I was so ecstatic when I accidentally found the video CD of Illayaraja’s Italy Live in Concert in Landmark. It is released by Best Audios. Earlier Agi Music released an audio CD of the same concert. But after watching the video I was extremely disappointed and the reasons are many. Best Audios has done a worst job in making this VCD.
The VCD doesn’t have the entire concert. They have edited out the Mood Kapi (Instrumental Version of Sangathil Paadatha Kavithai), Ilangathu Veesuthae, Aasaya Kaathula, Janani Janani songs. In the audio CD released earlier we heard two versions of 3 in 1 piece, one the vocal version sung by Illayaraja and the other one is the orchestral version. Here in an attempt to try something different, they have edited the video in such a way that after Illayaraja sings each line of the melody, the orchestral version of the same line is shown and it terribly hams the flow of the beautiful piece. The highlight of the concert, the performance of vocal jathis and the rhythm patterns at the end of the ‘Veetukku Vetukku’ song end in a halfway. I guess the coverage itself was poorly done with limited number of cameras and that explains the poor video quality. The only consolation is the instrumental version of ‘Azhaghu Malar Aada’ song which was beautifully orchestrated and performed. But I don’t know why this piece wasn’t there in the audio CD released by Agi Music.
The person who cut the VCD sure have seen a lot of international concert videos, so he intermittently cuts to the behind the scene footages, as the concert is going on. But it is done in such a poor and stupid way that the question, ‘Why this happens to everything that comes with the name Illayaraja?’ Why the hell they didn’t include all those other pieces, at least 30 minutes of the concert is missing in the VCD. From what I see, there was a lot of additional video material of that of the rehearsal sessions in Chennai, Illayaraja’s travel in Italy, were available.
They could have easily made a high quality DVD with the complete concert, and could have added special behind the features and interviews of the performers and it would have become a sort of a collector’s edition. Does Illayaraja really know that this kind of a poor VCD of the concert is going to be released? I still don’t understand why Illayaraja is so bad in promoting and pushing his music to reach much more people. We still don’t know what stops any audio company from getting the audio rights of Illayaraja’s Jaya TV concert and releasing it as a DVD. Why Raaja is so undervalued when it comes to commercial viability?
10.10.2008
Illayaraja's Italy Concert
Posted by P.S. Suresh Kumar at 8:00 PM
Labels: Best Audios, Illayaraja, Italy Concert VCD
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10 comments:
It's a common knowledge that Raja in his peak period was the most saleable composer. How many hundred stupid, terrible films ran just because Raja was there in them. Guess 'commercial viability' is a passing phase and that phase for Raja is nearly over, that has nothing to do with his music's greatness.
BTW... when it's a bit doubtful that whether lot of people would be interested in buying concert DVDs, IMO, there's a lot of scope for releasing Re-Mastered Raja tracks from yore. For sure , a lot of people would want to buy them. and I wonder why the audio companies/producers holding copyrights are interested in that. Now and then there are compilation discs coming in, but I wish they could do it more. A prolific artist like Raaja could be compiled in many many ways and that possibility is not being explored much.
Correction: //audio companies/producers holding copyrights are NOT interested in that.//
I came across this concert VCD in a shop and asked the owner if there is a DVD version of this concert? He replied in the negative and said that a DVD version will not be released.I didn't buy the VCD because I think IR deserves something better.
Nishanth
That has been the unfortunate part always. The way Thiruvaasakam was marketed is a classic example of how important marketing is.
The sad part as you mentioned is that the complete lack of professionalism makes it even worse.
Most of Ilayaraja's film songs were released by a company called INRECO.
Wonder if that company still exists?
BTW, anyone know where one can get songs from the movie 'Kazhugu'.
W.R.T CBSO post:
Haven't found yet a legal way of buying Raaja's Guru-Malayalam Music. but after hearing the comments on that I couldn't contain myself.
Below you can get good quality MP3.
http://vellithiramusic.net/?s=guru
Muthuvel - Thanks a ton for that link. Will check it out.
True. Raaja's music is so great in quality but not marketed properly. Proper marketing can make a lot of difference to the financial viability of Raaja's new experimental ventures and we would get more and more special treats from the genius.
It is true that there was a day when a good-smelling rose did not need any additional advetisement - but in today's world where packaging and marketing matters (and where powerpoints are valued more than powerful points), marketing, packaging and distribution do matter.
And why not market Raaja when new people, who have still a long way to go to reach even half of Raaja's achievements, are promoted and presented as 'greats' ?
raja sir needs a good marketting manager.... one from dis younger generation... even i was enjoyin d audio cd lik anythin befor, but fear ds stupid vcd wil make me hate listenin to it anymore :-(
every one who listens raajas music will be his marketing manager his music will flow through our veins and blood vessels but to get huge awards he might need but the paid marketing managers followers and devotees like me make him god of music....he dont mind he will continue as wind flow as a stream of water
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