Raja Rajathi Raja.....
Well , to start with , i am a very bad writer. This post is about a song from the film "Agninatchatiram" (Tamil), composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The instrumentation in this song is what covered me. The simplest orchestration i've ever heard. Here, by simple i mean the variety of instruments used. The only instuments used are the bass guitar and percussion. May sound very simple, in fact the song does. One of its kind, the instrumentation for whole song is covered by these two instruments. Even the interludes are filled by the percussion. Another effect included is the voice modulation. On the whole, its a treat for the bass guitarists and percussionists alike.
The song starts of with very simple beats, followed by a short prelude using percussion, give the song an ear and you'll find that the song's tune is played using percussion, something i don't think any one else has ever tried. Then come the lyrics starting off with the composers name, true indeed. The lyrics are accompanied by the strings of the bass guitar, adding beauty to raaja's voice. Raaja's voice is modulated such that you hear two voices which are at different pitches, an effect that is carried throughout the song. With this ends the first stanza.
The interlude that follows is another carefully arranged piece, a masterpiece, minus the bass guitar, the stereophonic effect making it even more laudable. The lyrics start off again. After the first eight lines, the dual voice is reduced in pitch, an intricate move that lasts for two lines. The accompaniying bass guitar is mesmerising, haunting the listener through out the song. The song continues, repeating the first stanza.
The second interlude that follows is another carefully crafted piece, this time accompanied by the vocals, very very different from the first interlude, this one more dominated by the vocals, minus the bass guitar. The third stanza starts off with the vocals and the bass guitar, and is carried on a note very similar to the second stanza.
The ending of the song though not as effective as the starting, is very apt.
Now what's all this fuss about. The bass guitar is no ordinary instrument and using it requires expertise which is well illustrated in the song above and using only the bass guitar and percussion for the whole song is a bold step. Well, in short, a brilliant composition interwoven with simplicity, a master's work. Raaja... indeed !
Well , to start with , i am a very bad writer. This post is about a song from the film "Agninatchatiram" (Tamil), composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The instrumentation in this song is what covered me. The simplest orchestration i've ever heard. Here, by simple i mean the variety of instruments used. The only instuments used are the bass guitar and percussion. May sound very simple, in fact the song does. One of its kind, the instrumentation for whole song is covered by these two instruments. Even the interludes are filled by the percussion. Another effect included is the voice modulation. On the whole, its a treat for the bass guitarists and percussionists alike.
The song starts of with very simple beats, followed by a short prelude using percussion, give the song an ear and you'll find that the song's tune is played using percussion, something i don't think any one else has ever tried. Then come the lyrics starting off with the composers name, true indeed. The lyrics are accompanied by the strings of the bass guitar, adding beauty to raaja's voice. Raaja's voice is modulated such that you hear two voices which are at different pitches, an effect that is carried throughout the song. With this ends the first stanza.
The interlude that follows is another carefully arranged piece, a masterpiece, minus the bass guitar, the stereophonic effect making it even more laudable. The lyrics start off again. After the first eight lines, the dual voice is reduced in pitch, an intricate move that lasts for two lines. The accompaniying bass guitar is mesmerising, haunting the listener through out the song. The song continues, repeating the first stanza.
The second interlude that follows is another carefully crafted piece, this time accompanied by the vocals, very very different from the first interlude, this one more dominated by the vocals, minus the bass guitar. The third stanza starts off with the vocals and the bass guitar, and is carried on a note very similar to the second stanza.
The ending of the song though not as effective as the starting, is very apt.
Now what's all this fuss about. The bass guitar is no ordinary instrument and using it requires expertise which is well illustrated in the song above and using only the bass guitar and percussion for the whole song is a bold step. Well, in short, a brilliant composition interwoven with simplicity, a master's work. Raaja... indeed !
posted by joel at 1:24 AM
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