HYDERABAD: It’s 6:30 pm and the sun begins to set, casting a warm glow over the stage. The stage comes to life with concert lights. The orchestra members take their seats, and are soon busy tuning their instruments to perfection.
The air is still thick with the anticipation of the arrival of Illayaraja who is running an hour late. At 7:30 Illayaraja enters the stage, reactions of the crowd, their applause and cheers ringing out like thunder. Not later, there is complete silence but Illayaraja’s voice makes a speech not like a musical instrument but like a human. Not later, like a wave crashing against the shore, the opening notes of the Janani Janani wash over us all.
It all began with the veena, its strings, taut and delicate, vibration with a resonance that filled the air with a warm and mellow timbre — like a balm to the soul, a soothing melody that lulled musicale into a state of tranquility then adjoined by Raja’s a timeless voice and divine musical intelligence transcended all boundaries, and resonated with the echoes of the past.
His voice, when in itself became a musical instrument harmoniously playing with the harmonium his fingers tapped noise and excitement, there is a sense of peace and contentment that permeates the air.
Illayaraja’s composition is a sensory journey that transports the listener through time and space, evoking memories and emotions from the depths of their consciousness. The 79-year-old with over 8000 compositions had the power to transport those with an impeccable taste in music into a chamber of indefinite continuation with the same charm of voice in an inexhaustible profusion of tones.
The concert featured some of the most noted playback singers in the industry, such as Manu, SB Charan, Shweta Menon, Sunitha and Kartik, who sang some of Iaiyaraaja’s most popular songs in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi. The audience was thrilled to hear the soulful renditions of the maestro’s music by these talented singers. The music was so captivating that it kept the audience engaged throughout the concert.
Most at the concert were unable to delve any deeper, like those melodies which he could play over a hundred times in succession without coming any closer to their secret. The music repeated, and we listened, trying and failing, and it kept us going. Illayaraja ensured that everyone left the concert with a feeling about his music, which only intensified, whether he gave goosebumps with his inspirational songs or left a lump in the throat with sad ones.
This apart, the concert also showcased the incredible talent of the playback singers who performed at the event. Manu, Shweta Menon, and Sriram gave soulful renditions of some of Illayaraja’s most iconic songs. Their performances were met with thunderous applause from the audience. The musicians who accompanied them on stage also deserve special mention for their outstanding performances.