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Malaysian Deepavali Show - RAJANNA RAJA THAAN - From Annakkili to Azhagi

Topic started by Manisekaran (@ 202.156.2.8) on Sun Nov 7 05:23:27 EST 2004.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Last year I did a show on Ilayaraja for Deepavali. IT was so great a hit that the ASTRO Private TV Station is repeating on 9 NOvember at 4.00 pm Malaysian time. This is called RAJANNA RAJATHAAN- covering 25 years of Raja's music contribution. From Annakkili to Azhagi. A great hit. If you can, pls do catch it. You can post your comments on the show here, and I'll respond to them.
Thanks.

Archive of the older songs: http://forumhub.lunarpages.com/hub/f13.html .

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: kiru (@ 192.138.150.175) on: Tue Nov 30 20:49:10 EST 2004
  
  Mani sir..you are going from 7 to 13 ..enna pudhu vidhamana padhukkala :-)
  OrampO ..sure I remember all the controversary and noise over this. Fun song. I wish Gangai Amaran writes for IR now (when he can write for ARR).
  
  
• From: mythila (@ 156.153.255.134) on: Wed Dec 1 06:21:12 EST 2004
  
  No Kiru, I would say GA's mediocre lyrics pulled down many of IR's stupendous tunes.
  He simply used to juggle with maane, thene, ragam, thalam, kalam etc ex anandha ragam from PP
  GA was a good music composer and he should have just stuck to that
  
  
• From: eden (@ 136.1.1.154) on: Wed Dec 1 11:14:30 EST 2004
  
  I remember `kEttELE ingE' as well as 'Oram pO' being banned from broadcast by AIR...though there was nothing explicit or offensive (even by the rigorous standards of my parents:-)) They did find air time in IOKS, though.
  
  However, these songs became extremely popular thanks to the `loud speaker culture' of TN, esp. `kEttELE' was played repeatedly in all kalyANam -kadhu kuththu's...By the time 'Oram pO' song was released (much before even the movie was released & the song helped the absolutely trash movie to have a decent run), the `tea-shop-music' culture was quite established. Hence this song had additional advantage / media for becoming popular. (I remember writing about the `minor Ilayaraja maNa migu coffee bar' in the Virudhunagar Bazar in some thread, whose grand gala opening with big speakers coincided with the release of `Oram pO' song and one can hear the shop repeatedly play this song many times each day)...
  
  While the `loud speaker culture for film songs' was primarily a DMK-MGR influence, the tea stall / bus as a strong media for film music in TN was mainly influenced by IR. (This was partly helped by the limited affordability of the people of TN those days to own a gramaphone or cassette player...which was later offset to a great degree by affordable Panasonic's / recording shops /cheap cassettes etc. However, with the popularity of TV, helped by the affordable BPL-TV's and cable, those panasonic's are practically collecting dust in most homes)...
  
  I think, if someone writes a history of `cultural influence of cinema in the lives of TN people', there has to be a separate chapter for IR & his music...
  
  
• From: Genesis (@ 136.1.1.33) on: Wed Dec 1 12:32:56 EST 2004
  
  1) I think there was a reason why "kEttELE ingE" was banned in AIR. This song set in "record dance" tune used "Brahmin" dialect. Naturally Brahmins were offended and at that time AIR was dominated by Brahmins. It is no surprise they decided to ban it.
  
  2) "Oram pO" was much of a nuisance song. I guess it became popular with eve-teasers - thats why AIR banned it. I agree this song does not contain anything explicit or offensive. I seriously doubt there was plot by anti-IR gang to ban this song.
  
  
• From: prabhudas (@ 143.104.69.192) on: Wed Dec 1 15:35:28 EST 2004
  
  Digression on counter point example
  
  'poonthalir aada " song from "Panner Pushpangal" one of the few authentic counter point song, which I leraned from this forum thro' Kiru , the song which was discussed many times and I remember listening to the song coming back to forum to read more details about counter point, often to understand it properly.
  Venkatesh, which is the song ( movie?)u have mentioned about IR quoting on the stage as counter point?
  
  Manishekaran, if this is not mother of all thread about Maestro, I am even more happy because I have a belief either u or some one else will come out with the genuine "Mother of all threads about Maestro" at a later date :-)) ..
  
  Also, while you are discussing the song with anecdotal incidents /associations/influence etc...could you please write, as deemed appropriate, about any major/significant roles/effects of the BGMs in the films of the songs being discussed, for example
  I happened to watch 2 of the first seven movies in the last year ( Bhadra kaali, 16 Vayadinile), I couldn't recognise a full length grand BG score for "Bhadrakali" despite some good situations but however the BGM was way different for the time and standards for that age ( being a third movie for IR), but alas... in the mere 13th movie the excellence in the great BGM in 16 Vayadinile was just mesmerizing ( I have the entire movie's BGM clips ripped in some 115 pieces) Perhaps teh first movie with a theme based BGM for each charecter , the "Kuyil" theme, "Chappani" theme and " parattai "theme" etc..
  
  waiting for more...
  prabhudas
  
  
• From: kiru (@ 192.138.150.249) on: Wed Dec 1 16:49:13 EST 2004
  
  Prabhudas, did you read senthilv.com's (welcome to the thread Senthil) description of one these songs. I can still remember his description of ennullE ennullE pala minnal ezhum song.
  Mani has a much more 'janarankamana' style of writing. He uses little bit of technical things to give an idea. Most people wont be able to digest more than this (unlike people like us who are avid fans of IR).
  I want to make sure Mani does not cheat us out on those 5 songs :-)
  mythila..GA is surely not my standard for a great lyricist..but I will take him anyday over pazhani bharathi..I dont know why IR uses him..Just a few flashes of creativity in a complete song.I think it is not worth it.
  Among the existing lyricists ..pulamaipithan is my favorite. Would like to meet him and give him atleast a simple..humble gift one day. He is the last of the Masters when it comes to writing lyrics..
  
  
• From: eden (@ 136.1.1.154) on: Wed Dec 1 16:59:15 EST 2004
  
  'sAmakkOzhi, Ey, koovudhammA' -a gem of a song from poNNu oorukku pudhusu (IR-SPS)...this has three stanzas and I used to love the interludes then...the song has a brilliant prelude as well, which brings in the mood and ambience of a silent night in a village...(I get the same mood when I listen to 'ooru sanam' of MTK too)...
  
  One reason for Raja's huge success is this `mood creation'...not just the hip-hoop-hurrah jolly mood / fun mood alone (which is the only thing most MD's of today are capable of generating), but a whole variety of them...This may also explain to some extent his elevated BGM capabilities...
  
  Can some knowledgeable DF'er throw light on what contributes to this `mood creation'? I read in the classical IR series that IR even used rAgams usually supposed to create sOga situations for jolly times etc. How does the transition happen? Or is it the nature of the instruments used / instrumental combination / thALam or the kind of percussion used (soft or hard, slow or fast, mild or loud etc.) the main contributor? Or is it my personal sensation to specific songs (by responding to the original situation when I heard first or some old stimuli)? Is it the long-term-effect of being cast into stereo type by the society (that you hear certain things under certain situations / conditions, like thappu for death in villages, thavil/nAgaswaram for marriage etc.)?
  
  In any case, in creating the feel of a real life situation through mere sounds, RAJA eppavum RAJA dhAn...
  
  
• From: prabhudas (@ 143.104.69.192) on: Wed Dec 1 20:04:16 EST 2004
  
  Kiru, was it "Sendhoora poove " song description by sendhilv.com?, yes I did read, very nice description.
  
  Sendhilv.com, we didn't see u after that, please do write more.
  
  Eden,
  I think I started a thread sometime back about prelude , interlude history in TFM evolution, it's adaptation in films from MKT period till now, the new dimensions given by IR, the mood creation etc... etc.. for some reasons there was no responses at all in that thread, I had started it as a general thread in TFM history as a whole with IR's influence Post annakili period, I am very much interested to revive that thread after Manisekaran's completion of this series.
  I always wondered IR's ability with this extra ordinary preludes and interludes for different song situations, because, I am still under the impression, the directors/producers with the lyricists when the sit with MDs for discussing the tunes for the various situations, never get exposed to the final preludes or interludes till they are recorded with complete arrangements and orchestration and till when they really start picturising them (and of course spoil many of them) given this, most of the times during the discussions it's probably just the tunes either with plain Harmonium ( most of the old MDs, or KeyBoards by the current MDs) and vocal hummings by the MDs which are given to the directors and producers, if so what on the earth transpires Maestro IR during this period from initial tunes to the stage of completing the song, the variety of instruments usage/arrangements/orchestration which totally takes us to a state of trance in many of his songs, which no one except him sees till it comes out as a finished product , I don't know if he ever discusses this aspect with even his sons.
  
  About "mood creation", I am writing my experience, I am not a knowledgeable DFer BTW,
  u mentioned "personal sensation " to a specific song, this has happened to me and many others whom I know personally and in TFMDF, and long time ago many had discussed in some relevent threads,
  the memory imprints in brain beyond infancy and childhood is little different because of the rapidity with which brain grows during early age, plasticity of the brain, as we grow older, strong and indifferent visual, aural and olefactory sensory inputs have a tendency to associate with the physical events, mental state and even our social life events to give a long lasting brain imprints which many times evoke the original association every time u are exposed to similar stimuli, of all these I think aural stimulus (from Raja's mesmerising melodies, mood depicting interludes, preludes) dominates especially because of the repitition of these aural stimuli around the same single time very frequently.
  
  One ex. every time I hear "Meendum oru Kaadhal kadhai" songs specially " Adhikaalai nerame", immediately it triggers the entire meomory sequence of events, first separation from home to hostel life as a teenager, ragging sessions in my medical college hostel, first time usage of then newly released Ponds soap, listening to Maestro's song in senior's sleeping Cassette recorder after cleaning the tape head and roller with after shave solution, etc etc.., to the extent, when ever I use Ponds soap again ( this time olefactory), it triggers similar memory events.
  
  We hope one day Raja himself writes about his thought processes, inspirations, real life events triggering his output with a different dimension, his regular Thiruvannamalai visits and post effects at his subconscious level to better his performance without his knowledge etc... etc
  
  Prabhudas
  
  
• From: kiru (@ 192.138.150.249) on: Wed Dec 1 20:55:11 EST 2004
  
  Well..I think I do remember some of what some 'knowledgeable' DFers posted here about mood creation. There are many ways it can be done - for example a happy song can be converted to sad by just changing the tempo. But I also read that IR has managed to do this without even changing the tempo, just by his orchestration but maintaining the main tune same. I dont remember the details now. Also, in the way a song is sung, in raajavin ramana maalai, you can see IR change his bhAvam for one 'casual, carefree attitude' song. Earlier, Srinath and another guy had an argument over PS and Janaki and I think what Srinath was trying to get at is Janaki's bhAvam, IR gave more importance to this ..he tried to convey the emotion of the character on screen. This is more easily identified in SPB's 'gunashtai's while singing. But the female vocalists also added their interpretation in many songs.
  
  Actually, todays MDs can do any type of song. There are quite a few capable people around. But I think they are not that successful in giving a specific character to it, but I might be biased :-). I am told that IR's favorite scale is E minor (dont ask me what it is :-)) E minor tends to give a 'melancholic' twist to a song (you guys probably remember it now). ARR's favorite is G Major or something which gives a 'bubbly happy' twist to a song. Even some romantic songs of IR will have this 'melancholic' twist. This is what they say gives a personalised character to the composition. For eg. if Mona Lisa's face had a big smile like says, MGR passport photo, it is quite unlikely that painting would have been this popular (BTW, I only saw thick layers of bullet proof glass on Monalisa :-))
  
  BTW, IRs preludes are very memorable..my wife does not claim to know music, but she can tell a song as soon as she hears the preludes !! while I am almost close to getting it, she is belting out the tune and I am supposed to be a IR fan !!
  
  

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