"MSV CLUB" - The Discussion Forum of MSVTimes.com

[madhuraman]

Dear Friends,
With our aim to look at 'turning points' of the period, we need to consider some aspects of Server Sundaram [SS] to recognize how it was a different venture altogether.

Producer : A V M
Story, Dialogue: K Balachander
Music: V R
Directors: Krishnan- Panju

This was a B and W movie that brought to viwers the other dimensions of Nageash, for portrayal of emotions. Despite the declining popularity for B & W movies then, S S managed to succeed at all levels, thanks to VR's music score and K P's deft handling of the sequences which lived upto the needs of visual medium. Though rich in reputation for the producer, the effort was quite novel avoiding traditional gimmicks of traiangular love story and villainy there of.

The placement of song at the early part of the movie even before the hero was shown added the element of pleasant surprise with the song "Silai eduththAn". Being a domestic product for AVM, exceptional quality of B& W film processing stands vivid even to-day whenever the sequence is viewed even after 4.5 decades.
The other songs of the movie
'pAttondru tharuvAr' PS LRE
' pOga pOga therium' PS PBS
'thaththai nenjam' PS Sadan
'avaLukkenna' TMS LRE
As ever, each number is different for style and rendition of mood.

'Silai eduththAn' was a novel conposition by the percussion and female chorus which strongly revealed the picnic mood in perfect congruence to the scene. A strong element of 'dance potential' was displayed through the Dance Asst. Shantha who figures on more than one occasion in song sequences of "SS".

'pOga pOga therium', though projected as a love duet between KR V and M R, conveys the message of uncertainty as per MSV's explanation. The song meant to say who would marry KR V - MR or Nagesh to be known later- hence 'pOga pOga therium'

'pAttondru tharuvAr' was a different composition with pace variations and orchestral modulations and typical MSV chorus.

'thaththai nenjam' proved all the elegance that MSV is capable of. I refer to the parrot calls so immaculately inserted as to create a thorough freshness besides the expression of youth and desires that augur too well with the situation. How brilliantly the instruments have been blended even as parrot calls join the fray in the most natural confluence -a total unobtrusion in execution.

'avaLukkenna' -proved the star hit among the songs of the movie both by its rich and complicated orchestration, besides the first ever appearance of the Darling of music lovers Shri MSV in decorated style as the MD of the movie. The brisk play of MSV's signalling rendered additional pep to enjoying the scene. Later, several movies have shown MDs on screen but none so impressive as the way MSV did it in "SS". The dancer pairing with Nagesh was Dance master Shantha who has a japanese-like looks due to brief opening of her eye-lids.

On all sequences of the movie the BGM scores stayed firmly adherant to the emotion, since "SS" was emotion -packed as the story advanced.
The music for the movie was one of the strong points declaring in no uncertain terms as to what VR were capable of.
Others are invited to please add your views to the topic.

Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai

[Sai Saravanan]

Dear Professor,
The mention of this kindled variety of facets of our MM. The shining one of all was the avalukkenna song. He is the hero of the song. His style, the orchestration aspects, orchestra itself live behind him, his hand movements, ...one could go on describing him-it will become endless!

But, whatever we heard on this song was that it was shot live, and was specially arranged to know how an Indian film song was being composed by HMV's counterparts. Does anyone have the complete recording of this song's shooting? If Krishnan/Panju were directing the movie, would they have it somewhere? Does HMV have this? This is a pioneering effort by HMV, and is a priceless treasure. How do we source this? We have not got such an opportunity again till now to get MM don this role, especially with this attire live for a recording. Really, 'darling' as described by you, Sir.
Sai Saravanan

[madhuraman]

Dear Mr Sai Saravanan,

Your deep admiration of 'avaLukkenna' as a movie sequence is quite inreresting besides the curious observations of yours there of. I am placing my arguments purely from 'possibility' angle than based on any specific input. The opening sequence of the song may not be a LIVE RECORDING for,
1. Only TMS appears in the shot
2. we do not find LRE in the vicinity
3. No TKR -anywhere around
4 MSV appears 'decorated' for picturisation
5 The scene changes over to other aspects of camera positioning and use of crane etc to tell the audience of the intricacies behind movie-making. Probably MSV was requested to appear in suit even while recording the song and all subsequent pieces were edited for acommodating the related events in movie picturisation. Perhaps MSV alone can clarify the true state on the occasion. Anyway thank you for kindling the spirit of study for this piece of recording.
Warm regards Prof.K.Raman Madurai.
_________________
Prof. K. Raman
Mumbai

[N Y MURALI]

Dear Prof,
The song visual which we are seeing in the picture was specifcally shot based on the idea given by AVM Chettiar since many of the aspect of cinema making was shown in the movie this should also appear. So MSV appears in suit only for this purpose. There are many orchestra members like Vioiln players are missing besides the flutist Mr. Nanjappa Reddy. Also as you said LRE is missing. But the important miss is of TKR.

But one person was present as per the advice of AVM Chettiar is Kavingar Vaali. Just see how much importance they have given for the lyrics in those days.

N Y MURALI