Date: April 18th 2002

 

Lesson 10

Expressing Moods Through Music - 2


             Song: 

Arum Adhu Azamila....(tamil)
                 Film: 

Mudhal Vasantham


Based on Raga : 


Vakulabaranam


Listen to this song.

[Audio Sample Sponsored By RaajaNGAHM.com ]

 

This is a unique  pathos song  that is  sung in a festive environment, according to the situation in the film.

 The female character in the film betrays the male character, who sings this song on a festive occasion. The specific event in the festival is that a group of women (including the female lead) light lamps and float them in the lake. The male character expresses the sorrow in him, through this song. The composer proves his musical brilliance with his expression of pathos without losing the celebratory mood of the situation.

 The composer shows that the usage of right instruments and raga are the key factors that take a listener, close to the song situation. The female chorus in the prelude (and the second interlude) followed by the nadhaswaram (a south Indian wind instrument) with the thavil (a south Indian percussion instrument) in the background bring a traditional south Indian festive mood to the song. On the other hand, the pain in the heart of the male character is brought out through the raga of the song, Vakulabaranam. Vakulabaranam is a melakartha raga that is dominated by flat notes. The tunes in the song span between the lower panchamam and the dhaivatham, typically found in many of the composer's pathos songs.

 The song contains an excellent synchronization of guitar, keyboards and percussion.

An example of the composers' mathematical skills (that make the song interesting to hear) is found in the guitar chords (with the flute melody) that sound in the latter half of the first interlude.

 Thanks to Maestro Ilayaraja for this lesson on expressing moods through music. 

  Author: R.S.Balaji

 

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Copyright © April 2002, R.S.Balaji