Composer's Breath - Nothing But Wind! - Ilaiyaraaja

Dears,

Now, I open up a topic on The Process of Musical Communication. Thiruvasagam Oratorio and Music Messiah have improved my appreciation. Also Nokia 6233 has given me the great clarity of sound and redefined many songs of our Ilaiyaraaja. The layering i.e. the texture of our Ilaiyaraaja's compositions has been clearly seen with such technology.

Once, I read in a book that music has two inseparable elements, viz., FORM and CONTENT. The form or structure can be described by technical analysis. For example, the harmony, the counterpoints, the measure (beats & rhythm), the melody, ascending or descending notes, the pitch changes, the volume changes, the syncopation, the tempo will tell us how to play or perform a piece and bring out the greatness of the genius of the composition. But music doesn’t always composed for these technically qualities only. Music apart from this form has a CONTENT to deliver. The CONTENT is often separated from the FORM and never be given importance. The truth is that the both are inseparable. The CONTENT in the music can only expressed or apprehended, if some technical analysis be made by the listener to understand the FORM, without separating the both.

As an example I try to put my views on the track "Composer’s Breath" from "Nothing But Wind!"

Once I read in a web page that the Beginning Flute in the Composer's Breath of Nothing But Wind is suggesting the vast Indian landscape.

After that, when I listen to the Composer's Breath, I visualize for the first5-6mins as follows:

First, the beginning Flute - tonepaints the vast landscape but slightly differently, i.e. "The Air (Wind) over a vast dry landscape is asking the nature to bring rain for the sustenance of life forms". So the flute is nothing but wind. (Land = Soil = Human body = Composer, Breath = Air = Wind)

Then, as a response the clouds start nodding (from a far off location) with very feeble (sound) notes in the strings, twice.

Then, the Flute notes express the weather (changes) suitable for raining. (Humidity & Temperature changes, slight tone change of flute).

Then, the clouds start rushing to the area. Strings are expressing this movement.

Then, the onset of rain (rain droplets are heard). The rain seems to be a slow shower. Suddenly gains little momentum.

Then, the vegetation and wind start dancing. (Flute)

Then, the rainwater stars flowing here & there. (feeble Violins).Then strong violin express the collection of huge quantity of water and its movement, resulting in river flow.

Then, the rain seems to stop, Sunlight seems to peep in. (Flute with different colour).

Then, dance of the vegetation and the wind, gains momentum. This expresses the relish of land, its life forms & wind.

Then, the wind starts travelling along with river. (Wind on top of River) (Flute & Violins). Sometimes, the wind commands the direction of river flow. But for most of the times, wind follows the river.

Then, music turns abstractive (for me). I may apprehend that the flute is nothing but wind and travels with water to visit different terrain conditions. Similarly, the flute also represents the breath of a composer. Then the various musical forms & patterns metaphorically define the various breathing patterns of a composer. Here the breath of the composer is nothing but music.

Now, at the end of the piece, the gushing of violins suggests the mixing of river and sea. The river ends there but the wind seems not so.

The whole piece with various musical patterns expresses how the breath (music) of an Indian Composer changes metaphorically with wind flow over river.

What I have felt is to be verified by EXPERTS in our group.

Indeed, I request experts in our group to put more light on this kind of musical communication.

The process of musical communication is more important for our Ilaiyaraaja's composition.

With love & peace from Akbar Basha