Veena based PolyCaRe arrangements in 198x – interludes

Veena is an unusual instrument to do the background for a polyphonic arrangement. However, we have seen Raja use this instrument in every possible situation that no longer it is possible to typecast this instrument with any genre.  We have also seen Raja use veena extensively as a part of his CaRe arrangements. In this post, we will discuss Raja compositions that have veena as the background instrument to his PolyCaRe arrangements.

In this post, we will particularly focus on his interlude compositions in the 198x. As we made it very clear in the definition, the PolyCaRe arrangement not only requires a background synthesizer  melody, it also requires two call and response melodies in the foreground played according to our rules of CaRe arrangements.

Let’s begin with the song ‘Kalise Prati Sandhyalo’  from Aalapana (Telugu 1985). This segment, has synthesizer as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Kalise Prati Sandhyalo’	Aalapana	1985	Veena	Sitar	Flute

This is one of the most unusual PolyCaRe arrangements you will hear of Raja.

1. The first 2 seconds is a Indian melody played with the veena. This is the melody that continues throughout the clip as the background melody
2. Between 3 and 10 seconds, the sitar joins in the foreground playing a counter melody, again and Indian one. Two Indian instruments playing Indian melody in counter. Please show me a composer who can do this!
3. While all this is going on, between 5 and 10 seconds, if you pay close attention, the flute and the sitar is having a CaRe play while the veena continues in the background. Genius!
4. The remaining parts of the clip have conventional CaRe in play between the veena and the flute

The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background synthesizer melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe. There are 4 foreground melodies playing on top of the constant background synthesizer melody in these 7  seconds.

Let’s hear the stroke of PolyCare arrangement genius of Raja in the song Kalise Prati …

Let’s next focus on the interlude of the song ‘Unnai Kaanum Neram’ from Unnai Naan Sandhithaen (Tamil 1986).

This segment, has synthesizer as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Unnai Kaanum Neram	Unnai Naan Sandhithaen	1986	Veena	Violins	Flute

1. The first three seconds are a veena play to set the background melody that plays throughout the clip
2. Between 4 and 19 seconds, the violins and the flute do the CaRe play while the veena continues in the background

The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background synthesizer melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe. There are 3 foreground melodies playing on top of the constant background synthesizer melody in these 19  seconds.

Let’s hear the  PolyCare arrangement in the song Unnai Kaanum Neram …