Chanced to see this beautiful song on TV yesterday. K.V. Mahadevan who is generally known for heavy carnatic numbers has also given some great guitar-soaked western numbers like Gnayiru Enbathu Kannaga, Unnai Arindhaal.
Thol Kanden Thole Kanden is yet another Guitar gem from the late Veteran Composer. Song starts in the Western and shifts to folk in Charanams. The USP of this song is lovely Guitar chords, Orchestration in the Pallavi and nice rendition by P.B. Srinivas.
Few days before, while I was watching Pazhaya Sogangal from the movie Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal, the Opening Shot, in which, Prathap Pothen was sitting on the seashore, beside a boat immediately caught my eyes. When checked in Wikipedia, it showed Ashok Kumar's name. I wasn't surprised. The late cinematographer Ashok Kumar was one of the best in the industry. Though he has done a lot of movies, he created some beautiful shots in Mahendran movies, in particular, Nenjathai Killathey, Nandu. Paruvame Pudhiya Paadal Paadu - with its mist, lush greenery, and morning light looked like a canvas painted on the screen.
Another favourite is Manjal Veyil Song from the movie Nandu. The opening High-Angle Shot in which the Camera looks at the entrance of the home with guests coming in for a Birthday party or Aswini holding her baby in a garden, shots looked lovely. Maniratnam says, "The relationship between Cameraman and Director is like Husband and Wife. The better their understanding better the film". I see Mahendran and Ashok Kumar as a perfect example of his phrase. Good Cinematography is not about high-end technical gadgets or filming in foreign locations; its mere evoking an emotion, a feel. The same Ashok Kumar did the cinematography for Jeans too. In spite of shooting in great wonders of the world, he couldn't create a feel as like he did in Nenjathai Killadhey or in Nandu. There comes the script and the director :-)
Note: A bit about Manjal Veyil Compositon. What a stunning work from Maestro. Song starts with Veena and the moment the hero comes we hear a grand violin orchestration followed by a cello, the cello sounds as though someone is knifing our hearts. See Raja's foreshadowing brilliance here: the song happens in an auspicious event, for this Veena, Flute, Classical Guitar everything fits in. But the hero suffering from a critical illness yet to tell his situation and roaming alone disheartened; soon everything is going to be changed in a happy family. For this Raja prepares us subtly before that is going to happen.
The first lnterlude is an emotional outburst score. It starts with a baroqish solo violin with a group of violins subtly playing a different melody in the background then shifts to flute/classical guitar the moment the hero sees Vanitha and his lover on a rickshaw, here too, a Jugalbandi occurs between Flute, Guitar, and Veena. (The way, the trio expressing their emotions in their faces, is too good to see in the screen.)
In the Amadeus movie, Salieri beautifully describes Mozart's music in a remarkable scene : " Sweetened into a phrase with such delight. This was a music I've never heard. Filled with such longing such unfulfillable longing as though I am hearing the voice of God. " The same I felt, listening to this(Manjal Veyil Maalaiyitta Poove..) piece.
After a tiresome day, This song Vanthaale Allipooo.. made my day. One of the finest little gems of Ilaiyaraaja. Song starts with a classical rhythm and shifts to Guitar strummings with Raja's voice. Poornima... an epitome of beauty in this song. Her Cotton Sarees, smile, body language - absolute pleasure to watch. What a beautiful tribute to her.
Last Week, I saw a few scenes and a beautiful song from a movie which I haven't seen before. Later on, when I tried to find the movie name I couldn't, since I didn't remember the song name. After that, I tried searching in Wikipedia, using a combination of Radhika, Sivakumar, and Menaka's Filmography and did find the movie name - Urangatha Ninaivugal. Two things caught my attention in the movie: One, this song and the next one, Cinematography. It was a pleasant surprise to know the man behind the Camera was Balumahendra. The first thing that comes to my mind in Balu's Cinematography is Natural Lighting and his love for nature. We see the landscape, sky, lush greenery, streams as they are not with an altered color tones so as to elevate their beauty what we generally see in other movies.
Malare Malare Ullasam,..
Poongatru Pudhithanadhu..
Sendhaazham Poovil..
Poovannam Pola Minnum..
Kannamma Kadhal Ennum Kavithai
Ila Nenje Vaa...
All the above songs bear a solid testimony to his tribute to nature. Besides, his songs are a whiff of fresh air in one aspect. I suppose only in his songs, all the heroines comes with their natural faces rather applying ample colors and touch-ups on their faces.
Nowadays, most of the songs come with innumerable cuts as we wonder whether the song has been made by the Editor or a film-maker. This is not the way a song should be picturised. Of course, if a song demands rapid-cut editing like Poovukenna Pootu - it is OK to have a fast editing of many shots. But not for all songs.The song should take its time with Long Takes, Long Shots. Only, a good cameraman and a director can accomplish this. Else, all songs would suffer from heavy editing. These are not termed to called as songs rather Flipbooks which pass at every second.
When you look at Balu's songs they are as like his scenes they flow like a stream with minimal cuts. We get to see Long Shots, Close-Ups, Panoramic View, the Horizon, Streams, Dolly Shots. Even if he shoots in artificial lighting - Nalam Vaazha Ennaalum - the song doesn't cause an irritation to our eyes. It's simple and pure.
Coincidentally, this week, I am addicted to two numbers from the movie Vanna Vanna Pookal. Lastly, have you seen any hero, riding casually in a cycle, enjoying the woods, dancing and living alone. The Shot, when Prashanth crosses a set of people including a boy and a girl, having a load of firewood on their heads affected me a lot craving for their simplicity and their surroundings.
This simplicity we could find only in Balu Mahendra Songs.
8 Years before, When I listened to Pootukkal Pottaalum, I was awe-struck by the tune, brilliant orchestration and the rhythms. But, at that time, I didn't know that it was a Waltz style composition. Later, being exposed to various forms of music, made me figure out whether the song is a waltz or rock and roll or jazz. I do know this won't be right always as I don't analyse it technically but just tell it by listening experience.
Songs are an integral part of our Indian Movies. Yes, Hollywood films do have songs but they come in the musical category, not in the mainstream films. However, in India, when the cinema medium was in its baby steps trying to cement a permanent place, mythological dramas were ruling us as the sole entertainment. Gradually, films replaced these dramas but retaining songs and lengthy dialogs from the dramas.
Hence, in the early years of Tamil Films, all we saw a movie between songs. Apparently, our films were just an extended versions of our mythological dramas without a clear understanding of the visual medium. Those days, with no dubbing technology, the characters in the film have to sing the songs for themselves. As a result, professional singers like M.K.T, P.U. Chinnappa became heroes. And, being the movies were mere epics, all the songs sounded heavy Carnatic numbers. However in Bollywood, Anil Biswas, Ramchandra, Naushad started fusing our songs with Western Classical Orchestration, trying new forms of music like waltz, rock and roll. Gradually, this trend reached in South too. Saluri Rajeswara Rao was one such composer who had tried western classical nuances in our songs.
Probably, the best example is Kalyana Samayal Saadham (Mayabazaar). The whole song is rooted in Western Classical style - both the orchestration and the scale of the song. Noted Cinema Historian, Theodore Baskaran says: This is in the lines of "Marching Theme". If you hear, John Paul Jones Score, you could probably relate to this style.
Inadvertently, I find out this brilliant Waltz in the Navin Mozart's Soundcloud uploads where I actually landed to listen Vetri Karangal Title Score. What a shame, all these years I've been so dumb to miss this rare piece from the movie Sathya. Venkateswaran Ganesan has this song in You tube with the best Stereo Recording. Ilaiyaraaja Fans who aren't aware of this song, give it a try.
Of Course everyone knows the brilliance of Ilaiyaraaja when comes to BGM; We had/will read n number of articles/news/blogs exploring the Master's breathtaking BGM's on - soulful Idhayathai Thirudathey Title Score Or spine-chilling Sivappu Rojakkal Or Poovizhi Vasalilie "Om Om Hari Om" Or blissful romantic scores like Kathalukku Mariyadhai, Aanpaavam, Or sentimental Thalapathy Score and so on, but hardly we had read about Maestro's comical BGMs which are no way inferior to his other mainstream scores.
It happened on one or few instances while watching some comedy scenes, I was completely amazed by the scores, which eclipsed the actors in those scenes.This is something unusual.Generally, BGM doesn't play a major role in comedy scenes than compared to emotional or romantic scenes - as comedy scenes depend purely on its actors to do their slapstick gimmicks. In spite of this, Maestro's scores are remarkable in many comedy scenes as they even outdo the actors.
Some of the best funny scores of Ilaiyaraaja I love.
Mudhal Mariyadhai : In a complete emotional movie, there lies a single scene - where Radha challenges Sivaji to lift the "Maapillai Stone" - which shows Ilaiyaraaja's stamp.Scene starts with a beautiful Guitar strumming, closely joined by another Guitar, forming a heavenly counterpoint and finally ends as a postlude Keyboard piece.This is one of the most delightful score ever composed by Raja.(Of Course Sivaji's expression too priceless)
Naane Raja Naane Mandhiri : After all, Who could forget the classic phrase " இஷ்ட லக்கடி லாலா சுந்தரி கோலா கொப்பர கொய்யா!! " The movie which showed the Captain in a new and unusual role.Needless to say,he pulled off the role quite comfortably.Equally the BGM too take the credit.Listen to the Title Score. Ilaiyaraaja's Trumpet Grandiose starts the moment Vijaykanth comes.
Agni Natchathiram : VK Ramasamy tries to hide Disco Shanthi from his wife by moving her from one room to another.This is what the scene.But it has three emotions Humour - Secrecy - Sensual.On observing the score anyone could clearly figure out the three emotions.That's typical genius of Ilaiyaraaja!!!!
Karagatakkaran : What's there to say in this BGM ? :-)
Padikathavan :
The above are some of the best known examples I have seen till now of Ilaiyaraaja.Raasukutti Theme is another good score from Raja but sadly I couldn't find it in youtube.Still there could be some scores which I missed and I will try to upload them in future.
