ILaiyaraaja – The Exotic Musician

 

Tender than the sprouts and having the fragrance of the white glory lily blossoms and water lilies is this young woman’s body. And isn’t it so enthralling to embrace her?

Awestruck by the beauty of the young woman, the man mutters these words to himself.

கோடல் எதிர் முகைப் பசு வீ முல்லை

நாறு இதழ்க் குவளையொடு இடையிடுபு விரைஇ

ஐது தொடை மாண்ட கோதை போல

நறிய நல்லோள் மேனி        

முறியினும் வாய்வது, முயங்கற்கும் இனிதே.

Written by a poet called SiRaikkudi Aandaiyaar, this is part of KuRunthogai, one of the works belonging to the Sangam Era. There is an inextricable link between literature and romance, and it is a known fact that poetry and love go together.

And yes, music and romance go together as well.

One can keep giving examples and this will fill reams and reams of pages. Due to lack of space, let me take up just one now.

Thaana Vandha Sandaname from Ooru Vittu Ooru Vanddhu(1990) is based on a very classical raga called Kharaharapriya. One of the most ancient ragas, this raga is also one of the basic PaNs in Tamizh music and is known by the name ‘Kodippaalai’.

The composition has an unusual start. The guitar sounds with exuberance and continues playing a short melody. The flute ambles and moves with poetic intensity. There is also a very different sound which even sounds eerie. The Jaalra and the very subtle bass guitar combine with all these and the experience is unmatchable.

SPB starts the Pallavi and one cannot miss the sangati even in the very first phrase which goes like nidhapadhaSa. The Master now makes a subtle variation of this sangati and makes the phrase that follows as – nidhapanidhapa.

Subtleties do matter when it comes to music, love and life!

The Master now shows the avarohaNam of the raga towards the end of the next line, but it is the third line which beautifully defines the raga with the typical phrase-rigamagari. The sudden entry of the lower - octave swaras- dha. ni. and sa.- in this line and in the line which follows this shows the classical Raaja at his best.

Sound of the thunder- This is how one can describe the beginning of the first interlude. If there is thunder, how can one stop the rain? It is a rain of melody. The brass instruments move vigorously and melodiously with the strings playing the second fiddle. It gathers momentum with the entry of the guitar and the keys which give a flowery musical expression. The two sets of strings take over now with one set roaring in the higher - octave and the second set moving with disciplined smoothness. What is to be noted is the fact that the two sets play two different melodies parallelly without sounding cacophonic.

The lines in the CharaNams show the classical Raaja yet again in the voices of SPB and Janaki. It starts with the avarohaNam in the beginning of the first line which even goes on to touches the upper Sa.Not stopping with this, it also touches the upper Ri and Ga. But there is more to come. The third and fourth lines see a sudden spurt with the upper Ri following the mid-ri and this goes upper and upper until it reaches the upper Ma, a rarity even in a normal classical composition.

It is the sound of the thunder yet again in the second interlude. But here, for a change the lightning appears after the thunder and most importantly, lasts longer. The keys illuminate the sky with the string of guitar backing it in tisram. The strings now brighten the sky more playing in the higher - octave with the flute moving like a group of twinkling stars now and then. The second set of strings play subtly with elegance. The flute moves up and down with the guitar looking at it with glee and this spectacle takes one to empyrean heights.

Exhilarating experience not dissimilar to the one experienced by that man who felt the fragrance of the lilies..

 

 

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