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Friday, 30 April 2021

Un Mugam Kanavum Ragamalika - உன் முகம் காணவும் இராகமாலிகை - Dedicated to Sudha Ragunathan

Happy birthday to Sudha Ragunathan!

I absolutely love this composition so wanted to show you it too. I learnt this from a recording by Sudha Ragunathan who has recorded a number of compositions that I love. I'd like to release this video on her birthday as my dedication to her!

I've put hours into this video and hope to make more videos in a similar style but with greater improvements in the future.

I'm including the lyrics and rough translations below for reference. 

If you would like to see me post carnatic notation, leave a comment on the video.


Un Mugam Kanavum Ragamalika - உன் முகம் காணவும்

Written by Dr Winston Panchacharam பஞ்சாட்சரம்

Music interludes tuned by K.S. Ragunathan


This is a Ragamalika composition set to Adi thalam. I would say this is raga-based rather than set in Ragas as I did notice a few Anya swaras (notes that fall outside of the rules of ragas) but these notes added an allure to this composition.

I've noticed Mohanakalyani, Hamsathwani, Uthayavichandrika/Sudha Dhanyasi and Revathi. The interludes have been tuned in a way that the transitions between these contrasting ragas are different. 


Mohanakalyani Based: 

பல்லவி


உன் முகம் காணவும் 

என் முகம் நாடுதே

உள்ளத்தில் எண்ணில்லா ஆசை ஏனோ கண்ணா


Un mugam kaanavum 

En mugam naaduthe 

Ullathil ennillaa aasai eno kanna


My face is looking forward to seeing your face (I'm searching for the sight of your face)

In my heart there are numberless (numerous) desires Kanna


அனுபல்லவி


உன் குழல் ஓசை

உன் குழல் ஓசைதான் என் செவி கேட்குதே 

கொள்ளையாய் இன்பம் சுறப்பதேனோ


Un kuzhal osai

Un kuzhal osaithaan en sevi kedkuthe

Kollaiyai inbam suranpatheno


The sound of your flute is heard by my ears

Why does so much joy come from this?


சரணம்


1. Hamsadhwani Based

கன்னியர்கள் வீன்பும்  கவிதோள் திரன்டது 

மின்னும் உன் சுறுள் கேசம் மேனி புரன்டது

மன்னுங் கருங்குழலின் மத்தியிலே வைத்து

பின்னாயோ என் நெஞ்சம் கண்ணா கண்ணா கண்ணா


Kanniyarkal vinbum kavithol thirandathu

Minnum un surul kesam meni purandathu

Mannungkarunkuzhalil mathiyile vaithu 

Pinnayo en nenjam kanna kanna?



Poems were written that won the hearts of young women

 Your curly hair that shines, turns with your movements

Could you braid my heart into your dark flute-like hair, Kanna?


2. Udayavichandrika  or Sudha dhanyasi Based

விதம் விதமாகவே வேடிக்கை காட்டும்

 வதனத்தில் கறு விழிகள் சுளர்ந்தாடுதே 


-உன்

(அந்த) கதை பேசும் கண்களின் காந்தத்தினால்  

என்னை வதைப்பதும் என்னமோ

பதைப்பது நெஞ்சமோ


Vitha vithamaakave vedikai kaattum

Vathanatil karu vizhikal sularthaaduthe - un

(Antha) Kathai pesum kankalin kaanthattinal

Ennai vathaipathu ennamo 

Pathaippathu nenjamo


Your dark eyes are rolling on the face that plays a variety of antics

How do you kill me with the your attractive eyes that tell stories

My heart beats fast, are you trying to kill me?


3. Revati Based

காலமெல்லாம் உனக்காய் காத்திருந்தேன் 

எந்தன் கழிதரு மேனியும் வீண்போகிரதே

கோளமாதவா கோபாலா 

என்னை கூடிடல் எந்நாளோ நாடும் அப் பொந்நாளோ


Kaalamellam unnakai kaathirunthen 

Enthan kazhitharu meniyum veenpogirathe

Kolamaathava kopala ennai

Koodidal ennaalo naadum ap ponnaalo


Through the ages, I have waited for you

My body is being wasted and turning to dust

Kola maathavaa, Kopaala...

Will the golden day that we meet ever arrive- I look forward to then.



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Thursday, 24 December 2020

Anbendra mazhaiyile - Roshan Hui Raat - Aparanji Mathanudi - Tamil English Hindi Telugu Cover

Merry Christmas! Here's a multilingual cover to celebrate in many languages.

 

This cover represents three songs originally performed by Anuradha Sriram under the music direction of AR Rahman. The melody is based in Anantha Bhairavi raga which has an endearing effect. The details of the original songs can be found under the page for Minsara Kanavu.

I added rough translations of the Tamil version for the English lyrics.


Ukulele Chords and lyrics: (Transferable to Guitar or any other instrument)

Am                F                   Dm                Am

அன்பென்ற மழையிலே அகிலங்கள் நனையவே

F                   Dm                Am

அதிரூபன் தோன்றினானே

 

Am                F                   Dm                Am

Varichela merupula. Vajramai ratnamai...

F                   Dm                Am

Vache valapanti vaade...


Em                           G

The sun appears to gaze at the stars

F                              Dm

And the blessed one came to life


Em                           G

Duniyaa me banke masihaa Vo aayaa,

F                              Dm

ki hamako Duhkho se bachaa le   

 

Am                F                   Dm                Am

Let the lands be touched by the rain of love

F                   Dm                Am

Utarake zameen pe aayaa

 

Am                F                   Dm                Am

போர்கொண்ட பூமியில் பூக்காடு காணவே

F                   Dm                Am

Pulakimpa jesinade...

 

Am                F                   Dm               

Kalyari manaleru kaligi mutyapu rayi.

Am                F        Dm    

Kannabid dathadu leve.

Am     F                   Dm               

Noorella cheekati okanade poo gotte

Am                F        Dm    

odilona cherinade...

 

Dm                Am

It’s possible to move a heart of stone

F                   Dm     Am

As the son of god appears

Dm                Am

The flowers bloom in thorny forests

F                   Dm     Am

As the son of god appears

 

Am                F                   Dm                Am

Raushan hui raat, Vo aasamaan se

F                   Dm                Am

Utarake zami pe aayaa

 

Am                F                   Dm                Am

Raushan hui raat, Mariyam kaa betaa,

F                   Dm                Am

Mohabbat ka sadesh laayaa

 

Am                F                   Dm                Am

அன்பென்ற மழையிலே அகிலங்கள் நனையவே

F                   Dm                Am

அதிரூபன் தோன்றினானே அதிரூபன் தோன்றினானே

 

Am                F                   Dm                Am

வைக்கோலின் மேலொரு வைரமாய் வைரமாய்

F                   Dm                Am

வந்தவன் மின்னினானே வந்தவன் மின்னினானே

 

 Links to the full lyrics and videos of each version are below:

Tamil: Lyrics Original Song

Telugu: Lyrics Original Song

 Hindi: Lyrics Original Song




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Monday, 7 December 2020

Interview and Enna Thavam Seithanai

It was a pleasure to be interviewed by Asians in Britain! They've conveyed the aims of World Music Abi so well. I appreciate the efforts of the team.

I performed a carnatic composition on the violin: Enna Thavam Seithanai - Ragam Kapi - Composer Papanasam Sivan   

Let me know of your thoughts in the comments!



 

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Blogger: https://worldmusicabi.blogspot.co.uk/ 

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldMusicAbi/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldmusicabi/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldMusicAbi 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@worldmusicabi


Support Asians In Britain:

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highexpectasianspodcast/

Listen to their Podcast: https://anchor.fm/asiansinbritain

Watch their interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnXCk02zl-NUzKZdYN2gnzg/featured

Website: https://asiansinbritain.com/

Wednesday, 30 September 2020

The Moon Represents My Heart - Ni wen Wo Ai - 月亮代表我的心 - Carnatic Version

Happy mid-autumn festival to those who celebrate it!

Zhong Qiu Jie Kuai Le - Pin Yin for Mandarin
中 秋 節 快 樂 - Mandarin

中秋節快樂 - Cantonese



I've decided to release this video just before the occasion of the mid-autumn festival, otherwise known as the moon festival. As well as other names for this festival, it is also known as Chuseok and Tsukimi in Korea and Japan respectively.

This is a famous classic song that is known to be close to people's hearts over the years. 

This beautiful song was made popular by Teresa Teng!



I've linked a few pages for you to find out more about the legacy that this song carries

Let me know if you learnt something new!

This was my first Chinese song that I learnt. I was introduced it by a member of world music society during my days at university.


I found the ukulele chords on this site.


I performed part of the song in this video and added 1 line each in English and Tamil.

I also improvised in the carnatic music style as an interlude.

Many other content creators have covered this song and also made multilingual versions of this.


The lyrics of the part of the song that I covered:

Ni wen wo ai 
ni you duo shen 
Wo ai ni you ji fen 
Wo di qing ye zhen, 
wo di ai ue zhen 
Yue liang dai biao wo de xin 

Ni wen wo ai 
ni you duo shen 
Wo ai ni you ji fen 
Wo di qing bu yi, 
Wo de ai bu bian 
Yue liang dai biao wo de xin 

Qing qing de yi ge wen 
Yi jing da dong wo de xin 
Shen shen de yi duan qing
Jiao wo si niandao ru jin


English Translation from another website:

You ask me how deep my love for you is,
How much I really love you…
My affection is real.
My love is real.
The moon represents my heart.

You ask me how deep my love for you is,
How much I really love you…
My affection does not waver,
My love will not change.
The moon represents my heart.

* Just one soft kiss
is enough to move my heart.
A period of time when our affection was deep,
Has made me miss you until now.

* You ask me how deep my love for you is,
How much I really love you.

* ** Go think about it.
Go and have a look [at the moon],
The moon represents my heart.


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Wednesday, 26 August 2020

American Boy - Estelle ft. Kanye West - Vocal Cover

Produced by Will.I.Am and performed by Estelle and Kanye West, this throwback melody is a song that we can jam to any day. 


I decided to release my cover without any backing track or ukulele because why not. 

I added some carnatic techniques into this cover too. Let me know if you notice them.

Most of the lyrics that I sang:

This a number one champion sound
Yeah, Estelle, we 'bout to get down 
Who the hottest in the world right now? 
Just touched down in London town 

Bet they give me a pound 
Tell them put the money in my hand right now 
Tell the promoter we need more seats
We just sold out all the floor seats


Take me on a trip, I'd like to go some day
Take me to New York, I'd love to see LA
I really want to come kick it with you
You'll be my American boy



He said, "Hey, sister, it's really, really nice to meet ya"
I just met this 5-foot-7 guy who's just my type
Like the way he's speakin', his confidence is peakin'
Don't like his baggy jeans but I'd like what he's thinking
And, no, I ain't been to MIA
I heard that Cali never rains and New York's all the way
First let's see the West End, I'll show you to my bredrin
I'm likin' this American boy, American boy


Take me on a trip, I'd like to go some day
Take me to New York, I'd love to see LA
I really want to come kick it with you
You'll be my American boy, American boy



La, la la, la la, eya
La, la la, la la, eya
La, la la, la la, eya
Will you be my American boy? American boy

[Verse 2: Estelle]
Can we get away this weekend? Take me to Broadway
Let's go shopping, baby, then we'll go to a café
Let's go on the subway, take me to your hood
I never been to Brooklyn and I'd like to see what's good
Dressed in all your fancy clothes
Sneakers lookin' fresh to death, I'm lovin' those Shell Toes
Walkin' that walk, talk that slick talk
I'm likin' this American boy, American boy

[Chorus 1: Estelle]
Take me on a trip, I'd like to go some day
Take me to New York, I'd love to see LA
I really want to come kick it with you
You'll be my American boy

Wednesday, 19 August 2020

Home - Sneak Peak Original song by World Music Abi


Home is where I'd like to be

Home is the safest place for me

Let myself be free

I'm alone here but not lonely


Is home a familiarity

To me, friends are family,

Is it a place to live in this big city

Or in the roots of my history.


The meaning of the song is derived from my feeling of "being at home" or comfort in certain places or around certain people more than others. It is about how I can express myself in my comfort zone while alone. "I'm alone here but not lonely" comes from that feeling of how it is okay to focus on things on your own. 

Familiar things like people from my past, or songs from my teens or food from my childhood make me feel at home. Most of the time when we say home, we talk about the place we live in. "The roots of my history" is a reference to how some say "Go back home" in a demeaning way to us. It also is a history to our ancestral identity and culture that may be lost as time goes on and the world becomes more westernised.

I was inspired by Nalinakanthi Ragam when composing this song but actually ended up composing it in a mixture of Hamsathwani and Kedaram. 

The idea that kickstarted this song came while I suggested an idea to the BAM & beyond team about having home as a theme for people to make their own content about.

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Wednesday, 12 August 2020

Ponnondru Kanden பொன் ஒன்று கண்டேன் Violin Cover

 

Bringing you this Tamil song from 1962...




‘Ponnondru Kanden’ from Padithal Mattum Podhuma (composers M.S. Viswanathan, T.K. Ramamurthy) is a fine piece in Brindavani, with a touch of the dhaivata at the charanam. The phrase ‘Nee Indri Naan Illai...’ (NSSRRSSNNPPMMRRS) traverses the entire scale of the raga.

-  Charulatha Mani, The Hindu


Here's the original :


Here's another cover by Hariharan and Shankar Mahadevan:


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Wednesday, 5 August 2020

Vannam Konda Vennilave - வண்ணம் கொண்ட வெண்ணிலவே - Violin

Here's my violin cover of Vannam konda vennilave.




SPB has composed the music, sung and acted in this film. I was surprised to find out that it released in 1991.

I used my new studio equipment and software to record and edit the sound here.




I may or not upload notation depending on demand so let me know if you do want the carnatic notation.

This song is set to the Hindustani raga Piloo.




This song is a great one to get stuck in your head especially if you've heard it being sung.




The lyrics of the song are from the point of view of someone who describes their other half as the moon and they are missing them.




Vannam konda venn nilave = White moon who has colours

Vaanam viddu vaarayo = will you come down from the sky

Vinnile Eeramillai = The atmosphere is not wet enough

Unnai thoda Eni Illai = there's no ladder to touch you

Pakkathil Neeyum Illai = You're not next to me

Paarvaiyil Eeram illai = figuratively saying that his eyes are dry

Sonthatil paashaiyillai = no languages are needed for our relationship

Swasikka Aasai Illai = I've got no desire to breathe

Kanduvanthu solvatharku kaatrukku neram illai = The wind doesn't have time to deliver this message

Neelathai pirithu vittaal vaanathil ethum illai = If you take out the blue of the sky there is nothing left

Thalli thalli nee irunthal solli kolla vaazhkai illai = If you keep staying away, there isn't even a life speaking about