Cherry Vanilla Cleverfolk

This category uses chorus arrangements which are inspired from folk music traditions. Chorus arrangement is a staple technique of Raja and he has used it on every genre he has worked with. However, he uses both folkish chorus as well as Western choral arrangement in different combinations.

Kannodu Kannu from Paalooti Valartha Kili (1976) is a nice folk tune supported well by chorus.

Kothamalli Poove from Kallukkul Eeram (1980) has the first interlude with folk style chorus set in a farm setting. The second interlude has a similar chorus arrangement.

Megam Karukkaiyile from Vaidehi Kaathirunthaal (1984) is a masterpiece of sorts. As discussed earlier in the section

‘Introduction to polyphony’, the male and female choir alternates between Western and folk arrangement throughout the track. It is arranged as a call and response type arrangement.

Poo pookum maasam from Varusham 16 (1989) – the track starts off with a chorus repeating the main singer’s lines. The transition from the charamans to the pallavi is arranged as a chorus. The choir also sings melody lines in interlude 2.

Puthu Rootile from Meera (1992) – this track starts off with a male chorus in a folkish style – it is arranged as a nice harmony. The pallavi has the male choir supporting the main singer. The charanams have similar choir support throughout the track.

Rasave Unnai Naan from Thanikattu Raja (1982) is an interesting track. The first interlude has a nice choir arrangement which is hard to classify. It is neither folkish, nor Carnatic but a nice creative arrangement! At least I have no way of describing it. The second interlude has the female choir singing melody lines supported nicely by some guitar work.

The clip below starts off with Kothamalli Poove followed by Pudhu Rootile. Finally the track has Rasave Unnai Naan. Observe the difference with folk choir treatment for all the three tracks. Most casual listeners think that the choir arrangement for such folk choir is identical – nothing can be farther from truth.