Listen to this wonderful Violin Concerto composed by Ilaiyaraaja for the film "Raja Paarvai". Nice blend of Carnatic and Western styles (typical ilaiyaraaja). This composition is in raag Pantuvaraali. Sit back and enjoy.
Some observations:
1. Till 1:35 secs in the video, it is carnatic style. You will notice that Kamal sits and plays the violin as in carnatic style. At 1:36 it changes to western classical style and you will notice Kamal standing and playing the violin.
2. From around 2:04 to 2:24, for about 20 secs the Sa and Pa notes are not at all played. This song is in 2 kattai (D) and in this Pantuvaraali scale in D, except Sa and Pa all others are half notes - either sharp/flat (black keys on the keyboard). So for these 20 seconds, there are no natural notes played. i.e. only black keys while playing on the keyboard. And at 2:24 after heightening the tension, it lands at Shadjamam and then from there, the drums take off. The violins, lead guitar and bass guitar go in a frenzy along with the drums. Finally it comes to a finish with the main theme played in unison.
I tried re-creating this number on my computer few years back by doing some basic midi sequencing. Here is the midi file in case you are interested on the notes of the song. By the way, I have omitted a few lines and I think there are some wrong notes in the midi file that I created.
Buying Audio CDs
When I was in college, I used to buy new audio cassettes (esp of ARR) as they get released and keep listening to it. Later, with the spread of computers, internet and TV channels, this habit was gradually reduced. However I used to purchase select audio CDs (mostly albums).
Here are the audio CDs recently purchased by me in the last 5 years:
Albums
Thiruvasagam by Ilaiyaraaja
A musical rendering of the epic Tamil verses. This is a Classical Crossover album and Ilaiyaraaja seamlessly fuses both Indian classical and western classical.
Mozart meets India
After Thiruvasagam, this album was widely publisized. But it was disappointing.
Maaya - Sikkil Gurucharan and Anil Srinivasan
Indian classical songs with piano accompaniment. Really very nice. I especially like the soothing numbers "Suttum vizhi" in Rathipathipriya and "Hari tum haro" in Darbari kaanada.
Resonance - V S Narasimhan
Carnatic songs performed by a String Quartet headed by V S Narasimhan. Again different and really nice.
Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia - Flute (I don't remember the exact name)
If you like Hindustani music, then you will like this instrumental album. This has got an hindustani rendering of 'vatapi ganapathim bhaje' in raag Hansdhwani. Very nice rendering.
Classically Mild - Sonu Nigam
Semi-classical songs in hindi with western orchestration. Appealing.
Rafi Resurrected - Sonu Nigam with the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
This is a tribute to Mohd. Rafi. An Evening in London - Classic old hindi songs rendered by Sonu Nigam along with the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Kavithai Gundar - Tamil Hiphop
oops... Rs. 500 for this. Not worth in my opinion.
Movie Albums
Ada - A R Rahman
This was not because I want to listen to it but because I was participating in this remix contest.
Modhi Vilayaadu - Hariharan and Leslie (of Colonial Cousins fame)
Pretty decent. Except 1 or 2 songs, rest were nice.
Modhi Vilayadu is one of the first filmi albums that I bought in recent times. I heard it was good and went for it. It was a nice experience of buying it, listening to it excitedly for the first time (on my car system) and liking it. Reminds me of the olden days. So next time if I badly want to listen to a movie album, may be I will directly purchase it.
It is also interesting how they promote CDs these days. It has almost come down to the cost of cassettes. Audio CDs are available for Rs.55, Rs.75, Rs.99, etc. Modhi Vilayadu was priced at Rs.99. It had a free audio CD of another recent movie. The free CD was of Panthayam by Vijay Antony. Couple of songs were nice in that. There was also a Rs.200 gift coupon from "naturals" beauty saloon/spa. These are some nice approaches to tackle piracy. 'Kavithai Gundar' CD included a free belt (with large letters of KG) and a DVD (probably their music video). Still the Rs. 500 price tag is not worth it.
Are you listening to songs by purchasing CDs / cassettes? If not, give it a thought.
Here are the audio CDs recently purchased by me in the last 5 years:
Albums
Thiruvasagam by Ilaiyaraaja
A musical rendering of the epic Tamil verses. This is a Classical Crossover album and Ilaiyaraaja seamlessly fuses both Indian classical and western classical.
Mozart meets India
After Thiruvasagam, this album was widely publisized. But it was disappointing.
Maaya - Sikkil Gurucharan and Anil Srinivasan
Indian classical songs with piano accompaniment. Really very nice. I especially like the soothing numbers "Suttum vizhi" in Rathipathipriya and "Hari tum haro" in Darbari kaanada.
Resonance - V S Narasimhan
Carnatic songs performed by a String Quartet headed by V S Narasimhan. Again different and really nice.
Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia - Flute (I don't remember the exact name)
If you like Hindustani music, then you will like this instrumental album. This has got an hindustani rendering of 'vatapi ganapathim bhaje' in raag Hansdhwani. Very nice rendering.
Classically Mild - Sonu Nigam
Semi-classical songs in hindi with western orchestration. Appealing.
Rafi Resurrected - Sonu Nigam with the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
This is a tribute to Mohd. Rafi. An Evening in London - Classic old hindi songs rendered by Sonu Nigam along with the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Kavithai Gundar - Tamil Hiphop
oops... Rs. 500 for this. Not worth in my opinion.
Movie Albums
Ada - A R Rahman
This was not because I want to listen to it but because I was participating in this remix contest.
Modhi Vilayaadu - Hariharan and Leslie (of Colonial Cousins fame)
Pretty decent. Except 1 or 2 songs, rest were nice.
Modhi Vilayadu is one of the first filmi albums that I bought in recent times. I heard it was good and went for it. It was a nice experience of buying it, listening to it excitedly for the first time (on my car system) and liking it. Reminds me of the olden days. So next time if I badly want to listen to a movie album, may be I will directly purchase it.
It is also interesting how they promote CDs these days. It has almost come down to the cost of cassettes. Audio CDs are available for Rs.55, Rs.75, Rs.99, etc. Modhi Vilayadu was priced at Rs.99. It had a free audio CD of another recent movie. The free CD was of Panthayam by Vijay Antony. Couple of songs were nice in that. There was also a Rs.200 gift coupon from "naturals" beauty saloon/spa. These are some nice approaches to tackle piracy. 'Kavithai Gundar' CD included a free belt (with large letters of KG) and a DVD (probably their music video). Still the Rs. 500 price tag is not worth it.
Are you listening to songs by purchasing CDs / cassettes? If not, give it a thought.
Cheap Advice On Music
Recently I came across a blog which provides valuable advice and tips on Songwriting, Home Recording and Live Sound. If you are getting started to the world of composing or setting up a home studio or part of a band, then this is a valuable resource to learn the tricks of the trade. The site is named "Cheap Advice On Music" and here is the URL:
http://cheapadviceonmusic.com/
The site is well designed and a new article is written every 15 days.
http://cheapadviceonmusic.com/
The site is well designed and a new article is written every 15 days.
Musical Conversations - ARR
A R Rahman has done some nice background pieces in songs which are basically a conversation between either 2 instruments or an instrument and a vocal. These are not question and answer types but more like a real conversation. Listen to 4 such conversations below. Interestingly all of them are towards the ending of the respective songs. It is more like a postlude.
The 1st one is "En swasa kaatre" from "En swasa kaatre". Nice conversation of veena and chitra's voice. I love the veena in this piece. The chord and bass backing is also very good. I think this is in Nilambari raga. Please correct me if I am wrong.
The 2nd one is "Azhage sugama" from "Paarthale Paravasam". A nice conversation between piano and violin. Violin is played by Ganesh I believe. I read that it is a mixture of dwijawanti and sahana ragam.
The 3rd one is "Uyirum Neeye" from "Pavithra". Veena and violin converse here in Khamas raga I think.
The 4th one is "Netru Illatha Maatram" from "Pudhiya Mugam". Nice sitar and flute combination. You can also listen to a veena in the third line. This is the same piece played in the first interlude. But in the first interlude it is a sitar and veena conversation. And at the end, the sitar piece is the same, but a different flute response. Flute must be by Naveen.
Let me know if there are other similar songs by ARR. I will also put a separate post on such conversations in Ilaiyaraaja's music. So let me know the relevant song interludes that come to your mind in IR's music.
The 1st one is "En swasa kaatre" from "En swasa kaatre". Nice conversation of veena and chitra's voice. I love the veena in this piece. The chord and bass backing is also very good. I think this is in Nilambari raga. Please correct me if I am wrong.
The 2nd one is "Azhage sugama" from "Paarthale Paravasam". A nice conversation between piano and violin. Violin is played by Ganesh I believe. I read that it is a mixture of dwijawanti and sahana ragam.
The 3rd one is "Uyirum Neeye" from "Pavithra". Veena and violin converse here in Khamas raga I think.
The 4th one is "Netru Illatha Maatram" from "Pudhiya Mugam". Nice sitar and flute combination. You can also listen to a veena in the third line. This is the same piece played in the first interlude. But in the first interlude it is a sitar and veena conversation. And at the end, the sitar piece is the same, but a different flute response. Flute must be by Naveen.
Let me know if there are other similar songs by ARR. I will also put a separate post on such conversations in Ilaiyaraaja's music. So let me know the relevant song interludes that come to your mind in IR's music.
1 minute Jingle for Vivel Miss Chennai & Chennai Man
If you are a small time composer, here is an opportunity. There is a one minute Jingle contest for 'Vivel Miss Chennai & Chennai Man' reality fashion show which will be telecast on Star Vijay. This is open for Public.
Here is more info on this.
http://www.vibaviba.com/pressnote.htm
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/03/21/stories/2009032151322400.htm
There are 2 more contests open for public. Refer the links above.
I checked with the organizers and it seems we should send the CD by April 5. I knew about this only today. Let me see if I can whip up something within that time.
UPDATE (April 4th): I checked with the organizers today. The deadline is postponed to April 12th. Infact, I had a feeling it will get postponed. Our band participated in the Chennai Anthem contest conducted by the same organizers couple of years back and we reached till the finals. That was more of a live stage performance, but this is a jingle contest and hence I think it doesn't need any live performance.
Here is more info on this.
http://www.vibaviba.com/pressnote.htm
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/03/21/stories/2009032151322400.htm
If you are musically inclined & love to compose jingles, then you could compose a 'one minute jingle for the Vivel Miss Chennai & Chennai man contest'. You need to create the background score, write the lyrics & render a one minute song on a CD and send it to us, the best one will be selected by an eminent panel of judges. This Selected jingle will be made into a Video film as well and the winners will be featured on Star Vijay & will take home prizes & medals.
There are 2 more contests open for public. Refer the links above.
I checked with the organizers and it seems we should send the CD by April 5. I knew about this only today. Let me see if I can whip up something within that time.
UPDATE (April 4th): I checked with the organizers today. The deadline is postponed to April 12th. Infact, I had a feeling it will get postponed. Our band participated in the Chennai Anthem contest conducted by the same organizers couple of years back and we reached till the finals. That was more of a live stage performance, but this is a jingle contest and hence I think it doesn't need any live performance.
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