When asked as to how he composes such great tunes and how he places the right kind of swaras, Raaja sir keeps repeating that he doesn’t plan anything at all and it just happens. In fact, though this ‘it just happens’ is not new to people who have been following him very closely. Every time we listen to his songs we cannot but be left amazed at the melody of the tune as a whole and the magnificent and sweet sounds produced by each instrument. Most importantly, the composition follows a raga pattern. Maybe this too ‘just happens’.
Look at ‘Andaalalo..’ from the Telugu film ‘Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari’(1990).
First of all the raga.It is based on Pahaadi, one of his most favourite ragas and which has been used rather prolifically by him. I have written time and again as to how he has showed the multi dimensions of this raga in his innumerable compositions. He has caressed, fondled, and loved this raga like no other composer has done. It is also a raga which does not have a proper structure and goes more by the ‘feel’. The same ‘sa ri ga pa dha’ in Mohanam or in Shivaranjani sound so different in Pahaadi(note that Mohanam and Shivaranjani use different variants of 'ga' and that both these variants appear in Pahaadi).
Now, how will it be if this ‘Pahaadi’ whose origin is the mountains- as the name itself suggests- is used with pure Western Classical orchestra? Sounds Crazy? Doesn’t matter. Music is crazy of course depending on how we view it.
Going back to the orchestration, the Maestro has precisely done this in ‘Andaalalo’.
In the prelude, the strings start gradually and reach a crescendo as the brass flute joins it. The strings continue the journey along with the keys and the chorus.
The flute plays with flamboyance with the resplendent strings moving like the waves and the horns making exciting excursions in the first interlude.
The wind instruments and the strings play soothing and passionate phrases in the second interlude with the keys interjecting now and then showing as a Picasso painting.
If one plays just the ludes(prelude minus chorus, and the interludes), he/she will be led to believe that these have been directly taken out from a Symphony. But will a person with an ear only for Western Classical Music where Harmony dominates the Melody, ever believe that the orchestra religiously follows a Hindustani raag called Pahaadi?
Next the rhythm. It follows the ta ka dhi mi (1 2 3 4) pattern. The soft rhythm pad alternates with the subtle drums. That is, the rhythm pad plays the 1st beat and the drums sound the 3rd beat with the 2nd and the 4th being left blank. The lines are wound up with a 3,1 pattern. Note that the first part of the first interlude and some part of the second interlude move without the percussion though the rhythm is maintained. One of the other attractions is the sudden sound from the pad at the second syllable just towards the end of the first two lines in the CharaNams.
The Pallavi is in ‘anaagata eduppu’ with the vocals starting after the beginning of the taaLa cycle..
Now, the tune. Yes, it follows Pahaadi but see how romantically it is tuned. We feel we are in a brave new world, a world full of fantasies and wonderful creatures.
The structure of Pallavi and the CharaNams are predictably unpredictable but absolutely not jarring.
The CharaNams have three different parts, with each part linked to the other one.
The end of the first two lines sees the special Pahaadi effect.
The third and fourth lines are in mid- octave while the last two lines touch the upper registers after starting from the mid-octave.
The early morning sunrise is painted by the Divine Master.
This musical sunrise is painted by a gentleman blessed by that Divine Master.
How lucky we are!
PS: The early movies of Sridevi in South Indian languages had that great musical score by ILaiyaraaja and it will not be an exaggeration to say that this strong musical score played a huge role in her becoming tremendously popular here. Though I am not a huge fan of hers, it is an undeniable fact that she ruled the silver screen in the south for nearly a decade. 'JVAS' happened when her popularity was on the rise in the North and when she was slowly but moving away from the South. The album-background score included- is a feast to the ears.
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