Who exactly is a prodigy?? This chinese born , french , buddist cello player , played for John F Kennedy when he was only 7. I find him one of the most influential persons to play Bach's majority of works for the Cello.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo_yo_ma
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9NaVpv9jsTo
His charm, probably lies in his form of expression by adding soul in the form of vibratos and slides. They say the finger vibratos are a direct connection to the heart's feelings. But not only that, he has also worked on major projects of improvisation. Bobby McFerrin whose second name is improvisation has worked with this genius in creating some of the best pieces written of the voice and cello. Yo yo ma has worked with great personalities such as Hollywood genius Ennio Morricone and many more.
Yo yo ma plays a strad cello. Now strads are a post by themselves, but they are the finest pieces of acoustic instruments ever created. A strad may cost upto 6 million dollars if available on an auction. They were manufactured by Antonio Stradiveri, one of the best luthiers from the luthier town of Cremona, Italy in the 16th century.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zDGphZaQoSw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stradivarius
Strads seem to have a lot of mystery around their excellence. There is lot of research and a whole field of study.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vy1LD2oxVjU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nphg4YVm37I
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JqbsEZI6lPw
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xfl8J1yCO7g
This man and machine will live through his music forever.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Gramiya effect ... Pastures, Goats, Palm Trees, Paddy Fields
This is a very famous scene for a rich tamil movie subject. The hero and heroine running around, or the hero missing the heroine and singing. Such movies usually have a low budget hero like ramarajan, raj kiran and rarely someone like captain chinna gownder, or devar magan trying a new draw of the dice.
Here comes our music director, where only music can be the scaffolding, basement, and the curb appeal for the movie. Now there are some music directors, who try and make it a village subject, but a song like "Then merku paruva kaatru..." or "Uppu karvadu...", as much as try to be village songs, just don't have the feel.
Now leaving duets alone, sorrow songs are also hard. Because all that can be shown on the screen, is a drunk hero, walking on AVM studio's groves, in bad drenched clothing. Heroine usually is not around or even if she is, she is dead and walking around with a white saree bought in bulk.
Given, this repeated scenario, the director is given a challenge to show his creativity, of course adding the lyricist too. Directors, who usually make such village topics, don't show a high technical expertise in lighting, camera angles or editing. They cater to all IQs.
Let's take this sad song. Hero is sad, heroine is sad. Instruments used are a dilruba to replace the coconut shell makeshift fiddle, violin, a single tabla( to show melancholy) and a sad voice. A rhythm 12 string acoustic to fill up the empty spaces. Now how creative can you get. If you haven't guessed the song yet, here it is.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2uChga7B-ts
Now gangai amaran aint a great singer, and suseela amma makes up for it. But hero sucks, heroine just got started. I would think a production website deployment has lesser challenges than this. This song made the movie a hit go. I mean a super hit and the song is still around.
Lets take the classic duet case. Lipstick hero, wannabe heroine-with-no-sense-of-camera , no expression of romance. A 12 string chromatic intro, included with a flute melody, that the bass plays in the lower octave. A bell joins the "boom" of the tabla. The counterpointed flute.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gttqdf13GGk
Songs like these made movies like these watchable. Without even seeing the video, one would be able to recognise that it's in a village pasture, with the flute simulating the breeze of the wind over the thick filled corn fields. Writing a string ensemble for a pastural effect requires some sweat. This whole movie was a major musical hit. Of course maan kuyile, a karagatam song to depict love. A hard attempt. The lyrics are good too.The thavil of all of the loud instruments, adds flavour here.
This one's more interesting. Chinnapadas, Jennifer teacher, cuddalore beach, aatukutti, nothing more nothing less. Bass, violins with harmony, pitch bending keyboard solo. A single tabla for the uncomplicated village love. Nice lyrics for a change, but pretty composition. A mega hit. A village effect with western instruments alone. The much loved flute solo, but not many ethnic indian instruments other than the tabla.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0PSSXbNTDI
I could write pages and pages more about the music making up for the hero and heroine. Raaja just rocks !!! Love him. Here's more videos. Would love your comments.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9KBCde50pIg - The whole movie. Dhaadi captain. All mega hit songs. Revathi in white saari. Raasathi Onna, needs a page on it's own. But the rhythm guitar is the money making trick there.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Iclv2Sg5j6c . Again the whole movie. Dry subject. Bhaarathiraaja made a bet than anyone else couldn't make more a villagest movie. The tamil in the movie, the makeup. Takes you right there. Shivaji, doesn't fall into the crappy hero genre though. But every song is another hit. A perfect pastural effect in this movie is this song. Takes u amongst the rice fields surrounded by hills near theni district.
New heroine. Wannabe hero. Crushy scenario. Bass guitar and tabla, take the prize away. I would love to play the bass for this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88lmdr7KSFo .The video is well made though.
This is a special one because it describes the beauty of the village. So no romance, but two fat people running around. The beauty of the song lies in creating sounds of water falling or birds chirping. The rhythm guitar fills the village part and bass adds when she sings "Kaalum Yaavum". Swarnaltha rocks this show. Napolean flute solo has nothing less. Very simple but powerful composition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgGEZuc3aDg Every song in this movie is a class except one. But my person fav is aracha santhanam, describing the coming of age which is still a BIG deal in the villages.
One more hero heroine, running around fields. But the class in this movie is the potri paadadi penne, which has ethnic village rhythm beats. Hard to get the santham in the first take. Personally this one can't get anymore original.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34dUpdJuRNc . The phrasing of ilayaraja, is beautiful to duplicate the village crude uncivilized tamil. A very well made, acted, done song. Shivaji does what he does best. Act. Love the scene where people get up even while eating when the "Devar" comes around.
A lullaby is an essential village thing. This whole movie was another village hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aMqUilfXH4 .Revathi is such a sweet heart in this song. Makes anyone yawn. Beautiful lyrics. An almost perfect song. The other songs in this movie, many of them for many other scenarios, aren't the best. Not everyone is good all the time. And not my person favs.
Young girl. Ready to fall in love. Stops and smells the roses. Has time to sing and enjoy nature. Yet to face life's hurricanes. Fresh and positive. Hasn't been duped yet. Looking for love, thinks love is divine before being dumped. Flute, coconut fiddle, daffali, bass guitar, 12 string picking and everything.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EM5bF3WhN-o
Mad hero. Dope selling heroine. Duper side hero, expressionless side heroine. Happiness. Village. Romance in a stoned heart. Karum Parai Manasula, Oru mayil thogai virikuthe.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sfvMM8tGaaw . Ilayaraja's trade stamp on this one after a long time. Bass guitar, Tenor flute. Synth to perfection. Flute of course.
"Netru thanimaiyile pochu, yaarum thunai illai". Showing the loneliness of the psyched hero's mind.
Late night village road. Dead dark. Sounds of a sporadic mini bus or TATA 407, hero heorine on a TVS-50. Really authentic. Good heorine, great heroine. Very well made. Newly wed romance. A nice water splash, goats yelling. Bells, bulls, Dreams talked in silence, counterpoint dialogue deliveries. Makes us live this scenario. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtwoVaU5yoc. Shreya and kamal, ilayaraja, napolean. Cinematography, Screenplay. Perfection.
"Ithukku peyar than mokshama"
There are many more videos and songs and nuances to be discussed in thsi topic. Chinna thayee, En rasavin manasula, blazing hits with this theme. Couldn't love him anymore.
Here comes our music director, where only music can be the scaffolding, basement, and the curb appeal for the movie. Now there are some music directors, who try and make it a village subject, but a song like "Then merku paruva kaatru..." or "Uppu karvadu...", as much as try to be village songs, just don't have the feel.
Now leaving duets alone, sorrow songs are also hard. Because all that can be shown on the screen, is a drunk hero, walking on AVM studio's groves, in bad drenched clothing. Heroine usually is not around or even if she is, she is dead and walking around with a white saree bought in bulk.
Given, this repeated scenario, the director is given a challenge to show his creativity, of course adding the lyricist too. Directors, who usually make such village topics, don't show a high technical expertise in lighting, camera angles or editing. They cater to all IQs.
Let's take this sad song. Hero is sad, heroine is sad. Instruments used are a dilruba to replace the coconut shell makeshift fiddle, violin, a single tabla( to show melancholy) and a sad voice. A rhythm 12 string acoustic to fill up the empty spaces. Now how creative can you get. If you haven't guessed the song yet, here it is.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2uChga7B-ts
Now gangai amaran aint a great singer, and suseela amma makes up for it. But hero sucks, heroine just got started. I would think a production website deployment has lesser challenges than this. This song made the movie a hit go. I mean a super hit and the song is still around.
Lets take the classic duet case. Lipstick hero, wannabe heroine-with-no-sense-of-camera , no expression of romance. A 12 string chromatic intro, included with a flute melody, that the bass plays in the lower octave. A bell joins the "boom" of the tabla. The counterpointed flute.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gttqdf13GGk
Songs like these made movies like these watchable. Without even seeing the video, one would be able to recognise that it's in a village pasture, with the flute simulating the breeze of the wind over the thick filled corn fields. Writing a string ensemble for a pastural effect requires some sweat. This whole movie was a major musical hit. Of course maan kuyile, a karagatam song to depict love. A hard attempt. The lyrics are good too.The thavil of all of the loud instruments, adds flavour here.
This one's more interesting. Chinnapadas, Jennifer teacher, cuddalore beach, aatukutti, nothing more nothing less. Bass, violins with harmony, pitch bending keyboard solo. A single tabla for the uncomplicated village love. Nice lyrics for a change, but pretty composition. A mega hit. A village effect with western instruments alone. The much loved flute solo, but not many ethnic indian instruments other than the tabla.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0PSSXbNTDI
I could write pages and pages more about the music making up for the hero and heroine. Raaja just rocks !!! Love him. Here's more videos. Would love your comments.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9KBCde50pIg - The whole movie. Dhaadi captain. All mega hit songs. Revathi in white saari. Raasathi Onna, needs a page on it's own. But the rhythm guitar is the money making trick there.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Iclv2Sg5j6c . Again the whole movie. Dry subject. Bhaarathiraaja made a bet than anyone else couldn't make more a villagest movie. The tamil in the movie, the makeup. Takes you right there. Shivaji, doesn't fall into the crappy hero genre though. But every song is another hit. A perfect pastural effect in this movie is this song. Takes u amongst the rice fields surrounded by hills near theni district.
New heroine. Wannabe hero. Crushy scenario. Bass guitar and tabla, take the prize away. I would love to play the bass for this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88lmdr7KSFo .The video is well made though.
This is a special one because it describes the beauty of the village. So no romance, but two fat people running around. The beauty of the song lies in creating sounds of water falling or birds chirping. The rhythm guitar fills the village part and bass adds when she sings "Kaalum Yaavum". Swarnaltha rocks this show. Napolean flute solo has nothing less. Very simple but powerful composition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgGEZuc3aDg Every song in this movie is a class except one. But my person fav is aracha santhanam, describing the coming of age which is still a BIG deal in the villages.
One more hero heroine, running around fields. But the class in this movie is the potri paadadi penne, which has ethnic village rhythm beats. Hard to get the santham in the first take. Personally this one can't get anymore original.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34dUpdJuRNc . The phrasing of ilayaraja, is beautiful to duplicate the village crude uncivilized tamil. A very well made, acted, done song. Shivaji does what he does best. Act. Love the scene where people get up even while eating when the "Devar" comes around.
A lullaby is an essential village thing. This whole movie was another village hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aMqUilfXH4 .Revathi is such a sweet heart in this song. Makes anyone yawn. Beautiful lyrics. An almost perfect song. The other songs in this movie, many of them for many other scenarios, aren't the best. Not everyone is good all the time. And not my person favs.
Young girl. Ready to fall in love. Stops and smells the roses. Has time to sing and enjoy nature. Yet to face life's hurricanes. Fresh and positive. Hasn't been duped yet. Looking for love, thinks love is divine before being dumped. Flute, coconut fiddle, daffali, bass guitar, 12 string picking and everything.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EM5bF3WhN-o
Mad hero. Dope selling heroine. Duper side hero, expressionless side heroine. Happiness. Village. Romance in a stoned heart. Karum Parai Manasula, Oru mayil thogai virikuthe.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sfvMM8tGaaw . Ilayaraja's trade stamp on this one after a long time. Bass guitar, Tenor flute. Synth to perfection. Flute of course.
"Netru thanimaiyile pochu, yaarum thunai illai". Showing the loneliness of the psyched hero's mind.
Late night village road. Dead dark. Sounds of a sporadic mini bus or TATA 407, hero heorine on a TVS-50. Really authentic. Good heorine, great heroine. Very well made. Newly wed romance. A nice water splash, goats yelling. Bells, bulls, Dreams talked in silence, counterpoint dialogue deliveries. Makes us live this scenario. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtwoVaU5yoc. Shreya and kamal, ilayaraja, napolean. Cinematography, Screenplay. Perfection.
"Ithukku peyar than mokshama"
There are many more videos and songs and nuances to be discussed in thsi topic. Chinna thayee, En rasavin manasula, blazing hits with this theme. Couldn't love him anymore.
A musician is his form of expression with his music
His composition for an ensemble/ a whole set of orchestra instrumentalists are awe inspiring considering the remoteness of the Pannaiyapuram he was from. Just listen to the violin orchestrations in these numbers. Also the vocal harmonies...where a whole orchestra sets the mood, with a flute playing the main melody...something like the orange sun on a grey sky during sunset...making music to express moods is where the musician is...playing an instrument is a physical thing...but connecting the heart and the fingers...
Here are some of the songs...that I personally am baffled that how could someone come up with such creativity...
Notice how the singer says "la" for "La" in "Pillai"...:) But the orchestra needs a golden globe for this. Lovingmom, but also charming kids, happiness, and the hint of the upcoming sorrow is shown in the composition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyZzxRstc8M
The mood of mystery, and the sorrow of SPBs voice of "lost"...Amala's joint eyebrows and mohan's overacting are the bad parts...but just another classic...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jgPVn81e6CM
Of course, needless to describe...all thalaivars...The violin ensemble, the rhythm guitar working with the tabla and morapas,...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=51mi-u-6lDs
Suggest, not watching the video for this... But listen to the orchestration crescendo in the interludes ... creates such a romantic feeling...with the electronic beats...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wlP8Z3gNpy8
Swarnalatha won a national award for this
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xzLCUEXY3q8
The keyboard arpeggios, the solo flute, the voice, the tabla and bass guitar...phew~...expresses the crushy romance in a girl's heart...don't forget the violin counterpoints when she sings "nenjame..." The sensuality in the voice ... Banupriya kinda makes a cheap look with her headlit eyes...
A simple riff in C minor ...made into a vocal ensemble...Listen to bass which walks along with the tenor voice...and the harmonies...raaja just rocks...the unknown hero, with the unknown heroine...both of them ugly...but voice...again...one of the underrated good singers...the violin interludes...sets the mood for a duped romance aimed at a carnal desire...which creates that ...what will happen now ...along with "i think i know"...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0bwbW2jjY24 ... Don't forget the flute counterpoints by Napolean in the stanza...i get transposed to a different domain on these ones when listened with closed eyes...
This song has been explained and explained by so many experts in so many forums...
http://illusions-naresh.blogspot.com/2006/06/weekend-with-ilayaraaja.html
Many components in this song...like the initial vocal chord...heavy bass note...description of colors by a blind woman...describe colors wid music???? the violin paints...this song requires a page by tiself...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CLtIWLBhfFY
The next one...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nZzNkClW8aU
Shobana...droolsss...listen to the middle interlude...when the violent war is described by the violins...and then a sweet flute...comes in to describe...the mazhai peiinju oiinja effect...the bells at the start of the song... the horse neighing...I have no clue what part of his brain tells him this creativity...the trumpet...expressive saxophone...SPB loves this song in his own words...the remix was done in mumbai...listen to cello bass ...rich orchestration...when SPB sings "sernthathe nam jeevane"...the violins give that happiness in the background...the flute counterpoint when "kannal oru seidhi"...Napolean..."Very great lyrics too...Marappen endrae Ninaithayo???...this movie is my epitome of perfectness...!!!
The standard lineup of musicians for raaja are Viji Manuel on Keys, Purushothaman on Drums, Sasi on Bass, Sadha on Guitar, Napolean on flute, R Chandrasekhar on tabla...V S Narasimhan on the lead violin...etc.,
When I was in my undergrad, I wanted to goto madras with my job at mascon, join musee musicals and graduate with a degree in classical guitaring, and before I die, play for this prodigy atleast in a track song. But life has taken me in a different direction. But my love, respect and dedication for this man will always be the same.
Here are some of the songs...that I personally am baffled that how could someone come up with such creativity...
Notice how the singer says "la" for "La" in "Pillai"...:) But the orchestra needs a golden globe for this. Lovingmom, but also charming kids, happiness, and the hint of the upcoming sorrow is shown in the composition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyZzxRstc8M
The mood of mystery, and the sorrow of SPBs voice of "lost"...Amala's joint eyebrows and mohan's overacting are the bad parts...but just another classic...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jgPVn81e6CM
Of course, needless to describe...all thalaivars...The violin ensemble, the rhythm guitar working with the tabla and morapas,...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=51mi-u-6lDs
Suggest, not watching the video for this... But listen to the orchestration crescendo in the interludes ... creates such a romantic feeling...with the electronic beats...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wlP8Z3gNpy8
Swarnalatha won a national award for this
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xzLCUEXY3q8
The keyboard arpeggios, the solo flute, the voice, the tabla and bass guitar...phew~...expresses the crushy romance in a girl's heart...don't forget the violin counterpoints when she sings "nenjame..." The sensuality in the voice ... Banupriya kinda makes a cheap look with her headlit eyes...
A simple riff in C minor ...made into a vocal ensemble...Listen to bass which walks along with the tenor voice...and the harmonies...raaja just rocks...the unknown hero, with the unknown heroine...both of them ugly...but voice...again...one of the underrated good singers...the violin interludes...sets the mood for a duped romance aimed at a carnal desire...which creates that ...what will happen now ...along with "i think i know"...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0bwbW2jjY24 ... Don't forget the flute counterpoints by Napolean in the stanza...i get transposed to a different domain on these ones when listened with closed eyes...
This song has been explained and explained by so many experts in so many forums...
http://illusions-naresh.blogspot.com/2006/06/weekend-with-ilayaraaja.html
Many components in this song...like the initial vocal chord...heavy bass note...description of colors by a blind woman...describe colors wid music???? the violin paints...this song requires a page by tiself...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CLtIWLBhfFY
The next one...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nZzNkClW8aU
Shobana...droolsss...listen to the middle interlude...when the violent war is described by the violins...and then a sweet flute...comes in to describe...the mazhai peiinju oiinja effect...the bells at the start of the song... the horse neighing...I have no clue what part of his brain tells him this creativity...the trumpet...expressive saxophone...SPB loves this song in his own words...the remix was done in mumbai...listen to cello bass ...rich orchestration...when SPB sings "sernthathe nam jeevane"...the violins give that happiness in the background...the flute counterpoint when "kannal oru seidhi"...Napolean..."Very great lyrics too...Marappen endrae Ninaithayo???...this movie is my epitome of perfectness...!!!
The standard lineup of musicians for raaja are Viji Manuel on Keys, Purushothaman on Drums, Sasi on Bass, Sadha on Guitar, Napolean on flute, R Chandrasekhar on tabla...V S Narasimhan on the lead violin...etc.,
When I was in my undergrad, I wanted to goto madras with my job at mascon, join musee musicals and graduate with a degree in classical guitaring, and before I die, play for this prodigy atleast in a track song. But life has taken me in a different direction. But my love, respect and dedication for this man will always be the same.
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