Tone

What gives the right mood?

I know I have asked this question before albeit in a different form and have also discussed about this at length, but since I am now in a mood to talk about this again, I am trying to create the mood for the topic again so that I can influence and affect your mood.

The word itself gives some very different connotations. It is a ‘temporary state of mind’, ‘a distinctive emotional quality’, ‘general attitude’.

How many times would we have come across this statement or how many times would we have told others this- I am not in a mood now-?

At the same time, don’t we also say, ‘I am in a good mood’?

And generally, if we say somebody is ‘moody’, don’t we always say it in a negative context?

At the same time, we also say ‘this sets the mood’. This expression of course means that ‘we have the right atmosphere’.

If a simple four letter word (I meant only this word!) can give so many moods, then it surely must be very special.

This ‘mood’ applies to music as well. It is said that certain ragas have some specific moods and can be used only in specific instances-that is to create the mood a raga is meant to create.

Hindustani Music follows the ‘time concept’ strictly. A particular raag is to be sung only during a particular time of the day (or night). However, I have seen musicians render ‘Todi’(carnatic equivalent- SubhapantuvaraLi) during the evening though it is to be sung during late mornings only, but that is a different issue(and can be taken up in one of my forthcoming posts, as usual ).

But apart from the ‘time concept’, there is also the ‘mood’ created (supposedly) by a particular raag. A raag like Ahir Bhairav gives a pathos mood(in fact this applies to most of the raags in Bhairav thaat).  ‘Poorvi’, ‘Poorya Dhanashri’, ‘Lalit’ always sound plaintive. ‘Malkauns’ on the other hand(don’t ask me which hand) gives shringar rasa(or a romantic mood).

In Carnatic Music too, one often comes across this ‘mood factor’. One of the most popular ‘beliefs’ is about Mukhari, which is supposed to be a ‘crying raga’. That this ‘belief’ is just a myth will be taken up by me soon. However, I feel many theories about on the mood of the raags  are just myths. Or at least, that is what ILaiyaraaja has proved.

Though film music is a genre by itself and cannot be compared strictly with Classical music(isn’t this a myth as well?), ILaiyaraaja has time and again challenged this through his compositions and has come up trumps in such exercises.

For example, he has used SubhapantuvaraLi, which is considered to be a raga full of melancholy in a humorous situation (Kandupidichchen KaNdupidichchen- Guru Sishyan), in romantic situations( Porapattadhi- Ladies’ Tailor), and even in a sensuous situation(AlaigaLil Midhakkudhu-Andha Oru Nimidam).

Same is the case with Shivaranjani, Chakravagam etc., He has done the reverse too making happy ragas like KalyaNi, Mohanam etc., sound plaintive (no, I am not going to list the songs now).

That brings me to the basic question (at last...) – How does he create the mood for a song?

In other words- What makes him decide on a particular raga for a particular song?

It is of course complicated and can be answered only by him (really not sure about this too!).

 I was talking about him challenging the mood concept. But there have also been cases where he has stuck to the concept. Today’s Rare Gem is an example.

Jog is a raag which is supposed to give enchantment.

‘Podu Thanthaana tham’ from ‘Nalla NaaL’(1984) is based on this raag. If one looks at the mood evoked by the song, it is romantically sensuous. But what makes this gem shine with a special radiance is not just the raag and the way it has been used, but also the kind of instruments used and the way these have been used.

Take the prelude. The shrill flute in the beginning is somewhat deceptive as gives a folksy feel. But the bass sound from the keys, which backs it, gives us an indication of what could be in store. The fact that both play different sets of notes, makes it even more interesting and intriguing. Enter the sax in its unique tenor and the intrigue factor goes up. In fact, this sax plays a very significant role in the composition and can as well be called as the X factor. Raag Jog could then be the ‘Y’ factor and the percussion could be the ‘Z’ factor.

That ‘Z’ which starts along with the sax, plays 1 2 3/ 1 2 3/ 1 2 in two different sets, with one set  sounding only the first, the fourth and the seventh with resonance and the other set sounding all the syllables, though some are sounded subtly. The composer whose love for variety is well –known, changes this pattern when the sax stops playing and sounds only for one beat on the drums followed by one beat on the more resonant percussion. This goes on for one cycle of chatushram. In the next cycle, the same pattern continues but this time, the flute plays a short melody and takes us to the Pallavi.

The original pattern (the one played during the sax melody) continues but this time a synth sound is added on the 7^th micro beat once per cycle. That is, the chatushram cycle is divided into 16(I have explained this many times in many of my posts) with 1 2 3/ 1 2 3/ 1 2 occurring twice and the synth sound is played only during the first 7^th micro beat. But this synth sound occurs only in the Pallavi with the CharaNams and the first interlude following the pattern of the prelude. We shall come back to this ‘Z’ factor soon when the second interlude is discussed.

Now, for the ‘A’ factor - the vocals. If only I had the stamina, I would climb atop Mount Everest and would shout at the top of my voice that no other two singers would have done justice to this song except SPB and Janaki. Rather than my explaining this, it will be nice if you all listen to the vocals (especially in the second charaNam and in the end) and make your own judgement.

The ‘X’ factor comes into play in the first segment of the first interlude and in the last segment of the second interlude. If it is smooth in the former, it is rousing in the latter. But in both occasions, it gives a very special feeling which can be at best described as musically romantically sensuous.

There are other factors too and since I am not here to list out the English alphabets, I would refrain from naming these factors. One is the violin in the first interlude which gives the melancholic feel of the raag and two is the flute which follows, which sounds plaintive. If you wonder what these feelings play in a ‘romantically sensuous’ song, my answer is ‘Contrasts are poetic and show the genius of a composer’.

Then there is that wonderful instrument called as the guitar which suddenly appears in the second interlude elegantly and gives an exemplary display of brilliance etching some beautiful patterns.

That ‘Z’ factor comes into play again here keeping quiet when the guitar starts and playing 4 beats at the end of the cycle. After two cycles, it plays continuously. Note that that it is totally a different percussion instrument from the guitar section. When the sax(the ‘X’ factor) enters, the pattern changes again with the drums playing only the first and the third syllable and the sharp percussion playing all the 4 syllables as response. At the end of the interlude, the drums play 16 in faster mode (mel kaalam).

‘XYZ ABC’- Are these the ones which create the mood?

Or is the mood created in the mind of the composer with all the factors racing with and against each other?

Let me think when I have the right mood.

Until then, let me listen to songs like this one without bothering about any factor.

After all, Mood is a Mood is a Mood!

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Attribute

One of the topics which I have discussed quite a number of times in various forums (here, in Orkut Community, and during Geetanjali)- and the one I wouldn’t mind discussing repeatedly- is Ragas and Moods. Indian Classical Music is unique and distinct because of the raga system. There are of course many other features too like the gamaka, sangati, briga, akaaram etc., but all these revolve around ragas.

Talking about the ragas, it is said that each raga evokes a certain kind of emotion. In fact, there is a song from the old film ‘SampoorNa RamayaNam’ in which RaavaNa is asked by his sons, brothers and his wife about the moods of various ragas and he answers the questions musically-singing and playing the veeNa(exquisite rendering by Shri.C.S.Jaraman!).

The Hindustani system of music goes a step further and even classifies each raga as suitable for singing only during a certain time (day or night).

My intention is not to question this or even say that it is all a myth- though I can’t agree with the belief that Mukhari is melancholic or that if one sings Aahiri in the morning, they will starve throughout that day. At the same time, I feel that by restricting the ragas to just some emotions, we are imprisoning not only the ragas but our free thinking.

Our mind always believes what we want to believe and refuses to believe what we do not want to believe.  It always helps to question beliefs. In fact, that is how rationalists came into existence in the world- though this is a different issue and a different topic. In any case, I am not advocating anything here and not for a moment am I saying that all traditional practices must be changed. However, it is better to be convinced about anything after questioning rather than accepting things as they are just because those are part of tradition. This also helps our thinking and also activates our brain.

Apart from this, there is one more angle too. There is a special beauty if one goes off the beaten track and this can only be experienced and can hardly be explained. ‘Being different’ is different and beautiful though one need not be different just for the sake of being different.

As mentioned in many of my posts and also during the Geetanjali Events, ILaiyaraaja , who has a great respect for tradition has time and again challenged some widely held beliefs about the moods of ragas. Not as a rebel but as a true musician. For, there is no trace of arrogance in the deed. On the other hand, it leaves connoisseurs awe stuck and one is left wondering if a particular raga can be used this way too.

He has composed humorous and romantic songs in ‘pathos-evoking’ ragas and melancholic songs in ragas considered to be ‘happy’. In ‘Kotha pittaro koko’ from Detective Narada (1993), he has done the former.

Chakravakam is considered to be a raga for poignant mood even by film music composers. In fact, it sounds more sorrowful in film music than when sung in classical style. However, ‘Kotha pittaro..’ sounds romantic and even erotic. How and why he chooses a particular raga is a question even he will not be able to answer because to him these are spontaneous occurrences.  And anything which has that spontaneity has an unmatched beauty- the ‘aalapanas’ and ’kalpana swaras’ sung in a classical music concert being live examples. So how will ‘Kotha Pittaro’ not sound nice?

It has an unusual start with the sound of cockfight. What follows is a piece on the Sax which sketches a beautiful melody with the flute pitching in now and then and the group of percussion backing with chatushram beats.

It is not the prelude which is different. The structure of Pallavi is different too. The female (Janaki yet again!) sings a line and the male (yes, of course the inimitable SPB) responds in a very different way. Janaki sings for a period of two and half beats (in keezh kaalam) and SPB’s repartee is for one and half beats. And what a repartee it is! 3 ta ka dhi mi s in mel kaalam speaking technically but each line(there are 7 in total) and the reply are different and have their own charm. The 8^th line is only in akaaram (and that too in avarohaNam). If we assume that the Pallavi ends there, it means we do not know ILaiyaraaja enough. It is now the turn of SPB to sing and the turn of Janaki to respond. Finally, it ends with the akaaram of Janaki which gives the essence of Chakravakam.

Can any Pallavi be more beautiful than this? Yes, if it is composed by the Master (read this line in mel kaala chatushram ).

The banter continues in the first interlude too with the wind instruments like the sax and trumpets intercepted by the keys/flute in the first segment and the guitar being ‘replied to’ by the flute in the second segment. Note that this is almost similar to the Pallavi-not in terms of the tune or notes but in terms of the repartee. Playfully playful! In the third segment, the two guitars move with sobriety and play different sets of notes taking us to the first charaNam.

The lines in the CharaNam ooze with melody though there is no ‘repartee’ here. One also sees the different shades of Chakravaham .

The second interlude is another marvel. The sax group plays a melody and it is a different kind of repartee from the group of flutes with the latter playing the same notes as reply. Beyond a point, the Sax& co. starts playing those repetitive notes as if to teach a lesson to the flutes. It can even be taken in a positive sense- the sax decided to join hands with the flute! What happens after this is what makes ILaiyaraaja a composer par excellence. He stops the percussion and as he has done quite a number of times, decides to use the voice of Janaki as a lead instrument. She hums in Chakravakam-though in a different style- and the keys and a host of bass instruments back her gently. This goes on for 6 cycles and indeed takes us to empyrean heights!

How to describe this mood now?

Surely words cannot explain that. Because, after all moods ‘happen’ and are not created..

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