This is awesome.. we get to know so much more abt ARR> On Mon, Sep 1, 2008 at 9:17 AM, Vithur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Santoor Seenu – Rahmania – Part II > > > > Q :- How many songs would you have played with Rahman ?. Would it be around > 100 songs ? > > > > SS :- I haven't counted yet. The most fav Re – recording piece would be > Lagaan. The Last Ball sixer BGM was done with full orchestra. When the > Indian flag comes to the top at that scene, he wanted a speed playing of my > Harp and Santoor at 100 miles/hour. I haven't played in that speed in my > lifetime. It would be a raining scene, and our flag would be hoisted, and > the instruments were played at full speed. He was very happy, and the > Director also was very happy. I also like the picturisation of that song > very well. > > > > Q :- Your instruments are experiemental, and he is also very experimental. > Has there been any clashes between you and Rahman anytime ? > > > > SS :- Till now, there hasn't been any occasion like that. But at times, he > had become little upset with me. It happens, when he calls us for a > recording, and when we absent ourself and go off to another recording. At > that time, he would become little upset. He would say, " You were supposed > to come to me, and went off somewhere else". > > > > There arose an occasion , where he discovered that I had been to another > recording, without me disclosing the same. It was for recording of the song > " Kulavallile " for Muthu. There were base guitars, chorus in the song, and > my role was only that of playing the Harp in that song. So, I thought that > my role was only of playing the Harp here, and that could be done with ease, > and hence wished " Good Morning" to Sir, and went off to Deva Sir 's > recording, for the film " Aasai" ( Maniratnam Production ) . > > > > After finishing my role there, I came directly here for the recording. He > somehow found out that the truth. The way he found it out was like this. > > > > He asked me " Where did you go ?". I replied, " Nothing Sir. I had just > gone on a walk to the Hotel.". He didn't reply back, and told me to take the > Harp and start tuning in. When I was playing it, he said " What is this ?. > The tone is not good. Its very bad today. Your feel is not there totally. > Its worst today". Then I replied, " No Sir. Just now I played a piece and > came back ( !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)". > > > > He found it out from my own words and asked me " So, till now, you had gone > to some other recording, without informing me. You shouldn't do like this. > You could have informed me and went. Let this be the last time, you do this > mistake". I replied, " Sir. I wont do this mistake again". > > > > From that moment, if it is His work, I never used to go to another work. > > > > > > Q :- You have played for the film " Kadhal Desam". Could you tell me about > that ? > > > > SS :- Before Kadhal Desam, he got me an instrument from Kuwait by name Oodh > ( Pls correct me if I am wrong ) . I haven't seen that instrument with > anyone in India. No one has even used it before. These are available only in > Arabic countries, and they use it for the title music there . > > > > He came and gave it to me, and told me to check if I could get some sound > out of it. I tried hard to get the " Sa" and went on till " Pa" ( in Sa Ri > Ga Ma Pa). He told" This is enough". Then he called me and uttered " Sa Ga > Ma Pa Pa Ma…………" ( Mustapha Song 's notations ) . He finished it in Sa Ga Ma > Pa. He told " Take" in that lower five notes itself. > > > > It is the first time, that this instrument " Oodh" was used in India , and > it was used by Him and I played it. It's a wonderful song. > > > > > > Q :- Other songs that you have worked with Rahman ? > > > > SS :- I had worked for Jeans. There was a Chinese Instrument by name > Yengchen ( Pls correct me… ) . Chinese usually use the Mogana Ragam . This > is in major scale. There is a humming which is to come in the beginning of > the song, and it has to be done in a Japanese style with this instrument. > There is a small object which has to be worn in our fingers for playing this > instrument, and usually the Chinese put it, and also bandages before > playing. But after playing the instruments, the tape can be removed from the > fingers, using a solution. > > > > I didn't know all this, and put the bandage around my fingers in my own > style. After the recording got over, when I wanted to remove the same, I > couldn't do it, and my nails also started peeling off. Actually, I was > feeling very hungry and didn't know what to do, But somehow, managed it and > the recording got over at 3 : 30 pm . It took me two hours for removing the > tape from my fingers. He told me " Don't hurry. Go to the doctor and get it > removed". > > > > Patiently, I got it removed, and the pain lasted for a day to me. The song > ( Adhisayam from Jeans ) came out very well. Whenever the song is aired or I > listen to it, I just check all my fingers and remind myself of the song > experience. Another Important event was that the song was recorded on my > Birthday. July 13th. I left home only at 8 Pm on that day, and slept with > the pain. > > > > But I am very happy that the song came out very well. > > > > My father is a Veena Player and also a Mridangam Player. He was the first > one to introduce Santoor to India itself. His name was Mandolin Raju, and he > had played for films like " Padagothi, Paarthal Pasi theerum, Pagal Nilavu > etc". > > They used to call him as " Rajannna". He is a very senior in Films, and > used to whistle Jadis for MGR, Sivaji etc . he had played the veena for > Thiruvilayadal Film. He had played the Mandolin a lot, and had thus been > addressed as " Mandolin Raju". > > > > It was Rahman who termed me as ' Santoor Seenu" to avoid confusion with > other Seenus, who were in the same field. > > > > Duet – Mettupodu song > > > > There is a guitar bit. A lengthy bit. He had got the instruments from > Bombay, and had tried it. He had also called a lot of people from Chennai > for the same. Both the styles were different. But Rahman was telling a style > of Keerthanam. It's a typical veena style of a notation, but he wanted the > same to be in Guitar. Its very tough to play those bits in a guitar. Even > professional Guitar players used to call me and ask as to how I managed the > same. > > > > The song is an acoustic guitar , just like veena, and went on in full flow. > He was very happy for the same, and told me to take Double Payment before > leaving. > > > > I like Lataji a lot. I like S.D. Burman songs a lot. She had sung a lot of > songs in Tamil also. And she sand a song in One 2 Ka Four. I couldn't > imagine that I was standing next to her, when she came to sing that song " > Khamoshi Haan". I had done Santoor backing in that song. Unforgettable > moment and song in my life. > > > > Recently, I had played in Jodha Akbar. There is an Arabic bit. I had played > the Rubob and Oodh ( Pls correct me ) . Playing One Instrument itself is > tough. And playing the both in a rhythm was very tough. Its in the song, > that Rahman Sir himself had sung.. After the song is over , he called me and > wanted me to play that in the Re – recording also. The Bit was highlighted > in the Re recording also in a nice manner. > > > -- > regards, > Vithur > > ARR -- The Sweet Cube always > > -- Cheers, Pradeepan. "All you need to do is, decide what to do with the time that is given to you !"
