`It's my life's purpose'
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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Ilaiyaraja's eagerly awaited `Thiruvachagam' will be unveiled in a week from now.
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"I request my listeners not to download `Thiruvachagam' from the net or go in for MP3 and other pirated versions."
THE MAESTRO WITH A MAGIC TOUCH: Ilaiyaraja. PHOTO: Shaju John
June 30 will mark the culmination of five years of focussed effort — the audio release of Ilaiyaraja's `Thiruvachagam.' Can it be termed his life's mission? "I prefer to describe it as my life's purpose," laughs the maestro. Completing the mammoth project will relieve him from the cycle of birth and death, he believes. "No one can escape the cycle if he leaves the world without finishing the work he is ordained to. For me it is `Thiruvachagam,'" Raja's powerful eyes shine. "It's wrong to call it a Symphony. It is Oratorio. Only that I've used a Symphony orchestra," he says.
The project may be exalted yet it has to be viable ... "Yes ... it does boil down to business. I felt shy to approach corporates. But they can still help. They can join hands in the distribution — order cassettes in bulk," he says.
How will Thiruvachagam' be different from his earlier devotionals? "You must tell me that after you listen to it," he laughs. "But I can assure you that it will be in a genre of its own. It will transport you to a sublime plane where you would lose yourself." He comes forward in his chair and adds: "Do you agree that as a musician I can make you laugh or cry with my music? Then `Thiruvachagam' will sway you."
You understand his conviction, yet how will it stir young minds so tuned to his cine compositions? "You can't compartmentalise the listener's interest," he responds. "Thiruvachagam will reach any one who has an ear for music."
Why Budapest
Raja chose Budapest for the composing and recording of `Thiruvachagam' because as he says, "Vienna, the place of Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss and Schubert, is just 200 km away. So the vibrations are positive. Vienna is a holy place to me." Also he could work undisturbed there.
But did the musicians understand the significance of the work? "That wasn't necessary I thought. So I explained it to the conductor alone. But five minutes after the orchestra began playing I noticed this lady, rolling her tongue with her mouth closed and giving a cheeky smile. (Raja acts it out for you!) Can't blame her. They were repeated notes and the leitmotif puzzled her. (He sings the notes) They wanted something more ... " Raja smiles as he recalls the incident. "`This is not an orchestral work. You will all just support the singer who is chanting the great, bone-melting work of the 10th century poet Manickavachagar. See, you can play the same thing this way,' I told them, and gave a lilting, melodic form." (The maestro hums again.)
`Thiruvachagam' has been sung entirely by Ilaiyaraja, except for one choral piece.
In proven hands
Richard King, the sound engineer who won Grammys for his soundtrack for `Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon,' has worked for `Thiruvachagam.' And Academy award winning composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz has written the English verses. "I've interwoven English parts ... Have you watched Walt Disney's `Pocahontas'? Stephen's compositions in it are excellent ... but he thinks the world of my music," he says. In a letter to Raja's fans on the net Schwartz describes Raja's `Thiruvachagam' as a `stunning blend of the Indian and Western.'
Avoid piracy
Raja soon strikes a poignant note. "My only request is listeners should not download `Thiruvachagam' from the net or go in for MP3 and the like. If they feel that my music has given them at least a little pleasure, they should buy authentic audios. I say this because `Thiruvachagam' has to find a market, if such ventures are to continue."
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