Maestro Andrum Indrum

Maestro Andrum Indrum


Illayaraja- The legend strikes rich
Hi friends,
Hope all are fine... I am writing after a long time. I thought of refraining myself from writing because of less available time. This is just the flashback of Maestro’s Andrum Indrum Endrum telecasted on Jaya TV. This was some 4 or 5 months back.

At last they telecasted the program “Maestro Andrum Indrum Endrum”.. The Maestro for the first time in 30 years appeared live before the audience.

It was a grandioso performance that I can remember even today. Raja as the name stands is the solfege of Indian Film music. Though this program consisted of a mix of new and old songs, it was his lilting old numbers that stood out with new numbers striking a discordant note.

Raja Sir is an exponent of blending Keeravani and Kalyani ragas...

The opening number “Mandram Vandha” a beautiful Keeravani raag based song brought back nostalgia in the viewers’ minds. Though I am an ardent Rahman fan there are some songs that really make you emotionally choked and your eyes wet. It looked as if all my favorite songs of the golden 80’s stood before me.

“Kaatril Endhan Geetham” again a Keeravani based song that ruled the charts for a long time was played by the orchestra.

“Yedhedho” that Punnagai Mannan number also ruled the show as it brought back memories of Illayaraja bringing in computerized music for the first time with the then musical wiz kid A.S.Dileep Kumar (now A.R.Rahman). Rahman provided the additional programming for that movie’s titles.

“Naan Thedum Sevanthi Poo” a beautiful semi classical number with a beautiful alaap .This is my favorite number after “ Margazhi Poove” from May Madham. The former is one of those songs, which made me look back at the early 80’s golden hits. True the song deserved more once more’s with grand violins, rhythms, flutes and tablas. And more over the maestro himself singing with that rich flourish- truly mesmerizing.

“Pothi Vatcha” again a beautiful semi classical number and Raja’s inclination towards Baroque music not with standing - violinist may relate better as this song with aggrandized string section with Purushotam and Siva Mani at percussion section made this song a grand number. It was one of those golden numbers.

Other songs like “Adi Athadi, Shenbagame and Ye Padal Ondru” deserve a special mention but I think I am stretching a bit too far and had gone over board and its funny why I write all this kind of things. I don’t know anything about music and still some thing drives me.. Friends please bear with me.