Making of Thiruvasakam

Welgate Company didn’t release the “Making of Thiruvasakam” DVD officially in the market. I now know the reason for it. Recently another IR album called “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” got released which is also marketed by Welgate audio company. In each audio CD pack of this album, they give a VCD free. You have many choices like “Talking with Maestro” VCD which is a programme shown in SS music about Thiruvasakam, Vaiko’s speech during the audio release function, Rajini and Kamal’s speech during audio release function and Making of Thiruvasakam. If you buy one CD of “TTLS” album, you may find any one of the VCD in the pack. To know what is inside, they have mentioned the name of the VCD that is kept inside on the front cover of the CD pack. I bought two copies of the CD, mainly for the free VCD. There is nothing much to say about music of “TTLS” as of now. One with "Talking with Maestro" and the other with "Making of Thiruvasakam".

I am happy that finally I got hold of the making of Thiruvasakam VCD with some additional clips from the release function. It is edited and produced by Tamil Mayyam. Infact Father Jegath Gespar himself has carried the mike and camera to interview various musicians from Hungary. The CD starts with Illayaraja’s press meet held in Chennai in which he first informed about the release of Thiruvasakam. Intermittently, the clips of the recording sessions in Hungary are shown. We can have a look into the orchestra rehearsing some of the interlude pieces from “Poovar Senni mannan” song. IR sings a piece to correct a Solo violin in the orchestra.

The best part of the VCD comes at the end. IR, Ray Harcourt and the symphony orchestra performs the “Polla Vinayaen” song together. It was great to watch the way the final crescendo of the song is recorded. As the song proceeds, the Tamil choir’s parts are aptly edited with the recording videos of male and female chorus singing in the Prasad studios, Chennai. I now know where the kids’ chorus is used. There are also brief interviews with Hungary musicians showering praise on IR’s genius in music. I think they might have got a much lengthier video of the recording sessions. They could have included everything in the VCD. So that it will be great watch for hardcore IR fans. It is a must buy CD for all fans though it doesn’t live up to our expectations.