10 of IR's ludes that you enjoyed most...

[tvsankar]

"Engum nirandha iyarkaiyil enna sugamo" from "IDHU EPPADI IRUKU"



Ven pani pol aval dhegam ' gara stanza ku munn varum ludes - really nice - bird sound - kuhu kuhu kukoo kukoo - - SJ in kudavae KJY
sound - thodarndhu varum violin - Guitar - violin-

[Sanjeevi]

Aaha! two of you have picked my one of fav. song Vizhiylae malarnthathu song

[krish244]

Nice topic. Its really very difficult to pick just 10 of IR's ludes that I enjoyed most. There are umpteen. Just cannot count. Still, to start with, one of the ludes that has an unexplainable effect on me is the interludes of "Kuyil paattu" song, sung by Swarnalatha (En raasavin manasile) and especially the second interlude. No words to explain the flute tune there and specifically the shift in the pitch in the later part of the flute tune. Pure bliss. The bass usage adds to the effect. Heard the song is in sivaranjani raagam (including the interludes).

There are too many like these. This is one I remembered where the flute tune is too good.

thanks,

Krishnan

[app_engine]

For the last couple of days, 'engengO sellum en eNNangaL' is on a repeat mode on my car (movie - pattAkkaththi Bhairavan, what a lousy title for a film with a sophisticated song like this...probably picked up from the rowdy character in a prior Shivaji movie, engaL thanga rAjA).

What a song! I used to miss some of the sounds in this song when they transmit in IOKS those days (the stereo tracks' distribution of instrumentals / voices is really childish), but on a car CD player, it doesn't matter and sounds sweet. I'm not even getting into the vocals or the BGM during vocals as that'll be a digression for this thread...sufficient to mention SPB & SJ will be loved forever for this song and the rhythm / chords / strings are of highest standards!

Coming to the topic, all the three ludes - the predule and two interludes - will rank among the top ones of Raja (or among the best ever in TFM / IFM IMHO). And they are some of the most novel sounding ones at the time of release - and they are as fresh even today...(somewhat similar to the 1st interlude of 'ninaivO oru paRavai' in one sense...i.e. that of "the effect they create in you").

I'm not sure whether this song got the pundits' attention as much as 'EdhO mOham' or HTNI / NBW. Neither do I think that it became as popular as it deserves, may be because of other non-musical reasons, though it had sufficient airtime on radio.

I'll stop blabbering much about the instruments, WCM stuff, brilliance etc of the ludes - leaving it to experts. Similarly, it's difficult to describe in words the feelings they evoke in you - how to term them....nostalgic? ecstasy? sweet? mesmerising?...

Raja, Raja dhAn!

[buggle]

App_Engine: I observed these words (BGM, Ludes etc) very often used by both Bhava and Purushothaman in his interview. Interestingly his voice was very youthful and I was even wondering who could this guy be, till he said that he worked with Raja for about 850 films. I think his interview lasted for some 5 day sessions..where he narrated so many interesting incidents on songs such as sound effects of "Paruvame Puthiya Padal", Multiple Live track recording without vocals for "Ilamai Itho Itho" and many of his drums based songs. When prompted with the question of his most interesting orchestration his choice was "Etho Moham..", and most challenging song for him as a Percussion player was interludes of "Raja Rajadhi" from AgniNak (which had just 3 persons on the recording) and final interlude & postludes of "Megam Kottatum".

There was one interesting query to Puru to recall his most unforgettable moment, after a pause, he said that this should be the song "Matha Unn Koilil..." by SJ, where she could not continue after the first interlude and she was all in tears, and when in the second take, there was silence from the entire interlude session where all of them were on tears, literally moved by something in the tune, which they cud'nt express ! The recording was postponed..Wow, Great Interview!!

Right now there is one more program going on conducted by Gangai Amaran which is too very interesting, and here he even casually remarks about the artists who handled the instruments.

Ohhh...sorry for the deviation...and here goes my choice

1. When digging out for of ludes of IR, the one instantly strikes me for the top slot is "Poongattru Puthiranathu" or its sister version "En Vaanile Ila Nenje Vaa" from old tresurebox.

2. Ohh Vasantha Raja ... watch out for the 2nd interlude

3. Onathhumbathhoru Unnzahl .... A simple but attractive prelude from film of "Pappayude Swantham Appus"
http://www.raaga.com/channels/malaya.../M0000536.html

Vkrish, Puru interview was in which TV/channel? any idea we have that online? pls let me know..looks like a pretty good interview

[app_engine]

I wanted to get a link for the audio and stumbled on this old TFM page :
http://www.dhool.com/sotd2/294.html

It also has links to some nice discussion of those days...

[kingvj]

My two cents - not necessarily in order :

1. Vaanam keezhaey - Thoongaadhaey thambi thoongaadhaey - one of the masterpieces in preludes... the moment the guitar starts, the violins join in, the female chorus (SJ.. who else...!!)... spellbinding, mindblowing... ran out of adjectives..!!!

2. Naetru Indha Naeram - Tik Tik Tik - again the preludes.... HUGE impact with the guitar and the drums... hear it in a good audio system and u'll feel the difference..!!!

3. sundhari kannaal - Thalapathi - one more masterpiece in handling an orchestra complete with chorus, strings, flutes, percussions, keyboard, trumphets.... it could be easily mistaken for a cacaphony but its a symphony by itself... i understood the beauty of the flute that comes in the second interlude after the 'war music' when i attended the live show at Nehru stadium... THAT flute piece generated an applause, leaving me in tears...!!!

4. aasaya kaathula - Johnny - the bass flute... do we need to say more? wonder why Raaja hasnt been using this instrument much..!!

5. Senorita - Johnny again - the master in guitar/violin strikes again... WHAT A START TO A SONG..!!! Till SPB starts singing, there is no percussion/drums.. but the guitar is used in such a way that it sounds like drums...!!!

6. Sandhanakaatraey - Thanikkaattu raaja - the second interlude with violins... man...!!! IR surely rules the strings section than anyone else in Indian film industry...!!!

7. Vaanengum thanga - Moondraam Pirai - the guitar prelude... WOW...!!! perfectly sets the ambiance for a "setting of the dusk" by creating a visual in the mind ...(just imagine the sun slowly setting down in the sea and play this guitar music in your mind... u'll FEEL it...)

8. Thaen poovaey - Anbulla Rajinikanth - the one thing that always hooks me to this song is the strings that come at the end of every line in the pallavi... the boss makes his own world..!!!

9. Kaadhal kavidhaigal - Gopura vaasalilaey - how many variations can u use within 1.5 seconds? Raaja effortlessly accomplishes 3 in THIS song..!!! Observe the gap between the lines in the charanams... first violins-then flute-then violins..!!! why shd he do this when a layman just listens to the songs and not the interludes, and that too intricate like the ones mentioned? THAT's Raaja...!!!

10. Kannan vandhu - Rettaivaal kuruvi - The Sax bit in the second half... makes u imagine a beautiful girl that has just woken up and sombal murichifying making it a sight to behold...the lazy elegance!!!

can go on and on and on....

[kingvj]

...addendum :

IR has a special enchanting feeling for SJ's voice in chorus... vaanam keezhaey song is just an example in which SJ is not the main voice accompanying the male voice but just the chorus part.... "Vikram vikram" song is another.

[popeye11]

Can't compromise on 10 its too hard ..Oh well
How about Vaazhavaikum Kadhaluku - Aboorva Sagothargal
Kalyana Malai - PPA
Tholin Melae - Ninaivellam Nithya (Amazing Flute bit in Second interlude)
Punnagaiyil Minsaram - Bharathan

[popeye11]

Few More
1. Maniye Manikuyile - Nadodi Thenral
2. Mella Mella - Vaazhkai
3. Oru Kadhal - China Thambi Periya Thambi