Dear friends,
Our family has been hardcore fans of Isaignani Maestro Ilaiyaraaja (or rather devotees I should say) ever since his music started pervading Tamilnadu in 1976.
Today, I have started this blog to share with you the beautiful moments I cherish from my meeting with him way back in 70s and 80s.
I will post my experiences and feelings in a series of posts.
Your comments are most welcome.
CSR
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
02-Where and How it started?
That was my "16- Vayadhinile" period ! The year being 1976 !
First time I heard the “Machaanai Paartheengala” in a musical programme organized for the Mariamman Festival of my village (Tharamangalam of Salem District). Usually it’s a week long festival every year where the whole village has nothing to do except participating in the festival with guests and relatives. The schools are also declared holidays for a week !
Every night of those 7 days are ear-marked for some variety programmes like Nadaswaram, drama, devotional music, film music etc. At this age I could not recollect which orchestra performed that song, but I “heard” that was a hit song of that year in Tamil Nadu.
When I say I “heard”, it’s a fact and I am not exaggerating; my attention to Raja was only to that limit ! When I heard first time "Machhanai Paartheengala", even I was not fully aware that song was by Raja ! CSR and so Indifferent to IR ??!! That was true !
I have to digress a little bit to explain all these !
My initiation into film music in a serious way, to be specific, in Hindi film music (HFM) was from way behind 1968 or 1969! Though I used to hear all those Tamil film music songs of that period in the radio, I was not an addict to TFM. I remember the regular fight for radio between me and my sister/other family members with my choice being for Hindi Ceylon and their choice being obviously Trichy / Madras and Tamil Ceylon stations etc !
My initiation to TFM was due to my uncle Ramakrishnan (TVR) who was then a school teacher in Mettur and was a part of the local orchestra team of Mettur Chemicals.
But it was Sankar (my sister Usha’s husband) (who was studying in various schools of North Arcot district) who was the main reason for my sustaining & growing interest in TFM. He was an ardent SPB fan. He regularly introduced me the SPB-MSV hit songs etc of those period say early 1970s. We used to meet occasionally during our school vacation holidays. That was the time for analyzing and discussing our likes and dislikes of various Hindi and Tamil film songs.
It’s the vacation holidays of 1976 which I can recall as the starting point of my association of Raja’s musical memories!
As usual, Sankar was at my village for annual holidays. The way Sankar explained with enthusiasm about Raja’s initial few films, had made some strong impressions in my mind about Raja being the young new comer in TFM. Slowly some of the songs like Oru Naal unnodu oru naal, Kettele ange, Poo vizhi vaasalil etc and other songs of Annakili all got some place in my mind.
However, the HFM still remained a strong preference even though the declining standard of HFM with fading away of RD Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, etc were worrying me a lot at that time.
With this background, the inevitable or fate or destiny whatever you may call it, that happened!
First time I heard the “Machaanai Paartheengala” in a musical programme organized for the Mariamman Festival of my village (Tharamangalam of Salem District). Usually it’s a week long festival every year where the whole village has nothing to do except participating in the festival with guests and relatives. The schools are also declared holidays for a week !
Every night of those 7 days are ear-marked for some variety programmes like Nadaswaram, drama, devotional music, film music etc. At this age I could not recollect which orchestra performed that song, but I “heard” that was a hit song of that year in Tamil Nadu.
When I say I “heard”, it’s a fact and I am not exaggerating; my attention to Raja was only to that limit ! When I heard first time "Machhanai Paartheengala", even I was not fully aware that song was by Raja ! CSR and so Indifferent to IR ??!! That was true !
I have to digress a little bit to explain all these !
My initiation into film music in a serious way, to be specific, in Hindi film music (HFM) was from way behind 1968 or 1969! Though I used to hear all those Tamil film music songs of that period in the radio, I was not an addict to TFM. I remember the regular fight for radio between me and my sister/other family members with my choice being for Hindi Ceylon and their choice being obviously Trichy / Madras and Tamil Ceylon stations etc !
My initiation to TFM was due to my uncle Ramakrishnan (TVR) who was then a school teacher in Mettur and was a part of the local orchestra team of Mettur Chemicals.
But it was Sankar (my sister Usha’s husband) (who was studying in various schools of North Arcot district) who was the main reason for my sustaining & growing interest in TFM. He was an ardent SPB fan. He regularly introduced me the SPB-MSV hit songs etc of those period say early 1970s. We used to meet occasionally during our school vacation holidays. That was the time for analyzing and discussing our likes and dislikes of various Hindi and Tamil film songs.
It’s the vacation holidays of 1976 which I can recall as the starting point of my association of Raja’s musical memories!
As usual, Sankar was at my village for annual holidays. The way Sankar explained with enthusiasm about Raja’s initial few films, had made some strong impressions in my mind about Raja being the young new comer in TFM. Slowly some of the songs like Oru Naal unnodu oru naal, Kettele ange, Poo vizhi vaasalil etc and other songs of Annakili all got some place in my mind.
However, the HFM still remained a strong preference even though the declining standard of HFM with fading away of RD Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, etc were worrying me a lot at that time.
With this background, the inevitable or fate or destiny whatever you may call it, that happened!
Monday, October 26, 2009
03-It's Ooty All the way !
During that summer vacation of 1976, we decided to go for Ooty (my Chithi’s place) alongwith Shankar.
Though all the usual stuff of Ooty like sight seeing and films etc were carried out with our limited resources, the flower show (82nd show) of botanical garden was the targeted attraction for Shankar as he had found out from various posters in the town, that IR with his Orchestra was going to perform on that day !
As usual I was indifferent towards his enthusiasm, as any kind of musical orchestra would have satisfied me !
The D-day came ! There was heavy rush when we reached the Venue and we had to sit in the lawn very far away from the podium. Still we could see the members of orchestra reasonably clear !
That’s our first “darisanam” of IR, the youth, who was swaying the TN to his tunes of Annakili and Badrakali!
The program started with “Devan Thiruchabai Malargale” with Poorani & Indira (who were performing a lot of other songs also) ! I don’t remember the main female singers and only could guess now, the name of Sasirekha . Male voices were represented by Gangai Amaran, Sai Baba, Malasia Vasudevan and of course IR himself. As could have been guessed, IR’s songs were limited at that time and mostly the songs of MSV, KVM etc were performed by them.
IR was all the times at his Synth on the front right corner of the stage, and performing flawlessly all those pieces. I could recollect my tension moments in watching him singing “Poo vizhi vasalil” from Deepam. Tension because, he was so much concentrating on playing the synth, that I sincerely believed he was going to miss his portion of the song. But to my astonishment, he was picking the microphone on his side exactly on time and moving the same nearer to his mouth and let the Jesudas lines out , in micro second precision and again back to his synth very seriously !
It was a treat to watch ! That was the first time I heard his personal voice !
I remember the songs of Anandha Then Katru (manipoor mamiyaar), Nadhamennum Kovilile, Manaivi Amaivadhellam, Kadavul Amaithu vaitha medai etc.
Finally came the announcement that IR’s ‘recently’ composed song (unreleased) for “16 vayadhinile” to be performed by the new comer “Malasia Vasudevan”. Then came the scintillating “Aattukutti Muttaiyittu”. In those period 16 vayadhinile even before its release made a controversial popularity with Kamal’s new role of Chappani in Semi-nude pose with “Kovanam” in most of the magazines at that time.
The programme came to an end with the song of MV and GA who got into full swing with their evergreen “Surangani Surangani” and the whole audience going on rampage!
There was no other options but to listen and watch this gentleman IR’s songs wherever and whatever it is ! I cannot reason for the change of the chemistry in my brain !
But I remain always grateful to God (and Sankar of course) who gave me those opportunities !
Saturday, October 24, 2009
04-The Raja We Felt in 1977-78 : Part-1
It was middle of 1977 !
Again it was the fate or destiny that made me to move to Sankar’s house in Arcot for my pre-university studies ! But unfortunately Sankar had moved to Vellore for his poly-technical studies.
It was few week ends in a month we used to meet together at Aroct and listen and discuss IR’s films and songs !
Let me share some of the thoughts we had in that time !
The songs of Bairavi, Durga Devi, Mariamman Thiruvizha, Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi, Odi Vilayaddu Thaatha, Saindhaadamma Saindhaadu etc etc were the rage in those period for us.
I remember almost all of those IR’s films were in B&W. Only later came the colorful (!!) 16 Vayadhinile and their sequels etc.
Stereo / Track recording etc are not the name commonly heard of ! Somehow, IR’s re-recordings started getting the attentions of everybody !
There were some additional reasons also for that !
Due to the competition, various new magazines like Idhayam, Kungmam etc which were started newly in those years. Also main magazines like Ananda Vikatan, Kumudham etc had to improvise a lot in various sections of their magazines to prove their worth and existence.
And Film reviews were one such section which rightly assumed its importance in the magazines.
New generation writers/critiques/ review writers were emerging and these people paid a lot of attentions to the technicalities of films which were not known to common man. Thus allocating marks for various departments of films also started !
Thus re-recordings and songs also got a lot of attentions in the film reviews than ever before ! Thanks to those critical reviews and atentions, IR’s innovations were instantly noticed by everybody of that generation !
Again, in those period, everybody had to mainly depend upon the radio only for such TFM songs. LP records were the other alternative which only certain affluent people could afford.
Cassettes & its recorders were considered as the new-age hi-fi systems and were available to hi-fi people only who had connections with Singapore etc,
What I am trying to say, in spite of all these limitations and the obvious resulting constraints (that people cannot get hi-tech music, etc.) IR was still experimenting all his innovations in music in each of his film and each of his songs.
Had such gadgets (as we are using now) were readily available with mass in those times, many more people would have easily observed and appreciated IR's innovtions at that time itself.
But Still, IR could rule the mass with his songs reaching the hearts of people right through, whether his technicalities are understood or not by them !
Again it was the fate or destiny that made me to move to Sankar’s house in Arcot for my pre-university studies ! But unfortunately Sankar had moved to Vellore for his poly-technical studies.
It was few week ends in a month we used to meet together at Aroct and listen and discuss IR’s films and songs !
Let me share some of the thoughts we had in that time !
The songs of Bairavi, Durga Devi, Mariamman Thiruvizha, Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi, Odi Vilayaddu Thaatha, Saindhaadamma Saindhaadu etc etc were the rage in those period for us.
I remember almost all of those IR’s films were in B&W. Only later came the colorful (!!) 16 Vayadhinile and their sequels etc.
Stereo / Track recording etc are not the name commonly heard of ! Somehow, IR’s re-recordings started getting the attentions of everybody !
There were some additional reasons also for that !
Due to the competition, various new magazines like Idhayam, Kungmam etc which were started newly in those years. Also main magazines like Ananda Vikatan, Kumudham etc had to improvise a lot in various sections of their magazines to prove their worth and existence.
And Film reviews were one such section which rightly assumed its importance in the magazines.
New generation writers/critiques/ review writers were emerging and these people paid a lot of attentions to the technicalities of films which were not known to common man. Thus allocating marks for various departments of films also started !
Thus re-recordings and songs also got a lot of attentions in the film reviews than ever before ! Thanks to those critical reviews and atentions, IR’s innovations were instantly noticed by everybody of that generation !
Again, in those period, everybody had to mainly depend upon the radio only for such TFM songs. LP records were the other alternative which only certain affluent people could afford.
Cassettes & its recorders were considered as the new-age hi-fi systems and were available to hi-fi people only who had connections with Singapore etc,
What I am trying to say, in spite of all these limitations and the obvious resulting constraints (that people cannot get hi-tech music, etc.) IR was still experimenting all his innovations in music in each of his film and each of his songs.
Had such gadgets (as we are using now) were readily available with mass in those times, many more people would have easily observed and appreciated IR's innovtions at that time itself.
But Still, IR could rule the mass with his songs reaching the hearts of people right through, whether his technicalities are understood or not by them !
Friday, October 23, 2009
05-The Raja We Felt in 1977-78 : Part-2
That we could notice IR’s innovations and experiments in those period itself was the boon or god-send-gift to me and Shankar.
Again it was Shankar who used to come with all such observations and I used to supplement them with my observations and interpretations !
Innovations like,
Now, you may say, what’s big about that ? IR was always like that only !
See, in those period, IR’songs were generalized and branded as the “Gramathu dappanguthu” and pundits were as usual predicting that this new comer cannot sustain more than a couple of films !
“Kettele Ange” was just compared with “Machaana Paartheengala” !
Unfortunately, following Annakili’s success, a lot of village based movies started swarming the TFM and a lot of other MD’s were also forced/adopted plagiarizing of village based instruments in the name of folk songs.
Really it was a hell !
And now you can realize, how IR could give totally different music with convictions in all the films that followed Annakili in 1976 and 77. But many old timers and hardliners of that period (fans of previous era MDs like MSV, KVM, etc) never beleived that !
We could observe his fraction of seconds harmonized music coming in between the voices and his efforts to bring out such things and make them stand-out in the absence of track recordings facility in those years.
Listen to those string and flute bits etc carefully in “Vizhiyile Malarndhadhu” coming in between the pallavi lines !
Even though he knew such things would get drowned in the chorus and voice of singers, he had taken pain and harmonized the melody and put those counterpoints !
But still what many could not digest in those period was his modulations in songs!
The sudden change in Sarod type instrument in the second interlude of “Vaanathu Meen Ena” song of Vattathukul Chaduram, the beyond comprehension chromatic interludes of “Pesaadhe Vayulla Oomai nee “ of Deepam, or the intderludes of “Then malli poove” of Thyagam etc are some examples !
Believe me, even it got me puzzled, ( as a common listener, paamaran, without much musical knowledge on technical side) that, “why at all, some talented fellow like him, could suddenly, un-conventionally change the shruthi / raagam of music like this ? “
Though later on repeated hearings, we could develop our tastes and started liking those "things", it was very very dangerous experiments as far as TFM music of those period was concerned !
In nut shell, like many of the common music listener, we approached IR’s music and had a lot of observations to make and discuss with each other !
Nothing big or technical about that !
But one thing I didn’t know was, that Shankar, during 1978, (who was in his Vellore PT hostel), had time to write a very very lengthy letter on all these finer points with the intention of sending to IR !!!
And he had atlast got some address of IR from one of the film magazine and had the courage to send the letter to that address and forgot that ! This also he never told me !
Thus started the Shower of Surprises in our life !
Again it was Shankar who used to come with all such observations and I used to supplement them with my observations and interpretations !
Innovations like,
- new form of music,
- lengthy interludes/preludes,
- modified pallavi charanam formats,
- introduction of new musical sounds/effects,
- a lot of support instruments playing their own melodies alongwith songs (it took 20 more years to understand that these are called harmony/ counter-points) etc.
Now, you may say, what’s big about that ? IR was always like that only !
See, in those period, IR’songs were generalized and branded as the “Gramathu dappanguthu” and pundits were as usual predicting that this new comer cannot sustain more than a couple of films !
“Kettele Ange” was just compared with “Machaana Paartheengala” !
Unfortunately, following Annakili’s success, a lot of village based movies started swarming the TFM and a lot of other MD’s were also forced/adopted plagiarizing of village based instruments in the name of folk songs.
Really it was a hell !
And now you can realize, how IR could give totally different music with convictions in all the films that followed Annakili in 1976 and 77. But many old timers and hardliners of that period (fans of previous era MDs like MSV, KVM, etc) never beleived that !
We could observe his fraction of seconds harmonized music coming in between the voices and his efforts to bring out such things and make them stand-out in the absence of track recordings facility in those years.
Listen to those string and flute bits etc carefully in “Vizhiyile Malarndhadhu” coming in between the pallavi lines !
Even though he knew such things would get drowned in the chorus and voice of singers, he had taken pain and harmonized the melody and put those counterpoints !
But still what many could not digest in those period was his modulations in songs!
The sudden change in Sarod type instrument in the second interlude of “Vaanathu Meen Ena” song of Vattathukul Chaduram, the beyond comprehension chromatic interludes of “Pesaadhe Vayulla Oomai nee “ of Deepam, or the intderludes of “Then malli poove” of Thyagam etc are some examples !
Believe me, even it got me puzzled, ( as a common listener, paamaran, without much musical knowledge on technical side) that, “why at all, some talented fellow like him, could suddenly, un-conventionally change the shruthi / raagam of music like this ? “
Though later on repeated hearings, we could develop our tastes and started liking those "things", it was very very dangerous experiments as far as TFM music of those period was concerned !
In nut shell, like many of the common music listener, we approached IR’s music and had a lot of observations to make and discuss with each other !
Nothing big or technical about that !
But one thing I didn’t know was, that Shankar, during 1978, (who was in his Vellore PT hostel), had time to write a very very lengthy letter on all these finer points with the intention of sending to IR !!!
And he had atlast got some address of IR from one of the film magazine and had the courage to send the letter to that address and forgot that ! This also he never told me !
Thus started the Shower of Surprises in our life !
Thursday, October 22, 2009
06-First Letter : 16-Mar-1978
It was March’78.
And one fine morning at Arcot, Shankar’s brother ( my another cousin, Ram kumar), came flying in his bicycle with a postal envelop in his hand.
He was so excited that he was practically yelling at me that “you both better go to Madras now itself”.
I could not make out head or tail from what he was trying to say!
But when he handed over the letter and I opened the letter, I was absolutely stunned!
It was a 3 page letter, the letter from IR, dt 16-Mar-78, self written in his beautiful hand writing! Shell shocked I was !
I never knew what was the content of the letter sent by Shankar;
but now I was reading IR’s point by point replies to that letter !
(for the actual letter, click here )
(for translation, click here)
(Though much later, I could make it out that this may be Shankar’s work and could guess the likely queries/ observations he would have made in the letter, sequel to our internal discussions at various point of time on IR’s music ! )
Anyhow, It was the treasure in our hand!
Shankar was forced to come on that week-end holidays, just to show this letter !
The letter was read and read and read and……!
How many times we were reading that letter repeatedly, I could not count !
Again I want to reiterate that we were simply ordinary fans who could just appreciate the song for the song that’s all !
We never had extra technical knowledge on music nor we contemplated to acquire such knowledge and experience !
So the queries were staright from our heart and IR has equally reciprocated to his ordinary fans!
It was such an elaborate reply, point-by-point, showing all kinds of his feelings, straight from his heart; just like talking to his fans !
The firmness, politeness, disappointment, laughing at our ignorance, patience to explain, his strategic thinking, etc etc !
All the emotions and feelings he wanted to convey got permanently registered in our mind for ever!
These are still valid for even today's situations!
From that day onwards, we simply became his worshippers!
Then onwards, He started living in our mind and heart! Forever!
Then onwards, any song of him reminded a face very close to our heart !
Any song of him, reminded us the sincerity and hard work he expressed in his letter !
Every song reminded us about the innovations he was trying to incorporate and tried to reach the common people like us !
Every time certain songs were not appreciated for the innovative contents of it, We could visulalise the agony which IR may be having !
We could not believe even today, somebody of IR’s stature and calibre, (at that period, though new, he was the most sought after MD of TFM), can still say that “I am not having the qualification to become your Guru in this life!"
That's IR !
And one fine morning at Arcot, Shankar’s brother ( my another cousin, Ram kumar), came flying in his bicycle with a postal envelop in his hand.
He was so excited that he was practically yelling at me that “you both better go to Madras now itself”.
I could not make out head or tail from what he was trying to say!
But when he handed over the letter and I opened the letter, I was absolutely stunned!
It was a 3 page letter, the letter from IR, dt 16-Mar-78, self written in his beautiful hand writing! Shell shocked I was !
I never knew what was the content of the letter sent by Shankar;
but now I was reading IR’s point by point replies to that letter !
(for the actual letter, click here )
(for translation, click here)
(Though much later, I could make it out that this may be Shankar’s work and could guess the likely queries/ observations he would have made in the letter, sequel to our internal discussions at various point of time on IR’s music ! )
Anyhow, It was the treasure in our hand!
Shankar was forced to come on that week-end holidays, just to show this letter !
The letter was read and read and read and……!
How many times we were reading that letter repeatedly, I could not count !
Again I want to reiterate that we were simply ordinary fans who could just appreciate the song for the song that’s all !
We never had extra technical knowledge on music nor we contemplated to acquire such knowledge and experience !
So the queries were staright from our heart and IR has equally reciprocated to his ordinary fans!
It was such an elaborate reply, point-by-point, showing all kinds of his feelings, straight from his heart; just like talking to his fans !
The firmness, politeness, disappointment, laughing at our ignorance, patience to explain, his strategic thinking, etc etc !
All the emotions and feelings he wanted to convey got permanently registered in our mind for ever!
These are still valid for even today's situations!
From that day onwards, we simply became his worshippers!
Then onwards, He started living in our mind and heart! Forever!
Then onwards, any song of him reminded a face very close to our heart !
Any song of him, reminded us the sincerity and hard work he expressed in his letter !
Every song reminded us about the innovations he was trying to incorporate and tried to reach the common people like us !
Every time certain songs were not appreciated for the innovative contents of it, We could visulalise the agony which IR may be having !
We could not believe even today, somebody of IR’s stature and calibre, (at that period, though new, he was the most sought after MD of TFM), can still say that “I am not having the qualification to become your Guru in this life!"
That's IR !
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
08-Translation of Ltr-1 dt 16-Mar-78
Dear Sankar & Kumar,
Thank you very much for your letter.
1. You have indicated that the TMS version of “Annakkili” has the interlude which has resemblance to some English tune. But every single bit of the music for that film came from by blood. What you have indicated is very much wrong.
2. You have asked me to take some actions regarding the songs to be broadcast in the Radio. I have no time even to compose. All these shall be taken care of people like you.
3. Please listen to songs of “Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi”. No other song can equate “Sugamo Aayiram”. I feel, it has not got the right place it deserves!
4. The guitar bit in “Devan Thiruchabai” is my composition. “Sholay” came only yesterday. About 10 years back, in one of the Kannada film under the GKV, I have already composed similar such bit and played myself. But, anyhow, my fans may not be knowing all these. OK
5. Annakili, Kavikuyil, Badrakali, Pen Jenmam etc. – I can’t understand what you want to say. You have said don’t compose tune to songs like “Hoy Mama”. I feel that song is an excellent one. Please listen again.
6. You have advised me that I shall do the hard work like “16-Vayadhinile” for all the films. Please remember one thing:
I give importance and do the hardwork for all the films in the same fashion. If the film is hit, then my hardwok is noticed. Otherwise, it just get drowned as if in quicksand.
“Uravaadum Nenjam, Deepam, Gaayathri, Katrinile Varum Geetham” etc. in all these films, I have done re-recordings which are different from each of these films, and that also, even before anyone can think of attempting like them.
In the film “Uravaadum Nenjam”, upto the intermission I have just used the minimum instruments like 2 Violins, 1 viola, 1 cello and 1 Base;
and in “Gayathri” not even single violin is used;
In “Deepam” and “Katrinile…”, I have used full orchestra ;
All these efforts of mine with different way of handling of instruments shall show that I am taking equal care and hard work in all these films.
In the film “Kaatrinile..”, I have used a new instrument called “Recorder”, which no other MD is using.
Even in the films yet to be released also, you are going to hear the new effects and sounds of even the existing usual instruments.
I am always working hard to satisfy my fans who come with a lot of expectations by seeing my name in the title, so that I don’t disappoint them ever.
So please change your opinion.
7. Even though I increase my “price” to decrease the films to be signed, they never leave me. What can I do ?
8. I won’t count how many members are going to play in my orchestra, but count only the total effect. It should be different.
9. Happy that (atleast !) songs of “Odi VIlayadu Thatha” are different !
10. “Kannan Enna Sonnan” and “Manjal Araikkum” – I have given the same type Rhythm for both the songs. So It won’t sound different. Are the songs different in their effect ? Then Leave me !
11. “Athai Magal” – No use of counting its for 4th time, 5th time etc. When the producers are asking for such songs what can I do ?
12. 3rd Attempt. You have written about usage of “Voices” in re-recording. You shall see “how” I have used them, that’s more important!
13. There is no connection between Love theme of “Thyagam” and “Mariamman”
Thank you for all your comments. Please do write to me. But I cannot assure that I will answer them. I am hard pressed for time. Since you have written such a lengthy letter of lots of pages, I am replying now.
I have sent the photos. Please confirm receipt of them.
Always wishing your love !
Ilaiyaraaja
Find somebody else who are knowledgeable to be your “Guru”. I am not having that qualification in this life.
Ilaiyaraaja
Thank you very much for your letter.
1. You have indicated that the TMS version of “Annakkili” has the interlude which has resemblance to some English tune. But every single bit of the music for that film came from by blood. What you have indicated is very much wrong.
2. You have asked me to take some actions regarding the songs to be broadcast in the Radio. I have no time even to compose. All these shall be taken care of people like you.
3. Please listen to songs of “Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi”. No other song can equate “Sugamo Aayiram”. I feel, it has not got the right place it deserves!
4. The guitar bit in “Devan Thiruchabai” is my composition. “Sholay” came only yesterday. About 10 years back, in one of the Kannada film under the GKV, I have already composed similar such bit and played myself. But, anyhow, my fans may not be knowing all these. OK
5. Annakili, Kavikuyil, Badrakali, Pen Jenmam etc. – I can’t understand what you want to say. You have said don’t compose tune to songs like “Hoy Mama”. I feel that song is an excellent one. Please listen again.
6. You have advised me that I shall do the hard work like “16-Vayadhinile” for all the films. Please remember one thing:
I give importance and do the hardwork for all the films in the same fashion. If the film is hit, then my hardwok is noticed. Otherwise, it just get drowned as if in quicksand.
“Uravaadum Nenjam, Deepam, Gaayathri, Katrinile Varum Geetham” etc. in all these films, I have done re-recordings which are different from each of these films, and that also, even before anyone can think of attempting like them.
In the film “Uravaadum Nenjam”, upto the intermission I have just used the minimum instruments like 2 Violins, 1 viola, 1 cello and 1 Base;
and in “Gayathri” not even single violin is used;
In “Deepam” and “Katrinile…”, I have used full orchestra ;
All these efforts of mine with different way of handling of instruments shall show that I am taking equal care and hard work in all these films.
In the film “Kaatrinile..”, I have used a new instrument called “Recorder”, which no other MD is using.
Even in the films yet to be released also, you are going to hear the new effects and sounds of even the existing usual instruments.
I am always working hard to satisfy my fans who come with a lot of expectations by seeing my name in the title, so that I don’t disappoint them ever.
So please change your opinion.
7. Even though I increase my “price” to decrease the films to be signed, they never leave me. What can I do ?
8. I won’t count how many members are going to play in my orchestra, but count only the total effect. It should be different.
9. Happy that (atleast !) songs of “Odi VIlayadu Thatha” are different !
10. “Kannan Enna Sonnan” and “Manjal Araikkum” – I have given the same type Rhythm for both the songs. So It won’t sound different. Are the songs different in their effect ? Then Leave me !
11. “Athai Magal” – No use of counting its for 4th time, 5th time etc. When the producers are asking for such songs what can I do ?
12. 3rd Attempt. You have written about usage of “Voices” in re-recording. You shall see “how” I have used them, that’s more important!
13. There is no connection between Love theme of “Thyagam” and “Mariamman”
Thank you for all your comments. Please do write to me. But I cannot assure that I will answer them. I am hard pressed for time. Since you have written such a lengthy letter of lots of pages, I am replying now.
I have sent the photos. Please confirm receipt of them.
Always wishing your love !
Ilaiyaraaja
Find somebody else who are knowledgeable to be your “Guru”. I am not having that qualification in this life.
Ilaiyaraaja
Monday, October 19, 2009
09-Sequence Leading to Second Letter from IR
In the year 1977 & 78s, Films of IR were started multiplying in leaps and bounds.
Even though, many of the songs were haunting, melodical and totally innovative, every alternative film of his was criticized by some section of people for some monotonous or something that could not be comprehended by them.
Critics of journals were happy to regularly predict his downfall quickly for each of his film released.
No doubt the comparisons were with the giant, colossal figures like MSV and KVM and the contemporaries like SG, VK and newcomers like Chandrabose etc.
But for us, IR was a man of no comparison whatsoever, and who was setting his own grammar/ idioms and phrases of music!
It was the year 1978, in which almost all of the leading magazines were publishing IR's photos on the cover page and were writing numerous articles, interviews, tit-bits etc about him. All journals were trying to utilise his raising fame to their advantages. Some did that in positive way, some in other ways. Certainly IR must be co-operating with all of those journalists community (which may be a strange thing to hear for many of you !)It was in that period, April’78 to be precise, that the second incident happened which caused the second series of letters exchanged between IR & us !
It all started with an article in a magazine.
The new and popular journal of that period “J” (to avoid controversy, I am hiding the name of the magazine and the name of Critique, here in this write-up as well as from IR's letter) had a detailed article on IR by the famous critique of those period "Mr C", with IR photos on re-recording etc.
[People of that period who knows "C" and his writings can easily imagine, what could have been his writings etc. Only God knows, whom "C" will lift or whom he will put down on the ground and crash ! As I heard that time, one famous actress was virtually on tears regarding his writings in one of the magazine about her dance in one of the sabha. He never left out even famous Carnatic composer-cum- singer also ! ]
So, when heard about the article, I immediately purchased the weekly and started reading with so much tension in mind.
But when I completed reading I was with full of heat with my blood not just boiling but started to evaporate !
Though I don’t remember all its contents now, but in nutshell, the article was full of poison and spitting venom on IR and his works !
It even doubted his ability to compose, musical knowledge about raagams etc and even ridiculing his recording music saying that he could not even manage to get the music effect and swaras from his orchestra members !
As usual, he was raising many queries, about the prayogams of ragam and swarams etc with his flavory languages (like Kedharam-sedharam etc etc)! (Now, I can correlate such things with Modulation and other technical aspects of WCM, but then I was practically a Zero on WCM).
Mr "C" considered that IR, a talented man was wasting his energy in trying to do too many films at a time and compromising and sacrificing the basic requirements of music ! So many such bla-blahs!
It was such an article that I could not take it easily and forget, and I started writing a letter of very forceful, point-wise replies for all the accusations "C" has made and sent that letter to that journal.
Incidentally, since IR’s address was available from his earlier letter, I marked a copy of that letter to IR with a request to IR asking him to write a strong letter to that journal, immediately refuting all those allegations, as all the fans should be told about the truth.
To my astonishment, I got a very quick and prompt reply letter from IR!
A single page letter, dated 16-Apr-78.
(for actual letter, click here)
(for translation of letter-2, click here)
Saturday, October 17, 2009
11-Translation of Ltr-2 dt 16-Apr-78
Dear Sankar, Kumar,
I have read your replies to the magazine “______” . In fact, it is very much doubtful that even if I had written the replies, it could have come out well like yours!
I feel that, only with these kinds of fitting replies from real fans like you, we can make these journalists realize their mistakes, who are otherwise purposely, bent upon hiding the truth. Since they could not bear the heat of such letters from lots of fans, they are again trying to justify their stand through “Mr ______” in the next issue of their journal also. They say this will continue further! Please see the tone and tenor of those questions!
Some of the replies I have made (in the interview) are not available there! When he wanted my appointment for the interview I indeed refused them. However, his assistant told me that nothing wrong would be written, and then only I allowed them. While talking to me they were very nice. But later, they have written all these non-sense!
I don’t want to waste my time by writing to these journals! I won’t write in future also! To take care of these people, crores of my hardcore fans are there.
Above them GOD is also there! Let him take care!
Yours lovingly,
Ilaiyaraaja
Friday, October 16, 2009
12-Sequence Leading to Third Letter from IR
As you can see that in that 2nd letter, IR had expressed his anguish about such journalism and he didn’t want to waste his energy and time by answering such baseless articles !
Though I was extremely happy to get a reply from IR, but it was painful to know that IR was hurt in his heart-of-heart. (and I could even visualize that then after he would altogether withdraw himself from such interviews and journalists , which in fact had happened!)
As expected, journal "J", neither published my letter to them nor any such letters or articles from his other fans countering its earlier stance. Slowly, I realized that it was futile to expect such things from them.
Though IR had left out the matter as such, I could not leave it just like that.
So I started thinking that in appropriate forum of other journals, IR shall express his views to reach the audience about his hard works, his concepts of music etc etc.
In that period, “Bommai” was one such cine-based-journal which was more popular and a decent one.
Incidentally, I saw a new features started in that journal, in which, the fans can ask various questions to any famous personalities and they used to get the reply for such queries and used to publish!
Usually, I saw fans asking questions to famous actors/actresses. But I found that was the most appropriate chance for me to make IR speak out his heart.
So I painstakingly designed a model questionnaire containing a lot of questions (about his music and his views, approach etc.) which were normally raised by the common people as well as the journalists in their reviews in those point of time.
I sent that questionnaire to “Bommai” and also sent one copy to IR.
I believed I will certainly get some response from IR.
It was July’78!
I indeed got the reply letter from IR, but the response I got, shocked me ! But this time for different reasons !
(for actual letter, please click here)
(for translation, please click here)
Though I was extremely happy to get a reply from IR, but it was painful to know that IR was hurt in his heart-of-heart. (and I could even visualize that then after he would altogether withdraw himself from such interviews and journalists , which in fact had happened!)
As expected, journal "J", neither published my letter to them nor any such letters or articles from his other fans countering its earlier stance. Slowly, I realized that it was futile to expect such things from them.
Though IR had left out the matter as such, I could not leave it just like that.
So I started thinking that in appropriate forum of other journals, IR shall express his views to reach the audience about his hard works, his concepts of music etc etc.
In that period, “Bommai” was one such cine-based-journal which was more popular and a decent one.
Incidentally, I saw a new features started in that journal, in which, the fans can ask various questions to any famous personalities and they used to get the reply for such queries and used to publish!
Usually, I saw fans asking questions to famous actors/actresses. But I found that was the most appropriate chance for me to make IR speak out his heart.
So I painstakingly designed a model questionnaire containing a lot of questions (about his music and his views, approach etc.) which were normally raised by the common people as well as the journalists in their reviews in those point of time.
I sent that questionnaire to “Bommai” and also sent one copy to IR.
I believed I will certainly get some response from IR.
It was July’78!
I indeed got the reply letter from IR, but the response I got, shocked me ! But this time for different reasons !
(for actual letter, please click here)
(for translation, please click here)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
14-Translation of Ltr-3 dt July-78
Dear Sankar, Kumar,
Whenever my films are released, I used to get some letters of reviews from my fans. I also usually wait for such letters from my selected fans with good observations!
But, your last letter was unfortunately different from usual letter and I was disappointed a little bit about that.
Though, I also glance “Bommai” regularly, I didn’t know that such a section is there in the journal “Bommai”.
What shall I do by writing replies to your letter ? Shall I have to sent it to “Bommai”? Please inform me.
Last week recordings of songs of film “Priya” (SPT films) took place.
Indeed, I was thinking to call some of my best fans to witness that recording.
I planned to invite both of you for that recording, but due to the lack of time to write letter, I could not do so! Bear with me!
What is important to note here is, the songs of this film have been recorded in Stereophonic system for the first time in India!
On 10th , I am going away for a recording of some Hindi film songs. I will be back by 16th.
Do reply,
Yours lovingly,
Ilaiyaraaja
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
15-Is the Paradise Lost ?
The response of IR in that 3rd letter was simply a jolt to me which indirectly tried to say “You too Brutus..!”
Though my aim was different (i.e. to get the maximum answers derived from him to explain his views to the world), I could guess that he might have taken all those questions seriously and presumed that these were coming from us directly etc .
Whether, I was not able to communicate properly, or he misunderstood us, whatever was the situation, damages had been done !!
(Somehow that was the last letter we ever received by us from IR!)
But, again see the best human side of this simple man !
He continued in the next para that but for the time availability, he could have written to invite us to witness his first ever film with stereophonic recording (first time in India!) viz “Priya” !
Oh God , what a golden chance was lost !
Anyhow, using the clue in his letters (that he would have invited us for the recording of Priya), I could guess that certainly we should meet him personally at Madras as soon as possible and convey our sincere apologies for the misgivings created by our last letter!
Thus, our first pilgrimage visit happened !
It was July1978 !
Monday, October 12, 2009
16-Darisanam Kidaikkaadhaa !
After nearly 30 years, so many things refuse to come to my memory.
Exact date I don’t remember now, but could have been a Sunday to suit our requirement. Could be last week of July'78.
At this juncture, I must remember with gratitude and thank Mr Ramkumar, (brother of Sankar), who enthusiastically arranged for the trip to Madras and also accompanied us.
He contacted his friend Mr Balu (who was working in SBI at Chennai at that time), who inturn contacted IR's house with the phone number given by us, talked to the concerned there, arranged for the meeting on the specific date and time and finally informed us.
Our journey started from Arcot in the famous bus no. 102 (I hope this number is still maintained for Arcot-Chennai trip !!) in the morning and around noon we were at Chennai and received by Balu.
The timing given to us by IR was 4 O’Clock, evening at his residence at Santhome.
Chennai was new to me (though I had spent my early childhood there in late 1960s). Balu has made excellent arrangement starting from food to auto, bus etc etc. He was our escorter.
We, (ie myself, Sankar, Ram and Balu) started to Santhome. No need to tell, how much we are filled with blood, adrenaline, etc etc with a lot expectations brimming in our mind !
Around 3 pm, we were in Santhome and, started searching the address i.e. 32-KMN Lane !
(Present Chennai residents, who read this, may like to check with the present resident and neigbours of this address etc, and can find out more about IR! Just some curiousity!)
It was nearly 40 minutes and still we could not find the address!
Most of the people asked for the expansion of KMN Lane which we could not explain !
Tension built up like anything with the fear that IR may cancel the meeting and go elsewhere or so and we may lose the lifetime opportunity.
Finally, as a god-sent messenger, we met the postman of that area, who was on the evening distribution of letters to the houses in that locality.
We told about IR and asked the address. He enthusiastically helped us in locating the street and residence.
And exactly 5 minutes to spare to the appointed time, we were in front of his house, where a black (or blue-black ?) color ambassador was parked.
You may not believe me, it was such a simple house (a rented house, that also a portion of the house, I say), where this famous person was living at that time !
Initially we were enquired about by his car driver, who went inside the house with our details and after some time, we were let inside the house and were seated in a small hall. Cool drinks served to us!
Some ordinary sofa and chairs and a table containing a big size Tape recorder and speakers (music system !) were there!
Quite possibly, that hall might be his living room itelf; where he might have just left the hall and gone inside the adjacent room to just get ready himself!
Then HE came!
Exact date I don’t remember now, but could have been a Sunday to suit our requirement. Could be last week of July'78.
At this juncture, I must remember with gratitude and thank Mr Ramkumar, (brother of Sankar), who enthusiastically arranged for the trip to Madras and also accompanied us.
He contacted his friend Mr Balu (who was working in SBI at Chennai at that time), who inturn contacted IR's house with the phone number given by us, talked to the concerned there, arranged for the meeting on the specific date and time and finally informed us.
Our journey started from Arcot in the famous bus no. 102 (I hope this number is still maintained for Arcot-Chennai trip !!) in the morning and around noon we were at Chennai and received by Balu.
The timing given to us by IR was 4 O’Clock, evening at his residence at Santhome.
Chennai was new to me (though I had spent my early childhood there in late 1960s). Balu has made excellent arrangement starting from food to auto, bus etc etc. He was our escorter.
We, (ie myself, Sankar, Ram and Balu) started to Santhome. No need to tell, how much we are filled with blood, adrenaline, etc etc with a lot expectations brimming in our mind !
Around 3 pm, we were in Santhome and, started searching the address i.e. 32-KMN Lane !
(Present Chennai residents, who read this, may like to check with the present resident and neigbours of this address etc, and can find out more about IR! Just some curiousity!)
It was nearly 40 minutes and still we could not find the address!
Most of the people asked for the expansion of KMN Lane which we could not explain !
Tension built up like anything with the fear that IR may cancel the meeting and go elsewhere or so and we may lose the lifetime opportunity.
Finally, as a god-sent messenger, we met the postman of that area, who was on the evening distribution of letters to the houses in that locality.
We told about IR and asked the address. He enthusiastically helped us in locating the street and residence.
And exactly 5 minutes to spare to the appointed time, we were in front of his house, where a black (or blue-black ?) color ambassador was parked.
You may not believe me, it was such a simple house (a rented house, that also a portion of the house, I say), where this famous person was living at that time !
Initially we were enquired about by his car driver, who went inside the house with our details and after some time, we were let inside the house and were seated in a small hall. Cool drinks served to us!
Some ordinary sofa and chairs and a table containing a big size Tape recorder and speakers (music system !) were there!
Quite possibly, that hall might be his living room itelf; where he might have just left the hall and gone inside the adjacent room to just get ready himself!
Then HE came!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
17-Moments that Stood Still ! : Part-1
To our utter astonishment, he was a simple person, short, smiling, in lungi and shirt, curly hair, a typical youth of 70’s;
In his hand was a thick bound book (which he might have been reading and interrupted by our visit) and a pencil.
It was a normal start with customary enquiries, and handing over of certain fruits and biscuits by us, and self introductions about us etc.
In between, like in any house, his wife and child were moving in around the house and talking to neighbours in the adjacent portion.
As she called the child by name, we came to know about Karthik, may be of 3 or 4 years old !
When he was ready to start talking, I first apologized profusely for our recent letter and explained him what we had in our mind in writing such letter. I requested him to ignore that totally.
To my utter relief and astonishment, he never uttered anything on that topic.
He totally diverted our attention to the new film songs he had recently recorded and started to play some of the songs from a cassette.
Those period cassette recorder itself was a great luxurious gadget.
What were the things we (self and Sankar) talked with him in the next half an hour or so, I have forgotten now.
But I could guess, by hindsight, that we might have exposed our ignorance of musical knowledge only !
But most of the time, apart from listening what we uttered, he was concentrating in playing many of his new songs one by one, which we were listening (and researching within our mind, some pattern, innovations etc. but with fear to utter, fear of being in front of a Mighty Man of Music).
Just I will list a few songs that remain etched in our memory !
- Manjolai kilithano
- Kovil mani osai thannai
- En kalyaana vaibogam
- Darling Darling Darling
- Poo Pole un punnagaiyil
- Aadudhu Ullam Aasayil Nenjam
- Thenna marathile Thendral adikkuddhu
- Melam kotta neram varum
- Kaadhal ennum kaaviyam
At that time of hearing in his house , we didn’t know the film names of those songs.
We just listened that’s all; and remained awe struck !
Rather we were in a proud moment that
- we were listening some songs of the famous composer by sitting with him, in his house,
- whereas the outside world not even knew that such songs are going to hit and haunt them soon!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
18-Moments that Stood Still ! - Part 2
Believe me, as explained earlier, other than radio, (and very rarely a few LP records of our friend), we never had the opportunity to hear songs in good music system in those period.
But the one we were hearing on that day was something really from heaven, the quality of system which we could not define by words.
The quality of music of those songs itself, that I need not express now to you, which you already know.
(some of you youngsters, might not had the opportunity of hearing them so hot and new the way most of the people of my age/period heard in radio and other media).
But the one we heard on that DAY was beyond comprehension!
Particularly, the Darling Darling song, the sound was springing from every side of the hall and playing hide and seek here and there, as the speakers were located separately.
Believe me, at that moment we didn't even know that this song was from Priya and the magic we were hearing was the result of marvelous stereophonic system and that's why emanating from different directions from different speakers ! Same is the case with the other songs also !
The time was flying like anything and already more than an hour had gone.
The fear & worry of ending of the meeting started haunting us.
Suddenly he went to the other room inside the house and disappeared for more than 10 to 15 minutes keeping us in suspense.
We were practically waiting for somebody to come and tell us to "get lost" as the time was over.
Meanwhile we were just exchanging some customary enquiries type of talk with the so called child Karthik, who was just moving in and around in that hall.
At this moment one additional information I would like to share (which I will again recall later also).
When IR was not in the hall, I just walked near the table where he was sitting and had kept the book which he had in his hand earlier. Oh God!
That was a voluminous music theory book, full of WCM notations and exercises.
I could not believe that this already famous person is still studying and learning with all those busy schedules ?!!
Anyway that book and notations permanently registered in my mind ! (which made me to search for WCM theories later in my life)
Then IR again re-appeared in front of us, now neatly dressed, in pant (bell bottoms !) and full hand shirt indicating that he is ready to move out.
So it was ringing in our mind that the inevitable ending had come.
But to our utter surprise, came his other "Offer" !
But the one we were hearing on that day was something really from heaven, the quality of system which we could not define by words.
The quality of music of those songs itself, that I need not express now to you, which you already know.
(some of you youngsters, might not had the opportunity of hearing them so hot and new the way most of the people of my age/period heard in radio and other media).
But the one we heard on that DAY was beyond comprehension!
Particularly, the Darling Darling song, the sound was springing from every side of the hall and playing hide and seek here and there, as the speakers were located separately.
Believe me, at that moment we didn't even know that this song was from Priya and the magic we were hearing was the result of marvelous stereophonic system and that's why emanating from different directions from different speakers ! Same is the case with the other songs also !
The time was flying like anything and already more than an hour had gone.
The fear & worry of ending of the meeting started haunting us.
Suddenly he went to the other room inside the house and disappeared for more than 10 to 15 minutes keeping us in suspense.
We were practically waiting for somebody to come and tell us to "get lost" as the time was over.
Meanwhile we were just exchanging some customary enquiries type of talk with the so called child Karthik, who was just moving in and around in that hall.
At this moment one additional information I would like to share (which I will again recall later also).
When IR was not in the hall, I just walked near the table where he was sitting and had kept the book which he had in his hand earlier. Oh God!
That was a voluminous music theory book, full of WCM notations and exercises.
I could not believe that this already famous person is still studying and learning with all those busy schedules ?!!
Anyway that book and notations permanently registered in my mind ! (which made me to search for WCM theories later in my life)
Then IR again re-appeared in front of us, now neatly dressed, in pant (bell bottoms !) and full hand shirt indicating that he is ready to move out.
So it was ringing in our mind that the inevitable ending had come.
But to our utter surprise, came his other "Offer" !
19-Extended Dreamy Moments - Sattam En Kaiyil
The surprise offer that came from him could not have been imagined by us by any standard.
As IR was moving out to see a film, he told us that two of us can accompany him !
We simply could not believe ouselves ! What's happening to us today ?!
Then it suddenly struck us that he was waiting for our reply to know who were the two to accompany him.
It was the greatness of Ram and Balu, that they immediately told IR, that Kumar (myself) and Sankar will accompany him.
The responsible Balu just asked IR where he had to pick us two after the preview, for which he replied that they can come to Mini-Anand !
Now it’s the time of extended dreamy scene for us !
Rather than the film we were going to see etc., the thought that we were going to spend some more time with this great person was fully occupying in our mind.
Then Karthik started to accompany his father, so he also urgently got ready and joined us.
Self and IR in the back seat and Sankar and Karthik (more or less in his lap) in the front seat, the ambassador started rolling to Mini Anand.
It was another pleasant surprise that the car of IR contained music system (which we never heard of before ! ) and our repeat listening to un-released songs continued in the car also !
Young karthik was so fond of “Poo pole, Un punnagaiyil” song, that he was repeating that song often in the tape of that car.
I vaguely remembered IR saying that it was from film "Kavariman", which was going to be the prestigious 200th film of Sivaji’s! (which I told many of my friends later, but after much anxious waiting, this film was so delayed for unknown reasons, and Thirisoolam took away the honour!)
So again I got the opportunity for thanking for the moment spent in his house and apologizing for the earlier letter etc, etc.
We reached the theater.
It was a mini- theatre with some of the VIPs already occupying the seats and patiently waiting for the other VIPs to arrive.
We took our seats and then asked him about the film to be screened. He told that it is “Sattam-En-Kaiyil”.
Then we immediately recollected, the previous Sunday edition of Dhinamani, wherein details about shooting of certain song sequence of this film had been published !
Then it dawned to our head that we were going to watch a film, which was never released so far, and that was the first screening ! Our mind also got chilled with the thought alongwith the body chill due to the AC effect in that compact small theatre!
All film luminaries were coming one by one and finally the tall "Vaani kamal" and her husband “Paramakkudikaarar” came.
Immediately after the arrival of Kamal. the film started.
We just asked IR sitting by our side, whether this film contained the song “Kadai thengaayo” and a kawwali type song “Mera naam Abdullah".
IR was so stunned saying that how we knew that!
We told him about our endeavour of regular updating of IR-knowledge through papers magazines etc! He was smiling !
After the screening started, we were totally trying to follow the re-recording and discuss within us in husky voice, which IR was watching.
After some half-an-hour or so, suddenly he whispered to us that he had to leave and we can continue viewing the film and said good-bye !
Though a shock, we had to accept that reality.
And IR silently left the hall, in darkness !
Thus came the end of a precious dream sequence of our life !
Thursday, October 8, 2009
20-IR Memories - My College Days-Part-1
So many things happened in a very short span of first half of 1978!
The series of letters and the first personal one-to-one meet and finally the preview of Sattam En Kaiyil !
Nothing happened in a pre-planned way.
It Just Happened ! That's All !
Even in that period, IR would have been extremely busy ! In spite of that, what made him to spend those hours of writing or meeting ?
All these things point to one thing.
He is basically a good Human being with utmost sincerity and honesty towards his works and the people associated, valuing & respecting others, whomever they are, whatever the knowledge gap is !
Certainly, that period was to be considered as a watershed period in our life !
After that, suddenly, we also became busy in our own life, with college studies taking the importance and our time.
But IR memories and his music were always in our mind all the days and nights, alongwith all curricular and other activities.
Practically I can say, thereafter, every moment of our life is associated with some songs of IR in that period!
In fact, Shankar continued in Vellore with his studies and I returned to Tharamangalam (near Salem) for my Engineering studies !
Naturally, those were not the period of email and telephones !
So very rarely we were in touch with each other. But whenever the opportunity was available, we continued our IR discussions.
In those period, Radio was the main source and particularly, Vividh baarathy went on broadcasting the new releases one by one, the songs of which we already heard in IR's house.
I used to jump in joy and telling my family members to note the song and narrated our IR visit, our listening of that songs in his house etc.
During my Engineering college days at Karuppur (which is some 10 kms away from Salem), particularly during Saturdays, the second half was used to be free and I made it a point to visit Salem and to see any IR films newly released at that time.
Films like Ilamai Oonjaladugiradhu, Priya, Kizhakke pogum rail, Sivappu Rojaakkal, Mullum Malarum, etc. were such films seen by me at Salem theatres with all special efforts !
Of course, to stand in the que well in advance, you have to forego your lunch; (also you have to live with the fear of getting spotted by your seniors and ready to undergo ragging ! fortunately nothing such happened)!
I used to explain the storylines, dialogues and re-recording etc to my mother and sister of these new release films (which otherwise would come to my village after an year or so).
Slowly, my family members also got into the list of IR fans !
My grandmother, my mother used to analyse the raga of IR songs and thus my knowledge of raga list also started growing and my respect for IR was growing exponentially.
In the later part of 1978, during his last year of studies, Shankar chanced upon his second visit to meet IR.
This time through one of his friend, he could witness a song recording of IR.
That was a Telugu film called "Yugandhar" a remake of hindi film "Don".
That was the first Telugu film of IR, that also for NTR.
The song that was recorded on that day was the theme "Na Kosame Ne vachaaru" ("main hoon Don" equivalent).
I hope Sankar will one day blog that visit !
The series of letters and the first personal one-to-one meet and finally the preview of Sattam En Kaiyil !
Nothing happened in a pre-planned way.
It Just Happened ! That's All !
Even in that period, IR would have been extremely busy ! In spite of that, what made him to spend those hours of writing or meeting ?
All these things point to one thing.
He is basically a good Human being with utmost sincerity and honesty towards his works and the people associated, valuing & respecting others, whomever they are, whatever the knowledge gap is !
Certainly, that period was to be considered as a watershed period in our life !
After that, suddenly, we also became busy in our own life, with college studies taking the importance and our time.
But IR memories and his music were always in our mind all the days and nights, alongwith all curricular and other activities.
Practically I can say, thereafter, every moment of our life is associated with some songs of IR in that period!
In fact, Shankar continued in Vellore with his studies and I returned to Tharamangalam (near Salem) for my Engineering studies !
Naturally, those were not the period of email and telephones !
So very rarely we were in touch with each other. But whenever the opportunity was available, we continued our IR discussions.
In those period, Radio was the main source and particularly, Vividh baarathy went on broadcasting the new releases one by one, the songs of which we already heard in IR's house.
I used to jump in joy and telling my family members to note the song and narrated our IR visit, our listening of that songs in his house etc.
During my Engineering college days at Karuppur (which is some 10 kms away from Salem), particularly during Saturdays, the second half was used to be free and I made it a point to visit Salem and to see any IR films newly released at that time.
Films like Ilamai Oonjaladugiradhu, Priya, Kizhakke pogum rail, Sivappu Rojaakkal, Mullum Malarum, etc. were such films seen by me at Salem theatres with all special efforts !
Of course, to stand in the que well in advance, you have to forego your lunch; (also you have to live with the fear of getting spotted by your seniors and ready to undergo ragging ! fortunately nothing such happened)!
I used to explain the storylines, dialogues and re-recording etc to my mother and sister of these new release films (which otherwise would come to my village after an year or so).
Slowly, my family members also got into the list of IR fans !
My grandmother, my mother used to analyse the raga of IR songs and thus my knowledge of raga list also started growing and my respect for IR was growing exponentially.
In the later part of 1978, during his last year of studies, Shankar chanced upon his second visit to meet IR.
This time through one of his friend, he could witness a song recording of IR.
That was a Telugu film called "Yugandhar" a remake of hindi film "Don".
That was the first Telugu film of IR, that also for NTR.
The song that was recorded on that day was the theme "Na Kosame Ne vachaaru" ("main hoon Don" equivalent).
I hope Sankar will one day blog that visit !
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
21-College Days : Part-2 : One More Glimpse !
It was end of 1978 (or beginning of 79, I don’t remember now), I had the opportunity of “Dharhsan of IR" again.
It was IR’s live musical programme at the Trade fair at Salem.
Amidst all tension of semester exam etc., still I decided to see the programme and after great efforts I got the ticket and attended that programme.
Even though I don’t remember now about the songs played on that day, a lot of IR's latest hits were played; particularly “thanni karuthiruchhu” (from "Ilamai Oonjaladugiradhu") by Malasia Vasudven stole the thunder of that day!
While the programme ended and National Anthem was playing, I used the opportunity to slip through the security system and climbed up the dias.
(I preferred to be "less patriotic" while all others stood in attention and singing, I was busy in finding the ways to rush to the dias; naturally, IR was more important than nation!)
Once the Anthem is over, I could say just Hello to him, but before talking further, policemen formed the security line and took him safely away from the crowd and he left!
So, a close encounter of shortest duration !
I could feel the truth that, “IR has really grown, and hereafter he is beyond our reach”.
Still, rather than disappointment, having seen him and enjoyed his songs on the live program stayed on my mind !
It was IR’s live musical programme at the Trade fair at Salem.
Amidst all tension of semester exam etc., still I decided to see the programme and after great efforts I got the ticket and attended that programme.
Even though I don’t remember now about the songs played on that day, a lot of IR's latest hits were played; particularly “thanni karuthiruchhu” (from "Ilamai Oonjaladugiradhu") by Malasia Vasudven stole the thunder of that day!
While the programme ended and National Anthem was playing, I used the opportunity to slip through the security system and climbed up the dias.
(I preferred to be "less patriotic" while all others stood in attention and singing, I was busy in finding the ways to rush to the dias; naturally, IR was more important than nation!)
Once the Anthem is over, I could say just Hello to him, but before talking further, policemen formed the security line and took him safely away from the crowd and he left!
So, a close encounter of shortest duration !
I could feel the truth that, “IR has really grown, and hereafter he is beyond our reach”.
Still, rather than disappointment, having seen him and enjoyed his songs on the live program stayed on my mind !
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
22-Year 1979-83 : The Raaja we felt ! Part-1
It was in this period (approx. between '79 to '83), the outstanding growth of IR happened.
Though his total seclusion from public appearance, interviews etc., also happened in this period , with the phenomenal growth at 40 plus films per year, IR was already ruling the TFM.
And he had settled in a significant way in the Telugu and Malayalam films also !
All the other old MDs were virtually fading away and even the new MDs had to struggle for their existence.
Film posters and LP covers etc invariably carried the faces of Raaja, which were not the cases ealier.
Music recording shops started mushrooming all over Tamilnadu, and a very big parallel industry got established ( which later grown into crores of rupeees turnover) and many associated job/business opportunity for a lot in rural areas also happened.
Musical hits like Kizhakke pogum rail, Sigappu Rojakkal, Mullum Malarum, Panner Pushpangal, Kazhugu, Salangai Oli, Moondram Pirai, Payanangal Mudivadhillai etc etc. registered a new generation of variety of music.
Which are significantly different in styles, formats, orchestration etc etc!
Also the whole lot of producers and directors etc had been assured of a new phenomenon "Quantity is not to affect the quality at all" !
In the ealier period, usually MDs used to highlight and give importance to one or two songs per film, for which "due care" for the orchestration etc will be done. Alternatively, the film shall be of some super star etc to get more such "better" songs.
But IR established the habit of "All Songs hit!"
Irrespective of the "star value" or "director value" etc, the "film value" became the criteria in song and orchestration effort!
All indicated one thing, that "IR is here forever".
( During these period, we indeed wrote a few letters to IR, but as expected we never got any reply from IR. Reasons may be many!
We realized the fact and resigned to the fate that IR is growing and people like us who are such a tiny spec of sand near the ocean of music, shall not disturb him anymore.
But one thing was for sure, that our love and affection and the respect for his music were growing exponentially along with each release of his film and the haunting songs and BGM scores he was inventing! )
But one thing always remained as a puzzle ! "How he is able to do all these ? "
I got the answer at a very late stage when I had the opportunity to visit him again for a few times during mid-eighties.
That I will tell later !
Though his total seclusion from public appearance, interviews etc., also happened in this period , with the phenomenal growth at 40 plus films per year, IR was already ruling the TFM.
And he had settled in a significant way in the Telugu and Malayalam films also !
All the other old MDs were virtually fading away and even the new MDs had to struggle for their existence.
Film posters and LP covers etc invariably carried the faces of Raaja, which were not the cases ealier.
Music recording shops started mushrooming all over Tamilnadu, and a very big parallel industry got established ( which later grown into crores of rupeees turnover) and many associated job/business opportunity for a lot in rural areas also happened.
Musical hits like Kizhakke pogum rail, Sigappu Rojakkal, Mullum Malarum, Panner Pushpangal, Kazhugu, Salangai Oli, Moondram Pirai, Payanangal Mudivadhillai etc etc. registered a new generation of variety of music.
Which are significantly different in styles, formats, orchestration etc etc!
Also the whole lot of producers and directors etc had been assured of a new phenomenon "Quantity is not to affect the quality at all" !
In the ealier period, usually MDs used to highlight and give importance to one or two songs per film, for which "due care" for the orchestration etc will be done. Alternatively, the film shall be of some super star etc to get more such "better" songs.
But IR established the habit of "All Songs hit!"
Irrespective of the "star value" or "director value" etc, the "film value" became the criteria in song and orchestration effort!
All indicated one thing, that "IR is here forever".
( During these period, we indeed wrote a few letters to IR, but as expected we never got any reply from IR. Reasons may be many!
We realized the fact and resigned to the fate that IR is growing and people like us who are such a tiny spec of sand near the ocean of music, shall not disturb him anymore.
But one thing was for sure, that our love and affection and the respect for his music were growing exponentially along with each release of his film and the haunting songs and BGM scores he was inventing! )
But one thing always remained as a puzzle ! "How he is able to do all these ? "
I got the answer at a very late stage when I had the opportunity to visit him again for a few times during mid-eighties.
That I will tell later !
Monday, October 5, 2009
23-My College Days : Part-3
Small digression; and advance apologies for the small "suya-puranam" below; I am doing it consciously for the sake of continuity of memories, since these events led to the understanding of IR's real dimensions:
During 1979 to 82, Sankar used to send letters occasionally and explaining the films he saw, comments on songs and BGMs, etc etc. When he finished his studies, he got appointment at TVS, Hosur and he became awfully busy with his new job, new life etc.
Wheras I was continuing my studies at GCE, Salem.
In spite of the stress on studies, at personal level, my association with IR songs, films, etc continued to grow as usual.
It was the year 1982 !
Nearly, in the first three year of my engg college, I never participated in any cultural programmes, nor in any competitions etc, but enjoyed as a spectator only.
But in that 4th year, I dont know why, but I indeed decided that if at all I want to do something, I shall do now, next year being fifth and final year, I can’t afford ! (You see, I was a sincere engineering student with Honours degree at stake ! ).
Somehow, after much dilemma, in the last moment, I got my name enrolled for the musical instrument solo category, through my friend (who was the secretary of orchestra and himself the darling singer of the college).
Since, I know, how much the hostellers were got swayed by “Alaigal Oivadhillai” songs in the previous year, I selected “Putham Pudhu Kaalai” as my choice.
Thus, with a borrowed harmonium from one of the friend in the hostel, I did practice the song “Putham Pudhu Kalai” a few times.
On the competition day, though internally shaky, I derived some courage, and started playing !
The moment I played perfectly the first prelude of flute bit in harmonium, there was a roaring applause started from the students !
The main reason as I beleive, is the popularity of that song and the strong fan following IR had in that young generation!
One another reason may be that, nobody expected that this fellow can be of such stuff ! (Honestly I never open my mouth other than studies, always remain quiet, and as such playing cine song from such a fellow and also to such perfection, was beyond their imagination !)
I don’t remember what happened after that first prelude. I closed my eyes and ears, just IR filled my mind, and the song was flowing like anything, para by para with all those famous interludes !
I still remember the appreciation of the students and some of my lectures after the show ! I was virtually floating in the cloud !
Predictably, I got only second prize, (the sacredness of carnatic stuff, you can’t change and the fellow student who played a typical carnatic song took away the honour!).
And thus I became the natural choice of the College Orchestra of that year !
That experience taught me the lessons of my life!
24-My College Days : Part-4
The experience of participating in the College Orchestra was something different which I never had earlier in my life !
Nothing to claim big about the orchestra as it was a group of few individuals and with barely any worthy instruments to play, but the basic minimum was there (just to play as a "Chamber" music) !
But what can be worth mentioning was the experience of efforts of dissecting the IR songs and trying to assemble and reproducing them to create "something like IR song"!
The songs selected to be played for the Annual day functions were the raging hits of that year like "Pani vizhum malar vanam, Ilaiya Nila, Kanne Kalaimane, Kodai Kala Kaatre, Alli thandha boomi, etc."
While I was a half-baked as far as Carnatic music and swarams etc are concerned, w.r.t WCM I was total zero!
It was really humiliating that you don 't know what are these chords, Majors and minors meant and what are the significance, etc.
Though, you play the song, you don't know how to reproduce the notes and communicate to others.
The way the fellow orchestra members looked, smiled and chuckled, it virtually meant "bloody , from where you have come! " (even though they never told that openly).
Thus, in spite of my belief & attitude that "I know so many things of IR and his songs" I got exposed to my "ignorance" of technical marvelous of IR !
I was literally shattered ! All my egos were just vanishing like thin air !
I cannot even understand IR songs, forget about understanding IR !
How much of my life was already got wasted and practically no chance of even making an attempt in future !
All such thoughts were rambling in my mind !
To many of you, it may appear funny, that the person who discuss and talk so many things about IR and still feel "empty" on technical side ?
Yes Sir ! One must atleast witness (if not able to participate), the "Efforts" that are put in any orchestra where IR songs are "tried" to be played!
I deliberately use the word "try", because, people can only "try" but never succeed cent per cent !
At later in my life, through my association with IR yahoo club etc, I am vindicated of my feelings ! Many of those technical experts in the club members are the outcome of such college orchestra experience ! Believe me, itÂ’s a fact !
In spite of all these, the joy of even reproducing those songs with the minimum accuracy as possible, can't be measured!
Invariably, every member of the orchestra was virtually in ecstasy and tears when some difficult & wonderful phrases were attempted and the sound emanated as in the song !
Also, on the day of actual performance, the practicality of how a song can go wrong in a hall due to other facts like sound system etc., in spite of your best of efforts, that also I experienced!
The same people who appreciated and applauded ealrier on one moment, booed and yelled when things went haywire!
Thus the bubble of "musician" inside me, which took shape quickly earlier, "died" instantly in the same year !
Though I didn't know what to do at that moment, but I promised to myself, that,
"Someday I will certainly educate myself on music in general and WCM in particular and find out what these musical terms etc are meant ! "
Nothing to claim big about the orchestra as it was a group of few individuals and with barely any worthy instruments to play, but the basic minimum was there (just to play as a "Chamber" music) !
But what can be worth mentioning was the experience of efforts of dissecting the IR songs and trying to assemble and reproducing them to create "something like IR song"!
The songs selected to be played for the Annual day functions were the raging hits of that year like "Pani vizhum malar vanam, Ilaiya Nila, Kanne Kalaimane, Kodai Kala Kaatre, Alli thandha boomi, etc."
While I was a half-baked as far as Carnatic music and swarams etc are concerned, w.r.t WCM I was total zero!
It was really humiliating that you don 't know what are these chords, Majors and minors meant and what are the significance, etc.
Though, you play the song, you don't know how to reproduce the notes and communicate to others.
The way the fellow orchestra members looked, smiled and chuckled, it virtually meant "bloody , from where you have come! " (even though they never told that openly).
Thus, in spite of my belief & attitude that "I know so many things of IR and his songs" I got exposed to my "ignorance" of technical marvelous of IR !
I was literally shattered ! All my egos were just vanishing like thin air !
I cannot even understand IR songs, forget about understanding IR !
How much of my life was already got wasted and practically no chance of even making an attempt in future !
All such thoughts were rambling in my mind !
To many of you, it may appear funny, that the person who discuss and talk so many things about IR and still feel "empty" on technical side ?
Yes Sir ! One must atleast witness (if not able to participate), the "Efforts" that are put in any orchestra where IR songs are "tried" to be played!
I deliberately use the word "try", because, people can only "try" but never succeed cent per cent !
At later in my life, through my association with IR yahoo club etc, I am vindicated of my feelings ! Many of those technical experts in the club members are the outcome of such college orchestra experience ! Believe me, itÂ’s a fact !
In spite of all these, the joy of even reproducing those songs with the minimum accuracy as possible, can't be measured!
Invariably, every member of the orchestra was virtually in ecstasy and tears when some difficult & wonderful phrases were attempted and the sound emanated as in the song !
Also, on the day of actual performance, the practicality of how a song can go wrong in a hall due to other facts like sound system etc., in spite of your best of efforts, that also I experienced!
The same people who appreciated and applauded ealrier on one moment, booed and yelled when things went haywire!
Thus the bubble of "musician" inside me, which took shape quickly earlier, "died" instantly in the same year !
Though I didn't know what to do at that moment, but I promised to myself, that,
"Someday I will certainly educate myself on music in general and WCM in particular and find out what these musical terms etc are meant ! "
Saturday, October 3, 2009
25-Announcement !
Hi All,
Please await for the next posting for a few more days !
Delay due to the personal reason is sincerely regretted.
In the meanwhile, hope you are already following my other blog on WCM-Lessons (Click here)
Regards
CSR
Please await for the next posting for a few more days !
Delay due to the personal reason is sincerely regretted.
In the meanwhile, hope you are already following my other blog on WCM-Lessons (Click here)
Regards
CSR
Friday, October 2, 2009
26-Year 1983-84 : Start of My Career Life - The IR Moments: Part-1
It was May-1983 !
A different life started for me ! My Career life!
My college studies came to an end, and even before the final semester exams, appointment letter from Tamilnadu PWD, was in my hand (as Asst Engineer, at Palacode, a remote “town” of remote district Dharmapuri).
When I joined PWD after completing my exams, seeing my academic brilliance (w.r.t. PWD standard!!), my Executive Engineer (who was, literally, designation wise, two posts above me, but had joined the TN govt service before my birth!) might have sensed that this fellow would be unfit for “sensitive & money flowing” site work, and put me in the office job as Design Engineer.
In a way I escaped from the site posting (at “Kesarigulihalla”), which otherwise was located another 16 km away from Palacode. Had I been posted there, my life could have gone in a different direction!
Though I was not fully comfortable with the job, it was a blessing in disguise for me in many sense!
A lot of good things w.r.t. my IR understanding & appreciation and even the second series of visits to meet IR, all happened during this period and certain foundation to my WCM studies was also laid during this period!
In the beginning of my career at Palacode, I wrote a “haiku-kavidhai” like this, which summarised my position at that time !
VElai irundhum
VElai illAdha
NAn Oru A.E (read ‘E’ as Tamil Letter and with Tamil meaning!)
In the office, I got myself engaged with a lot of new things which I had to pick-up as a new entrant.
However, after the stressful routine life of college days with assignments, tests, semester exam fever etc., the sudden ‘blank & vacuum ’ evenings and nights, that also in a remote place away from my family was quite unbearable!
Particularly, I didn’t have any music system with me to get myself updated with IR songs, which I never thought of earlier!
So I deviced my own way of using these time productively !
My room was just in the terrace floor of the building where my office was also situated!
The open area in front of my room in that terrace, became my walking ground for the evening. In the absence of tape ecorders, I used to sing to myself all the IR songs, till I become tired!
(Later, when some neighbours joined my adjacent rooms, that practice also had to be stopped, for the fear of them spotting a "insane" guy !)
Soon, I could survey that small town, and I was happy to find three “theatres” were available for the “entertainment”.
Atleast two to three films in a week got screened in those theatres on a rotational basis and that was more than a boon to me!
I could easily afford to see many of those films with my available time and salary!
Now with college days over, I need not worry to choose which film I shall see or leave it!
Every IR film (and many other films too) screened in those theatres, I saw them (anybody remember one Paandian film, in which a buffalo sings and music was by IR? I saw that film also!)
And I used to recall those re-recordings of films and BGMs of those songs alongwith my terrace walking !
During the holidays and week end, I will just slip away to my native village and my own radio and local theatre will welcome me in continuing my IR association!
Also I could consolidate my thoughts and wrote some articles on what could have been IR’s composing techniques to compose a song, given the situation etc!
Some database kind of thing w.r.t. IR films and songs so far composed by him, raagams etc also was compiled by me at that time. (All these were lost when I left Tamil Nadu later!)
With money in my hand and I being the proud owner of my own salary, I could decide on certain other things also!
One such thing was, ordering certain music books to learn about the Western Classical Music etc!
After some frantic searching, I got some catalogue of a book company (publishing Carnatic musical books), and ordered two such books on WCM related titles from them.
I indeed got the books by post! The book was authored by some South Indian musicologist with lot of Carnatic things covered in that rather than WCM.
Anyway some start was made!
That book indeed shook me in and out, and made me realize one thing! This WCM stuff is something bigger than my BE course! I could sense that!
Another fortunate thing I could start in that period was the collections of IR songs, recorded in the cassettes!
Looking back now, I feel I have done a right thing!
I will tell you how and why that started !
A different life started for me ! My Career life!
My college studies came to an end, and even before the final semester exams, appointment letter from Tamilnadu PWD, was in my hand (as Asst Engineer, at Palacode, a remote “town” of remote district Dharmapuri).
When I joined PWD after completing my exams, seeing my academic brilliance (w.r.t. PWD standard!!), my Executive Engineer (who was, literally, designation wise, two posts above me, but had joined the TN govt service before my birth!) might have sensed that this fellow would be unfit for “sensitive & money flowing” site work, and put me in the office job as Design Engineer.
In a way I escaped from the site posting (at “Kesarigulihalla”), which otherwise was located another 16 km away from Palacode. Had I been posted there, my life could have gone in a different direction!
Though I was not fully comfortable with the job, it was a blessing in disguise for me in many sense!
A lot of good things w.r.t. my IR understanding & appreciation and even the second series of visits to meet IR, all happened during this period and certain foundation to my WCM studies was also laid during this period!
In the beginning of my career at Palacode, I wrote a “haiku-kavidhai” like this, which summarised my position at that time !
VElai irundhum
VElai illAdha
NAn Oru A.E (read ‘E’ as Tamil Letter and with Tamil meaning!)
In the office, I got myself engaged with a lot of new things which I had to pick-up as a new entrant.
However, after the stressful routine life of college days with assignments, tests, semester exam fever etc., the sudden ‘blank & vacuum ’ evenings and nights, that also in a remote place away from my family was quite unbearable!
Particularly, I didn’t have any music system with me to get myself updated with IR songs, which I never thought of earlier!
So I deviced my own way of using these time productively !
My room was just in the terrace floor of the building where my office was also situated!
The open area in front of my room in that terrace, became my walking ground for the evening. In the absence of tape ecorders, I used to sing to myself all the IR songs, till I become tired!
(Later, when some neighbours joined my adjacent rooms, that practice also had to be stopped, for the fear of them spotting a "insane" guy !)
Soon, I could survey that small town, and I was happy to find three “theatres” were available for the “entertainment”.
Atleast two to three films in a week got screened in those theatres on a rotational basis and that was more than a boon to me!
I could easily afford to see many of those films with my available time and salary!
Now with college days over, I need not worry to choose which film I shall see or leave it!
Every IR film (and many other films too) screened in those theatres, I saw them (anybody remember one Paandian film, in which a buffalo sings and music was by IR? I saw that film also!)
And I used to recall those re-recordings of films and BGMs of those songs alongwith my terrace walking !
During the holidays and week end, I will just slip away to my native village and my own radio and local theatre will welcome me in continuing my IR association!
Also I could consolidate my thoughts and wrote some articles on what could have been IR’s composing techniques to compose a song, given the situation etc!
Some database kind of thing w.r.t. IR films and songs so far composed by him, raagams etc also was compiled by me at that time. (All these were lost when I left Tamil Nadu later!)
With money in my hand and I being the proud owner of my own salary, I could decide on certain other things also!
One such thing was, ordering certain music books to learn about the Western Classical Music etc!
After some frantic searching, I got some catalogue of a book company (publishing Carnatic musical books), and ordered two such books on WCM related titles from them.
I indeed got the books by post! The book was authored by some South Indian musicologist with lot of Carnatic things covered in that rather than WCM.
Anyway some start was made!
That book indeed shook me in and out, and made me realize one thing! This WCM stuff is something bigger than my BE course! I could sense that!
Another fortunate thing I could start in that period was the collections of IR songs, recorded in the cassettes!
Looking back now, I feel I have done a right thing!
I will tell you how and why that started !
Thursday, October 1, 2009
27-The Cassetted IR moments !
It was October 1983 !
While, over the years, my passion to acquire some music system and recording IR’s songs in cassettes was growing in me like anything, but I controlled myself and going on postponing such ambitions due to various other commitments which I had to fulfill on priority basis.
At Palacode also, there were numerous such recording shops. While going back and forth in the streets to hotels etc, daily I had to invariably passing across these shops, I was lured like anything by the songs of IR they were broadcasting.
The fading away of such songs while you had to keep on walking towards office etc. was really painful. Anyway, things continued like this only for months.
But, by the end of October that year, the national tragic event of assassination of Indira Gandhi took place and that was followed by the national level violence.
There were forced holidays on us. First time I faced the problems of bachelor life. Neither you could get any food nor you can move to your native.
It was on such “stand-still” moment, just to spend time, I got into one of the music recording shop, which was fascinating me for a long time with the unique old time Hindi film songs (of Naushad, Ravi, Madan, Nayyar period).
The owner was one muslim guy, and with my query on old Hindi songs he was stunned and jumping with joy to find a comrade in me!
He happily exhibited all the LPs he was having and very patiently one by one he played the songs as sample! I was shocked to hear the scratched and poor quality of many of those songs !
It just splashed to me that “Am I going to hear the IR songs like this from 30 years from now ? ”
Believe me, really really I was shivering with those kind of thoughts !
While the discussions and search for IR songs that went on with the various local shop fellows after that, the dilemma I faced whether to spend money or not etc. may be out of the scope of our current discussion, two important things happened to me.
Firstly, I made that impulsive decision to buy and record the Hindi songs and thus my first cassette was born.
Secondly, A realization dawn on me, that time never waits for anyone and the available technology is also not going to help in restoring and giving the music of today!
Whatever, you get tomorrow is certainly going to be inferior than yesterday as far as the quality of a recorded music is concerned !
That way, I had already lost so many IR songs in the nearly last seven years, and also in future also, on daily basis I am going to loose steadily, if I don’t act !
So something must be done!
Whether I can invest on music system to hear them or not, I must have the songs with me!
Better now than never !
Then onwards, a sizable portion of my earning, regularly and dedicatedly spent in capturing IR songs.
With first priority accorded to get the current songs of IR that were getting released then and there, that itself was the huge task, because IR was on full steam with atleast 40 films per year!
As a second priority, I continued the search for the old gems wherever and whenever possible and in whatever quality it was available I tried to get that! But there, I could not succeed much!
I was crazy enough to just like a child , happily and proudly looking the cassettes I had recorded and owned, and just recollecting the songs and music by seeing the list!
Later on, occasionally, I could hear those songs on tape record players of others, and one small hand-held mono system of mine (which I purchased later for bgm recording purposes) etc.
Looking back now, though I could smile on myself, I am not ashamed of that!
I was, what I was ! I remain that way !
That IR fanaticism has not reduced even now! Only that, I am now expressing that in slightly polished way ! That's All!
Believe me, it took another 13 years (by that time, my collections have grown into hundreds of cassettes) to have my own reasonable music system in my house and that also was one very ordinary one!
You may wonder why I never acquired any music system !
Because I could see, hear and feel the pleasure of the ultimate when I had the opportunity to hear the birth of a song in the recording theater itself !
That’s the other side of story, to be discussed later !
While, over the years, my passion to acquire some music system and recording IR’s songs in cassettes was growing in me like anything, but I controlled myself and going on postponing such ambitions due to various other commitments which I had to fulfill on priority basis.
At Palacode also, there were numerous such recording shops. While going back and forth in the streets to hotels etc, daily I had to invariably passing across these shops, I was lured like anything by the songs of IR they were broadcasting.
The fading away of such songs while you had to keep on walking towards office etc. was really painful. Anyway, things continued like this only for months.
But, by the end of October that year, the national tragic event of assassination of Indira Gandhi took place and that was followed by the national level violence.
There were forced holidays on us. First time I faced the problems of bachelor life. Neither you could get any food nor you can move to your native.
It was on such “stand-still” moment, just to spend time, I got into one of the music recording shop, which was fascinating me for a long time with the unique old time Hindi film songs (of Naushad, Ravi, Madan, Nayyar period).
The owner was one muslim guy, and with my query on old Hindi songs he was stunned and jumping with joy to find a comrade in me!
He happily exhibited all the LPs he was having and very patiently one by one he played the songs as sample! I was shocked to hear the scratched and poor quality of many of those songs !
It just splashed to me that “Am I going to hear the IR songs like this from 30 years from now ? ”
Believe me, really really I was shivering with those kind of thoughts !
While the discussions and search for IR songs that went on with the various local shop fellows after that, the dilemma I faced whether to spend money or not etc. may be out of the scope of our current discussion, two important things happened to me.
Firstly, I made that impulsive decision to buy and record the Hindi songs and thus my first cassette was born.
Secondly, A realization dawn on me, that time never waits for anyone and the available technology is also not going to help in restoring and giving the music of today!
Whatever, you get tomorrow is certainly going to be inferior than yesterday as far as the quality of a recorded music is concerned !
That way, I had already lost so many IR songs in the nearly last seven years, and also in future also, on daily basis I am going to loose steadily, if I don’t act !
So something must be done!
Whether I can invest on music system to hear them or not, I must have the songs with me!
Better now than never !
Then onwards, a sizable portion of my earning, regularly and dedicatedly spent in capturing IR songs.
With first priority accorded to get the current songs of IR that were getting released then and there, that itself was the huge task, because IR was on full steam with atleast 40 films per year!
As a second priority, I continued the search for the old gems wherever and whenever possible and in whatever quality it was available I tried to get that! But there, I could not succeed much!
I was crazy enough to just like a child , happily and proudly looking the cassettes I had recorded and owned, and just recollecting the songs and music by seeing the list!
Later on, occasionally, I could hear those songs on tape record players of others, and one small hand-held mono system of mine (which I purchased later for bgm recording purposes) etc.
Looking back now, though I could smile on myself, I am not ashamed of that!
I was, what I was ! I remain that way !
That IR fanaticism has not reduced even now! Only that, I am now expressing that in slightly polished way ! That's All!
Believe me, it took another 13 years (by that time, my collections have grown into hundreds of cassettes) to have my own reasonable music system in my house and that also was one very ordinary one!
You may wonder why I never acquired any music system !
Because I could see, hear and feel the pleasure of the ultimate when I had the opportunity to hear the birth of a song in the recording theater itself !
That’s the other side of story, to be discussed later !
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
28-Second Series of Visits of 1983-84 - Part-1
While settling at PWD, Palacode, I could realize that I can not settle there for a long time!
The discomforts of a government job, particularly like PWD, are obvious, and thus my struggle to shift from the job started in full swing.
This necessitated a lot of applications and writing exams of various companies, public sector and central government organization etc.
This made me a frequent visitor to Bangalore and of course to Chennai also as these were standard exam centres located South. In the last quarter of 1983 and the next year, this process continued
Chennai visits had in fact a hidden agenda, and no marks to guess that !
Yes, Chennai visit means darshan of IR, and all exams, interviews are secondary. (Now, you can conclude, why I was going on writing exams without success for more than 2 years ! I had to !)
This second series of visits during 1983 & 84 were characteristically, totally different from my first visit of 1978 ! For obvious reasons, of course !
While my memory fails to recollect exact sequence of happenings, date and time etc. I am having a collage of colorful memories overlapping with each other.
But certain things were common in all these visits!
First and foremost thing is, I could never had a free one-to-one discussion at all with him, even though I might have spent hours in the recording hall and in the console room!
It’s totally a divine experience, which makes you dumb! May be like Kamal in film Guna ?!
Its usually the night bus to Chennai from Dharmapuri. With a lot of expectations of next day which may be in store for you, and the usual discomforts of night bus journey, you can't have the sleep!
By morning 4-30, with sleepy, burning eyes, you are in Broadway, Ratan Bazar bus stop. You wait for nearly one hour for the first town bus and reach T-Nagar by 5-45 or so.
Get freshen up and have coffee (breakfast will not be ready by that time !) in the hotel near that Nalli shop (old one).
Walk with bag and tension, reach the address 157- North Usman Road by 6 to 6-15 AM. (Later this address was changed 152-North Usman Road and then subsequently shifted to 38-Murugesa Mudali street, if I remember correct).
By that time, your heart beat would have reached the highest peak, with the doubt whether you will be allowed to enter or not!
With derived courage, you force into the gate, and reach the corridor of the bungalow where the car gets parked and getting ready. You explain to those assistants etc, if encountered, who look you with all sort of question marks and verify your purpose of visit etc, tell them that you have come to see him from such and such place etc. Sometimes you have to convince them that you had earlier appointments fixed etc.
You are allowed to sit in some chairs provided in the front hall, where similar other guests, some aspirant singers, instrumentalists also wait!
It’s totally like a pooja room, with utmost silence and the smell of flowers and Agarbathis giving you a different feeling! Not less than a early morning temple atmosphere !
Before 6-30 or so, all of a flash, IR just walks out with a smile, in his white kurtha-dhothi, and if known persons are there, a customary smile and a few sentences exchanged, and straight away he gets into his car and vanishes!
This was a routine. But at the first time visit, I didn't know this, rather never imagined such vigorous system will be there!
After so many years of gap, when I first met him, I had a lot of expectations to introduce myself reminding the old connections etc and wish to talk to him, this and that etc!
Because, I still used to live with my old memories of IR of 1978 period, who took us in his car, had hours of time together etc.
Moreover, in the absence of any such knowledge on daily routines etc I could not have imagined a new and trasnformed IR, till such time I myself experienced that !
So, first time, even before I could properly introduce myself to him, he was just moving away.
With sense of fear of losing him, I just again running towards him and told that I want to see his recordings.
He just told that I can come to the studio and just got into the car and left the scene!
I was totally upset and whole world seemed crashing before me! Whole dreams shattered and vanished in moments!
So what next ?
The discomforts of a government job, particularly like PWD, are obvious, and thus my struggle to shift from the job started in full swing.
This necessitated a lot of applications and writing exams of various companies, public sector and central government organization etc.
This made me a frequent visitor to Bangalore and of course to Chennai also as these were standard exam centres located South. In the last quarter of 1983 and the next year, this process continued
Chennai visits had in fact a hidden agenda, and no marks to guess that !
Yes, Chennai visit means darshan of IR, and all exams, interviews are secondary. (Now, you can conclude, why I was going on writing exams without success for more than 2 years ! I had to !)
This second series of visits during 1983 & 84 were characteristically, totally different from my first visit of 1978 ! For obvious reasons, of course !
While my memory fails to recollect exact sequence of happenings, date and time etc. I am having a collage of colorful memories overlapping with each other.
But certain things were common in all these visits!
First and foremost thing is, I could never had a free one-to-one discussion at all with him, even though I might have spent hours in the recording hall and in the console room!
It’s totally a divine experience, which makes you dumb! May be like Kamal in film Guna ?!
Its usually the night bus to Chennai from Dharmapuri. With a lot of expectations of next day which may be in store for you, and the usual discomforts of night bus journey, you can't have the sleep!
By morning 4-30, with sleepy, burning eyes, you are in Broadway, Ratan Bazar bus stop. You wait for nearly one hour for the first town bus and reach T-Nagar by 5-45 or so.
Get freshen up and have coffee (breakfast will not be ready by that time !) in the hotel near that Nalli shop (old one).
Walk with bag and tension, reach the address 157- North Usman Road by 6 to 6-15 AM. (Later this address was changed 152-North Usman Road and then subsequently shifted to 38-Murugesa Mudali street, if I remember correct).
By that time, your heart beat would have reached the highest peak, with the doubt whether you will be allowed to enter or not!
With derived courage, you force into the gate, and reach the corridor of the bungalow where the car gets parked and getting ready. You explain to those assistants etc, if encountered, who look you with all sort of question marks and verify your purpose of visit etc, tell them that you have come to see him from such and such place etc. Sometimes you have to convince them that you had earlier appointments fixed etc.
You are allowed to sit in some chairs provided in the front hall, where similar other guests, some aspirant singers, instrumentalists also wait!
It’s totally like a pooja room, with utmost silence and the smell of flowers and Agarbathis giving you a different feeling! Not less than a early morning temple atmosphere !
Before 6-30 or so, all of a flash, IR just walks out with a smile, in his white kurtha-dhothi, and if known persons are there, a customary smile and a few sentences exchanged, and straight away he gets into his car and vanishes!
This was a routine. But at the first time visit, I didn't know this, rather never imagined such vigorous system will be there!
After so many years of gap, when I first met him, I had a lot of expectations to introduce myself reminding the old connections etc and wish to talk to him, this and that etc!
Because, I still used to live with my old memories of IR of 1978 period, who took us in his car, had hours of time together etc.
Moreover, in the absence of any such knowledge on daily routines etc I could not have imagined a new and trasnformed IR, till such time I myself experienced that !
So, first time, even before I could properly introduce myself to him, he was just moving away.
With sense of fear of losing him, I just again running towards him and told that I want to see his recordings.
He just told that I can come to the studio and just got into the car and left the scene!
I was totally upset and whole world seemed crashing before me! Whole dreams shattered and vanished in moments!
So what next ?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
29-Visits of 1983-84 - Part-2
The car vanished away !
His assistants were waiting for me to leave so that they can close the door.
A shattered body, with all its soul and brain refusing to function further, was standing still there. By nature, and as per my normal way of thinking, I should have told myself to catch the next bus and return.
But not so, in the case of IR related matters! Any difficulties, any humiliations not to matter much, because its worth to attempt all possibilities before accepting the failure !
I must be a different man now, think something and act somehow, come what may be, I shall attempt! I became a different man then suddenly.
I just asked for the details with the people there, what is meant by “Studio” as IR told, and where it is situated and how to go.
Fortunately, they were very helpful and I could realize that I must go to Vada Palani area and make further attempts there!
Where there is a will, there is a way!
I just got out of the house, and though I was hungry, now the time is only to do something else!
So just walked to the nearest bus stand, and after enquiring got into the town bus for Vada Palani.
While traveling, I saw the huge hoardings of cine posters containing IR’s face etc. on both sides of the road, and got into the deep thinking “Can I make it today?”
Very soon, I was shaken up by the conductor asking me get down and then I realized that this place is so near to T-Nagar.
Again after enquiries with the passerby, I walked towards the studio.
That was AVM’s studio, which was quite some distance from the bus stand, where I got down wrongly!
It was around 7-15 or so, when I was near the main gate of the studio, again there were certain worries and hesitations within me cropped up, whether I will be thrown out ! (as usually shown in films etc.).
But, with some courage and determination, I just walked inside, without bothering for those gatekeepers etc. To my surprise nobody asked anything.
I felt, unlike main film personalities, like hero and heroines, during that early hours of a day, security people were not much worried for other techincal people's entry and exit! Later I realized, at that early hours, all these things may be some routine for them.
After walking a quite long road within that area (which many of you might have seen in films), I reached near the actual building where the recording theatre was situated.
Here also, with the same blind gate-crashing I got inside the buildings. It was a lounge kind of thing, from where doors to various rooms and recording hall etc were situated.
I waited a few moments there, thinking that IR will arrive there after some time. But I saw people were getting in and out often in a particular room. Whose doors were remain closed.
With some courage, when I peeped through the small glass panel located in the door, I was astonished to see IR and his few selected crew members who were already on some kind of composing job, though I could not hear what is going on inside that closed room !
Slowly, the realization dawn on me that IR was rushing in the morning for his composing job only!
I started feeling highly guilty, that I had interrupted him while he was getting into the car in that morning! How much concentration and mood control etc are required for a composer and creator, and such interventions would certainly be hampering anybody!
Like any ordinary person would have imagined about a music director (as per the hearsay and usual articles of magazines etc), I also thought in that way, and got into deep thoughts of how to minimize my intervention and at the same time shall see those recordings etc.
Remember, still I was on the lounge area only and it was around 7-45. I also saw some people were coming and going through other door also. After few moments, I gate crashed, one last time, into other double door system, alongwith somebody who was just entering that.
I realized that I have landed in the re-recording hall and what was awaiting me there was the re-recording of some film!
The air-conditioned environment, the silence, and other set-up there sent a chill in me!
First and foremost thing for me to do was to quickly settle in some corner safely, without attracting other’s attention, and I exactly did that!
And got myself stuck in that hall throughout that day ! No food, No water ! Till Night !
But remained there ! As I was amply rewarded otherwise of my efforts!
My first lesson of re-recording fundas, I got on that day !
That of “SoorakkOttai Singakutty !”
His assistants were waiting for me to leave so that they can close the door.
A shattered body, with all its soul and brain refusing to function further, was standing still there. By nature, and as per my normal way of thinking, I should have told myself to catch the next bus and return.
But not so, in the case of IR related matters! Any difficulties, any humiliations not to matter much, because its worth to attempt all possibilities before accepting the failure !
I must be a different man now, think something and act somehow, come what may be, I shall attempt! I became a different man then suddenly.
I just asked for the details with the people there, what is meant by “Studio” as IR told, and where it is situated and how to go.
Fortunately, they were very helpful and I could realize that I must go to Vada Palani area and make further attempts there!
Where there is a will, there is a way!
I just got out of the house, and though I was hungry, now the time is only to do something else!
So just walked to the nearest bus stand, and after enquiring got into the town bus for Vada Palani.
While traveling, I saw the huge hoardings of cine posters containing IR’s face etc. on both sides of the road, and got into the deep thinking “Can I make it today?”
Very soon, I was shaken up by the conductor asking me get down and then I realized that this place is so near to T-Nagar.
Again after enquiries with the passerby, I walked towards the studio.
That was AVM’s studio, which was quite some distance from the bus stand, where I got down wrongly!
It was around 7-15 or so, when I was near the main gate of the studio, again there were certain worries and hesitations within me cropped up, whether I will be thrown out ! (as usually shown in films etc.).
But, with some courage and determination, I just walked inside, without bothering for those gatekeepers etc. To my surprise nobody asked anything.
I felt, unlike main film personalities, like hero and heroines, during that early hours of a day, security people were not much worried for other techincal people's entry and exit! Later I realized, at that early hours, all these things may be some routine for them.
After walking a quite long road within that area (which many of you might have seen in films), I reached near the actual building where the recording theatre was situated.
Here also, with the same blind gate-crashing I got inside the buildings. It was a lounge kind of thing, from where doors to various rooms and recording hall etc were situated.
I waited a few moments there, thinking that IR will arrive there after some time. But I saw people were getting in and out often in a particular room. Whose doors were remain closed.
With some courage, when I peeped through the small glass panel located in the door, I was astonished to see IR and his few selected crew members who were already on some kind of composing job, though I could not hear what is going on inside that closed room !
Slowly, the realization dawn on me that IR was rushing in the morning for his composing job only!
I started feeling highly guilty, that I had interrupted him while he was getting into the car in that morning! How much concentration and mood control etc are required for a composer and creator, and such interventions would certainly be hampering anybody!
Like any ordinary person would have imagined about a music director (as per the hearsay and usual articles of magazines etc), I also thought in that way, and got into deep thoughts of how to minimize my intervention and at the same time shall see those recordings etc.
Remember, still I was on the lounge area only and it was around 7-45. I also saw some people were coming and going through other door also. After few moments, I gate crashed, one last time, into other double door system, alongwith somebody who was just entering that.
I realized that I have landed in the re-recording hall and what was awaiting me there was the re-recording of some film!
The air-conditioned environment, the silence, and other set-up there sent a chill in me!
First and foremost thing for me to do was to quickly settle in some corner safely, without attracting other’s attention, and I exactly did that!
And got myself stuck in that hall throughout that day ! No food, No water ! Till Night !
But remained there ! As I was amply rewarded otherwise of my efforts!
My first lesson of re-recording fundas, I got on that day !
That of “SoorakkOttai Singakutty !”
Monday, September 28, 2009
30-First Re-recording Witnessed - Part-1
In fact, when I was witnessing the re-recording, I didn’t know about the name of the film. It was only in the late evening, as a last piece of recording, the title music was getting recorded; and at that time, I came to know the film name as "Soorakkottai Singakutty"
Many of you might have seen the films Raaja Paarvai, Nizhalgal etc in which the typical recording hall and other arrangements were shown.
Let me recall the one I witnessed on that day.
It’s a rectangular type of small hall, on one side the projecting room and console room is situated and opposite to that is the medium size screen.
Rectangular glasses are seen on the sides of the side-walls, which show us there are small rooms behind that hall, from where the people can “see” what is happening in the hall and vice versa! These rooms are mainly meant for the singers and the chorus team and some time certain groups of instruments are played from there also!
In the hall other than centre portion, some isolated groups of instruments are housed with the chairs and instrument/note stands arranged for the specific instrumentalists!
Generally what I remember to have seen are the sections of Keyboards, Lead and Rhythm guitars, Percussion instruments, Violin (Strings) groups, Flutes (Woodwind) groups etc are accommodated in the hall, all of them generally can easily face the screen as well as the central area.
As I could guess from my logical sense, most of these instruments in that hall are either directly connected through cable to the console or instruments that will make gentle or mild sound and can co-exist without disturbing the other. Main singing voices and choral voices are accommodated in the individual glass rooms for more clarity.
Some of you might have guessed now and felt the shortcomings of being in the main recording hall. i.e.
You Can Only Hear Some Partial Music that are going on from that hall!
It’s so because, keyboard, Guitar type of instruments when the cable is connected in them, immediately they are muted and the sound can be heard only in the console room.
Similarly, voices behind the glass room also directly goes to the console and again you can’t hear them if you are in the hall!
So, it’s the violins, flutes and the rhythms that are what reaching you directly, whose sounds are picked up by powerful microphones fitted near them.
But don’t worry; at the time of rehearsal all the instruments are available for you to hear!
Now the central portion is obviously meant for IR with his Harmonium and the chair for him.
When I entered the hall, most of the arrangements were ready, but the people were not there except the boys who arrange them and connecting and checking the cable, the crew which was checking the film clips to be screened etc. I had taken refugee near the area where the Keyboards and guitars were kept.
Slowly people started entering the room and took their positions. They are the people of so jovial and blast and enjoy nature and all the things that go with them cannot be explained! You may feel as if you are in a College class room, before the period starts!
But suddenly everything went off and a forced silence crept in, which I could not believe or understand why, what happened to them!
Then I realized that IR has just entered! The discipline you witness there is unprecedented!
He took his seat and immediately the hall lights were dimmed and the screening started!
Firstly, the selected film clipping started rolling without any kind of sound! It was a totally new experience, as if you are viewing a movie in a TV after pressing the mute button!
If you have VCD/DVD player try that! See a particular significant portion of the movie without the sound and then again with sound! You will realize what the sound and music means to a film!
As I could guess, the portion is that from the Climax. A few emotional scenes between Vijayakumari (VK) and Prabhu both tied to pillars and villain and gang laughing and witnessing the drama. After full throated emotional outburst of VK, Prabhu break open the shackles with the whole pillar coming down and there starts the fighting for about 10 minutes with police & others finally arriving and the film to end!
So many time such scenes are scene in films, but this time I was seeing them without any sort of sound in a mini-screen and of us witnessing them in utter silence except a few comic scenes in fighting (including VK’s emotional outburst moment) when some smiles and gentle laugh came from some of the people !
I also saw a lot of markings of circles and cross marks in the corner of the film appearing and dis-appearing ! After this climax scene, a few more clippings from the same film was also screened ! With all bits and pieces, you cannot make it out what the film is or what its actual story!
Once this cycle is over, once the again screening process started after re-rolling the films in the projector!
This time I could hear all the dialogues at the appropriate place. Now it made a little more sense to me! But again there were no other music or any kind of sounds like fighting sounds, dashing etc! Again you feel very awkward to see a whole lot of fighting scene in such a silence atmosphere! You will simply loose interest to watch any film in such conditions!
Once the complete screening is over, the light went on full, and feeble whispering noises of small conversations started in the hall, with people getting up and many moving out of the hall !
I was totally puzzled, what is happening there!
We start with a climax, and also without any sound and after that all people getting up and go out and the hall returned to utter silence!
But to my surprise, IR didn’t go out, rather now he took some notebook kept on his harmonium and took his pencil and started writing something making the harmonium as his desk!
He was in such a deep thinking and went on writing as if he was possessed by something!
A few handful of artists, went near him with their notepad pencil etc and some took the chairs and sat near him and others stood surrounding him, as if a steno is standing and ready to take dictation!
I was not having the guts to go near and see what he is writing but just keep on watching the process of his writing and others standing over and looking over his neck and copying what he is writing.
This process went on for some 15 to 20 minutes! He finished his writing and the others were still continuing copying!
A few doubts among others and some exchanges of words and the process are over!
And now, even IR and his remaining gang got up and went out of the hall!
What is happening and where is the music and where is the recording?
Shall I also go out and see? But I didn’t do that as I believed that if I leave the hall, I may not get back into the hall once again!
So what? I instructed to myself “Stick to your place and just wait for the things to happen!”
And when people re-assembled after this break, every one of them had their portion of sheets ready in front of them and few tried them and that’s the fist time I heard some musical sound on that day! Again it didn’t make any sense to me!
But after a few minutes, again the silence gripped the hall.
Then IR entered and went to the centre of the hall and put his headphone on his head. After a few tense moments among the players in that hall, he turned towards the violin group and started waving his hands and thus came the Magic!
Magic of music! Created by God of Music!
What to say, one can die at that instant moment!
My purpose of Birth was already over on that day!
Many of you might have seen the films Raaja Paarvai, Nizhalgal etc in which the typical recording hall and other arrangements were shown.
Let me recall the one I witnessed on that day.
It’s a rectangular type of small hall, on one side the projecting room and console room is situated and opposite to that is the medium size screen.
Rectangular glasses are seen on the sides of the side-walls, which show us there are small rooms behind that hall, from where the people can “see” what is happening in the hall and vice versa! These rooms are mainly meant for the singers and the chorus team and some time certain groups of instruments are played from there also!
In the hall other than centre portion, some isolated groups of instruments are housed with the chairs and instrument/note stands arranged for the specific instrumentalists!
Generally what I remember to have seen are the sections of Keyboards, Lead and Rhythm guitars, Percussion instruments, Violin (Strings) groups, Flutes (Woodwind) groups etc are accommodated in the hall, all of them generally can easily face the screen as well as the central area.
As I could guess from my logical sense, most of these instruments in that hall are either directly connected through cable to the console or instruments that will make gentle or mild sound and can co-exist without disturbing the other. Main singing voices and choral voices are accommodated in the individual glass rooms for more clarity.
Some of you might have guessed now and felt the shortcomings of being in the main recording hall. i.e.
You Can Only Hear Some Partial Music that are going on from that hall!
It’s so because, keyboard, Guitar type of instruments when the cable is connected in them, immediately they are muted and the sound can be heard only in the console room.
Similarly, voices behind the glass room also directly goes to the console and again you can’t hear them if you are in the hall!
So, it’s the violins, flutes and the rhythms that are what reaching you directly, whose sounds are picked up by powerful microphones fitted near them.
But don’t worry; at the time of rehearsal all the instruments are available for you to hear!
Now the central portion is obviously meant for IR with his Harmonium and the chair for him.
When I entered the hall, most of the arrangements were ready, but the people were not there except the boys who arrange them and connecting and checking the cable, the crew which was checking the film clips to be screened etc. I had taken refugee near the area where the Keyboards and guitars were kept.
Slowly people started entering the room and took their positions. They are the people of so jovial and blast and enjoy nature and all the things that go with them cannot be explained! You may feel as if you are in a College class room, before the period starts!
But suddenly everything went off and a forced silence crept in, which I could not believe or understand why, what happened to them!
Then I realized that IR has just entered! The discipline you witness there is unprecedented!
He took his seat and immediately the hall lights were dimmed and the screening started!
Firstly, the selected film clipping started rolling without any kind of sound! It was a totally new experience, as if you are viewing a movie in a TV after pressing the mute button!
If you have VCD/DVD player try that! See a particular significant portion of the movie without the sound and then again with sound! You will realize what the sound and music means to a film!
As I could guess, the portion is that from the Climax. A few emotional scenes between Vijayakumari (VK) and Prabhu both tied to pillars and villain and gang laughing and witnessing the drama. After full throated emotional outburst of VK, Prabhu break open the shackles with the whole pillar coming down and there starts the fighting for about 10 minutes with police & others finally arriving and the film to end!
So many time such scenes are scene in films, but this time I was seeing them without any sort of sound in a mini-screen and of us witnessing them in utter silence except a few comic scenes in fighting (including VK’s emotional outburst moment) when some smiles and gentle laugh came from some of the people !
I also saw a lot of markings of circles and cross marks in the corner of the film appearing and dis-appearing ! After this climax scene, a few more clippings from the same film was also screened ! With all bits and pieces, you cannot make it out what the film is or what its actual story!
Once this cycle is over, once the again screening process started after re-rolling the films in the projector!
This time I could hear all the dialogues at the appropriate place. Now it made a little more sense to me! But again there were no other music or any kind of sounds like fighting sounds, dashing etc! Again you feel very awkward to see a whole lot of fighting scene in such a silence atmosphere! You will simply loose interest to watch any film in such conditions!
Once the complete screening is over, the light went on full, and feeble whispering noises of small conversations started in the hall, with people getting up and many moving out of the hall !
I was totally puzzled, what is happening there!
We start with a climax, and also without any sound and after that all people getting up and go out and the hall returned to utter silence!
But to my surprise, IR didn’t go out, rather now he took some notebook kept on his harmonium and took his pencil and started writing something making the harmonium as his desk!
He was in such a deep thinking and went on writing as if he was possessed by something!
A few handful of artists, went near him with their notepad pencil etc and some took the chairs and sat near him and others stood surrounding him, as if a steno is standing and ready to take dictation!
I was not having the guts to go near and see what he is writing but just keep on watching the process of his writing and others standing over and looking over his neck and copying what he is writing.
This process went on for some 15 to 20 minutes! He finished his writing and the others were still continuing copying!
A few doubts among others and some exchanges of words and the process are over!
And now, even IR and his remaining gang got up and went out of the hall!
What is happening and where is the music and where is the recording?
Shall I also go out and see? But I didn’t do that as I believed that if I leave the hall, I may not get back into the hall once again!
So what? I instructed to myself “Stick to your place and just wait for the things to happen!”
And when people re-assembled after this break, every one of them had their portion of sheets ready in front of them and few tried them and that’s the fist time I heard some musical sound on that day! Again it didn’t make any sense to me!
But after a few minutes, again the silence gripped the hall.
Then IR entered and went to the centre of the hall and put his headphone on his head. After a few tense moments among the players in that hall, he turned towards the violin group and started waving his hands and thus came the Magic!
Magic of music! Created by God of Music!
What to say, one can die at that instant moment!
My purpose of Birth was already over on that day!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
31-Re-recording of Soorakkottai Singakutty - Part-2
It was a pleasant shock to me !
This is what the so called rehearsal!
Again there is a controlled break and artists disappear from the hall for some time. And IR got into the Console room and sat in front of it with the Sound Engineer!
When the team re-assembles, this time the Conductor is somebody different!
Initially, all the sound levels of individual instruments track by track checked.
Then the same screening starts and everything flows as usual.
But when you are seeing everything going perfectly, suddenly, the whole thing is coming to screeching halt!
I realised later that, since I was inside the hall, some the instructions which are flowing from console room I was not able to listen but it was reaching the Conductor through his headphone and so, as per the instructions of IR, he cuts short the conducting and halt is made.
Again it started, and this time the progress was a little bit more and again it was halted forcibly!
Later I realized, these were the processes of what they call as “Takes”, and each time some improvisation is made as per the requirement of the recording engineer as well as the music director and the perfection is built step-by-step!
Many of us are in professional career and we also follow a lot of quality assurance plan! But I will tell you, the things that are going in any field of film technologies, in no way inferior in the efforts of assuring that quality one can dream of! We the film viewers are not aware/ conscious of such efforts and whatever we see as the final product make our harsh comments on that!
IR in that way has disciplined the music field a lot and introduced utmost professionalism to the core!
Once upon a time, one has to demand and get that, and now it’s a part of the package and what you do is further improvising !
In that regard, the whole lot of TFM and for that matter, the whole Indian film industry including Hindi, who are professionally engaging all our technical facilities, are indebted for ever to IR!
Some of you, who might have seen the climax of “Soorakkottai Singakkutty” may not agree with my above views and these may look like I am hyping or glorifying IR.
But the fact is, the efforts went on are real and absolutely truthful, and what is to be seen is, irrespective of the film, IR gives his best!
During that forenoon session, two more portions of films also completed with re-recording, which are again the fighting sequence.
You wont believe me, IR amazingly fit the re-recordings of two different portions of the Climax fighting scenes to these two portions and they were excellently fitting!
Many of us watching the movie may not be realising that the pieces are same unless, you record the audio separately and listen to that ! This trend I saw later in many of the other BGMs !
Then the whole group dispersed for lunch break.
And I stuck to the same hall ! Till the crew returned by 3PM or so!
When IR took his usual central hall position, he surveyed around the hall with his eyes. When his sight fall on me, it stopped with some kind of surprise!
He asked in a controlled tone and with sign language “Sappitaacha??” With utter emotions bursting inside me, without distrurbing the silence of that hall, with sign language, I told my first lie to IR, “Yes!”
In that few seconds exchange of unspoken words, all my disappointments of that day early morning vanished away in moments!
IR the Man, never changes!
For any first timer it will look like a magic!
They call it rehearsals, but you can see that as more than prefect for a final take !
You see, none of them talked with each other. Yet the communication was full and perfection to the core!
Whom shall I praise ?
The hands that waved magic or the brain that created ?
Or the artists who understand the brain-wave of IR even without talking?
Or the skills of the artists who gave that complicated output to the utmost perfection in single go?
Entharo Mahaanu Baavulu ! Antharikku Vandhanamu!
It's pity, they call it rehearsals! And further go on trying to improvise that ! It was an amazing attempt to attain perfection!
Within few minutes I understood that, what is going on is a section-wise checking.
First violin, then the brass, then the rhythm etc individually tried for the composed piece! Though it looks nice individually, you can not understand what is there in store as a whole.
While doing that, IR individually pointed out to the concerned, wherever he wanted, some changes, corrections, improvements etc. Again these are some few words/terminology which I cannot understand, sometime even some hand signs, that’s all, the communication is over! Keyboard, guitar, flute section etc, were not even checked initially !
Then the screening started ! Now, came the shock of my life !
When IR waved his hands to the orchestral team, at appropriate time, each of the individual/group of instruments came in, joined the others and went silence whenever required as per the communication of the Master Conductor, IR!
Synchronous to the Core!
And thus formed the re-recording which fit into the screened film,
with their due emotions,
- matching the dialogues,
- matching each movement of the fighting scenes,
- the sudden silence [as IR cleverly anticipates that any of his music in this section of film will be a waste (like rolling of heavy vessels, sounds of heavy vehicles chasing etc. as usually happens in typical film sets of typical fighting scenes!)],
- extend the flute alaapanai, or extend the violin notes at same level etc, when the change of scenes and shots taking place !
This is what the so called rehearsal!
Again there is a controlled break and artists disappear from the hall for some time. And IR got into the Console room and sat in front of it with the Sound Engineer!
When the team re-assembles, this time the Conductor is somebody different!
Initially, all the sound levels of individual instruments track by track checked.
Then the same screening starts and everything flows as usual.
But when you are seeing everything going perfectly, suddenly, the whole thing is coming to screeching halt!
I realised later that, since I was inside the hall, some the instructions which are flowing from console room I was not able to listen but it was reaching the Conductor through his headphone and so, as per the instructions of IR, he cuts short the conducting and halt is made.
Again it started, and this time the progress was a little bit more and again it was halted forcibly!
Later I realized, these were the processes of what they call as “Takes”, and each time some improvisation is made as per the requirement of the recording engineer as well as the music director and the perfection is built step-by-step!
Many of us are in professional career and we also follow a lot of quality assurance plan! But I will tell you, the things that are going in any field of film technologies, in no way inferior in the efforts of assuring that quality one can dream of! We the film viewers are not aware/ conscious of such efforts and whatever we see as the final product make our harsh comments on that!
IR in that way has disciplined the music field a lot and introduced utmost professionalism to the core!
Once upon a time, one has to demand and get that, and now it’s a part of the package and what you do is further improvising !
In that regard, the whole lot of TFM and for that matter, the whole Indian film industry including Hindi, who are professionally engaging all our technical facilities, are indebted for ever to IR!
Some of you, who might have seen the climax of “Soorakkottai Singakkutty” may not agree with my above views and these may look like I am hyping or glorifying IR.
But the fact is, the efforts went on are real and absolutely truthful, and what is to be seen is, irrespective of the film, IR gives his best!
During that forenoon session, two more portions of films also completed with re-recording, which are again the fighting sequence.
You wont believe me, IR amazingly fit the re-recordings of two different portions of the Climax fighting scenes to these two portions and they were excellently fitting!
Many of us watching the movie may not be realising that the pieces are same unless, you record the audio separately and listen to that ! This trend I saw later in many of the other BGMs !
Then the whole group dispersed for lunch break.
And I stuck to the same hall ! Till the crew returned by 3PM or so!
When IR took his usual central hall position, he surveyed around the hall with his eyes. When his sight fall on me, it stopped with some kind of surprise!
He asked in a controlled tone and with sign language “Sappitaacha??” With utter emotions bursting inside me, without distrurbing the silence of that hall, with sign language, I told my first lie to IR, “Yes!”
In that few seconds exchange of unspoken words, all my disappointments of that day early morning vanished away in moments!
IR the Man, never changes!
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