ILaiyaraaja – The Seraphic Musician

What is Meditation?

Is it closing our eyes and chanting something repeatedly?

Is it focussing on an object with our eyes open?

Is it staring at the light?

Is it just focussing on our breath?

Well, it is all these and something much more. The fact of the matter is – Meditation or the state of Meditation can only be experienced and can hardly be explained, however great the person’s vocabulary is.

Suffice to say that people experience inner calm and tranquility and at the same time feeling energetic. Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy, in action at the same time.

There is something beyond Meditation and this is called the Samadhi state. Not many can experience this state and not many have experienced this state. Transcending the duality of the matter and the mind, the body and the mind, the existence and non-existence, it is an experience of oneness and the ultimate bliss. Some rishis in the past and some saints in the present ( more recent, though this is subjective!) have experienced this state. As far as I know, RamaNa Maharishi experienced it, going by the writings about him and the kind of experience I get when I visit his Ashram.

There was one more person, who I feel must have definitely experienced this. And that is, AruNagirinathar.

How do I know?

Not an easy question to answer and just like how one cannot define a Meditative state, this too cannot be explained. But having read many of his verses under different works, it is just my feeling and at times, I go by what I feel because of my percipience.

Let me quote just one of his verses- though there are many- to tell you all why I feel what I feel:

 

ஆனா அமுதே! அயில் வேல் அரசே!

ஞானாகரனே! நவிலத் தகுமோ

யானாகிய என்னை விழுங்கி வெறும்

தானாய் நிலை நின்றது தற்பரமே?

Raja4376 · Aana amude

In short, he says – Oh the one who is holding the Vel! The one who is the nectar!! Explain that state where I forget the ‘I’ and be one with You.

This is verse no.28 in that work called ‘Kandar Anuboodhi’.

Does he stop with this?

See this now:

குறியைக் குறியாது குறித்து அறியும்

நெறியைத் தனி வேலை நிகழ்த்திடலும்

செறிவற்று உலகோடு உரை சிந்தையும் அற்று

அறிவற்று அறியாமையும் அற்றதுவே!

Raja4376 · KuRiyai KuRiyadu

I forgot my relations, my mind, my speech, my knowledge and my ignorance the moment He taught me the right way to meditate and this is pure bliss.

This is verse no.42.

If you are insightful, you will make the connection between the two. If I were to describe it, I would just stop with saying ‘Esoteric’.

AruNagiri experienced that bliss, that eternal light.

We mortals too, can experience something close to it, depending on how wise we are. Take the song ‘AruNa KiraNa Deepam’ from ‘Guru’ (1997). Whenever I listen to it, I experience something different; something unique; something divine; something esoteric.

The composition based on KeeravaNi (or Harmonic minor) and is set in Mishram. These details are not as important as the way these are applied. For a change, let me take up each aspect and then go on to the main subject.

Laya:

I said it is set in Mishram ( 7 beat- cycle). But the prelude goes plainly in 4, with the brass flute and the horns even playing 1 2 3 4 after a while. The percussion which appear much later (0.58) play in 4. It is only when the chorus starts (1.23) that it shifts to Mishram.

The percussion sounds 1, 4 and 6 (ta, ta, dhi) in the 7-beat cycle. After two cycles, the strings join in and play 1 2 3 4 5 6/1 2 3 4/ 1 2 3 4( ta ka dhi mi ta ka/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi).

The Pallavi in the voice of Yesudas too follows the same pattern – Aruna ( 1 2 3 ) KiraNa ( 1 2 3 ) Deepam ( 1 2 3 4) Paaba ( 1 2 3 4). Let it be understood that Mishram in ‘mel kaalam’(faster mode) is 7x2.

The first interlude follows the same pattern, though the percussion takes a break. The group of violins that appears in between sounds ta ki ta/ta ki ta/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi, so obviously that one forgets if these are melodious instruments or percussive instruments ( melodious percussive, probably). The most beautiful part occurs towards the end of the interlude when an instrument plays a sustained melody subtly for 2 cycles.

Meditative?

The percussion appears only in the second part of the first interlude. It takes a break again for a while when the chorus renders the wordings and appears again albeit subtly and gradually after that.

It is the bells that sound the taaLam in the first segment of the second interlude.

KeeravaNi/Harmonic minor :

The western contours are felt almost throughout with a host of instruments, but the Indian counterpart (though this may not be an ideal term) is felt in the Pallavi, in the middle part of the first interlude. The ‘akaaram’ of Yesudas in the CharaNams, speaks for itself. But the O. Henry Raaja does it again. The beginning of the first interlude goes to Saaranga TarangiNi, a raga which has no connection or relation with KeeravaNi. This continues for about 20 seconds until the horns take it back to Harmonic minor(KeeravaNi).

It happens again in the second interlude but this time, it changes to the Major scale (4.15) and continues in this scale with the brass flute and horns in full flow. The chorus too hums in the same scale and just before it completes the humming (4.41), it goes back to the minor scale.

Orchestration:

There is a kind of an eerie beginning with a single instrument sounding like a clock and a host of instruments sounding suddenly with a bang. But it is that silence (0.29- 0.33) which makes a difference. After all, isn’t silence musical and meditative?

The strings sound soft and soothing while the brass flute moves with a flourish. The oboe which takes over is bewitching and when juxtaposed with the flute, the experience is exhilarating. The strings then move with a purpose after the chorus and this could be because of the backing of the rhythm in Mishram.

The brass flute after the first few phrases are rendered by Yesudas, is alluring and at the same time graceful. When Chitra renders the lines, the subtle strings and double bass, back her voice while the horns sound with assiduity when the chorus sings ‘Brahmma Naadam..’, which itself is like a crescendo.

The tantalising melody of the oboe is complemented by the supple strings. The oboe and flute vivify the atmosphere before the leitmotif appears.

The lines in the CharaNams are backed by the very subtle strings, in line with the mood.

If the bells sound with a sense of uncanniness, the flute moves with finesse sketching something in the process. Like a karma yogi, the two sets of strings move in a linear way with the oboe just nodding its head. It is that flute which plays along with the chorus, bending, meandering, and straddling the octaves, which leads us to something.

Is it a diffused glow?

Is it the eternal light?

Is it that state of Samadhi?

AruNagiri and AruNa Kirana Deepam will probably give an answer.

 

ILaiyaraaja – The Heterogeneous Musician

 

Similar and Dissimilar!

Similarly Dissimilar!!

Can opposites co-exist?

Though this might sound absurd to some, it is this coexistence which gives that beauty to Nature and Life. When I say Nature and Life, does this not mean Poetry and Music or for that matter, any art form? Doesn’t this factor known better as ‘contrast’ give that sense of aesthetics? Doesn’t it give us feelings so profound that we search for words or even fall quiet, with this state itself elevating us to a level which at best can be called ‘spiritual’?

One of the classic example is this verse:

புள்ளது ஆகி வேதம் நான்கும் ஓதினாய், அது அன்றியும்

புள்ளின் வாய் பிளந்து புட்கொடிப் பிடித்த பின்னரும்,

புள்ளை ஊர்தி; ஆதலால் அது என் கொல் மின் கொள் நேமியாய்

புள்ளின் மெய்ப் பகைக் கடல் கிட த்தல் காதலித்ததே?

Raja4376 · Thirucchanda Viruttham

Taken from a work called ‘Thirucchanda Viruttam’ which is part of the Magnum Opus -Naalaayira Divya Prabandham-, this verse composed by Thirumazhisai Aazhwar talks about birds.

Just birds?

Let us get deeper. Addressed to Vishnu, the poet says – You took the form of a bird (swan) and recited the 4 vedas. You tore open the beak of a bird(crane) and killed a demon. You made a bird (Eagle/Garuda) to be part of Your flag and also made him Your Vaahana. But how is it that You are lying down quietly on a snake(Adisesha), a sworn enemy of the bird (Garuda) which is Your vahana?

We get to see three different species of birds- swan, crane, eagle- with each one being part of a single or multiple acts. The bird as an entity takes three different forms and indulges in positive and negative acts. Here we have similarities and dissimilarities. But the clincher is the last line which makes a mention of two sworn enemies.

What does this indicate?

Same, but different?

Same, same, different?

Different, Different?

Keep thinking and you will find an answer, well not the same answer but different answers!

Take this composition – Sangatamizh kaviye from Manadil Urudi VeNdum(1987). It is a composition in three different ragas. Is that the only attribute of the composition?

The veena sounds once. The bells respond. The veena sounds again. The subtle bells respond yet again. It seems like the lighting of the lamp with the spark gleaming and glittering. The veena continues its journey weaving simple and intricate patterns in Abheri. The melody from the flute which follows the veena, floats around and surrounds us like a gentle breeze.

In between, just before the journey of the veena begins, the tabla sounds ‘ta ka dhi mi/ta ki ta/ ta ki ta’-a count of 10. However, the composition is set in Tisram, which has a cycle of 3 counts. Is there a fallacy here?

Not really. There are 2 micro- beats before ‘ta ka dhi mi’, which are left as kaarvai, giving a total of 12 micro-beats which is divisible by 3.

The Pallavi starts in the voice of Yesudass, giving clear shades of Abheri. While the sketch of the raga is shown in just one line with descending and ascending notes, the brilliance and the aesthetic sense of the composer is revealed in the sudden appearance of lower-octave swaras -pa.ni.- in daagam, which in a way also reflects the thirst of the composer and in the interjection of flute between the lines -sung first by Yesudass and then by Chitra.

The violins move softly in the beginning of the first interlude, but there is a catch here. These play in Bageshri, a different raga, but using the same swaras. Let me explain a bit.

Ragas in the Indian system of music are formed by different sets of swaras which follow some set patterns while ascending and descending. The swaras may be the same but the way these are used are different. For example, the structure of Abheri is -sa ga2 ma1 pa ni2 Sa/Sa ni2 dha2 pa ma1 ga2 ri2 sa, the first one being the ascending notes and the second half being the descending notes. The structure of Bageshri is – sa ga2 ma1 dha2 ni2 Sa/ Sa ni2 dha2 ma1 pa dha2 ga2 ma1 ga2 ri2 Sa. The numbers against each swara denotes the variant and as you can see the variants of the swaras in both the ragas are the same, as both are derived from the same parent raga. Yet,  these sound different from each other!

Going back to the interlude, the veena sways as it responds to the violins and then moves majestically after the stream-like melody from violins. The flute which is reposeful as if responds to the veena after each line, gathers momentum when the energetic strings appear. The strings, flute and the flute combine together with pulsating vibrancy and play the tisram beats – ta ki ta/ta ki ta/taam- thrice, a la Carnatic concert.

The CharaNam continues in Bageshri with the lines encapsulating the beauty of the raga. What is of specific interest is the line ‘oru puram naan aNaikka’ for varied reasons, the foremost being the sangati after that line in the voice of Yesudass which lasts for 12 tisram cycles. The melodic charm, the sweetness and the softness, elevate us to reach vertiginous heights. As if this is not enough, the phrases in the lines that follow touch higher-octave swaras-even going up to ‘Ma’- which is a rarity.

When the Pallavi is rendered again, it is in Bageshri with the lower-octave swaras dha. and ni. Commingling with the mid-octave swaras giving that contrasting shades again!

The tabla sounds ‘ta tai tai taa’ thrice and the mrudangam responds with ‘ta ri ki ta taam taam’ thrice. With depth and crispness, the strings play Madhukauns, a totally different sounding raag which has the same ga and ni as Abheri and Bageshri but a different ‘ma’(prati madhyamam). This one swara makes a huge difference to the sound, the emotions and the feelings. The veena and the flute move sprightly in the same raag sketching some unforgettable musical images. These alternate. It is vibrant, vivacious and at the same time pensive.

The sounds coalesce finally spreading radiance.

The CharaNam continues in Madhukauns with the flute appearing between the lines oozing musical droplets and the higher- octave swaras making it a heavenly experience.

Three ragas, two with same swaras, one with almost the same swaras and with a different swara.

Similar and Dissimilar...

Birds and Snake..

Poetry..Music..Life..Contrast!

 

 

 

 

 

 

ILaiyaraaja – The Music Messenger

How do we get connected?

This question might sound doltish, imprudent, witless and even thoughtless in this age of apps and browsers. It just needs a single click to get connected with others irrespective of the distance.

But the ‘connection’ I am referring to does not pertain to the ones we have on social media. A majority of these connections are superficial and the connection stops and ends with the keypads. Most of these are lifeless and exist just for the sake of existing.

However, it can also be not denied that some of these connections are indeed very deep. Going beyond the typical definitions of social media, these connections make us feel as if the person/s is/are known to us since many years even if we have not even seen them or do not get to see them often physically. What makes this possible?

I shall probably answer this in the end.

Now imagine those days when even communicating with each other was next to impossible. By ‘those days’, I mean days when neither ‘tech’ nor ‘logy’ existed in the lexicon of the world; days when even ‘posts’ or ‘offices’ did not exist; days when travel was by foot. Were people not connected those days? If they were not connected, how was it possible for somebody in Kanyakumari to know somebody in the Himalayas? And how was it possible to ‘be in touch’?

Our Literature is rich with poems in which birds acted as a ‘go-between’ and delivered messages. There are also instances of plants/ creepers, clouds and even non-living things like conch being requested to act as a via-media, but these were used more for poetic beauty and less for reality. I shall come to this in a while.

Let us look at a real story before that. This happened during the Sangam era. There was somebody called Kopperunchozhan, who as the name suggests ruled the Chozha kingdom. There was a poet called Pisiraanthaiyaar, not in Chozha naadu, but in PaaNdiya naadu. Those days-just like the present days- rivalry existed between fellow tamizh people despite living the same land and despite speaking the same language. The three major kingdoms – Chera, Chozha and Pandiya- were at loggerheads with each other. The intensity of the rivalry was more between the last two mentioned.

Therefore, it is more than a surprise that Pisiraanthaiyaar composed poems on Kopperunchozhan extolling his virtues and describing the beauty of his kingdom. The king too developed an affinity towards the poet and the reason was not just because the latter sang paeans on him. The two never met!

Things were hunky dory in the Chozha kingdom until the two sons of the Chozha decided to wage a war against their own father to annex the kingdom. Vexed with the developments, Kopperunchozhan decided to indulge in  ‘Vadakkiruththal’, the act of sitting in the northern direction and starving to death  which was common those days.

He did the unthinkable after this. He reserved a spot for his friend -Pisiraanthaiyaar- alongside! 

Pisiraanthaiyaar gets to know the developments (now don’t ask me how) but is helpless. Somehow, he reaches the spot but by then the king is dead. He sits at the same spot and gives up his life.

Here is a poem composed by him, which is part of PuRanaanooRu, which in turn is part of the Sangam literature:

 

அன்னச் சேவல் அன்னச் சேவல் ஆடுகொள் வென்றி அடுபோர் அண்ணல்

நாடுதலை அளிக்கும் ஒண்முகம் போலக் கோடுகூடு மதியம் முகில் நிலா  விளங்கும்

மையல் மால யாம் கையறுபு இனையக் குமரிஅம் பெருந்துறை அயிரை மாந்தி

வடமலைப் பெயர்குவை ஆயின் இடையது சோழன் நன்னாட்டுப்படினே கோழி

உயர்நிலை மாடத்துக் குறும்பறை அசைஇ வாயில் விடாது கோயில் புக்கு எம்

பெருங்கோக்கிள்ளி கேட்க இரும் பிசிர் ஆந்தை அடியுறை எனினே மாண்ட நின்

இன்புற பேடை அணியத் தன் அன்புறு நன் கலம் நல்குவன் நினக்கே.

‘Oh, my dear Swan!

Seeming as if two horns join together to make it a circle, the Moon shimmers. It reminds one of the glowing face of a king who emerges as a victor fighting for his land.

On this mesmersising evening when one even loses all his senses, I feel helpless.

If you, my dear swan, after feeding on ayirai fish in that Ocean called Kumari, decide to fly to the Himalayas in the North along with your beloved, and on the way stay at URaiyur and visit the beautiful palace without stopping at the gate and utter the words, ‘ I am Pisiraanthaiyaar’s servant’, the king ‘PerunkoRkiLLi’ will rush towards you and gift you with beautiful jewellery for your beloved to wear’.

(this is just a loose translation by yours truly done with the purpose of making you all understand the import of the poem, without bothering to sound poetic).

For the benefit of all, I have recited the poem and you can find it in the link.

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Though there is no record to show as to when this was composed, the words like ‘I am helpless’ and ‘two horns’ suggest that probably this was written after the poet came to know of the king’s decision. There are many things in this poem which demand a detailed explanation and analysis but I would refrain from doing that for the time being at least as the objective of quoting this poem is to show how people got connected those days and developed unfathomable affection even without seeing each other.

Goes to show that there is something in the Universe which connects people and what that something is, cannot be explained rationally.

Let us look at Music in general and ILaiyaraaja in particular. The latter connects with millions of people with his music. Though he would not have met the people (at least 99% of them) and the people would not have met him in real life, the affinity people have for him and vice versa cannot be measured. The same in fact applies to the connection people have between them with his music being the main reason.

On this day which is very special for me, I am looking at a song which never fails to give vibrations whenever I listen to it. The reasons could be many but let me try and explain the nuances and intricacies and see if these alone are the reasons or if there is something beyond these too.

The song Malligaiye Malligaiye from Periya Veettu PaNNaikkaran (1990) is based on a raga called Sarasaangi. Though the name sounds romantic or at least indicates romance, the raga evokes a mélange of feelings, say a mix of happiness and poignancy with a dose of nostalgia. As per the melakarata system, it is the 27^th mela ragam, just before ShankarabharaNam with just the variant of the swara dhaivatam separating the two. Yet, the two sound totally different. In fact, if one changes the variant of each of the swaras, it would lead to some very well- known ragas.

Change the variant of rishabham(ri) and it will give MayamalavagowLa. Change the variant of gaandharam(ga) and it will give KeeravaNi. Change the variant of madhyamam(ma) and it will give Latangi. Change the variant of nishadam(ni) and it will give Charukesi.

Except the last mentioned, the other ragas sound so different from Sarasangi. That indeed is the beauty of Music.

Curiously enough, this raga exists as a scale in Western Classical Music too where it goes by the name Harmonic major.

After that rather elaborate explanation about the raga, let us look at the composition.

The beginning itself is zestful. The frisky strings move as if these are suddenly released from exile. There are two sets with one sounding like a thunder and the other sounding like a murmur. But isn’t it a fact that a murmur too adds value? Here, it adds that musical value. The thunderous set quickly touches the higher-octave and makes us believe that the peak has already been conquered.

However, very soon we realise that it is just the summit. In fact, there lies the magic of the composer. The chorus hums in Sarasangi with the tabla sounding in Tisram and that reticently powerful instrument called Bass Guitar backing both -in Tisram.

The mellow flute sings like a bird with the rhythm pad accompanying it like the rustling leaves.

The Pallavi starts in the voice of Chitra. The beauty of this Pallavi not just lies in the fact that it is soft and supple and is well structured, but also in two more factors. First is the podi sangati in the lines which sounds unique. Next is the rhythmic pattern and the instruments which give it that special status. The reticent bass guitar is more vociferous here and it sounds ta – –  ka dhi mi along with the vocals. The 3-beat tisram is broken down into 6 micro beats- ta ka ta ka dhi mi- and is made to sound only the first, fourth, fifth and sixth leaving the second and third as blank(kaarvai). The fact that this gives the Pallavi a majestic look is as obvious as the fact that the rose is beautiful.

One sees the variegated nuggets of the raga in that western instrument called the guitar in the first half of the first interlude. The diffused glow of the strings which play a parallel melody in the background is not dissimilar to the beauty of the full moon which hides behind the dark clouds sometimes partially and sometimes fully. The moon does come out of the clouds a little later but not before the billow of clouds (guitar) touches the nook and corner of the sky called Sarasangi.

The euphonic flute continues the journey in its own style provoking a response from the strings which give a catena of swaras. This results in our witnessing ornate images of the raga.

The first segment of the CharaNams ( Yesudass in the first one and Chitra in the second one) is full of melodic intricacies. The second segment touches the upper registers while the last segment is plaintive. All these three typify the raga.

The second interlude has some amazing patterns.

First, the sticks(kolaattam) sound gracefully in tisram. The chorus takes over and continues the humming. The ever-smiling flute responds to the humming with pulsating vibrancy. The strings enter elegantly and in a matter of seconds elevate us to a higher plane. The guitar responds with a touch of sobriety.

As if taking a cue from the guitar, the strings move with an evocative grandeur making it a quintessential experience. With a flourish, the flute takes some silky glides connecting the earth with the heaven.

What has made this connection possible?

It can probably be answered by Pisiraanthaiyaar and Kopperunchozhan..

Ps: This is my 200th post in the Blog and I am very happy that this is happening on my special day- 29th of August. What give me energy are Music, His Music, Writing and Literature. Thank you all for the support. I am sure I will continue to write on his music and share whatever little knowledge I have with you all!!

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ILaiyaraaja – The Ultra-fine Musician

 

What distinguishes a normal life from that of a beautiful life is something called subtlety. If one is able to appreciate the nuances in each and everything in nature, his/her life acquires new meanings. Meanings which cannot be expressed in words and which can only be felt and experienced. Such people see new things in old things and older things in new things. They not only look for details within details but also know how to express what they see and what they feel. Aesthetics is a way of life for these people. And this gets reflected in their works.

AaNdaL is a classic example. Yes, she was a Bhakti poet who was truly in love with Krishna. But she also loved nature and was an expert in human psychology. Her poems explored Bhakti, Nature and Human behaviour in the broadest sense minutely.

Here is one sample:

கீசு கீசு என்றெங்கும் ஆனைச் சாத்தன் கலந்து

பேசின பேச்சரவம் கேட்டிலையோ பேய்ப்பெண்ணே

வாச நறுங்குழல் ஆய்ச்சியர் மத்தினால்

ஓசைப்படுத்த தயிரரவம் கேட்டிலையோ?

நாயகப் பெண்பிள்ளாய்! நாராயணன் மூர்த்தி

கேசவனைப் பாடவும் நீ கேட்டே கிடத்தியோ

தேசமுடையாய் திறவேலோர் எம்பாவாய்.

 

In the poem under reference- Keesu KeesenRu- she describes things around her and uses these to wake he friend up. This ‘waking up’ and the ‘friend’ are esoteric and therefore are better left alone here as the focus now is on her aesthetic sense and her propensity to relate things around us to the Divine.

She first talks about the birds. ‘Aanaichaatthan' is a species of birds found in villages in South Tamizh Nadu. These birds are also called ‘Bharadhwaja pakshi’. She hears their sound at dawn and tells her friend, ‘Can’t you hear their sound?’ But what is to be noted here is that she refrains from calling it a ‘bird song’. She calls it a ‘conversation’. Wonder how many can even view the bird calls as ‘conversations’. Most significantly, she calls it a ‘screech’!

She addresses her friend as ‘Demon girl’ here but more on this in a bit.

She then moves on to the milkmaids who churn the butter milk to get curd(here too, I am skipping the esoteric meaning). ‘Milkmaids -whose fragrance of the hair permeates the air- churn the butter milk with their bangles and chains moving here and there. Are you not able to hear this sound too?’ asks she.

‘You are lying on the bed despite all these and despite us singing paeans on NarayaNa. Come, open the door and join us’, she concludes.

Forget even the description for a moment. Just observe as to how she brings all the five senses into play here.

Sound of the birds/milkmaids/paeans on VishNu- Hearing.

Fragrance of hair- Smell.

Butter milk to Curd- Taste.

Lying down with half-eyes open- See.

Lying down cosily on the bed – Touch.

And now let us see how she addresses her friend. To start with ‘ a demon girl’. Somewhere in the middle(5^th line)- ‘Heroine/Head of all girls’. Towards the end – the lustrous/ the one with tejas!

Details..Mini details, Micro details, Nano details..

And that is AaNdaaL for you.

Needless to say, ILaiyaraaja whose love for nature, eye for detail, his proclivity for music and above all his passion, is like AandaaL.

Now, take ‘KaatRodu Kuzhalin Naadame’ from ‘Kodai Mazhai’(1987). Based on a classical raga called Simhendra Madhyamam, the composition blows, saunters, drifts and floats like a breeze. This is as far as beauty is concerned. But being a musician who believes in getting into the skin of the character, he delves deep and the output is there for all of us to see.

All that the director would have told him was this – ‘’It is a classical dance sequence’’.

The Maestro would have instantly plunged into the world of dance.

The composition starts with the akaaram of Chitra in pure Simhendramadhyamam.

The mridangam sounds just the first syllable in the beginning of the 8-beat taaLa cycle and sounds 5 micro-beats at the 4^th beat. This continues for three full cycles (one full cycle is called ‘aavartanam’ in Carnatic Music parlance). The mridangam takes over in the 4^th cycle and plays a micro-korvai for one cycle.

Dance of the taaLa!

This continues in the Pallavi too with the mridangam taking over again after the first lines is rendered and playing yet another korvai with Chitra extending the ‘naadame..’.Resonance at its best!

Not to be left behind, the flute sounds too in the segment that follows coalescing with the vocals, symbolising the wind and of course justifying the meaning- resonance of the flute along with the wind.

‘Taam taam ta ri ki ta taam’ says the mridangam in the beginning of the first interlude.

The tabla echoes it.

‘ta ka dhi mi ta ri ki ta taam’ says the mridangam.

The tabla echoes again.

The romance between the two continues again with ta ri ki ta taam/ ta ri ki ta taam , taam ta ri ki ta taam/taam ta ri ki ta taam and then finally ta ri ki ta taam.

Magic of Laya!

The magic happens again in the CharaNam with the percussion instrument playing with gusto and robustness exactly at the 4^th beat of each cycle. It is not that there is no percussion during the other beats. It is just that it makes a special sound during that beat which gives sheen to the entire CharaNam.

The VeeNa gliding with an unmatched grace and the last line being split as ta a a a/ta a a a/ ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi with the last four ta ka dhi mi s in the second half of the cycle, show the master craftsman in full cry.

The swaras drizzle from the flute. These drizzle from the veena too. But it is two different drizzles.

This happens in the beginning of the second interlude.

The two classic instruments then go on a friendly rampage twisting, twirling and then dazzling. The flute decides to go on its own now for a while even as the veeNa takes a pause. It is the turn of the latter to go on its own then. The end result- That classical raga called Simhendramadhyamam shown to us in all its splendour.

The two join together again and lead us to the second CharaNam. Now the vocals render one line lasting one cycle with the cheNda(percussion used mainly in Kerala) playing in the next cycle with the mridangam and jaalra backing it.

A litany of swaras follows making us spell bound.

Details..Mini Details.. Micro Details.. Nano Details..

I can now hear the conversations of Aanaichaattan. Can you all too?

 

 

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ILaiyaraaja – The Avant-Garde Musician

 

Being innovative or creative is not just an art. Going beyond any stretch of imagination-literally and figuratively- beyond realms of possibility, sensibly with a sense of purpose is creativity. The process of creativity is an experience by itself and can hardly be put in words. One has to experience it to fully understand and appreciate it. In a way, it is like meditation.

Now, this gentleman looks at the sky, at the earth and then at the horizon. His imagination runs riot. Why can’t we possess all things that we see? Why can’t I grab the sky? –he questions himself. Will our efforts bear fruit at all? Will we give up finally? – he continues. And then he says, It is after all the Supreme Power-the Divine force- which is present in the sky, in whatever we see and in whatever we count.

கண்ணில் தெரியும் பொருளினைக் கைகள் கவர்ந்திட மாட்டாவோ?

அட- மண்ணில் தெரியுது வானம், அது நம் கைவசப்படலாகாதோ?

எண்ணி எண்ணிப் பல நாளும் முயன்றிங்கு இறுதியிற் சோர்வோமோ?

அட- விண்ணிலும் கண்ணிலும் எண்ணிலும் மேவு பரசக்தியே.

On the face of it, this may sound ordinary. But scratch the surface, start exploring and you will see a gold mine.

So many beings before him must have seen the horizon. But how many did even think of ‘grabbing’ it? Coming to think of it, ‘horizon’ itself is an illusion. We chase that illusion known in Indian Philosophy as ‘Maaya’ and give up finally. But the moment we see the existence of the Supreme Power and the fact that it is present in space, on the earth and in all beings, we realise that we go after things which are not real while forgetting that things which are real appear unreal to us.

One can go on and on about these 4 lines but this short summary is enough to show the genius of Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharati; and to give a sample of ‘creativity’.

Creative people set examples and lead the way for others to follow. They chart their own course and travel on uncharted path. They create a niche for themselves. Needless to say, ILaiyaraaja is one such genius.

It is not uncommon for music composers to use different ragas in the same composition. Called Ragamaalika, such compositions give one a taste of different ragas within minutes- at times within seconds. But what ILaiyaraaja has done in KaNNanai KaaNbaaya (Manithanin Marupakkam – 1986) is something unique and not tried out generally by normal music composers.

There are three ragas, with each one related to the other. In some of my earlier posts, I had written about the different swaras and their variants. Essentially, there are seven swaras with sa and pa having no variants. The other 5- ri, ga, ma, dha, ni- have two variants( I am confining my discussion to normal variants and not going to the concept of vivadi here).

 ‘KaNNanai KaaNbaaya’ starts in one particular raga. One variant of a particular swara is changed in the second charaNam and one variant of the original raga is again changed in the next CharaNam. Thus there are three different ragas related to each other in terms of the structure, but different from each other in terms of the sound and the mood.

The beginning of the composition sees Laya Raaja in full flow with the mrudangam -along with the subtle ankle bells- playing different patterns in tisram. It ends with 4 tadheenginnathom giving a stately edifice to the composition. It is precursor to what is in store.

Chitra starts the Pallavi in pure HindoLam with the sympathetic strings welcoming one and all with unbounded enthusiasm.

The violins and the flute decorate the first interlude with simple but powerful swaras in HindoLam. The melody unfolds with discernment and shines with radiance.

The first CharaNam is rather short but one sees some variegated patterns of the raga with the second line even touching the higher octave swaras –Ma Dha and Ga- not an usual spectacle one gets to see in film music. The akaaram after the first line is meditatively classical.

The second interlude sees a sudden transition- as far as style is concerned- to western music. The exuberant guitar moves with an unmatched tonal smoothness while the keys bend, jump, prance and dance without in anyway deviating from the raga. However, something happens just before the end of the interlude.

HindoLam is a pentatonic raga with 5 swaras in arohaNa(ascending) and avarohaNa (descending). The swaras are- sa ga2 ma1 dha1 ni2. Just at the end of the first interlude, the variant of ga is changed to ga3. In Carnatic music parlance, ga2 is SaadharaNa Gaandharam and ga3 is Antara Gaandhaaram. When this happens, it gives rise to a new raga. And this raga is called Sallaapam.

I have written and even spoken in many forums about this raga and how it was ILaiyaraaja who used this first. This raga is known by the name Surya in carnatic music circuits as coined by a carnatic musician sometime during the early ‘90s. However, as per the traditional raga texts, this raga is Sallapam and it was ILaiyaraaja who used this first way back in 1982 in ‘Thai Mookambigai’. This is anyway an aside but not irrelevant here.

Going back to KaNNanai.., the second CharaNam is in Sallapam. Note that the second CharaNam is different from that of the first CharaNam in terms of the structure too.

The following interlude goes back to HindoLam. The guitar and the drums give caressing overtones with the flute ambling with elegance even as the guitar keeps repeating the melody.  The keys move with spontaneous spirit and with an unmatched grace.

The next CharaNam sees yet another change. The variant of ni is changed (from kaisiki nishadam-ni2 to kaakali nishadam-ni3) making it Chandrakauns, a raag more prevalent in the Hindustani system of music.

Three different ragas separated by just small variants and yet evoking different emotions..

Are these separate or are these connected?

Are these like the horizon?

Wish we found answers to such questions.. and if we find the answers, we will know what creativity is all about.

 

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ILaiyaraaja - The Enterprising Musician

He sees the peacocks dance. He thinks of her.

He sees the deer. He thinks of her eyes.

He sees and smells the Mullai flowers. He thinks of her forehead.

He sees the rain clouds. He decides to beat them.

He rushes faster than the rain clouds-to see her!

This beautiful description is from a poem which is part of AinkuRunooRu, which in turn is part of the 2,500 year old Sangam poetry.

நின்னே போலும் மஞ்ஞை ஆல நின்
நன்னுதல் நாறும் முல்லை மலர
நின்னே போல மா மருண்டு நோக்க
நின்னே உள்ளி வந்தனென்
நன்னுதல் அரிவை காரினும் விரைந்தே.

Written by a poet called Peyanaar, this poem-like many other Tamizh Sangam poems- is special in many ways, but what I love the most is the last line where the Hero describes her forehead as ‘most beautiful’(note that he says this   for the second time) and the way he says that he came rushing faster than the rain clouds.

Is it humanly possible to race with the clouds? Though we know it is not, we can’t stop appreciating the poetic imagination. Yes, fantasising is interesting and poetic too.

The second line is interesting as well. It can be interpreted as ‘the mullai flowers blossomed because of the beauty of her forehead’ or ‘the forehead became more beautiful expecting her beloved’ or ‘the forehead shined with beauty after seeing him’.

Comparisons with peacocks and deer may not be new in literature but the way this poem is conceived speaks volumes of the aesthetic imagination of the poet. People familiar with Tamizh language will enjoy reading this poem aloud (provided of course that their diction is good).

Being imaginative and inventive are the virtues of artistes and poets but these have to be aesthetic and beautiful. Otherwise, it loses its charm and the value too.

This applies to music as well. I have seen and heard some musicians indulge in something novel and ‘unique’ but not many have succeeded in giving that aesthetic feeling. This is because the entire exercise is done more to showcase their intellectual prowess. By saying this, I am not denying the existence of some genuine musicians whose novel ideas have sounded aesthetic and beautiful. In any case, my intention here is not to denigrate the works of the geniuses but only to share my thoughts on some ‘intellectual exercises’ without life.

In film music, no other music composer has experimented with music with great success than ILaiyaraaja. I have quoted many examples in this Group and especially in this thread to prove this fact. Treading new and uncharted paths, he has shown us some beautiful trees, flowers and fruits. What is most amazing is that he has done this in mainstream cinema and I am sure none of the film crew involved in making the film(s) is aware of the experimentation.

‘Vaathiyaar Veettu PiLLai’ was a film released in the year 1989 and I am not getting into the main theme of the publicity materials and advertisements as it is beyond the scope of this discussion. But I must surely talk about the most important aspect of the movie and the reason for its being special. As many of you must have guessed it, I am talking about music. But why do I call it special (his music is special in almost all the movies, anyway)?

It is because for the first time, a raga-which was hitherto not used in films- was used in a song. Coming to think of it, there is nothing unusual about this because he is known for using rare ragas. Yet, I feel using a raga like this in films-especially sentimentally masala movies- requires audacity, gumption, the courage of conviction and a firm grip on classical music. But most importantly, it needs a lot of imagination and inventiveness.

Gamanashrama is the 53^rd meLa raga in Carnatic Music and though at least two very popular ragas-Hamsanandi and Poorvi KalyaNi- are derived from this meLa, it is not a very popular raga in the carnatic concert circuit with just about 2 or 3 compositions. Not only did ILaiyaraaja use it(for the first time in the history of film music) but also made it sound beautiful.

                        

‘Hey Oru Poonjolai’ is a composition par excellence and the rhythmic patterns and the way the percussion is used, play no smaller role in this.

The flute and the strings play counter melody in the beginning weaving a graceful succulent web. This continues for 2 taaLa cycles without percussion. The chorus starts the akaaram and as if waiting for this opportunity, the percussion sounds with resonance. There are at least two sets of percussion instruments here, with one set sounding with a unique sharpness. The 3-beat tisram is broken into 6 maatras as ta ka dhi mi ta ka with the sharp percussion sounding ta – dhi mi and the other one sounding ta -.

The stage is set for a raga-taaLa bhaava with the shehnai accompanying the chorus and giving the raga imagery with the flute simpering first and finally swirling to guide us to the Pallavi.

Starting with the taara(upper) shadja(Sa), the first line goes descending (in the avarohana pattern). What is to be noted here is the absence of the panchamam(pa) giving the Hamsanandi shade. The panchamam makes its appearance in the subsequent lines to prove that it is after all the mother raga and that the daughter was shown just to play around!

The ‘now and then’ appearance of the flute, the backing of the keys and the rhythm guitar to the vocals(SPB and Chitra) show the combination of tenderness and melody while the sound of Jaalra in the second beat of every alternate tisram shows the inventive Laya Raaja.

With great solicitude, the strings move sans the percussion, in the beginning of the first interlude. The chorus repeats the melody in akaaram with the percussion backing it. The twin-flute follow, playing a rich and smooth melody with the strings repeating that melody.. An invigorating blend of delicacy and dexterity! The twin-flute continue the melody with crispness. The strings peep in at the end and the guitar smiles at them imparting a lyrical mode of expression.

The lines in the CharaNams are chisel- phrased giving the resplendent shades of the raga. The first two phrases of the first two lines have the higher octave notes while the following two phrases have the mid octave notes. The third line has the higher octave notes predominantly, while the fourth line goes descending. The last line moves with a combination of 3 swaras(higher octave) initially and finally with 2 swara-combination. If all these show the Raaga Raaja in full flow, the change in percussion pattern(note that the sharp percussion is totally absent in the charaNams), show the versatility of Laya Raaja.

 The pleasant intrusion of the flute in between the lines adds to the momentum and melody.

The second interlude has his stylised punches with a touch of flamboyance. The ‘claps’ in tisram alternate between the bass guitar and this changes the complexion of the composition to a certain extent. The mesmeric flute enters even as the chorus sings a kind of lullaby. The surprise element is the bass guitar that follows-playing like a lead guitar- and the flute which responds to it. The ending of the second interlude has a touch of poignancy as well. So is the postlude which has the chorus and the flute.

Fantasy at its best..
..like the peacocks, the deer and the racing of the rain clouds!



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