The Queen goes looking for the King of Music!

It is a well known fact that Raaja had done many experiments.

He brought a new dimension to orchestration and arrangement.He used different kinds of instruments and each one would overlap on each other producing harmony..He used Bass Guitar in almost all his compositions and the bass notes would be entirely different from the main tune but still it would gel well with the song.

Bass Guitar was also used for rhythm following Carnatic rhythmic pattern.’Endrendrum Aanandame’(Kadal MeengaL) is a classic example.

He also composed a song without any instruments in the prelude and the interludes(Thaam ta Dheem ta).

Apart from all these, his use of vocals needs a very deep analysis.Many songs(esp.his vintage stuff) start with the humming and the podi sangatis in the humming are amazing!

Today’s Gem also starts with the beautiful humming of Janaki.

It alternates between long and short phrases.I still keep wondering if she sang it continuously or was it punched..But whatever it is, it sounds great.The higher ocatave ‘aaaaa..’takes us to an entirely different world.

The song I am talking about is ‘MaharaaNi Unai Thedi’from ‘Aayiram Vaasal Idayam’(1979) sung by Janaki and Jayachandran with lyrics by M G Vallabhan.
As soon as the humming ends, the violins start very gradually reaching a crescendo.

Honey flows as the flute blows.
The pallavi starts.

Here too, I wonder how Raaja composes his preludes and interludes.
He always ensures that the words given by the poets attain musical form.I can quote many examples.

Look at this song.

The pallavi is ‘MaharaaNi unai thedi varum nerame..engum kuzhal naadame..Thendral theril VaruvaL..Antha kaaman viduvaan KaNai IvaL vizhi’(When the Queen comes to you, there is music of flute all around..She comes on the Chariot of Breeze with eyes like the arrow of the cupid).

Now, listen to the prelude carefully.

The first part of the Humming-The Queen looks for you.
The second part of the Humming(the long one with sangatis)-She has seen you.

Violins-Sound of the Breeze.
Strings-She rides the Chariot.
Flute-She comes with the sound of the flute.
The last string section-She embraces you.

The first interlude:
The violins, strings , flute and the guitar.
The first two lines in the CharaNam talk about the sweet voice of the queen(parrot!), compares it with the sweetness of Tamizh and the lips that utter the words.

Go back to the first interlude.

The violins sound as if somebody is speaking in a beautiful tone.The flute sings showing us the sweetness(of Tamizh!).

The following lines talk about the heavenly bliss.
This is indicated by the wonderful guitar piece followed by the violins in the higher octave.

The second CharaNam:
The snowfall on the flower in the month of Maargazhi and the ecstatic blooming of the flower.

The Second interlude starts with the violins in low tone indicating the snowfall followed by the strings that show us the flower, and its petals.The interplay between the two is musically depicted by the flute!

This song is just an example of how well the Maestro understands the situation,the words and the mood to give us the best possible compositions! Though he remarked to me during the personal meeting that he does not think of all these while composing, I feel his brain captures everything(at times without his being aware) and pours out in the form of music. Certainly not possible for mortals like us!


His music is like the queen that comes looking for us in the Chariot of Breeze!