Maestro Ilaiyaraaja – 37 years of Musical Magic or Magical Music!!

An encomium on Maestro Ilaiyaraja – by Sowmya Suresh

The Invincible Musician who made his debut in Annakili this day 37 years ago has made all our lives so beautiful, meaningful, enjoyable, blissful with his astonishing, divine, unparalleled creativity. Let me start this humble tribute to the MAESTRO with a beautiful slokam sung by the Master himself from the title song of the Malayalam movie Aalolam.

http://www.4shared.com/audio/IMReRz-v/4OmMidhyeThadaksharamidam.html 

(Sung by the Maestro and Sri Jayachandran)

At the fear of sounding immodest, I would say this Genius revolutionized Tamizh film music. Hailing from a tiny hamlet of Pannaippuram, Maestro used his magical wand to create many leitmotifs. He stretched the horizon of background score in cinema. It was then people started identifying background score and learnt that music is not all about just composing songs. A fancy term called BGM was coined in that era. Needless to say, audience thronged cinema halls just to hear these BGMs that added soul to the film’s body.

Master of all he surveys, he ventured into Indian classical, WCM, Pop, Jazz, Folk etc with ground breaking results. A composer who could mesmerize everyone with his lilting tunes, his strings tug at the heart strings and a whole generation still swear by HIS compositions. A Composer nonpareil, the Wizard has managed to extract the best out of his singers and musicians while unearthing some outstanding gems.

Superlatives become mandatory to describe, analyze and appreciate the music and background score by Maestro. The BGMs are seemingly different and add scores of embellishments to the film.The music creates the tone that’s essentially required for the movie and in turn gives an exponential rise to its aesthetics. The classical touch of Raja sir exudes in every piece and every scene. HIS music in films elevates the mood consistently. The songs give the required flow for the film to qualify as a “Musical.” The BGMs speak volumes about the emotions involved. When he uses some of the music pieces that are instrumental versions of the song tunes, he ensures to use them in varied proportions aiding the situation in the film.

Over a span of 920 movies, many devotional albums, around 4500 songs with countless BGM score, Preludes & Interludes that have left the listeners in awe. The flute, an ocean of Strings section including Violins, Violas, Cellos, Double Bass, Guitars & Bass guitar, Veena, Piano, Brass section and all the percussion instruments have just dazed us in every single song of HIS! The instruments have bowed down to the Master's command, HIS music notations and the end result is sheer ecstasy. I bow down in reverence to the musicians who have played / have been playing and the singers who have sung/ have been singing for this Genius till date! _/\_

On this wonderful day, I wanted to list out my most favorite 37 songs ! It does sound absurd to shortlist my favorites from the Ocean of HIS compositions.. Nevertheless, I am listing out some songs below that flashed in my mind while I was typing this tribute.

Malayalam: 

1. Paadoo Sakhi Paadoo - Chaitram (A gem that went unnoticed since it was a part of an unreleased movie!) There are many precious gems like this from Maestro that went into oblivion either because the movie was a damp squib or the song didn't make it to the movie's final cut or simply because all the other songs in the movie ended up mighty popular.

  

2. Alli Ilam poovao – Mangalam Nerunnu

3. Shivakaru damaruka – Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal

4. Ponveyilile - Oru yaathramozhi

5. Poo Kunguma poo - Raasathanthram

6. Thaaraapadham – Anaswaram

7. Kaiyettha – Vinodha yaatra

8. Kunnatthae Konnakyum – Pazhasiraaja

9. Aruna Kirana Deepam – Guru

10. Hridhu Baedha Kalpana – Mangalam nerunnu

Telugu:

1. Madhana Lathika Haare - Aalapana (Friends, Please listen to this astonishing marvel. Unfortunately, this gem didn't appear in the movie!)

2. Priya Priyaththamaa Raagalu - Killer

3. Kaliki Maenilao - Sankeerthana

4. Yenaadu Vidipaoni - Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi Recording Dance Troupe

Kannada:

1. Anuraga Yaenaythu - Nee Nanna Gellalare

Tamizh:

1. Sreedevi en vaazhvil - Ilamaikkaolam

2. Vaanin devi varuga – Oruvar vaazhum aalayam

3. Rojappoo – Agni Nakshatram

4. Raajathi Raaja un thandhirangal – Mannan

5. Vaanam Engae - Nenjilaadum Poo Ondru (Watch out for the chorus portion in this song)

6. Kalyana Maalai – Pudhu Pudhu Arththangal

7. Anjali Anjali Anjali – Anjali

8. Oorellaam un Paattu thaan – Oorellam un paatu

9. Naan enbadhu nee allavao – Soorasamhaaram

10. Vaanavillae – Ramana

11. Puththam Pudhu Poo Pootthadhao - Dhalapathi

12. Kalaivaaniyao Raniyao – Villuppaattukkaaran

13. Alli Sundaravalli – Kanngalin vaarthaigal (A very stylish composition)

14. Meendum Meendum – Vikram

15. Devanin Kovil – Aruvadai naal (A tear jerker)

16. All the time I think of you - Naadodi thendral (the orchestration & the string arrangements in this song never ceases to amaze me )

17. Isaiyil thodangudhamma – Hey Ram

18. Vecchaalum Veikkaamappoanaalum – Michael Madhana Kaamarajan

19. Ennullae Ennullae - Valli

20. Pooyaeru Kaonum - Thiruvaasagam

Hindi:

1. Aa Gaya Kaoi Sapna - Kamagni

2. Dilwaale Raath hai Jahan - Mahadev

Sir, Thanks so much for giving us enchanting music that emanates an air of serenity. We are beholden to you and your music remains immortal. Your presence made this place a land blessed by heavens! Let's all celebrate this genius and HIS music forever.

In the first charanam of the song Manikkutti Kurumbullaor (Movie: Kaliyoonjal, Malayalam. Music: Maestro), there is a line, "Nee Endae Aathmaavin Aanandha Madhuram" ... How true!! Avaradhu Isai Namadhu Aathmaavin Aanandha Madhuram allavaa! :)

My humble Pranams to our beloved MAESTRO "Isaignani" ILAIYARAJA _/\_  _/\_