Indian composer Ilaiyaraaja is a genius; how long can the West ignore him?
Vignesh Subramanian can’t understand why Indian genius composer Ilaiyaraaja has not been recognized by the music world in the West.
By Vignesh Subramanian on Monday, February 16th, 2009 - 980 words.
Most people would agree that John Williams is one of the greatest film music composers of all time. He is one of the few — maybe the only — who can blend the classical school of thought and render it relevant to a modern context. Although he grew up and lives in the US, he is talented enough to have found an admirer in someone like me who hails from India.
If I am to imagine a similar adulation interchanging the continents but the other way around, this time a westerner admiring an Indian composer, I have no problem in finding the subject. Ironically though, I may have a problem finding any admirers. The reasons for this peculiarity are many but the worthy contemporary from the East who could stand shoulder to shoulder with John Williams goes by the name of Ilaiyaraaja. The best kept secret of South of India, Ilaiyaraaja is idolized by the 200-odd million people from the region.
The objective of this article is not to promote the popularity of a man who himself shuns advertisement and leads a spiritual life. It’s more about alerting listeners across the world who appreciate good music to a hitherto unknown composer whose achievements are noteworthy by any yardstick.
Ilaiyaraaja is an unusual and extraordinary talent.
Unusual, because of his humble peasant background with no formal education in music that he plays. Unlike many classical composers who started early and were child prodigies, he was introduced to Western classical music as late as the age of 25. Yet his musical acumen is so sharp that in the decades that followed he took to it like a duck to water. He is a rare phenomenon in India, someone capable of writing the sheet music for each instrumental part just by imagining the final sound in mind. He is a visionary who has found common ground in various forms of music.
It’s an extraordinary talent because he has scored music for more than 840 movies and more than 5,000 original numbers. His prolific output of background scores becomes an even greater accomplishment when you realize that an average Indian movie lasts at least an hour longer than its Hollywood counterpart. At the peak of his career he was composing for about 40 movies a year. Yet the quality of his work remained above par with the films being critically acclaimed and a huge commercial success.
In his colorful and lively career of more than three decades he has produced a couple of experimental albums which combine eastern and western classical music (How to Name it, Nothing but Wind). He also earned the distinction of being the first Asian to be commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, and released an Oratorio which is a musical cross-over (Thiruvasagam in Oratario) with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra. He still regularly employs the Budapest Symphony Orchestra for the scores of select movies (such as Guru, Hey Ram, Lajja and Nandhalala). He has also released an authentic south Indian carnatic classical album played by a notable mandolin artist.
***
This talent is not widely known outside India primarily because of the domain in which he operates. About 99 percent of Ilaiyaraaja’s works are composed for films in regional languages such as Tamil and Telugu. Unlike Hollywood movies that have a worldwide reach, these movies are exclusively made for local audiences and are not marketed in regions outside South India. While the theme and content of these movies may not be appealing for people outside the region, it’s the technical wizardry in such movies, in the fields of music and photography, that are sadly deprived of the attention that they deserve.
The genre of fusion music is practiced world over, by simply mixing two types of music in their raw form. For so long, it has merely been an art of leveraging the beauty of two genres of music. As alluring and experimenting it may sound, it’s been a marriage of two liquids whose viscosity doesn’t match. If you switch off the track from one genre, the other half would still be distinctly classical of its own. This is the case with the previously well known collaborative efforts involving Indian and western music artists — such as L. Subramanian and Stephen Graphelli or Ravi Shankar’s experiments with George Harrison or Philip Glass.
It’s in this context that Ilaiyaraaja’s works scream for attention. He has the gift to understand the building blocks of each genre at its grassroots and he doesn’t produce a musical piece by stitching various genres together as such. Instead he interweaves a new fabric whose threads are assimilated at its genesis. Pick any random song of Ilaiyaraaja and you are bound to find a melody strictly based on the Indian raga system backed by a western classical string ensemble arranged in parts to a south Indian folk rhythm played by a North Indian classical Tabla complimented by a jazzy bass guitar arrangement. And for not one moment does any of it sound out of place.
Even though the musical forms of his songs are constrained by the pattern of Indian film songs in which vocal choruses and stanzas are presented with orchestrated preludes and interludes, he breaks free in his own style. He embellishes the vocal melody with meticulous bass guitar parts and imaginative chord progressions while he experiments in the interludes with western classical harmonies and counterpoints using a plethora of instruments without losing the color or the texture of the whole song.
I think it’s a fair and honest assessment of Ilaiyaraaja’s work that he has invented his own genre of music. But ironically this fact may explain his relative obscurity outside India, as his music cannot be pigeon-holed as Ethnic music or Fusion music. So unless the global musical fraternity comes forward with an open mind to unlock his huge potential, this treasure trove will continue to be hidden for years to come.
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Indian composer Ilaiyaraaja is a genius; how long can the West ignore him?
Vignesh Subramanian can't understand why Indian genius composer Ilaiyaraaja has not been recognized by the music world in the West.
Dear Vicky (Vignesh Subramanian),
I am very happy to read your concise yet clearly representative article on the various components of Maestro Dr Ilaiyaraaja's music on this site. The article gives details when needed, links to a few selected songs that could introduce the Maestro's thorough knowledge of both Eastern & Western Classical Music and provokes even the reader who hasn't heard of this Maestro to search more about Him and research His compositions. Kudos to your great thinking and wonderful writing! Thank you
I am proud to be the first one to comment on this article!
PS: This composer's homepage is http://www.raaja.com
Yours Always Musically,
Dr J Vijay Venkatraman.
Kudos to the article – could not have come at a better time – Ilaiyaraaja is indeed an underrated, unrecognized genius! while he definitely is India's John Williams, he can also be compared with John Cage, Jerry Goldsmith, Ennio Morricone, Paul Mauriat etc
Dear Vicky (Vignesh Subramanian),
I am very happy to read your concise yet clearly representative article on the various components of Maestro Dr Ilaiyaraaja's music on this site. The article gives details when needed, links to a few selected songs that could introduce the Maestro's thorough knowledge of both Eastern & Western Classical Music and provokes even the reader who hasn't heard of this Maestro to search more about Him and research His compositions. Kudos to your great thinking and wonderful writing! Thank you
I am proud to be the first one to comment on this article!
PS: This composer's homepage is http://www.raaja.com
Yours Always Musically,
Dr J Vijay Venkatraman.
Hats off Vicky! and Thanks for this concise and clear post. This great man deserves much much more than what credit and adulation he has been bestowed in the past. Lets hope, atleast now, after all the new found attention India is garnering for its music from the world, that this genius will be celebrated. He deserves it.
Cheers
Praveen.
An excellent article. I fully agree with you on Illayaraja's fusing different musical forms and coming out with a seamless structure. I haven't heard anyone do it with the precision that he does. A genius of the highest order.
S.Suresh
Amazing writeup about a genius who is one of his kind and sadly might become one of a rare kind that will not be followed by anyone to take upon his 'unified vision' of music. The legend himself never works overtime to promote himself to the west or the rest of the world, but his style of composition is something that is extremely unique and should not be forgotten in the passages of time and therefore needs much of promotion. Added to the problem is the lack of quality recorded pieces of his work in the early 1980s. This means that the time to collect, analyze, preserve and study his form of music is now and not for later.
His Thiruvasagam in Symphony Oratorio is a musical form that traverses the west and the east, with west supporting the eastern compositions instrumentally and at select occasions fuses with the oriental style to induce a great spiritual elation. I would recommend this musician and his works to anyone – his is a truly global style with the soul of an Indian marveling at how the music in its pristine form transcends forms, schools and thoughts.
Dear Vicky,
This is such a great piece of writing on the Maestro's work. As someone knowledgeable in music you are able to articulate the uniqueness of Ilaiyaraaja beautifully. I think you have posted this essay earlier in your blog because I have read this earlier as well.
Dear Vicky.
Kudos to your well scripted article about maestro Ilaiyaraja.The timing of this article is crucial as there is a let down feeling among his die-hard admirers like me that maestro is not well recognised by the puritans/western corridors.Ilaiyaraja compositions stood always ahead of time.His skills of rapid composition and rendering apt and fitting BGM for many novel movies such as the latest spiritual drama, Naan Kadavul speak volumes of his dexterity.His religious albums are also reverred and admired across the region.There is a huge population confirm to his skills from srilanka, malaysia and singapore besides the ethnic population from the middle east and the arabian gulf.
Many talents are not noticed during their era but nearly worshipped after their period.Ilaiyaraja,though does not fall flat for titles and awards as he carries on his mission of dedicating himself to music nonchalantly, deserve a fitting recognition to his meritorious service to the field of music.thanks again for a well researched article.
C.Balasubramanian(bala)
"he has invented his own genre of music. But ironically this fact may explain his relative obscurity outside India, as his music cannot be pigeon-holed as Ethnic music or Fusion music."
This is probably may not be just your opinion or mine..but probably a fact. He probably did invent a "genre". Funnily, I am unable to find the word in Tamil or other indian languages that convey the same meaning as "genre"..Forget about foreigners..we indians ourselves are unable to appreciate a gem from a glass crystal. Not sure how many listeners in south india pay attention to the preludes/interludes or follow the bass lines in a Raaja song. Highly underappreciated. All the accolades he has gotten yet is like Einstein being commended by his immediate supervisor in the Patent office for being thorough with the various patent applications, When the world comes to know about Relativity in the music world that IR has been trying to explain..this Einstein will be recognised
A nice article about Our Maestro Ilayaraja
good one. am also a die hard fan of raja sir. thanx for your post..
Why can't we start a movement or a co-ordinated drive to popularize his music to the Western world, through our blogs, websites, Social media etc… I am really sad at the way this Genius being treated both in India and the world. He was not even recognised with a Padma Award , when comedians are getting it.
mr. vignesh,
a well written article and amazing as your blog. i am a regular reader of your blogs. you reflected the agony and anguish of thousands of maestro fans. superb article. hats off to you sir
excellent write up…………i sincerely feel be it the west or the indians who ignore the greatness of this maestro are the biggest losers, they are missing the fact maestro ilayaraaja with his music purifies human mind body and soul , we are blessed we have grown up and living with the god of music , maestro ilayaraaja
Dear Vignesh,
HATS OFF TO YOU…. This is one of the best write-up I ever read abt IR in the recent times, it is true that he invented a new "Genre', but it is pity that our own country known to be the Land of Saraswati did not recognize his achievements and he had not been conferred Padma, a great shame to padma awards. Let us hope, a day will come when his name reverbates all over the world .
Hi Vicky
Great article and I appreciate your objective viewpoint. Bringing out purely the merits and with precision. The article focuses on the aspects of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja's music and the songs given will give a taste of his work.
Really happy to see this article. I wish it was a never ending article..
Regards,
Ramji
I am sorry to see this topic. But, what is this topic for? And, who is ignoring whom. If the composer wants the world to enjoy his music, then he should make music for the world like the West. Not keep catering to the local masses with a stew of genres in a folk song 90% of India cannot enjoy. First of all, his music has to find acceptability all cross sections in India itself. That means he has to make music like Rahman for all Indian audience and then make music like Michael Jackson for the world. That should be the effort and not go beg others for acceptance.
Don't forget that there is way way better film music in India than Ilayaraja or Rahman. Ilayaraja is ecstatic genius but you cannot write Ramayana for Indians only and expect everyone around the world change their religion. Ilayaraja has not found common ground for making music for everyone to enjoy, though he is the only one with uncommon ground in music. The future of Indian music lies in composers making music for the world and find acceptability that way and not by writing articles and asking people to accept. Everything finds it way eventually, some do it in time, some after if it is all over. If Ilayaraja wants to find global appeal, he has to find a style that beats Michael Jackson and it should be Western with the motto less is plenty. Promoting Eastern raaga and Indian film songs is baloney and not classy. Ilayaraja's Indian music is not music for the world, though it is the greatest of world music. For really sensible Indian film music see these songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0GcDhkFPis , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIxMKSforuM
Great post Vignesh. I have always dreamt about Ilayaraja composing a BGM for a Hollywood movie like STAR WARS or Raiders of Lost Ark. I even play on my computer his BGM for some of best Hollywood bockbuster and enjoy the mixing for personal enjoyment. In such case, he could simply mesmerize western world with his music like how John Williams did 30 years ago. I really hope something like that happens so the entire world can really enjoy and appreciate this genius' work someday soon.
Bro, Ilaiyaraja has made music for the world in his film compositions as well as non-music compositions. His compositions are indianish but containing a vast ocean of world music. He has made songs where any westerner can identify and used instruments in such a way that music lovers are stunned. To stereotype indian film music as what he is doing is a blasphemy. The content is certainly more attractive than it appears. Talking about westernised format most of IR's songs are westernised and have a core orchestration that a layman can understand. I guess you have not listened enough to gauge it.
Although he does have westerners who recognize him, the topic author feels it is not enough for a immaculate talent like IR. Being the first asian symphony composer and also someone who can write counterpoints up to 8 in a simple melody in minutes is no small time composer. Anyway the examples you have quoted have already been surpassed by IR. what the author quoted were simple examples the west can identify first, there is more in his repertoire than you think.
Sorry i meant non-film instead of non-music for the first sentence.
Hi VIcky,
This is the most comprehesive piece about Illayaraja and his music that I have ever read. Great job.
But the thing about westerners digging and appreciating his genuis may never happen. He is THE film music composer who understands the medium of cinema better than any other Indian composer. If the music he composes for the films has to strike a chord with a foreigner, first of all the movie that he chosses to compose should have a global appeal.
On other hand, suppose if I have to ask one of my foriegner friend to listen to Illayaraja, where would I direct him to. Is there any records available with good sound quality. This sound quality really will put them off. And then the language is another big constraint.
If at all Raaja feels the need to be discovered and appreciated by westerners, there are options. He should concentrate more on composing music for albums like How to Name It, Nothing but Wind, Thirvasakam and Music Messiah. He should take up movie assignments only if the script is extremely exciting. (Yuvan mentioned that he is starting a recording label and he is going to invite Illayaraja to compose an album and he said he would ask his father to do whatever he wants to do in that album, I hope it becomes true one day).
Above all, the best bet according to me would be releasing compilations of his background scores he has done so far. They can re-record these BGM piece with good sound quality and release it. For all this, one needs to have an urge to make it big globally, which Raaja doesn't have. In todays time, just being a genuis is not enough, one has to understand how important it is to market the same.
Smile,
Sureshkumar.
Lesmoore:
//But, what is this topic for?//
- I think you are too hasty in writing your reply. Please go back and kindly read the 3rd paragraph of the article again.
//You cannot write Ramayana for Indians only and expect everyone around the world change their religion//
– I hope you know enough of Ramayana to have made such a strong statement. Why do you think Ramayana or Bible or Quran don't have anything to offer to everyone outside their religion? How different is Rama's acceptance of his father's wish (to sacrifice his kingdom) different from Abraham's acceptance of God (to sacrifice his son)? How different is Seetha's loyalty (to Rama when she claims "whereever Rama goes, thats my home" and follow suit to the Vanvaas) from Ruth's loyalty (to her mother in law to not dessert her and accompany her back to Bethlehem); Values, Virtues and Wisdom are taught in all great books world over; The question is how open are you to learn from each other. Thats the undercurrent of this post.. To emphasize how to understand and appreciate a previously unknown genre of music; I don't see the point how this amounts to begging or seeking attention. The world won't be half a mess that it is today, if people don't take such fundamentalist views (such as "Book X is only for Religion Y";) No one needs to change for anyone; Just have an open mind to listen to new ideas. Thats all.
Coming to making music like MJ or Rahman, the point I am trying to make is, how much did marketing and positioning play a role to their success as much as their music. Neither is it about bending backwards to suit to the taste of public as you mention. Rather quite the opposite of setting the new trend which will automatically be a success if its worthy enough AND if its marketed enough. Its of my view that Ilaiyaraaja's song fulfill the first criterion and not the second. The reasons why he is not known in North India as you asked are the same reasons why North Indian legends are not known in Kanyakumari. Idea here is not to seek anyone's approval or change your originality to reach new places.. Language barriers and reach are obvious hurdles. When they are addressed, every quality music makes it mark.
Finally, I have seen the songs you have sent. In what capacity do you call them "really sensible Indian film music"; They are good songs. No doubt; But if your aim was to compare it with a Ilaiyaraaja song and say they are more sensible, I can't find any such objective measures in these songs that substantiate your claims. Since you seem to be qualified enough to make judgmental statements like what is sensible and what is not, May I humbly challenge you here to come out with areas where you found the conviction to identify these songs as THE sensible songs.. ? Was it in their composing techniques (such has handling of Leitmotif or Ostinato) Or in their arrangement (of chord progressions to the melody for instance) Or in their orchestration (of making a set of insturment together in different styles) OR from an Indian system's stand point, was it in their of handling of the Raagas or the way how interesting the time signatures are divided (Tala)? In my opinion these are good songs.. But nowhere near being a "really sensible" song..
If your statements were not objective and merely subjective emotions, then I do respect it; But the story ends there and I don't see any scope for a healthy debate further; Because every mother thinks her child is the best and opinions are no different. But Facts are Facts…
See you soon if you have my answers..
With Love
Vignesh Subramanian
Vignesh – Why only the West, this lopsided entreating propelled my response. What about Africa, Asia, South East, Europe, Australia, Gulf? By sensible music I meant a comparison to the roller coaster ride that will make you sensless upon listening to the man's works. Anyway, thanks to Rahman, the world will get to enjoy Ilayaraja and many other film musical composers, who made music primarily to draw and entertain the poor masses, especially the slums of India. No greater tribute to these geniuses. More – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xq6KbXVom0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC6jzVNb9UA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjMhPfdWIQU&NR...
Excellent article. Appreciating Raaja's music is like counting the stars… it will never end and will last forever.
He is to be commended for live recording of his music rather than using 'loops' and technical stuff which everyone uses nowadays. There isnt one day when I dont listen to his work.
By the way Vicky I have read all your blogs.. simply great- Why not publish as a book?
Well done.
I used to play keys in Ragadhwani in CMC- Cbe- remember?
Hi Rajesh!
I was reading your comment casually till your last line landed as a surprise on me! Do you remember me? I was your junior at Ragadhwani, (obviously) at Coimbatore Medical College
Though you were a strong inspiration for me to try to become a keyboardist, I tried very little (not enough even to call it a minimal attempt). But, Destiny had other plans and led me to found and moderate 'Ilaiyaraaja' Yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ilaiyaraaja). By any chance, are you a member of this group already?
I look forward to talking to you in greater detail soon! Do reply when you find time.
Yours Always Musically,
Vijay.
Terrific write up. The songs alone can be researched and analyzed for generations to come, and then the BGMs that are of another league altogether. But forget the westeners, the treatment meted out to him by the so called Indians is what irks me more. While he should have been given the Dada Saheb Phalke atleast 20 years ago, he has not even been given a Padma Shree. Sick!
Excellent piece. Illaiyaraaja is definitely an icon that sometimes goes unnoticed but through and through, he is definitely amazing!
How did this page become news? Wonder of wonders. Vignesh, I did not see this was serious stuff! Go for it, in fact, I just only read your write-up now, after finding it on google news, of all places! Anbe Odi Vaa has a couple of songs that will grab the listener by the coattails : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4CEhATV8Ew , a masterpiece of a composition . Places like raaga.com & thiraipaadal.com lists movies
raja sir music is not only film based, he made history throught his carrer from annakili to nandahalala. This kind of talent is not simply possible for other music directore After 30 years of his music life, still he is using symphony musicians for his movies. T.his is simply amazing. I know still malayalam film world is praising raja's music and 2008 he gave good malayalam melodies. Can u forgot senthalam povil song from mullum malarun, what is there in that song, simple lyrics, no sets, but no one can forgot that still now. Many movies his BGM tells stories like moondram pirai, sigapu rojaka, mudupani, etc He no need to prove his talent to bollywood or hollywood etc etc Where ever tamil people are there or upto tamil era continues his music will be there
Dear Vicky,
Your words on IlaiyaRaaja's music are so perfect.
Vicky, you please mention also about the speed of IlaiyaRaaja in writing notes.
Akbar
Dear lesmoore,
I agree with your argument that Ilayaraja has to make music that appeals to global audience. But I don't understand the logic choosing Michael Jackson as the yardstick for the ultimate musician in the world. Jackson deifinitely is not bad. But don't put him as the ultimate. He is more of a showman who excelled on stage. There are scores of genuine, gifted musicians like Mark Lenegan, Neil Young, etc………………etc…
Very nice article – thanks.
-Yeh Hai Life
http://yehhailife.wordpress.com
http://www.yehhailife.com
Illayaraja is a great composer, but I really fail to understand why we beg for acceptance from western world. Let them listen or let them not, why are we so worried ?
Dear Vignesh you have commented on Lesmoore choice of music you may be well versed with nuances of music, but I request you to be more polite on choices of other people let them like what they like. Please don't challenge anyone on what they like.
There are three types of people,
Listening to a composition
Appreciate a composition
Make others to appreciate a composition (forcible)
Please avoid becoming the third kind.
Excellent contribution to Indian Music – Thanks Raja sir
Great Article, Vicky. Thanks