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IR's baroque gems

Topic started by Anand (@ dhcp50-bodine.bridgeport.edu) on Fri Nov 26 05:01:37 EST 1999.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Baroque music is the form of Western Classical mucis prevalent in the 15 and 1600s, whose major exponents include Bach, Vivaldi and Handel. IR has steted that his favourite composer is Bach. He has also given us several wonderful Baroque pieces that are simply mindblowing. I was hoping to compile a list of Ir's baroque style gems here...

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Responses:

• From: Anand (@ dhcp50-bodine.bridgeport.edu) on: Fri Nov 26 05:05:34 EST 1999
  
  I'll begin by listing the few pieces I know of:
  
  1. Kodai Kaala Kaatre 2nd interlude
  2. Mahanadhi main theme
  3. Mad Mod Mood Fugue from How To Name It.
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.128) on: Fri Nov 26 07:04:32 EST 1999
  
  Anand!
  Can you kindly enlighten on this `baroque' stuff?
  
  
• From: Arul (@ evander.mcc.wwwcache.ja.net) on: Fri Nov 26 09:33:37 EST 1999
  
  I dont Think you all get irritated
  on what i am going to appeal to you
  all......
  
  Let me introduce me to you all I am Arul, Elathu
  Tamilan living in UK doing my Masters in Engg.
  
  I am a great fan of the king(IRaja)
  I just love tom hear....his work just marvellous
  
  But what I am going to appeal is something irrelevant...but heart breaking
  
  I am here posting messages to one and all who read
  across this site....
  
  The Tamils in Ellam are fighting for survival....
  and there is no nation considering that...after
  
  all they are people they too must enjoy worldy
  freedom and right of birth....
  
  Tomorrow is the Martiers day, for the people who laid their lifes in the freedom srtuggle.
  
  And it is 22years the fight stared and till today
  we find no solution..
  
  When nations fail its the people who remaind that
  there is something urgent to be considered
  
  Here we in Ellam are waiting for our freedom ....
  just looking out to the days to enjoy as like others....save mankind......
  
  What I request you is to pass this message to
  
  one and all who you know and
  
  please let them be known to one all who is unaware....
  
  Sorry for this disruption into the flow of this forum
  
  I know you all can understand
  
  
• From: Raja Fan (@ nas-37-127.chicago.navinet.net) on: Fri Nov 26 17:40:34 EST 1999
  
  Anand, I empathize with you. After all, it was only Ilangai Olipaparappu kuttosthapanam that made Raja sensational till that civil war broke out and disrupted everything nice and normal! I think the whole thing requires dialog and understanding and compromise, otherwise you will see only wipeout. Tamil culture is one of tolerance and pure spirituality not of violence. I pray for the good of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
  
  
• From: Anand (@ dhcp50-bodine.bridgeport.edu) on: Fri Nov 26 19:04:04 EST 1999
  
  Hey, wait a minute. I created this thread for the sole purpose of discussing music. This Arul character veered the whole thread off course by posting the above message on the LTTE. Raja Fan, please note that the guy you are referring to is Arul, not Anand (me)....please do not further this topic, since there are tons of other sites that can be used for discussions on it.
  
  Arul, no offence meant, but please refrain from introducing these sudden changes (aesthetic to political/military) in topic....I don't know what is happening in Sri Lanka, and frankly, have no opinion at all, and am certainly not taking sides (either with the army or the LTTE).
  
  Please let newtfmpage remain exactly that - tamil FILM MUSIC page, and not political discussion page.
  
  Thanks.
  
  
• From: eden (@ 202.54.71.142) on: Sat Nov 27 00:18:12 EST 1999
  
  Now, Anand, what about a mini-tutorial on `baroque' stuff to enlighten poor souls like me?
  
  
• From: ravi k. s. ravichandran (@ pub-dial65.aclis.utah.edu) on: Sat Nov 27 19:45:47 EST 1999
  
  Anand: good topic
  
  Baroque is referred to the period of time (1600-1750) when a style of music was followed by most musicians. From my book on "Discovering Great Music" by Roy Hemming, the definition of Baroque music goes as:
  
  "..ekegantly controlled yet twistingly fashioned music, with an interplay of formal structure and more spontaneous, virtuoso (meaning: excelling in technical ability) flights of fancy.."
  
  A baroque composition is nothing but the music mostly consisting of violins, chellos, harpsichord and (church-type)organ. The music is very rhythmic and often involves fugue (meaning alternate repetition of nearly same notes by two or more different instruments). This is as far as one could get, in terms of formal definition, but the best is to listen to those of Baroque period composers like Anand said, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi. I would recommend Bach's "Branderberg concertos" and Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" as a starting point. You need not know anything about classical music to listen and enjoy these. The best is to "feel" this music to know what it is. It is simply a style involving the above mentioned instruments
  
  IR is a Master of this "baroque music" embedded with lot of "fugue". You would notice it a lot in his "How to name it".
  
  IR used Baroque style in numerous interludes in his songs, mostly in the songs of 1975-85. A few examples containing such interludes that I can mention:
  
  Uravenum Pudhiya vanil.. (Nenjathai Killathae)
  Paruvame Puthiya Padal Paadu.. (Same)
  Puththam Pudhu Kalai.. (Bharathiraja's movie)
  Kan Malarhalin Azhaipithal..(the start) (Karummbuvil)
  
  and in the Recent best ones:
  
  Unnai naan Parkayil.. (Movie I don't know but available in Rex's site in 300+ songs page). I am especially thrilled about this song. The very start of the song and the first interlude is a heavy and soothing dose of Baroque style compo. by IR.
  
  The "Sundai Kannal Oru sethi.." (Thalapathi) song has a piece (may be the start, I forgot) that is a baroque style that is out of this world. These two piece I mentioned invoved playing of about 10-20 violins and plus chellos.
  
  The "Pudhu mappilaikku.." song in Aboorva Sagothararhal, especially the second interlude is a thrilling mix of Baroque style violins with a rapid beat of fibre drums, going left to right channel in stereo is an amazing example. Find a high end stereo crank up the volume and watch that interlude ! terrific ! I would say that this particular example is no one's by IR's, as far as I know.
  
  But, folks, I tell you, if you listen first to those recommended CDs of Bach and Vivaldi, and then go back and watch IR's interludes carefully, you would delightfully discover them!
  
  IMO, IR has attempted to boldly experiment with all styles of music and he has numerous pieces to his credit. One reason his recent numbers are not as good as the oldies, is because he seemed to have moved away from the use of baroque style in his songs. The baroque is always alive and these are used in romantic scenes (mid-to-higher scales in one extreme and gloomy moods (low-to-mid scales) on the other, in many Western movies. Even Mozart faithfully adopted baroque style (I read somewhere that in fact he was criticized for copying Bach !) Anyway, enjoy the baroque in IR's songs.
  
  
• From: ravi k. s. ravichandran (@ pub-dial65.aclis.utah.edu) on: Sat Nov 27 19:50:28 EST 1999
  
  Folks:
  
  Forgive my typos in the above posting:
  "ekegantly" should read as "elegantly"
  "sundai" should read as "sundari" !!! Sounds funny with a typo, isn't it?
  
  
• From: kiru (@ surf0004.sybase.com) on: Sat Nov 27 20:05:09 EST 1999
  
  Ravi,
  Only after reading newtfmpage (few years back)I became aware of what is going on in IRs songs. Thanks for the elegant explanation of fugue. I have the recommended Bach and Vivaldi CDs. As some one suggested it is advisable to listen to these on really good stereo systems. I am now (after setting up a good system) enjoying lots of IR CDs very much. The natural sound of tabla and strings is very musical.
  
  
• From: vijay (@ 129.252.28.90) on: Sat Nov 27 20:58:23 EST 1999
  
  Prof. Ravi,
  In spite of the fact that i did'nt realise that the 2nd interlude in 'Pudu mapillaikku' was of baroque style, I have nevertheless enjoyed that piece. As u said it feels like Iam being taken on a roller-coaster side. Awesome violin piece!!
  
  
• From: Sree (@ orchid.cs.concordia.ca) on: Sun Nov 28 03:40:39 EST 1999
  
  Ravi:
  What about "Oru Iniya Manadhu isaiyai azhaithu sellum " song from Jhonny?, does it have barouque style interlude?...i am just hearing it.
  
  
• From: Anand (@ dhcp50-bodine.bridgeport.edu) on: Mon Nov 29 00:08:01 EST 1999
  
  whoa! ravi, a zillion thanks for your truly learned commentary on baroque. i started the topic with great enthusiasm, but when it started to move in totally unexpected directions, i just gave up. i was actually surprised the topic still existed! so i clicked and whoop! whaddya know? the topic is
  live and kicking! since i too am a newcomer to baroque and started this thread with the sole purpose of finding out more about ir's baroque pieces, i have benefitted unaccountably by ravi's scholarly postings. once again, thanks a ton, and people, keep the postings coming.
  
  
• From: Radhai (@ h3245.s86b1.baynetworks.com) on: Mon Nov 29 21:18:36 EST 1999
  
  I am not sure if I am right, but I feel he has used Baroque in the song 'Guru sharanam...' from the movie Guru...
  
  Though it may sound Carnatic, it feel it has a Western classic tinge to it
  
  
• From: Raja Fan (@ nas-33-213.chicago.navinet.net) on: Mon Nov 29 23:39:43 EST 1999
  
  Anand, there are numerous songs by IR adopting several baroque techniques. It is a great topic, but i feel IR need to adopt more concerto type attitude to his music which are more slow and contemplative.
  
  

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