Certain things, or for that matter many
things in this world cannot be defined nor can it be quantified. Take softness
for example. We say ‘He/she/this/that is very soft’. What that ‘very’ means is
up to the other person to guess. Is this
too not subjective?
At the same time, that which gives us a
pleasing feeling is considered to be soft. Have a look at this poem:
‘You are my Moon, I am your Sea;
You are my ‘shruti’, I am the sweet
tune;
You my eyeball, my nectar;
You are the fragrance, I am the flower;
You are the words, I am the language
Oh, my dear, your beauty can never be
described.’
‘
‘வெண்ணிலவு நீ எனக்கு, மேவு கடல் நான் உனக்கு;
பண்ணுசுதி நீ எனக்கு, பாட்டினிமை நான் உனக்கு;
வீசுகமழ் நீ எனக்கு, விரியும் மலர் நான் உனக்கு;
பேசுபொருள் நீ எனக்கு, பேணுமொழி நான் உனக்கு;
எண்ணி எண்ணிப் பார்த்திடிலோர் எண்ணமில்லை நின்சுவைக்கே;
கண்ணின் மணி போன்றவளே!கட்டி அமுதே!கண்ணம்மா!’
Written by the Mahakavi, this poem
undoubtedly should be considered to be one of the best love poems in world
literature. The words and the meanings
these convey, would make even a stone turn soft.
But are all poems soft? The same poet
wrote ‘ My heart bleeds when tears flow down from your eyes’. Another dimension
to love! It is so intense that it melts
our hearts but it surely does not give a soft feeling.
One is like a gentle breeze that kisses
our cheeks and massages our hearts while the other pierces our hearts and make
us weep.
Music too is multi dimensional like
poetry. There is no feeling in this world which music does not encompass.
Starting today, let us have a new series for emotions/feeling in ILaiyaraaja’s
music. In this short series, I shall try and cover a range of emotions in his
music though it must be understood that it is next to impossible to cover the
entire gamut of emotions just like how difficult it is to cover all the nuances
in his music. Let it also be not misconstrued that the series will cover all
the ‘defined emotions’, say like the navarasa.
‘Aaaro paadunna’ from the Malayalam film
‘Katha Parayunnu(2009) based on the raag MaaNd, is the first song in the series. .
Raag MaaNd is essentially a Hindustani
raga and has been adapted into the
carnatic system since the last century or so. It is said that the raag has its
origins from the Rajasthani folk music. Listening to the raag and considering
the kind of emotions it evokes, this must be true. Like ‘Pahaadi’ which has its
roots in the Hilly region, MaaNd too becomes more beautiful when alien notes
are added to it. And of course like the Hilly raag, it is very difficult to
define its aro/avaroh structure and confine it. However, as per the Hindustani
raag texts, its aroh/avaroh is:
sa ga3 ma1 pa dha2 ni3 Sa/Sa Sa ni3 dha2 pa dha2 pa ni3 dha2 pa ga3 ma1
ga3 ri2 sa.
We get the flavour of the raag in
phrases like ga3 ma1 pa dha2 ni3 Sa/pa ni3 dha2 pa ga3/ga3 ma1 ga3 ri2 sa.
Somehow, the raag gives the carnatic
Vasanta feel at times though it has the ‘pa’. Yet another allied raag is the
Hindustani ‘Binna shadj’.
As already mentioned, the raag gives a
variety of emotions and yet is very soft.
‘Aaro paadunna..’ has a smooth and melodic start with a very brief humming by the female
voice(Chitra) followed by the rendering of the first line without percussion by
the male voice(Hariharan). The echo effect is not to be missed. The female
humming continues but this time the mellow keys join as well. It is an ethereal
experience even as the guitar strums and the synth violins make some gentle
movements. The keys pierce our hearts softly.
The composition follows the chatushra
eka taLa (4-beat cycle) with the Pallavi in ‘ateeta eduppu’ with samam on ‘ro’.
The percussion which is absent in the entire prelude makes its appearance only
at the end of the first line. Until then it is the bass guitar and a few subtle
melodic instruments that act as percussion. These melodic instruments continue
even after the percussion instrument with the guitar soundin ‘ta ki ta ta ki ta
ta ka’ and the percussion and subtle bells sounding ta ka dhi mi ta ka dhi mi
completing the 16 maatraas.
The ‘ro’ in the first line and the
‘ill’ in the second line are extended for one complete cycle respectively
giving a very unique feeling. So does the end of the pallavi where Chitra
renders the first line without percussion. Atmosphere of tranquility!
With unbridled enthusiasm, the electric
guitar-which follows the pleasant execution of the synth instruments- goes
around in the first interlude. The
interlude is further embellished by the different sounding synth instrument
with the resplendent piano keys making
the experience more fascinating. The synth violins in the end are soft and
powerful.
The first line in the CharaNam is
backed only by the subtle bells and the bass guitar. The second part touches
the higher octave notes and is musically elegant with the slick and graceful
strings echoing this for one full avartanam. The next part is verdant while the
final part is a reposeful depiction of the beauty of the raag.
The Piano holds sway in the second
interlude. It smiles, it glides. It dances, it romances. It jumps, it dazzles.
It also plays subtly towards the end supporting the strings which takes us deep
into a valley of emotions. The entire interlude which gives lessons in WCM is felicitously mellifluous.
In fact, the rendezvous with Piano and
WCM continues in the postlude first with the playing of a very popular rhyme
followed by a free flowing melody which flows gently embracing the body, the
heart and the soul.
Soft song of the soul!!
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