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Maestro Ilaiyaraja has to change style radically

Topic started by Nithin Sreedevan (@ nc.pr.mcs.net) on Tue Mar 3 19:42:34 EST 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Ilaiyaraja has to change style radically to be accepted by the growing City audience

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: VaruthathduDan Oru Rasigan! (@ 204.76.129.177) on: Tue Mar 24 16:21:38 EST 1998
  
  NaNBarey!
  
  UngaL KelviGaLukku Badhil oru Pada Paadalil Ulladu. Antha Padathin Peyar: GURU (MalayaLam).
  
  Kettu vittu SolungaL.
  
  
• From: sree (@ viveka.cs.concordia.ca) on: Wed Apr 29 19:10:17 EDT 1998
  
  hi everybody,
  according hariharan in his latest interview in screen
  http://www.expressindia.com/screen/apr24/music1.htm
  he says that "For Illayaraja I had sung the song
  Thalattu in the film Kadalukku Mariyadai. I
  usually improvise while singing, but with
  Illayaraja there is not much flexibility. But the
  song I sung for him was quite melodious. "
  Now does hariharan suggests that IR should give
  some flexibilty to singers.I would like comments
  on this.
  
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ envy.cs.umass.edu) on: Fri May 1 01:26:42 EDT 1998
  
  sree: Sujatha also in an earlier interview had said that IR gives very little freedom to the singers. I remember vaguely SPB singing 'enna saththam intha nEram' on stage in his own fashion and then saying later on that IR would have never allowed him to sing like that while recording, but he liked the song very much and wanted to render it like this. I guess IR doesn't make exceptions. :-)
  
  
• From: Anand Mahadevan (@ 205.147.245.41) on: Fri May 1 09:30:23 EDT 1998
  
  I just want to pitch in on the flexibility issue raised by Hariharan.The idea for a song is born out of some inspired thinking by the composer.In the case of IR its clear that he wants a particular kind of emotion evoked for a song and this is more or less set at the time of song composition.The singer is called to render the song and he or she is expected deliver the goods as per the insturctions of the composer.IR does give a lot of felxibility to singers.SPB and the likes have freaked out on many a numbers and have given a lot varied emotions to a song.
  I do'nt think hariharan was making a negative point .Its just the way IR works.I personally feel U can't give singers a free hand.As a composer its their responsbility to get the best of the singers.
  Thanks
  Anand Mahadevan
  
  
• From: sree (@ orchid.cs.concordia.ca) on: Fri May 1 12:13:09 EDT 1998
  
  Has anyone been to recording theatre when IR records the songs?I would like them to share there
  experiences.
  sree
  
  
• From: Swami (@ 129.107.55.188) on: Fri May 1 18:32:44 EDT 1998
  
  Sree:
  I had been to IR's recording once. The movie was a telungu movie(Chiranjeevi starrer) and it was say 12 years back. It was a re-recording for the movie, and the experience was, I don't know how to put it in words. He saw the raw clip of the scene which needed to be added with music. He then took the notes sheet and started writing something. Within minutes he called he violin guys and gave them one sheet, called the flute guys and gave them one and so on. Thats it, they were set. Eventhough I was young I was amazed. Infact IR had come to my house in Coimbatore once. It was a nice experience knowing him.
  
  -Swami.
  
  
• From: Viswa (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Sat May 2 05:42:28 EDT 1998
  
  Yes, I agree with Anand. I think IR has his ideas cut out to the last detail before having a song recorded. In fact, he's even said to specify little jingles and sounds that appear in the song (like a tinkle of a bell, or a whistle, and things like that). So, the way the singer has to render the song is well cut out too. I also feel that it's a matter of style, and that's what Hariharan is pointing out.
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ envy.cs.umass.edu) on: Sat May 2 11:29:14 EDT 1998
  
  I remember a KJY interview on TV long time back. YG Mahendran was asking him that there is a popular compaint that he doesn't bring out emotions while singing. Why doesn't he improvise to do that. KJY replied that bringing out emotions is the job of the composer. I sing whatever the composer gives me. His is the final word. This is another view point regarding improvisation.
  
  
• From: MSK (@ marimuth-nt.qualcomm.com) on: Sat May 2 18:55:37 EDT 1998
  
  Hello Swami.!
  
  What is this.? Why don't u tell us abt IR's visit to u'r place. I am sure IR fans here would love to hear abt that .
  
  
• From: sree (@ viveka.cs.concordia.ca) on: Tue May 5 14:55:39 EDT 1998
  
  hello everybody,
  i was out of town so could not follow the thread.Swami it is really interesting to hear your experience.could you tell us more about IR visit to your place.
  Thank you Ravi , Anand and Viswa for putting forth your views.
  
  sree
  
  
• From: Sankaran (@ webgate6.mot.com) on: Wed May 6 01:31:11 EDT 1998
  
  Friends,
  This question of an MDs giving more elbow-room to the singers has evoked a lot of response.In the case of Raja,composing as an expression of creativity comes forth explicitly.It is a known fact that he just writes down the notation in full,including all the orchestration and then goes about the task of conducting(A case in point is the film chinna thambi,once director Vasu said that all the songs were written by Raja in one continuous sesion of 35 mins.).Raja is basically an orthodox composer in that he goes about his job in his own methodical way.Since singing is just one part of the mosaic of music that he creates,it is only expected that the singers don't really get the freedom they may want.But that is his way of working.Another point here is,I have heard playback singers performing on stage,singing very differently from the original,in the process virtually "killing" the composition.No self-respecting artist will tolerate his work being tampered with.
  I would like to know what the other contributors to this thread think about MDs other than Raja giving more freedom to their singers.I feel it is the same case with all MDs.
  
  Sankaran
  
  
• From: Madhan (@ 202.41.117.71) on: Wed May 6 12:24:34 EDT 1998
  
  Dear Friends,
  
  IR is one of the rarest composers with not only the genius to give the kind of music that he gives , but also has an extraordinary foresight on music - this might sound a bit too abstract and subjective in concept - but it is true, nevertheless - IR plays the music in his mind even before he even writes down the same !! so, he knows very well how the song would sound if it were sung this way and that way etc., hence, he expects the singer to sing the way he wants to and gives freedom only to the extent necessary.
  
  Madhan, Goa.
  
  
• From: badri raghavan (@ 206.103.12.125) on: Thu May 7 03:21:13 EDT 1998
  
  raja has been known to give freedom to artistes so long as they remain within the scope of the song as he sees it. do you think he would have told spb to add a short laugh in "kaalai ezhundal parigaasam" in ninaivellam nithya or spb would have done it himself?
  
  i have heard that raja expects the singers to deliver atleast what he expects and if they can do more, they are welcome to subject to the proviso as above. i recall one incident when Raja was reported to be exasperated with Malaysia Vasudevan while recording "kodai kaala katre" in paneer pushpangal, because MV was unable to reproduce raja's thoughts. (that in spite of that, it still became a wonderful song and one of the best that MV has ever sung is another matter). Raja is a perfectionist and hence justified in expecting his team to have a similar attitude.
  
  
• From: SARA (@ 202.188.154.3) on: Mon May 11 09:09:55 EDT 1998
  
  I am a ardent fan of IR from Malaysia. Being to listening to his songs since 12 years old have made me make him he is the best MD have lived to satisfy all tamil songs lovers. however for the past 5 years IR have yet to make that magical touch of his. During those days all the songs in a movie will be a hit the MD is IR but now only one or two are the one to please his fan such as me. What has happenned to his touch? Or is it me who have lost the taste and going for anew one like of ARR, VIDYASAGAR OR DEVA? I can't figure it out but I feel like IR only did/ gave his best in 80s and early 90s.
  
  If its my taste I don't aggree cause I still like his songs and the same beats given by other MDs. At this point I feel IR should change radically in his music to satisfy the present generation of music. As per what discussed here he shouldn't change his attitudes towards the singer cause that is his job to deliver the best for the producer who is paying the money. However I want him to prove to others that saying he is not capable of giving hits like given by ARR. He need to change his style for the music development for the next millenium.
  
  thank you. Pls no hard feelings let him be as he is but let him change his music. I AM STILL HIS NO:1 FAN,
  
  
• From: MSK (@ marimuth-nt.qualcomm.com) on: Mon May 11 16:23:25 EDT 1998
  
  If u want IR to change style radically and make Mega hits, then
  
  - he should go buy a back RD Burman CD's to start with.(Courtesy : ARR )
  - he shd use Gangai Amaran and 4 other brothers in going thru old collections (Courtesy: Deva )
  - Hire a Marketing guy to talk about how he went and composed different tunes at various countries ,seven wonders of the world is a good place to start ( Courtesy : Shankar )
  - Learn more of English Words , especially hi-tech terms like Cell phone ,CDMA , DBA etc.or atleast use vairamuthu to pen the lyrics ( Courtesy: Vairamuthu )
  - Stop using tamil word words like Aalamaram , kuyil , thaalattu etc in his songs and use words like Columbus ,Pharmacy etc..
  
  Then he can churn out hits in every movie.;-)
  
  God save TFM !
  
  
  
• From: S.Suresh (@ dwarpal.wipsys.soft.net) on: Tue May 12 02:20:22 EDT 1998
  
  Hi,
  
  I dont know if we can say that Raja should change his style but it is a fact that Raja has indeed changed his style many times now. Initially his songs very based more on melody. "Kannan Oru Kai Kuzhanthai", "Chinna Kanna Azhaikiran", "Ore Naal". Then he slowly started some great orchestration. "Poonkathvi", "Andhi Mazhai" etc. Then there were lot of carnatic music based songs. He tried out many new ragas or gave some great interpretation to already used ragas. Later came the RajKiran/Ramarajan phase where tabla became predominant. Earlier we used to hear a lot of drums, congos, mridangam etc in his music. But in the Ramarajan phase, it was tabla which was dominant. Now I think he slowly moving towards electronic beats. Kadhalukku Mariyathai is a case in point. And the songs were attractive/hits with good lyrics. So all this claim that junk is written by lyricist b'cause people want junk is unfounded.
  
  I think Raja has changed his style a lot in Malayalam. Listen to Yathra Mozhi. There is no tabla. Excellent guitar strumming, violins and keyboard. Guru of course is well known. Even in Kaliyoonjalu, Sharadendu has a very very different beat and melody. Raja will definitely get out of his fascination with the tabla soon. I think what is TFM needs is a lot of good directors colloborating with Raja. This may happen now that Raja has a super hit with KM.( Again a Malayali ot the helm.) I am sure that all of you who have been listening to him for ages have seen him evolve with time and changing styles for dirctors, actors etc. Genius will always evolve and change the taste of the audience. Raja will slowly change his style. That is for sure. The process has already started in Malayalam. If it continues in TFM, I can predict that Raja (as well as we) will have a great 1999.
  
  
• From: raja m (@ ww-ti03.proxy.aol.com) on: Tue May 12 11:06:50 EDT 1998
  
  MSK:
  
  What is the connection to RDB? :))
  
  Why dont you list out RDB's influence on ARR or ARR's tribute to Panchamda or ARR's environmental skills in relation to RDB - I have a strange feeling this thread is about to become interesting go ahead pal :))
  
  

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