Song:
Prema Laedhani...(Telugu) Film:
Abinandhana Scale : Keeravani
Friday, January 17, 2003
This is the fourth in the series of articles celebrating
the music of Maestro Ilayaraja, from a technical standpoint. The
article treats the Maestro's music as a textbook on music
composition and presents certain technical and non-technical nuances
in his music that may be of interest to students of music
composition and orchestration as well as to listeners with a
technical background in carnatic and western classical
music.
The content presented in this article is just an
observation made by the author. Please feel free to indicate any
analytical errors that you may find.
This a pathos song based on a very common situation in Indian
films (love failure).It has been handled in the musically innovative
way through the unique orchestration that spells out the trademark
of Ilayaraja.
This is yet another song from Ilayaraja in the scale,
Keeravani (C harmonic minor), one of the parent scales in carnatic
music. This article assumes that the tonic of the song is on the
word "Prema" in the first line "Premalaedhani". Taking
this as the note Sa, the rest of the song fits into the structure of
the scale, Keeravani. Mapping this carnatic scale to the western
scales fits the song into C harmonic minor.
The composer's ability to create an expectation (for the next
phrase or next part of this phrase) in the listener through the use
of unstable notes at the end of the phrases (or end of parts of the
phrases) is dominant in this song. The use of the unstable leading
note of the scale (B/Ni) at the end of the pallavi
(joharu'lu'...) and charanam (laekunti'ni'...) (and
also in the first phrase of the charanam) are examples that present
this feature.
The use of an accidental (natural E) in the charanam
(mugabhoyi nee'vunti'vee...), to support the mood of the song sounds
natural in many of Ilayaraja's compositions.
The range of the vocals in the song is between the lower G
and middle A flat (i.e roughly alto ). Ilayaraja's command in
writing polyphonic music is clearly evident in this song. The
prelude that begins with the trumpet (or brass?) is followed by a
small 3-part arrangement with guitar spelling out the 3/4 meter. The
vocals in the pallavi are backed up by the guitar and bass lines
(i'm not sure if the bass is on keyboard or bass guitar), once again
harmonizing three voices (including the vocals). The repetition of
the pallavi introduces the percussion, which sounds a peculiar
rhythm pattern, given that this is a pathos song. Thus the song
presents a typical "Ilayaraja" kind of exposition.
The first interlude starts off with the winds and leads to
the strings (violins) constantly supported by chord progressions.
The use of counterpoint while the percussion is in rest, towards the
end of the interlude, is a stereotyped pattern that Ilayaraja
follows in many of his compositions. This is found in both the
interludes of this song (note the imitative nature of the string
arrangement at the end of the second interlude). The vocals in the
charanam have excellent background support, not only with the bass
lines but also with strings and keyboard. The solo violin typically
found in pathos situations, finds a place in the second
interlude.
Thanks to Maestro Ilayaraja for giving us yet another song to
celebrate.
