Ilayaraja -The Wizard of Music

I read in news columns that Ilayaraja is planning a concert in Delhi,Mumbai and Chennai in 2010.First concert wil be in Mumbai on January 26th.The concert is organised by Sheetal Talwar,Producer of the Pankaj Kapur starrer 'Mausam'(Hindi).The Hungarian Symphony Orchestra from Budapest will accompany the maestro in the concert.Laszlo Kovacs would conduct the orchestra.With The Philharmonic Orchestra Ilayaraja is also expected to play his 'Tiruvasakam' symphony composition in these concerts.When I read the news I travelled down the memory lane. I was fortunate to enjoy two of his concerts at Madurai way back in the late 70's.(Might have been between 1977 and 1978).One was held at Sethupathi High school grounds and the other one was held at Gandhi Museum Open air theatre.

I am an ardent fan of Ilayaraja.I don't know about the techniques and nuances of music except that I learnt playing a percusssion instrument for about 6 to 7 years during my school days and I was fortunate to hear Carnatic Classical Concerts of many greats of that time.I have always enjoyed good concerts and would call myself a music buff and nothing more than that.But somehow listening to an Ilayaraja song especially from the 80s to 90's have always fascinated me. Listening to his compositions,I have felt many times, I was under the influence of a trance like spell.Many of his songs are immortal.Incidentaly this is my second blog post on Ilayaraja(First on was in June 2008).I feel he is the greatest Film Music Composer India has ever produced.His compositions have something special in the orchestration,preludes and interludes.Harmonies and the small pause given for a split second in the orchestration in many of his compositions are simply superb.There are many die hard fans for Ilayaraja songs.One Private bus operator in the Madurai Thondi route plays only Ilayaraja hits of 80s to 90's in his bus and he has a good collection of his compositions.I have seen many youngsters in their teens and early twenties enjoying the foot tapping numbers and singing along with the song.Many of them would not have been born when these films were released.He is a great music director who can carry a film on the strength of his background score.Persons like Ramarajan and Rajkiran owe their box office success to this great composer.Experts in the film music world felt he was the first complete music director in the history of Indian Cinema who could do everything like Composing Orchestration Arranging instruuments and write notations.

The fact that many of his background scores of yester years are currently being used by the Ad media in many jingles,shows his old scores are still catchy and in great demand.I do not know if this is being done with the maestero's permission.A.R.Rehman has composed the theme music for Airtel Jingles.But idea Cellular has found it fit to use an old score of Ilayaraja for their Jingles.The theme music of idea cellular Jingles is music of a kannada song 'Naguva Nayana' composed by Ilayaraja in 1983 for the film 'Pallavi Anupallavi'.Incidentally this was Maniratnam's first film.There are some more jingles that are using Ilayaraja music like 'Little Orange'(Telugu Song 'Jallantha' from the film Geetanjali),'Kissan Jam'('Ithu oru pon malai pozhuthu' from the film Nizhalkal),Kissan fruit drink'('Putham Puthu Kalai' from the film 'Alaikal Oyvathillai')LG Plasma('Uravenum Puthu Pathai' from the film Nenjathai Killathey) and many more.
I have listed below some of the Ilayaraja songs that I liked most.It is very difficult to list his best compositions.Because it could be very lengthy.(This is apart from the one I mentioned in my last post on the masestro)

Azhagiya Kannae

Chinna Thaayaval

Kaattu Kuyilu

Rakkamma

Poove Chempoove

Innum Ennai enna

Valai Osai Kala Kala

Enna Satham intha neram

Van megam

Manram Vantha

Pani Vizhum

Kanne Kalaimane

Karpoora bommai ontru

Mannil Intha kathal

Nee Pathi Naan Pathi Kanne

Naan thedum sevanthi poovithu

Ennai Thaalatta

Kathoram Lolaakku

Oliyile therivathu

Ilam kaatru veesuthe and more recently Sivoham and Pitchai Pathiram

Ilayaraja is currently busy composing music for Pankaj Kapoors Hindi film.Understand Kamal Hassan has sung an Hindi song in Ilayaraja's music for this Hindi Film.The audio release of Hindi film 'Paa' an Amitabh Production has recieved rave reviews.Ilayaraja has also composed music recently for the Malayalam blockbuster 'Pazhassiraaja' .The mastero is back with a bang.