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Usage of Mridhangam in Raja songs

Topic started by eden (@ 202.54.71.149) on Sat Jun 5 05:23:28 EDT 1999.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

An acclaimed DF-er (is it bb?) wrote in one of the threads that Raja has not used much of this traditional instrument and ARR has bettered him in use of this. It would be great if some of the knowledgeable IR admirers can disprove it!!

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: S (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Wed Jun 16 09:35:41 EDT 1999
  
  eden,
  it's magudi.(SJ with SPB)
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 205.218.142.217) on: Wed Jun 16 13:28:16 EDT 1999
  
  I'm with bb in my views on IR's mirudhangam use. This is not a slight to say IR didn't indulge in his use of mirudhangam, because he didn't need to, he had a hoard of other rhythm instruments which he wanted to showcase. Urumi, thappattai, thaarai, and a host of other folk instruments that were seldom used in TFM before. The best mirudhangam songs by IR came in the few years he collaborated with TV Gopalakrishnan. Roughly the time between Rajapaarvai and Tick Tick Tick. Also, IR loved tabla more than any other rhythm instrument and that was more his signature.
  
  MSV used mirudhangam a lot (Aboorva Raagangal is a crowning example). KVM loved bongos. So it's just a matter of preference. I don't think anyone's questioning IR's use of any instrument. And as the songs in the above posts suggest, IR has given his share of good ones with mirudhangam.
  
  Here's another IR song with great mirudhangam:
  Sokkaanukku Vaachcha Sundhariyae
  
  
• From: SitaRam (@ portal.ameritech.com) on: Wed Jun 16 14:53:47 EDT 1999
  
  Udhaya, you are the man! What a point you drove. it is a learning experience when you are back.
  
  I am noticing ARR using a lot of mridangam this days. Any comments on that? His innovative use of other percussion began with Gentleman and stopped with Thiruda, Thiruda.
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 205.218.142.217) on: Wed Jun 16 15:16:23 EDT 1999
  
  Sitaram,
  Thanks, man, you're embarassing me, "learning experience",come on,I'm just sharing my observations. There are many musically wise folks here whom I wish would post more often so we could all learn more. If you want to revive an appropriate ARR thread we can discuss his rhythm use there. I don't want to divert this thread for that purpose.
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.155) on: Thu Jun 17 00:55:17 EDT 1999
  
  Does Koonthalile megham vandhu (balanagamma) uses Mridhangam? I have not heard the song for a long time and barely remember the percussion. What is vividly in mind is KJY's dham dham dhanam interlude for the 2nd stanza!
  
  
• From: sriganesh (@ 202.188.12.170) on: Thu Jun 17 07:01:46 EDT 1999
  
  
  Rahman Rajavai minnchuvatha.Impossible!!!!
  
  Raja sir has used this instrument many times.
  The songs mentioned above are some shining examples.
  AAdal Kalaiye devan thanthathu featured in the film Sriragavendra is another example.
  Kaatrodu Kuzhalin Nadame from Koodai Mazhai also has this instrument featured.
  In fact I can give a few more.
  Naadam Ezhunthathadi from Gopura Vasalile,
  Vandhade -Kizlaku Vaasal
  Poovil Vandu-Kaadhal Oviyam
  Kaadal Kassakuthaiya-Aan Pavam
  Darisanam KIdaikaatha-Alaigal Oivathilai
  
  In closing I would just like to say that the maestro has covered a wide range of moods in his
  prolific output.Certainly the comment that ARR has upstaged the Maestro is clearly untrue.
  
  
• From: cram (@ 206.103.12.102) on: Thu Jun 17 09:30:00 EDT 1999
  
  another great song in which IR used mridangam to good effect is "naan oru ponnOviam kandEn ethirE". mesmerising song.
  
  
• From: rajiv (@ crete.umd.edu) on: Thu Jun 17 10:49:31 EDT 1999
  
  how about bgms? i'm sure ive heard some mridangam solos used as bgms, but i cant recollect any offhand.
  
  
• From: Sridhar Seetharaman (@ sagramolapc.cc.bellcore.com) on: Thu Jun 17 11:56:53 EDT 1999
  
  Hari,
  
  I am responding to your response June 9th. I am sorry that I did not check this thread for a while now.
  
  For both songs, definitely , two differnet percussionists were involved. I am not sure what kind of grammar, Raja has applied for "Karaiyaadha manamum undo "
  
  
  
  
• From: ck (@ attcat.ds-us.com) on: Thu Jun 17 17:23:50 EDT 1999
  
  GURU (Tamil) is one good example for the use of mridangam in BGM.
  
  
• From: yvs mani (@ nicsi.delhi.nic.in) on: Fri Jun 18 01:45:59 EDT 1999
  
  Another example, is, Kasthuri maane kalyana thene
  
  
• From: Hari (@ cache1.uwo.ca) on: Fri Jun 18 23:12:24 EDT 1999
  
  Sridhar,
  
  I don't think the following belongs here, but you seem like a very knowledgeable person. I wonder if IR has created a song in a totally chromatic scale. Recently, I saw the movie Phalki on video. (Music, in fact even the story, by Naushad.) It has a song in Pilu, "chehere se apne aap ko..." sung by Rafi. Now Pilu is a chromatic scale. A unique feature of this song is that it uses all the 12 notes. Has IR created something like this? Songs like konji konji from Veera are very nearly there. (konji konji does not use ri1 and maye be not even ni2.)
  
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.145) on: Mon Jun 21 01:09:38 EDT 1999
  
  `ThagadhOm, ThagadhOm, ThagadhOm, ThagadhOm, thaga thaga thaga thaga ...dhOm'... Remember the `Vizhiyil vizhundhu' song in Alaigal Oyvadhillai'? Pleasing use of Mridhangam!
  
  Another nice use of Mridhangam is in `Meendum Meendum Vaa'(a fusion, of course) - from the film Vikram (hate to see this song picturised like posters for a 3rd rated Mal film). The second interlude is one of the many masterful fusions of Raja.. Mridh with associated classical instruments + drums & some synth stuff). Throughout this song, the use of Mridh is mesmerising!
  
  
• From: G.Suresh (@ begis50.swift.com) on: Mon Jun 21 08:56:32 EDT 1999
  
  "Poove illaiaya Poove" from Kozhi Koovudhu, has nice use of Mridhangam through out the song.
  
  
• From: Sanjeev Ramabhadran (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Thu Jun 24 12:00:50 EDT 1999
  
  "koondalile megham" sounds like it has BOTH tabla and mridangam (maybe two tablas playing in octaves - one tuned in the low octave, the other in the high octave, the more typically "hindustani gazal" tuning).
  
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.150) on: Mon Jun 28 08:24:54 EDT 1999
  
  Another ever-green number with Mridhangam accompaniment:
  `Indraikku enindha anandhame' (JC/VJ in Vaideki....)
  I think `Azhagu malarada' too have some nice Mridh beats
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 205.218.142.217) on: Wed Jun 30 16:45:50 EDT 1999
  
  maanjolaik kilithaanoa maanthaanoa is another worthy song with mirudhangam
  
  
• From: MS (@ 129.252.22.112) on: Wed Jun 30 20:27:09 EDT 1999
  
  Hari:
  
  Regarding the usage all the 12 notes in a song:
  
  If you can count on the interludes too, then there are innumerable songs of IR. This is because he generally shifts from one scale to the other with a characteristic ease. If still, the scale shifts are to be neglected, then "Mandram vantha thendralukku" is one song where all the 12 notes are used ( including the interludes).
  
  
  
• From: Hari (@ cache1.uwo.ca) on: Wed Jun 30 22:17:22 EDT 1999
  
  MS,
  
  If you are thinking of the madram vandha song from mouna raagam, then good try, but no dice. IR does not use ma2 or ri1 in that song, if you assume that the words mandram vandha start on sa.
  
  As I told Sridhar (private communication) ri1 is the most difficult to introduce in such scales, which have their origin in kiravni/shankarabharanam type structures.
  
  The rousing title song from chinna durai (which has received a lot of flak here) is another great example. But, no ri1 or ma2. This is a wonderful composition. Love the use of thavil in this song.
  Too bad this song went unnoticed...
  
  
• From: MS (@ 129.252.22.112) on: Wed Jun 30 23:37:49 EDT 1999
  
  Hari:
  
  "R1" indeed comes in the "Mandram vandha". I had said in my post that I have included the interludes too in my analysis. Please listen to the start of the second interlude. It goes like:
  
  "G1........R2 M1 G1 R2 R1 S"
  
  Regarding M2:
  
  I think I saw the usage of M2 in the song somehwere. 'll get back to you soon and 'll be ready to correct myself if I am wrong.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• From: sanjeev ramabhadran (@ 129.188.33.221) on: Thu Jul 1 13:19:23 EDT 1999
  
  maanjolai kili thaano does use mridangam, but only in the first part of the second verse.
  
  i.e. minnal oLiyena kaNNai pariththidum aZhago etc.
  
  the rest is tabla and/or pakhawaj...
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.155) on: Tue Jul 6 05:46:24 EDT 1999
  
  Raghavane ramana raghunatha (Ilamaikkalangal) has usage of mild mridhangam beats, I think...
  
  
• From: Vishwabharathi (@ proxy.mcmail.com) on: Sun Jul 11 05:07:58 EDT 1999
  
  what about Shree devi en vaazhvil from ilamai kaalangal?
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.145) on: Mon Jul 12 01:34:40 EDT 1999
  
  Karthi has reminded a nice song in another thread - Mazhai varuvadhu mayilukku therium from Rishi moolam. It has some lovely percussion including beautiful mridh score
  
  
• From: Vishwabharathi (@ proxy.mcmail.com) on: Mon Jul 12 17:31:03 EDT 1999
  
  one more song came to the mind-'Vedham nee, iniya naadham nee' by KJYesudas from 'Koilpura'-MD IR
  
  

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