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Is IR's quality now indeed less than his yesteryears?

Topic started by SR Kaushik (@ ntws229.cs.wisc.edu) on Tue Oct 13 22:30:43 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Many people opine that the IR of the 80s was best and that his standard now is a little lesser. I do not agree. While I do feel that his quality in the early 90s was a bit down, after the advent of ARR, he is back to his old form, although his style has changed. IMO, (all songs of) Guru, (some songs of) Kaliyoonjalu, Yatra mozhi, Avatharam, Nammoora Mandaara Hoove are as good as his best.

I can cite a few reasons why so many people feel IR now is not as good as IR of the 80s:

1. Nostalgia.
2. An explanation for his relative lack of commercial success now.
3. We have all listened to so much music that we are used to it, and hence the charm that music once used to have is reduced. Or rather, let me put it this way - one's musical appreciation becomes more intellectual than emotional.

I think this would be an interesting topic to discuss.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: Bharath (@ oneway.convex.com) on: Fri Jul 13 18:21:02 EDT 2001
  
  I just think IR did not change with times. I agree some of the songs he is doing now is as good as his best! i think thats the problem they are not in tune with times!
  
  people want something different. dolby digital and gizmo stuff is the trend of today! IR is reluctant to give that. I have spent some time in studying the psycology of pioneers. They make trend setting a habbit that thay cannot adapt when some one overtakes them and sets a trend.
  
  Good trend setters are not downward compatible a.ka they cannot be good followers. which is required for any great person ta some times.
  
  IR is time invariant now. I seriously hav doubt that a song of the high quality of "poonkathave thazhthiravai" wud be in sync with tdays times. A cliche called generation gap is a cliche for a very good reason!
  
  
  //"Still You could remember all those songs from this utter flop movie, that is IR's music."//
  
  IR music critics know what they r critisizing unlike ARR critics :-)
  
  If chinna vathiyar and kattalai r quality songs then i simply think this is a case of over bloating of IR patronizing
  
  
• From: MS (@ cache145.sc.edu) on: Fri Jul 13 19:24:13 EDT 2001
  
  Trend - was your choice "random" ? :-)
  
  
• From: Athi (@ c1200282-a.mntp1.il.home.com) on: Fri Jul 13 20:07:28 EDT 2001
  
  Have you heard the songs from Sendooram?
  Almost all the songs are very good in
  this movie. This is not overbloating or
  whatever it is termed as unlike.
  
  Have you read the review for ARR's latest
  Nayak in rediff? Looks like it is a big
  disappointment as rediff has a soft corner
  for ARR's music and they themselves couldn't
  find anything worthwhile in that.
  
  Athi
  
  
• From: Athi (@ c1200282-a.mntp1.il.home.com) on: Fri Jul 13 20:09:34 EDT 2001
  
  About chinnavathiyar and kattalai, both
  the movies have some good songs of IR.
  I have heard a song sung by chitra in
  Kattalai (Vanna Nila Vanna Nila)
  which was very good.
  
  Athi
  
  
• From: Krishna (@ 1cust201.tnt1.marlton.nj.da.uu.net) on: Fri Jul 13 23:02:10 EDT 2001
  
  As stated in another thread, I can see that how for a segment of people songs from Chinna Vadhiyar and Kattalai was not impressive. Nevertheless, it appealed to me. I had the same reaction that are stated here when I heard the fuss about songs like Haira Hairaabba from Jeans or the Nityasree song from Padayappa as some marvels...To me, they appeared pedestrian...So, these songs from Chinna Vadhyar and Kattalai not appealing to a couple or few of the posters are immaterial to me...My point that I have posted is I in my opinion, based on the movies I have listed (which are not all inclusive..."Sendhooram" as listed by Athi was a notable exclusion) in my prior mail, IR is still unparalled and brilliant and I enjoy his compositions.
  
  As others who feel otherwise post their opinions, I am posting my mine. I have no interest in convincing anyone of IR's continued brilliance. If you have alternate opinions, so be it.
  
  
• From: cosmician (@ 194.170.127.53) on: Sat Jul 14 00:04:07 EDT 2001
  
  Athi...
  
  Forget what Rediff says...have you heard Nayak's music ?
  
  
• From: Normal Man (@ 1cust154.tnt2.mel2.da.uu.net) on: Sat Jul 14 01:09:35 EDT 2001
  
  Enough done and achieved, I need IR to experiment with one thing. Try a new form of sound for TFM. He tried doing this in a very few movies (that I know). He tried doing it in Guru (this is his personal best in the 90's, sans the commercial hits). Guru had a total different sound, arrangements and composition. He never tried that approach in any of the movies that followed it. ARR introduced a new form of sound in Roja. After that he tired new in Dil Se and to a very little extent in 1947 & Zubeida. I'm kind of getting tired and bored of the patterns of ARR and the aatu mandhai which follow him.
  
  I was amazed when Santana came up with a great score for his "Supernatural". The point here is, IR has the capability and he can for sure create a new pattern. It’s not that ARR or anyone else can't do it. But I firmly believe ONLY IR can do it with perfection. Can he give me an another GURU (though an another Jhonny is my greedy wish).
  
  
• From: bharath (@ c1226412-a.flrmnd1.tx.home.com) on: Sat Jul 14 20:05:29 EDT 2001
  
  By Guru do u mean the old kamalahassan movie or is it something else. I went to raaga.com and did not find guru at all(other than kamals movie)
  
  so whats this u all r talking abt! i wanna listen to this album.
  
  //"Athi...
  
  Forget what Rediff says...have you heard Nayak's music ?"//
  
  bale! bale! athi what makes u think ARR is rediff fav. i think the opp.
  
  
• From: Normal Man (@ 1cust31.tnt2.mel2.da.uu.net) on: Sat Jul 14 20:42:46 EDT 2001
  
  Guru was a malayalam film with quite a novel and fiction based theme. It had Mohanlal & Suresh Gopi in the lead. I think it got relesed sometime in 1998. I think musicindiaonline.com has the songs of Guru.
  
  
• From: KS (@ 166.44.246.213) on: Sat Jul 14 23:43:38 EDT 2001
  
  GURU kind of music has certainly not been composed in the history of IFs. It was a bold variation for an unusual story (kings, kingdom..and all i guess) and a successful experimental effort.
  
  
• From: AKBAR BASHA . S (@ 61.1.206.163) on: Fri Jul 20 07:09:21 EDT 2001
  
  ILAIYARAAJA's quality never vacillates as you people feel.
  IT is just the INSPIRATION makng the difference,if any.
  THE suitation,director's choice & ability of apprehending the Music,Imaginary commerial status & Media's(Press's) false comments leading to misapprehension of Music are all responsible for this kind of feelings.
  IR's maturity of apprehending MUSIC is beyound the reach of this (unemotional)world.
  IT SEEMS PEOPLE MISAPPREHENDED IR'S MUSIC TO AN EXTENT THAT ARR's ENTRY RESULTED IN THESE KIND OF FEELINGS.
  BEFORE THE ARR's ENTRY IR'S MUSIC WAS REGARDED MODERN(just Western Instruments & Synthesisers)
  REGARDLESS OF ITS EXPRESSIVE QUALITY, AND NOW ARR's MUSIC REGARDED MODERN.THIS NOT THE WAY APPREHEND MUSIC OF ANY KIND.
  THIS WORLD CANNOT CREATE A BETTER COMPOSER THAN IR ,AS EMOTION IS NOT BELIEVED NOWADAYS & HUMAN EVOLUTION HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN.
  NO PLACE IN THE IS POLLUTION FREE & NOISE FREE.
  TO SPEAK OF IR IS LIKE LIVING A LIFE FOR MORE THAN OUR ALLOTED.
  
  
• From: AKBAR BASHA . S (@ 61.1.206.197) on: Fri Jul 20 07:46:13 EDT 2001
  
  ILAIYARAAJA's quality never vacillates as you people feel.
  IT is just the INSPIRATION making the difference, if any.
  THE suitation, director’s choice & ability of apprehending the Music, Imaginary commercial status & Media’s (Press's) false comments leading to misapprehension of Music are all responsible for this kind of feelings
  .
  IR's maturity of apprehending MUSIC is beyond the reach of this (unemotional) world.
  
  IT SEEMS PEOPLE MISAPPREHENDED IR'S MUSIC TO AN EXTENT THAT ARR's ENTRY RESULTED IN THESE KIND OF FEELINGS.BEFORE THE ARR's ENTRY IR'S MUSIC WAS REGARDED MODERN (just Western Instruments & Synthesizers)
  REGARDLESS OF ITS EXPRESSIVE QUALITY, AND NOW ARR's MUSIC REGARDED MODERN.THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO APPREHEND MUSIC OF ANY KIND.
  THIS WORLD CANNOT CREATE A BETTER COMPOSER THAN IR, AS EMOTION IS NOT BELIEVED NOWADAYS & HUMAN EVOLUTION HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN.
  NO PLACE IN THE WORLD IS POLLUTION FREE & NOISE FREE.
  TO SPEAK OF IR IS LIKE LIVING A LIFE FOR MORE THAN OUR ALLOTTED.
  
  
• From: asdf (@ ) on: Wed Mar 12 13:14:19 EST 2003
  
  lsdsdslfa
  
  
• From: av (@ 132.206.72.150) on: Wed Mar 12 17:53:33 EST 2003
  
  NO.
  
  
• From: Pranav (@ 202.142.68.94) on: Sat Mar 15 03:49:08 EST 2003
  
  IR is MAestro. WE can still find good music
  
  For example:
  The remake of Ullathai Allitha in Kaannad - the music was super hit.
  
  

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