In the wake of this slumdog mania, the core fan group was left perplexed as to how a song like 'jai ho' could have won the Oscars over..
None the less, the effect of global successes had an emperical affect on rahman's music... Particularly the first soundtrack of 2010- vinnaithandi varuvaaya... This soundtrack is up there in terms of holistic appeal and completeness.. From the melodious r&b/ soul theme of omana penne, to the uplifting effervescence of hosanna... The album hit the right chord... But Rahman reaches the zenith of innovativeness and novelty with the experimental aaromale..
Completely acoustic, the track features exceptional vocals and a fine guitar performance by alphons joseph, a malayalam music composer. The song is based completely in raag bhageshree... Which is exemplified by the exquisite violin piece and by shreya ghoshal's exploratory aalaps in the female version/instrumental (Broken Promises).
Raga bhageshree creates images of darkness in the darkest of night... Invokes a deep degree of despondency and longing..
When I close my eyes and listen to an aalap in bhageshree.. My first thought is that of the dead of night.. Of loneliness.. Of a deep sense of longing.. A yearning to be united with the beloved, with ones true soul mate.. The sheer depth of the found off this ragas when sung, intentionally brings to mind the thought of the all pervading universe, of its immensity, of its sheer volume, size and grandeur.. it brings to mind a the image of vrindavana, on the banks of the yamuna.. with the shadow of radha waiting in a shady grove in the silence of the night.. waiting, longing for the arrival of her dearest.. of her kannaiyah.. krishna..
The most popular carnatic rendition of this raga is the song saagara shayana vibho, prabho.. dedicated to he who floats on the endless sea of the universe maintaining the precarious balance needed to sustain it.. narayana..
Choosing raga bhageshree was a stroke of pure genius.. the song aaromale was meant to represent angst, frustration, bereavement, and most importantly despondency and pathos, with a fatalistic touch.. the composition, along with the singers delivery achieved all of those emotions and more..
The guitars in the male version denote a sense of frustration, fear and anger, which reflects the emotions in the singers voice.. the chorus requires special mention.. the chorus portion is in pure bhageshri and has a very mantra (prayer chant) like feel.. identifying almost completely with the fatalistic nature of the track.. one associates it with the sounds of milestones in a persons life.. of upanayana, of marraige, and finally, of death..
The violins that play as an anti thesis to the guitars reflect the tumultuous nature of the characters mind at the time.. the violins play almost like a ship stuck in a stormy sea, with no place to seek solace..
Although, in the female version, the opposite effect is observed. The floating aalaps of shreya goshal in pure bhageshri, brings out the melancholy and pathos of the song, but devoid of the negative energy of the male version.. this version is placid, resigned to fate.. the female character in the movie is inclined to go with the flow of the winds, rather than to resist it in stormy waters.. thus the song has almost an ethereal feel.. like a lullaby.. only a lullaby of resignation to life, while the male version appears to be a battle with the same emotions..
Regardless, these tracks are some of the best rahman has come up with in recent times.. and will continue to be a milestone in Indian music for years to come..
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