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Rahman the conductor was a letdown!

Topic started by lk (@ 210.210.36.54) on Sat Apr 24 10:07:58 EDT 2004.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Karthikeyan Nagarajan | April 24, 2004 11:12 IST
http://in.rediff.com/movies/2004/apr/24rahman.htm

When I heard that the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra had asked A R Rahman to conduct two live concerts in March this year, I was very happy and proud as an Indian and a Tamilian.

Earlier, I had felt proud in 1993 when Ilayaraja had recorded his first classical orchestral work with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London. I was executive producer of that project.

It was Ilayaraja's first full-fledged classical work and it was recorded under the baton of John Scott. Unfortunately, Ilayaraja has still not released that work.

Hence to know that another composer from our midst has come to the world music arena was thrilling news. Rarely do musicians from our part of the world get such an opportunity.

But it was a big fiasco.

Rahman's popular film songs were converted into orchestral scores to be played by a classical symphony orchestra. They proved to be pale shadows of his original songs. And the predominantly Indian crowd did not appreciate them much.

It was obvious that not much thought had gone into the score. The objective should have been to retain the original melodic flavour suited to a symphony orchestra without electronic instruments and vocals.

Greater disappointment was his total non-preparation for conducting on stage. I consider that highly irresponsible. If Rahman thought conducting a symphony orchestra in concert was similar to a studio session, the people who risked allowing him to do it should be blamed.

I am surprised he has not fully understood the importance of the role of a conductor in a classical symphony orchestra.

Conducting is one of the most important aspects in a classical orchestra's live performance. People like Zubin Mehta have not become legends for nothing. Zubin is one of those rare talents who will conduct even the most difficult and complex symphonies like Mahler's 8th Symphony -- called the Symphony of a Thousand because Mahler's original debut concert required nearly 1,000 performers-musicians and choral groups -- without once referring to the score. Every bar of music is conducted from his memory, with total control and confidence of the orchestra.

As someone who has spent a lot of time on the UK music circuit over the last few years, I assumed Rahman would have done his homework and prepared the music as well as for his new role as conductor of a live concert, that too with a top-notch orchestra like the CBSO.

Rahman should have reminded himself that he was going to wield the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, who became CBSO conductor at 25 (in 1980) and made it one of the best orchestras in the world.

As a BBC reviewer wrote, "I cannot help feeling cheated by the concert. Though the orchestra were highly organised, Rahman seemed slightly uninterested to be there. Audience reactions were also mixed. The audiences were given opportunity to ask him questions to which he often replied with one-word answers. Rahman did conduct the orchestra for a short period, but later sat back with the audience and watched another conduct his music."

As with anywhere else in the West, most orchestras are going through a difficult time with dwindling concert attendances and slow music sales. Add to this the problem of population remix among local patrons.

By 2020, for example, Birmingham is tipped to become the first black majority city in UK. Now, its population is a mix of Asians, Africans and Chinese apart from the native whites.

Hence, orchestras are ready to try anything to bring people into the concert halls. And collaborations with musicians from Asia, titled Classic Asia, are part of the mission.

For the 84 year-old CBSO, it must have been a momentous, difficult decision. They took it because their survival depends on their ability to chart new paths.

With his exposure to the UK music industry through his collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber, it was not a surprise that Rahman got the project.

But his botching it up is.

I believe Rahman has not been able to transcend the barrier where his own singing and others are vital for his musical pieces. Obviously, there is an inability to compose music free of the composer/performer. He seems to have attempted something for which he is not yet ready intellectually.

In the end it was totally disappointing.

Rahman's confession -- "I messed it up. Will come next time with much more preparation" -- does not redeem him at all.

Karthikeyan Nagarajan is a Chennai-based software technologist.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: SK (@ 199.90.34.67) on: Mon Apr 26 09:50:29 EDT 2004
  
  ivarukku[Maverick], 'visu've thevalaam!
  {Hey, it's only a joke!}
  
  
• From: Maverick (@ 195.212.29.67) on: Mon Apr 26 09:52:24 EDT 2004
  
  'I don't think anything wrong if IR says that hungary karan itha sonnan, atha sonnan.
  
  We never said it was wrong. That was needed to educate someone here who thinks that as a sin if ARR does it.
  
  'We all know and admit that IR has ego.'
  
  Thats the understatement of the past 2 centuries.
  
  ' But I think arr has ego too but acts very humble in the media gatherings'
  
  yeah well.thats your opinion .But i beg to disagree. i dont think he needs to act humble to show off that way and I dont think he has got any such level of ego.
  
  
  'Anyway who cares about his personal character'
  Exactly. When a successful MD like ARR churns out music, it is the music that one talks about and not his personality . maybe, if the other MDs music are also as successful as ARRs these days, their music would also be talked about like ARR's. But unfortunately that doesnt seem to be the case and thats why some fanatics try their best to talk abt MD's personality instead of the music.
  
  
• From: Nattamai (@ 212.211.136.33) on: Mon Apr 26 10:08:10 EDT 2004
  
  Maverick:
  
  --But I think arr has ego too but acts very humble in the media gatherings
  
  That was needed to educate someone here who thinks that ARR is humble.
  
  
  ---if the other MDs music are also as successful as ARRs these days
  
  I am sure that no MD would like to want to be in his position. He is a gone case buddy, other guys are doing atleast something!
  
  
• From: dinesh (@ 210.186.42.58) on: Mon Apr 26 10:26:34 EDT 2004
  
  hahahaha,ur really a looser man,ur in every rahman's thread! that shows he is doing the best,coz he have an anti of his coz he pushed somany md's down,he clearly stands no 1 with having people like u,as u know,the more famouse u r,the more enemeys u have...btw,how u saw this :
  
  It was Ilayaraja's first full-fledged classical work and it was recorded under the baton of John Scott. Unfortunately, Ilayaraja has still not released that work.
  
  what eva happended?expired???
  
  
• From: MusicIsLife (@ 170.146.91.6) on: Mon Apr 26 10:30:11 EDT 2004
  
  btw, the music of any MD carries their personality subtly, I think, may be i am wrong..
  
  In my opinion, any artist of any field should have an ego, that is good for what they believe in otherwise, too many cooks will spoil the broth
  
  
• From: C~P (@ 61.95.159.19) on: Mon Apr 26 12:18:20 EDT 2004
  
  I agree with Maverick and Ferrari on the "Taal-ARR-Mozart" thingy. It wasn't something that ARR mentioned on his own. It was a question asked and he expressed his happiness. And knowing the full details of what he said would give a better picture. I have a feeling that we are presented with only a part of what he said. He might have explained what caused the British tabloids to address him in such a fashion rather than just saying "Taal set the standards". But even this is a humble statement in comparison to what Sridhar pointed out. If a person has so much ego, he wouldn't voluntarily mention about the "mess up" in the concert, in his interview. That may be a fact, but to accept a fact of this sort is definitely a quality worth mentioning.
  
  And I don't really understand the arguements of some people. They are fans of HJ but they don't like ARR. I don't think there can be anything more ridiculous than this, if that comes from a music lover. This I say, not stressing on the fact that many of HJ songs are inspired by ARR, but stressing on the fact that their styles are similar. But the latter is actually a consequence of the latter!
  
  Naatamai,
  We are talking about a broader perspective, in the international arena. I don't think HJ or YSR have projects like Bombay Dreams, LOTR and CBSO in their hands. This, whether you accept or not, is something to envy about.
  
  But then, absoultely nothing convinces you. Albums like Meenaxi and KKS were appreciated even by IR fans. Albums like BOYS, E20U18 and AE created record sales. But all that misses you. You don't care what others have to say. But you, from very reliable sources best known to you, learn that all these were flops and come up with the usual "thundu" stuff. So, I don't expect anything close to an appreciation from your side. It's all made up in your mind and that's what you would continue to say irrespective of the situations. You picking on this situation, based on the article is thus not unusual.
  
  SK,
  "I totaly agree with your viewpoint. But, why dont you practice before you preach? Are you following the same codes when you write in other threads?"
  We never go to another MDs thread and spoil it with some crap. We don't offend others baselessly. But do you think that is that same that we see in ARR threads? You yourself can clearly see how the arguement started off. Do you see us with such postings in threads of other MD?
  
  
• From: SK (@ 199.90.34.67) on: Mon Apr 26 12:32:28 EDT 2004
  
  I too, like you[!!], follow all the threads out of curiosity and have seen postings by a few[again, not you definitely,C~P!] who have been defending ARR, especially with the TiS thread for example. Thank you. No offence!!
  
  
• From: F e r r a r i (@ 202.56.254.13) on: Mon Apr 26 23:58:06 EDT 2004
  
  And My dear SK, which thread have you seen me posting apart from any ARR threads???
  
  Yen sir, ippadi enna vambula maati vidareenga??
  
  
  
• From: ambleen (@ 203.117.10.18) on: Tue Apr 27 01:21:05 EDT 2004
  
  "I agree with Maverick and Ferrari on the "Taal-ARR-Mozart" thingy."
  
  Of coz u would....
  
  "It wasn't something that ARR mentioned on his own."
  
  helloooo.... it definitely wasn't a hand-puppet show! :)
  
  "It was a question asked and he expressed his happiness."
  
  By equating ARR=Mozart=Taal????
  
  "And knowing the full details of what he said would give a better picture."
  
  Sorie maite, if you missed it it was your problem.
  Information was there, is there. Seek it out if you want.
  
  "I have a feeling that......."
  
  I have a feeling that ARR is very scared now with the 'advent' of HJ, YSR, Imman, VS and wat not.
  I have a feeling he is very desperate and is trying too hard to get back his teenybopper fans.
  I have a feeling many ARR hypocrite fans know about this ARR=Mozart=Taal thingie and don't dare to say a word(except for the same few who deviate into racing tracks and sambar podi)
  Believe me i have many more feelings.
  
  "I have a feeling that we are presented with only a part of what he said."
  
  Like i said earlier, if u have missed it then only you can help yourself.
  
  "He might have explained what caused the British tabloids to address him in such a fashion rather than just saying "Taal set the standards"."
  
  He might have...but he didn't.
  
  "But even this is a humble statement in comparison to what Sridhar pointed out."
  
  Ithu eppadi sar? You claim not to have seen the ARR interview but you give all the benefit of doubts to ARR by saying all the above. And yet now you are using somebody else's quote on IR and using against IR's benefit? So you have proven again...the type of ppl u r....
  
  "If a person has so much ego, he wouldn't voluntarily mention about the "mess up" in the concert, in his interview."
  
  Voluntaring doesn't mean anything when it was earlier already exposed around the world on this mess-up. It's called face-saving.
  
  "That may be a fact, but to accept a fact of this sort is definitely a quality worth mentioning."
  
  quality worth mentioning?...what quality and by whose standard?
  
  All this talk about humility, humble statement, no ego....we didn't see that when he was compared to Mozart. Why didn't he deny this rubbish? Even the greats like Newman, Goldsmith, Williams, Rozsa, Herrmann, etc were never compared to Mozart for the great work they do(in all their pure orchestra works). In fact they would have laughed off if they were told that they are being compared to Mozart. The only contemporary composer who came close to Mozart was the great Georges Delerue and even he didn't want to accept that credit.
  
  And this guy, not even being a composer(for goodness sakes!) and just being a pop song mixer and arranger, still dares to acknowledge shamelessly that he is Mozart. What more?...by referencing to Taal. Thank God he didn't reference it to Muqaala Muqaabala O Leila O Leila.
  Good going there.
  
  
• From: jacky (@ 61.1.201.139) on: Tue Apr 27 02:18:14 EDT 2004
  
  When bots run on Linux they are pathetic.
  Call Towards!
  
  Linux bots crawl, Microsoft bots sprint!!!!
  
  ^Believe me i have many more feelings
  
  65,536 bugs the Kernel is just not working!
  
  

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