a lot to cherish; IR serves a sumptuous folk feast!

Regarding ASK, I too immediately went back to Maaman oru naal and 16 vayadhinile songs. But then, I thought Raaja's rendtion was quite good (acquired taste O?) and its like a statement he's making to his peers. He aint stuck in time and will come up with something that's in-sync with the current sound (whether its to our liking or not). The reason why I feel Kudhikira kudhikira is such a charmer is because it bursts of innocence, unbound happiness of a child and the special bonding with his little horse which means the world to him.

[Sureshs65]

KV,

Well said. I have for long been hearing only the inherent ideas in his music. I do agree that many times the execution may not have been upto mark but my argument has always been that if you beyond the façade you can 'see' his thoughts and to me those matter. At the same time I also appreciate the fact that the current audience is also looking for certain level of quality in execution. Here I refer to the sound recording as execution. To be honest, this department has improved a lot and I had no cribs about 'Gayam-2' or 'Paa'.

Whether 'Ponnar Shankar' songs will be a 'hit' I cannot guess. I have lost my guessing capacity nowadays I mean, I think some songs should not even be heard because they are copies or they are very trite and then I hear that those songs have turned out to be 'hits' !!! I though PS songs had in them the opportunity to be picturized well. raagas described it well. The songs invoke picturization in us but not sure if they have been picturized well. I wanted to ask Mumbai Ramki about it but in his review he had written that he had closed his eyes and listened to the songs. So I am not sure if he would know My personal feeling is that a song like 'kannai padithen' has to be on the top of the charts just to show that the listening taste of Tamilians in not too bad. But then....

[Querida]

V_S, Raagas, Suresh, very good reviews on PS! Interesting thoughts you folks have there.
Like Suresh said, had IR had been able to rope in his favorite Budapest orchestra, we would've had a full-fledged 'saavadi' at hand!

The album has been in loop for about a week now and has surely grown well on me. It does take a while to get around the synth (sure, we can go on and on singing our gripe in Synthubhairavi, what impact will it have on us or IR?), but once done, there's a lot to cherish; IR serves a sumptuous folk feast!

Regarding ASK, I too immediately went back to Maaman oru naal and 16 vayadhinile songs. But then, I thought Raaja's rendtion was quite good (acquired taste O?) and its like a statement he's making to his peers. He aint stuck in time and will come up with something that's in-sync with the current sound (whether its to our liking or not). The reason why I feel Kudhikira kudhikira is such a charmer is because it bursts of innocence, unbound happiness of a child and the special bonding with his little horse which means the world to him.

Poovekelu is also a very sweet number...must have been a cakewalk for the Maestro
but Kudhikira Kudhikira is such a mischievous, playful one-of-a-kind song...certainly something to appreciate! I think this song would not be such a surprise for me if it had been sung in this way by Gangai Amaran or Premji Amaran...when the maestro sings "Adi aathi, adi aathi" it sounds so much like his singing from YSR's song "Ariyadha Vayasu" from "Paruthiveeran"