Lessons from Maestro Ilayaraja

Date: August 13th 2002

Lesson 12

Applying Vocal Counterpoint and Harmony to Indian music

             Song:
Avaesham antha.....

                 Film:
Alapana

Listen to this song

This song is a lesson on the application of harmony and counterpoint, the essentials of western classical music, to the melodic patterns of carnatic music. It shows how melodies based on south Indian classical music can be subject to harmony and counterpoint, thus producing a perfect blend of the carnatic and western musical forms.

The song begins with a two voice counterpoint. The uniqueness of this counterpoint is that the two voices spell out plain notes (swaras) as in carnatic music. The composer touches the height of creativity by gradually overlapping the two voices with a third voice that sings phrases that are used in conjunction with Indian classical dance. While one of the first two voices gradually disappears the prelude ends with a two voice counterpoint.

The interludes present vocal harmony. While one voice spells out the swaras of an Indian melody the other hums the same without actually spelling out the notes.

The first interlude ends with another instrumental harmony with the flute, santoor (or probably the synthesis of santoor on the keyboard) and a bass line. A soul stirring Indian ( a typical Ilayaraja) melody that is ornamented with carnatic note slides (gamakas) is played on the flute and is backed up by the santoor and fretless bass giving a western shade to the whole piece.

These pieces of music are examples of perfect executions of harmony and counterpoint through carnatic music. They not only project the individuality of the western and Indian musical forms but also sound a novel musical form that is heard by blending the two.

  Thanks to Maestro Ilayaraja for throwing light on this kind of musical fusion.

Author: R.S.Balaji

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