MAESTRO ILAIYARAAJA NEWS & TITBITS VER.2010-2011

[sakaLAKALAKAlaa Vallavar]

[krish244]

Some preparatory tidbits on "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe" theatre play:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/e...w/10441607.cms

"...The haunting strains of Ilaiyaraaja's music fills the air of Ravindra Bharati and actor Kamal Kamaraju, who was all geared up for the rehearsal of his play, takes a few seconds to compose himself. "The first time I heard what the music maestro has composed for the play, I was speechless.

You can't help but get overwhelmed by emotions when you listen to his tunes when you are on stage," says the Tollywood actor..."

"...I play a young, Biology professor who wants to move up the social ladder and grow in life. And through the course of the play, the character undergoes a complete change. Illaiyaraja's music perfectly sets the mood for your character. For my scenes, he created a young and playful flute composition that is perfectly in sync with who I am in the play," he says..."

thanks,

Krishnan

[sivasub]

Rumours going on in telugu film industry regarding next Nandi award winner...

http://greatandhra.com/viewnews.php?...6&cat=1&scat=4

[teja]

SriRama Rajyam, special promo video, featuring Ilayaraja. Jump to 2:21 for some BGM bits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=Jeij1dcWohw

The final comment from maestro is a master stroke

[skr]

Some gr8 news on the Padithurai front , it is to release after Diwali and also an added bonus - Maestro is also to compose for Suka's next Production
http://epaper.dinakaran.com/pdf/2011..._012101015.jpg

[raagas]

I have been to the play "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf". I didnt like the play.

Regarding the muisc - firstly, i felt the play did not have much scope for music. On 2nd level, it didnt have much scope for Ilaiyaraaja as well. There were very few (short) pieces that he had done. And those short pieces were just about ok. They are like teasers to something big... and that something big never came up. Honestly, it was a disappointing work. I dont know if it is disappointing because he didnt have much scope. If he didnt have, why he did he take it up in the first place? And if he, by some illusion, felt that it had scope, then why didnt he utilize and fill it up with music?
Those videos of "making of music" might be tempting, but I am afraid that is all you could hear in the play as well.

[KV]

I shouldn't be asking this, but did you manage to record anything?

[raagas]

I shouldn't be asking this, but did you manage to record anything?

There was nothing substantial to record. The play was about a couple who keep fighting. So lot of screaming was going on. And in the middle, a strings piece comes that stays for about 10 seconds and then vanishes. Then, no music for another 15-20mins.. and suddenly another 30 seconds of oboe and flute... and another round of screaming. The short pieces were apologies in my opinion. The tail-end piece of a song in "Hey Ram", which had symphonic effect, is much better and longer music than all the music put together in this play!

The sound volume was extremely low (and faulty)... and imagine a soft low base flute amidst all that screaming. Totally inaudible. I bet my phone couldnt have recorded even if I had placed it near the speaker. But sound system aside, the themes played were hardly anything. What can we enjoy, from a piece that lasts for 12seconds or 20 seconds.

There was only 1 piece that prominently played out for 1 and half minutes... And guess what was that - Singing Self, from Nothing But Wind. (I cannot forgive IR for this )

All that hype about Hungarian Musicians etc is all pointless. He did use them probably, but to no effect at all.

Forget it... move on... and look forward to Happi (if that is releasing, by the way).

[KV]

D'oh!

[jaiganes]

similar comments from kamalakarsh on twitter... another misused opportunity.. hmm