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Sunday, December 30, 2007

Answer for Background Score - 14

This piece is from 'Black'. It is the Michelle's theme. The movie starts with this piece of music. A great soundtrack by Monty and good that Yash Raj music released soundtrack CD of Black. Though I don't know whether I liked Saawariya or not, I immensely like Monty's background score. Movie being a flop, I don't think they would release the background score of Saawariya. So, waiting for the official VCD release, so that I can rip it from the video.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Answer for Background Score - 13

This piece is from Kuruthipunal. It is the title score of the movie composed by Late Mahesh. Kamal Haasan has used Mahesh quite well in some of his movies (Kuruthipunal, Aalavandhan, Nammavar). Mahesh's background score is so nuanced and apt for the look and feel of Kuruthipunal. It is sad that Mahesh didn't get his due till the end.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Background Score - 13

Guess the Movie.



Here is the Answer.

Answer for Background Score - 12

Yes. This piece is from 'Poovellam Kaetuppar'. It is the love theme of Surya and Jyothika. It is used throughout the movie. A beautiful romantic piece and all its variations are well orchestrated. Good to know that many remember this BGM from a not so good movie.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Bombay Theme - Unplugged

I am no fool to ask everyone to guess the movie by posting this piece. We all know it is THE ‘Bombay Theme’. Here I post, the unplugged version of ‘Bombay Theme’ performed by North American musicians, Naveen (flute) and Kalyanasundaram (Violin) in 2000 at Neywork Concert. At least once in a month I watch this performance of Bombay theme. It is so exhilarating to watch the movement of multiple bows in unison in same direction on violin strings, playing out such a haunting melody. Also, Naveen gives an exquisite performance by so brilliantly improvising on every phrase of the melody. Take few minutes break from whatever you are doing right now for this PURE BLISS to rejuvenate your soul.


(Intro by Srinivasamoorthy, The Orchestra Conductor)

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

(Heart)Breaking News

Illayaraja's background score pieces from Rakkamma BGM page has been removed. I expected that this would happen sooner or later. I think Agi Music Agilan has sent a mail to the Rakkamma team to remove the BGM's. Agi Music now partly own the copyrights of all Raaja's works. But what is the use? Owning copyrights and just keeping it for themselves serves no purpose.

Anyway, if that message is for everyone who puts Raaja's works for streaming or download for free, then anytime soon, the message from Agilan may knock my inbox too. I Don't know how I am going to maintain this blog without posting Raaja's scores.

Jodha Akbhar Soundtrack

In the discussion forum of the official website of 'Jodhaa Akbar', Ashutosh Gowariker himself has put a message that the audio CD of Jodha Akbar would include instrumentals. And that is one of the reasons why Audio release has been postponed (Previously announced audio release date is today).

A.R.Rahman has always given his best in background score when it comes to Asutosh's movies. Both Lagaan and Swades has good enough music pieces which could have been released as a seperate soundtrack CD. 'Jodhaa Akbar' being a historical movie, there would be ample scope for Rahman to prove it again in background score. Let us wait and see if the audio CD contains all the background score pieces.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Rahman's 4 tracks

It seems Rahman has composed only 4 pieces (Philip, Mary's Beheading, Battle and Divinity theme) among the 20 tracks of Elizabeth - The Golden Age soundtrack. Philip is credited to both Rahman and Craig Armstrong. Among the four, I was sure that Battle and Divinity theme are out and out Rahman's works and thought Rahman did contribute a little bit in all the other tracks but it seems he didn't.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Answer for Background Score - 11

This piece is from ‘Dharmathin Thalaivan’. It is used in a fight sequence and also when Rajini secretly enters a big bungalow. But I first heard this piece as a lead music of Sun Movies Channel. It has been my favourite piece of music since then. Usually, it is good to see people guessing the movie correctly. But this time it was interesting to see many guessing it wrongly (as Apoorva Sahotharargal, Michael Madhana Kaamaraajan and Nadigan), which lead to more exploration of similar beautiful music pieces by Illayaraja. I think the dishyum sound in between the clip caught everyone’s attention.

I don’t remember the BGM from fight sequences in AS or MMKR but Nadigan BGM is still fresh in my mind. I like the music from the scene when Manorama reveals her love for Master in Nadigan, there is a bass guitar piece looping in the background which sounds like the piece from Dharmathin Thalaivan and there is a beautiful romantic piece played on a string section whenever Manorama is shown attracted to older Sathyaraj.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Background Score - 11

Guess the Movie.



And Listen this



Here is the Answer.

Answer for Background Score - 10

This piece is from Chinna Kounder. It appears for the first time for Sukanya's introduction scene and later for the Top scene. A very funny and playful tune. A special favourite of mine.

Elizabeth - The Golden age Sountrack

In his special note on the CD inlay, Shekar Kapur has written, ‘Music of the film must not only complement the film but also have its own individuality and its own story to tell’. From his quote, it is quite evident that he is one of the prime reasons for such a loud score. It is also a well known fact that Shekar made Rahman to compose the music even before shooting the movie and also used one of the pieces on the sets to plan his shot breaks in synch with the music. All over the world, the movie critics have unanimously trashed the loud background score. But the music lovers have embraced it saying that it is worth listening as stand alone tracks on CD.

There is nothing great or ground breaking about the soundtrack; it is a typical Hollywood soundtrack with all moody orchestral pieces build over recurring themes. Craig Armstrong and A.R.Rahman together have written the score. It is quite difficult to figure out who did what in this soundtrack though Rahman’s sound could be sensed in many of the tracks.

‘Opening’ score is grand and majestic with a flamboyant solo violin piece running in the lead which sounded like Rahman’s violin piece in ‘Raaga Dance’ from Vanessa Mae’s Choreography. ‘Philip’ sets a terrifying ambience at the start with its low pitched strings and slow built up of percussions. As it continues the mood gets loud and deepened with thundering beats and full throttled orchestra. One of the main themes of the movie gets introduced in the track ‘Now you grow dull’. The theme fits quite well here and the dullness is maintained throughout by a leisurely orchestration. The four note theme in ‘Horse riding’ played on an acoustic Spanish guitar sounds like the slower version of a familiar Rahman’s score though I couldn’t recollect the piece exactly.

‘Immensities’ is all-strings piece with the main love theme being played at a much slower tempo. Though it is too slow, once you get into the flow of the melody, you will feel intoxicated by it. This theme again appears as a separate track ‘Love theme’. ‘Bess and Raleigh Dance’ is anything but a dance piece. Even this track sounds Rahmanish to me, especially the way the strings progress and the looping Harp brings a lot of Rahman flavour to the track. But then it seems Craig also did add his bit in orchestrating it to suit the mood of the scene. ‘Mary’s beheading’ has all typical distant soprano chants and deep Duduk pieces and mellow strings that one would expect for a sober mood. ‘End Puddle/Possible Suitors’ is a beautiful piece creating a very playful and pleasant ambience with its soothing orchestratral variations.

‘War/Realization’ theme could well be the piece where the true amalgamation of Rahman and Craig happened. The orchestration is along the lines of any historic war sequences in a Hollywood movie, but Rahman comes into picture when we hear the ethnic percussions, little sounds that loop around and the percussions that resembles that of Rahman’s score for ‘Warriors of Heaven and Earth’. ‘Destiny theme’ introduces a new sober theme. It is a very short and emotive theme. The theme from ‘Now you grow dull’ again appears in ‘Smile lines’ on woodwinds and the sound is more relaxing and pleasant here.

‘Horseback Address’ as it beings has a very mellow theme played on strings and suddenly shifts to the ‘Horse riding’ theme played by a full throttled orchestra. ‘Battle’ sounds like a complete Rahman composition in all aspects, the strings, the Chinese influence, the mild synth, the Duduk and the choir sound Rahmanish. A lot of things happen in this piece but it never gets boring or go out of place, the colorful arrangement and the twists and turns holds our attention.

‘Divinity theme’ is the most easily recognizable Rahman composition. It is a very sober piece which begins with Mariyam Toller singing the main melody. It sounded like a variation of ‘pibarae raamarasam’ or ‘vidukathaiyo vazhkai’ from Muthu, and especially when Sarangi starts to play the main melody, the similarity is even more evident. ‘Storm’ is a full throttled orchestral piece which does bring the storming effect quite well. The ‘Closing’ starts with a subtle performance of destiny theme and makes a grand exit with the entire orchestra playing the theme.

‘Walsingham Deathbed’, ‘Bess to See Throckmorton’ and ‘Dr Dee Part 1’ are incidental pieces which I think strictly follow the trajectory of emotions in the visuals.

Overall, it is a good entry for Rahman into Hollywood.


Listening Movies

Friday, December 7, 2007

Clever Sabesh-Murali

Watch this Video (I couldn't emded the video here) and listen to the background score piece from 'Thavamai Thavamirunthu'. When I was watching the movie for the first time, I was surprised by the beauty of the piece. It sounded little different for the earthy visuals and yet I liked it and I was surprised that such a piece came from Sabesh-Murali. Recently, i found that this is the celtic theme of the movie 'Last of the Mohicans'. Even Sabesh-Murali's recent movie 'Ammuvaaghiya Naan' had a CD rip-off of an entire Yanni song as the background score for the scene in which Parthiban searches for Ammu.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Rahman's Magic

Check this out.



Download

Answer for Background Score - 9

This piece is from Kaaka Kaaka. This is a pleasant sax theme that appears whenever Jyothika and Surya meet before they fall in love with each other. Harris Jeyaraj's saxophone pieces are always special. On the whole, the background score of Kaaka Kaaka is good though I don't like the loud villain theme.