ILAIYARAAJA: A FAN'S MUSE

I have always wanted to do a music review of the maestro's scores, but haven't done so, because I have no knowledge of the various raagas and their attributes. I consider myself the general commercial film-music lover, and liking a certain piece of music was independent of who had composed it. So, then, why do I mention Ilaiyaraaja (IR) specifically? It is a no-brainer for a music lover like me - he wins hand down by sheer numbers. Having had the opportunity to collect / listen to his music spanning the last two decades, the freshness factor perennially exists in his music. Please note, I say music and not songs. It is his music that has defined the word "composition" for me, in the world of music. There are hundreds of songs by an equal number of composers, which, have been hits or have had hummable music, but I personally have always felt a detachment between the instrumental and the vocal sections. A deeper analysis will expose a momentary split-second, uncomfortable gap between the the two in these songs, sometimes multiple in nature. It is in IR's music that I have seen (read that as listened) seamless compositions, with perfection. The vocals in his compositions are like a suspension bridge over a huge body of flowing water. The bridge stays aloof, and has its own identity, but without the water below, it is considered as just a structure, without life. Why suspension and not a normal bridge? Well, that's because of the delicate nature of a suspension bridge and the way it blends with water.....
Now, to express my feelings without a point of reference would be stupidity. I choose the song "Saara ye Aalam" from the movie "Shiva 2006". Although a re-done song, (from "Ananda raagam" from the movie "Panneer Pushpangal") , it is a perfect example of the difference between "directing" music and "composing" it. Starts with a full violin orchestra, ascends in pitch, where it can match that of the lead singer Shreya Ghoshal and just before she starts to sing, the relatively heavy orchestration is plateaued with subtler synthesizers, which run comfortably parallel to her voice. It continues, and just before the first stanza, the orchestration is re-introduced, with an internal jugalbandi with a solo-violin and a flute. The stanza continues as an interlude between the violins, Shreya's voice and the introduction of the male counterpart, Roop Kumar Rathod. The stanza ends heavier than it started, with both the voices, and the heavy orchestration functioning as a pseudo chorus.
The introduction of the second stanza was, is and will always be unique in an IR composition. The depth of the orchestration is retained along with that of the synthesizers, and it gradually becomes softer and subtler without slowing down for the introduction of the second stanza, which is introduced with a direct touch of classical music and just as you decide to settle for a more classical style stanza rendition, you are surprised by a domination of synthesizers.....
The song is ended with the male and female voices interluding with each other, along with the music....
Flexibility in the composition and the instruments used is IR's forte - And every composition of his has the inevitable element of surprise - which can be used and re-used with different instruments - and which makes his music timeless!