I think of your Music..and it is so...sweet!

What determines the mood in music?

Is it the Raga?
Is it the Tala?
Is it the way it is sung?

If it is the raga, then the Mukhaari(considered to be a ‘crybaby’ raga) song by G Ramanathan in ‘Ambikapati’ should sound sad. But did he not do it for a romantic duet?

And what about the Mother of Pathos-Subhapantuvarali?

Raaja sir composed a song humourous peppy in this Ragam(‘Kandupidichen Kandupidichen'-Guru Sishyan’).

Maestro often says that music is nothing but a kind of ‘Sithtu Velai’(black magic).Of course, words of such geniuses should not be taken literally. They carry lot of meanings.

He has even composed a pathos song in Mohanam(Oru Raagam paadalodu-Aananda Ragam) and happy duets in Sivaranjani(Adi Aathaadi-Kadalora KavithaigaL, Vaa Vaa Anbe Anbe-Agni Nakshatram).

But I am still amazed by one of his compositions-I must say two compositions.

In 1979, he composed two different songs for two different movies.Both were based on the same Ragam, Suddha Dhanyasi.Both followed the same Tala structure,the 7 beat Mishram.

But one was a slow (somewhat sad) song and the other a romantic solo.

The slow song is ‘Aayiram MalargaLe’(Niram Maraatha PookkaL).

The peppy number is the one we are going to see today.It is ‘Ninaiththaal Inikkum’from ‘KalyaNa Raman’.

‘Ninaiththal inikkum..’ starts with a humming of Janaki.And yes’Aayiram MalargaLe’ also starts with a humming.But look at the contrast!

The subtle bell sound the violin and the flute that follow are enough to create the right mood.

Now listen to the beats.

The ‘Tha Ki Ta Tha ka Dhi Mi’ that moves our hearts in ‘Aayiram malrgaLe’ sound so sensual in ‘Ninaiththal inikkum..’

In the first interlude, the guitar at the end plays almost the same notes as the Violins..but how different it sounds! The Flute appear now adding to the beauty.

We get to hear a classical western piece in the beginning of the second interlude and suddenly it becomes folksy.

The third interlude is aggressive and sensual at the same time.Of course, this has to do with the sequence in the movie where the Hero holds and throws away at a snake ‘hurled’ at him by one of the villains while the Heroine keeps singing at her house.

One has to also notice the difference in ‘speed’ between the Pallavi and the Charanams. But are they really different? They follow the same tala.It is the pattern played in the percussion instrument that gives us such an illusion.

So, now what determines the mood?

Whether it is ‘sa ga ma pa ni Sa/Sa ni pa ma ga sa’ or ‘Tha ki ta tha ka dhi mi’, it is the composer who determines and gives us the mood.

And aren't such compositions sweet even when we think of them?

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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!