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What makes MSV pleasantly different?-XIII

 
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madhuraman



Joined: 11 Jun 2007
Posts: 1226
Location: navimumbai

PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 3:55 pm    Post subject: What makes MSV pleasantly different?-XIII Reply with quote

Dear Friends,

CHORUS AND MELLISAI MANNAR

Well, I do not intend referring to participation of MM in chorus through some of his compositions. The effort is to view the aspect of chorus set by MSV in some songs. Honestly, it would be beyond me to touch upon the entire range of songs where MSV has showcased the ‘Art of setting’ Chorus as a stuff in energizing a song. Well, the energizing referred to includes conferring happy mood or at times pathos of exceptional grim on a song to a level beyond my limited ability of effective expression.

Therefore, now I am obliged to provide some additional features to indicate the ‘import’ of mood in a song and infer how deep the composer has imbibed the spirit of story line; inevitably, lamentation springs up reminding me of the conceptual vacuum in modern times that can be termed ‘deeply shallow’ –more so as we see every song floated today is a high decibel chorus in cacophony.

MM perhaps has silently defined chorus in amplifying or electrifying the mood. It looks sufficient to touch upon select items to highlight the critical value in strengthening the mood of the lyric; obviously, it cannot be by just rendering a note in group singing; it calls for a degree of ‘modified notes’ which are non-lyrical to be rendered in a pitch to infuse a sense of feeling. It just cannot be by a ritualistic effort of clustering the voices. It has to come in a form that abides by the basic tune of the song; or at least it should be able to travel to frontiers and get back to a meeting point from where the tune comfortably re-emerges without causing disharmony to the mood and to the listener. Is it wrong to call it a task?

Certainly, it is a task, unless the composer has a wide range of options within himself to portray a mood. MSV rapidly scores in this game and stands supreme over the variety he has handed down.

‘otrumaiyai vAzhvadhalE’ --- “bAga pirivinai” . Though a chorus, it is rendered in “CONTROLLED order” that it sounds more an advice than anything else.

‘1000 peNmai malaruttumE’ --- “vAzhkai padagu” Chorus starts at the pallavi itself and re-enters at interludes and later along charanam sections. I am reminded of SS Vasan – MSV conversation on the first meet between them to finalize the deal for working on the GEMINI project-“vAzhkai padagu” some 50 years ago.

Vasan –“ nAn ungalai engayO pAthirukkEnE”? MSV-- “ irukkalAm, unga studio la, KVM sir kku chorus pAda vandhirukkEn”. Vasan - “appadiyA” It indicates how plain has MSV been in his career. No MD would choose to recount his chorus life that too, for another MD and at a time when the owner of a firm is trying to allot work for the MD as the first ever assignment.
Interestingly, chorus in “1000 peNmai malaruttumE” was quite refreshing and a talking point those days. MSV dealt a heavy treatment to vAzhkai padagu songs – to prove a point or two to the producer who expressed some casual observations in fixing –up MSV-TKR as MDs for the movie.

‘yennai theriyumA’ --- “kudiyirundha koil” a song rich in diet of western orchestration with brisk percussion in Drum –Bongo share. Chorus comes off in charanam /interlude sections. The tune and its lilt get energized by a chorus that works counter melody to strings and brass combined into a confluence suggesting a mood conducive to dance, since the rhythm beats cajole the listener to rock.

‘jambulingamE jadAdharA’ --- “kAsE dhAn kadavuLadA” The song comes off in a situation of a ploy to propitiate the wealth-giver using a Swamiji- a fake one at that. The lyric suggests to indicate both divine and dubious utterance [the swamiji being fake]. To make the place ‘participative’ and frenzy, chorus is handled with aplomb.

‘kadavul oru nAL ulagaikkANa’ -- “shAnthi nilayam” Exceptional mood elevation is achieved by chorus voices simulating those of children who respond in facile expression of delight through the song.

‘oruvar vAzhum aalayam’ -- “ nenjil Or aalayam” The song is rich in pathos. Though the lyric phrases reveal the solemn message, it is the chorus that wrenches the listener especially through the serenely calm segments in interludes where a grief-stricken crowd stays dispossessed of a man who kept their lives going. On hearing the piece on every occasion I turn dumb for a while before I am able to step back to reality of the present.
There are several other items of MSV’s creations –unique by the chorus pattern in them. Friends may add them .
More would follow.

Warm regards

K.Raman Madurai
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai
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