Violin based PolyCaRe arrangements in 198x – interludes (part 1)

We will continue the journey on PolyCaRe arrangements of Raja, with his compositions based on violins as the background melody instrument. 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 violin melody, it also requires at least two call and response melodies in the foreground played according to our rules of CaRe arrangements.

Let’s begin with the song ‘Aracha Sandanam’  from Chinnathambhi (Tamil 1988). This segment, has violins as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Aracha Sandanam	Chinnathambhi	1988	Violins	Violins	Flute

1. This is a short 4 second clip demonstrating the PolyCaRe idea in such a short time. The gushing violins provide the background instrumentation playing for the duration
2. There are two CaRe parts within this four seconds. The call is made by the foreground violins for which the flute responds. Simple but technically perfect

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

Let’s hear the PolyCaRe  arrangement in the interlude of Aracha Sandanam …

Let’s next analyze the song ‘Darling Darling’  from Priya (Tamil 1980). This segment, has violins as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Darling Darling	Priya	1980	Violins	Trumpet	Guitar

1. This is a 15 second clip that has a constant background melody with violins. You will notice that though there are several foreground melodies, with the electric guitar, synthesizer and trumpet, the background violins continue their melody throughout the 15 seconds. Though the first 7 seconds is not really PolyCaRe, I have included it as you can clearly hear the background melody of the violins
2. Between 8 and 14 seconds, there are three CaRe parts between the electric guitar and the trumpet. This happens when the background violin melody continues making it a PolyCaRe arrangement

The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background violin melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe. There are 6 foreground melodies playing on top of the constant background violin melody in these 6 seconds.

Let’s hear the PolyCaRe  arrangement in the interlude of Darling Darling …

Let’s next analyze the song ‘Enade Edho’  from Prema (Telugu 1989). This segment, has violins as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Enade Edho	Prema	1989	Violins	Solo Volin	Synthesizer

1. The clip is 11 seconds long and the background violins remain constant with one melody being repeated throughout There are two sets of CaRe pairs within the first 10 seconds. Now, this arrangement beats another Raja composition within this category – which was the first one (Aracha Sandanam) which demonstrated that a PolyCaRe arrangement is possible in 4 seconds. This one does two such within 10 seconds! As usual, only a Raja composition can beat another!
2. Listen to the first 4 seconds. There are two calls by the Solo violin and two quick responses by the synthesizer with the background violins continuing to play their melody
3. Between 5 and 9 seconds, the solo violin plays another melody while the background violins continue twice. The synthesizer responds with a different melody than what we say in the first 4 seconds twice
4. The final seconds in this clip are the bridge to the charanam of the song

The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background violin melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe. There are 8 foreground melodies playing on top of the constant background violin melody in these 9 seconds.

Let’s hear the beautiful PolyCaRe arrangement in the interlude of Enade Edho …

Let’s next analyze the song ‘Ennathil Edho’  from Kalukkul Eeram  (Telugu 1980). This segment, has violins as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Ennathil Edho	Kalukkul Eeram	1980	Violins	Flute	Synthesizer

1. The clip is 17 seconds long and not all of it is PolyCaRe. However, for the entire duration of the clip, the background violin melody is constant
2. The first 3 seconds is just the background violin melody that takes the foreground as there is nothing else in the foreground
3. Between 4 and 10 seconds, for two calls made by the flute the synthesizer responds. While this goes on, the background violins continue
4. Finally, between 11 and 17 seconds, it is a flute melody that plays in counter to the background violins. Simple polyphony here and no PolyCaRe

The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background violin melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe. There are 4 foreground melodies playing on top of the constant background violin melody in these 10 seconds.

Let’s hear the beautiful PolyCaRe arrangement in the interlude of Ennathil Edho …

Let’s next analyze the song ‘Jiske Sahare’  from Kamagni  (Hindi 1989). This segment, has violins as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Jiske Sahare	Kamagni	1989	Violins	Violins	Clarinet

1. This is a grand and complex orchestral arrangement that has many elements to it. Part of the clip is where you can clearly see a PolyCaRe arrangement buried
2. The first 7 seconds is a blissful harmony between the solo violin the foreground and the violins in the background. In my view, Raja has thrown quite a bit of harmonic variety in the prelude of this song (which went unnoticed)
3. Between 8 and 16 seconds, there is lots going on. One set of violins (you can hear that clearly in the left channel) continues to play its melody in repetition. There are another set of violins arranged in the foreground which plays three sets of melodies twice for which there is  a short response from the clarinet making it a PolyCaRe arrangement
4. The rest of the clip between 17 and 29 seconds is a violin and guitar treat in harmony, but nothing to do with PolyCaRe

The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background violin melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe. There are 12 foreground melodies playing on top of the constant background violin melody in these 8 seconds.

Let’s hear the grand PolyCaRe and harmony arrangement in the interlude of Jiske Sahare …

Let’s next analyze the song ‘Kanavu Ondru’  from Oru Odai Nadhiyagiradhu  (Tamil 1983). This segment, has violins as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Kanavu Ondru	Oru Odai Nadhiyagiradhu	1983	Violins	Violins	Violins

1. Though all the instruments involved in this clip are violins, it is easy to call out  the melody played by the high pitched rapid background violins which is constant for the entire 12 seconds
2. There are 2 sets of two calls by the foreground violins for which the violins (could be cellos) respond. Both these set of melodies are distinct and the response violins also respond differently
3. Overall, a brilliant violin based PolyCaRe with just one instrument set

The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background violin melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe. There are 8 foreground melodies playing on top of the constant background violin melody in these 12 seconds.

Let’s hear the brilliant PolyCaRe arrangement in the interlude of Kanavu Ondru …

Let’s next analyze the song ‘Nilavondru kandaen’  from Kairaasi Kaaran  (Tamil 1983). This segment, has violins as its background instrument. Here is how the segment is structured:

Song	Film	Year	Background instrument	CaRe - Instrument1	CaRe - Instrument2
Nilavondru kandaen	Kairaasi Kaaran	1983	Violins	Flute	Synthesizer

1. For the entire duration of 14 seconds, there is a background melody played by the violins 
2. There are 4 calls by the flute for which there are four responses from the synthesizer while the background violins continue to play their melody

The foreground melodies can stand on their own feet as simple CaRe arrangement. The background violin melody makes them polyphonic and hence PolyCaRe. There are 8 foreground melodies playing on top of the constant background violin melody in these 14 seconds.

Let’s hear the PolyCaRe arrangement in the interlude of Nilavondru kandaen …

We will continue the 1980s PolyCaRe violins journey in our next post too.