Guitar based PolyCaRe arrangements in 201x –interludes

As we begin this journey on PolyCaRe arrangements of Raja, with his compositions based on guitar as the background melody instrument. In this post we will particularly focus on his interlude compositions after 2010. As we made it very clear in the definition, the PolyCaRe arrangement not only requires a background guitar melody, it also requires two call and response melodies in the foreground played according to our rules of CaRe arrangements.

Let’s consider the prelude melody Maatallo Cheppeleni  from Abbayitho Ammayi  (2016 Telugu).  An outstanding arrangement for a film song in 2016, where composers are busy doing electronic shortcuts, the prelude is deeply rooted in beautiful harmonies.

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Maatallo Cheppaleni prelude	Abbayitho Ammayi	2016	Guitar	Piano	Synthesizer

1. The first 2 seconds of the clip is a beautiful counter melody between the Guitar and the piano, not very different from many Raja compositions
2.  Between 3 secs and 8 secs, the Piano plays a call melody for which at 8 secs there is a short synthesized flute response
3. Between 8 and 15 secs, the piano repeats the melody on top of the background guitar melody and the synthesized flute continues
4. Pay attention to the background guitar melody that remains constant throughout these 15 seconds, simply repeating over and over

This is a slightly different call and response as the two CaRe arrangements are not clearly separated and the synthesized flute keeps playing it melody. However, the foreground call from the piano is a distinct melody that falls perfectly in line with our traditional definition. Nice camouflaging of the CaRe arrangement by Raja in this melodious prelude.

As we mentioned in the introduction, this is four polyphonic compositions arranged one after the other. The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background guitar melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe.

Let’s hear the prelude melody Maatallo Cheppeleni  from Abbayitho Ammayi  …

Guitar based PolyCaRe arrangements in 199x – Background Scores

We will continue the journey on PolyCaRe arrangements of Raja, with his compositions based on guitar as the background melody instrument. In this post,  we will particularly focus on his background compositions in the 199x. As we made it very clear in the definition, the PolyCaRe arrangement not only requires a background guitar melody, it also requires two call and response melodies in the foreground played according to our rules of CaRe arrangements.

Let’s first start with the background score of Idhayam (Tamil 1991). This segment, which is part of the background score has guitar as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Score	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Idhayam BGM	Idhayam	1991	Guitar	Synthesizer	Violins

1. The first 8 seconds of this clip is not PolyCaRe. It has some nice guitar play in preparation for the PolyCaRe arrangement
2. The guitar tune from 8 seconds to the end of the clip is a simple melody upon which the CaRe melodies need to be layered
3. The violins play their melody first and the synthesizers respond between 9 secs and 15 seconds. The background guitar melody continues when this happens
4.  Now, between 16 seconds and 21 seconds, the violins repeat the melody and the synthesizers respond exactly the same way they did before

As we mentioned in the introduction, this is four polyphonic compositions arranged one after the other. The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background guitar melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe.

Let’s hear the PolyCaRe segment of Idhayam’s background score…

Next, let’s hear a segment of the background score of the film Vanna Vanna Pookal (Tamil 1991). This segment, which is part of the background score has guitar as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Score	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Vanna Vanna Pookal BGM (Title)	Vanna Vanna Pookal	1991	Guitar	Synthesizer	Flute

1. The score is punctuated by a beautiful guitar melody that plays throughout the clip in the background
2. There are 5 CaRe arrangements in this clip of 24 seconds riding on the background guitar melody
3. The response from the synthesizer is always the same and so is the background guitar melody
4. The flute calls all the five times are different melodies if you pay close attention. The 5^th melody is drastically different from the others

This is a monster in 24 seconds. This is 10 polyphonic compositions arranged one after the other. The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background guitar melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe.  Without this view, most folks would have just enjoyed this as a simple melody. Raja hides complexity very well and makes the listener completely at ease with his work. However, when you uncover the underlying complexity, you can clearly see the work of a mind that is no ordinary one.

Let’s hear the background score segment of Vanna Vanna Pookal…