AIR Signature Tune

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 16 Jul 2009, 01:56

http://a4.video.blip.tv/1490004161507/V ... une934.MP3

"The signature tune for AIR (All India Radio) was composed and set to music by Thakur Balwant Singh in 1936. Still according to some others, in the year 1936, the signature tune was composed by Walter Kaufman, the director of western music programs in Bombay. That the antiquity of this tune is 1936, is certain.
Every morning since then, this otherworldly tune has been played at the beginning of the morning telecast of AIR, and with time has etched itself into the memories of everyone who listened to radio in India. Some brooding morning sounding: melancholic, and on some bright mornings sounding: still more melancholic."
http://8ate.blogspot.com/2008/05/signat ... f-air.html

Truly a haunting tune! Seems it's set to Sivaranjani ragam?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Jul 2009, 02:29

r_t,
We discussed this on a thread at some point. Yes, the wail of Sivaranjani! I think I got this mixed up with the gemini signature tune then. Anyway, as gloomy as it sounded, it had an aura about it for me as a child. A bit nostalgic, like the hindi film songs we loved to hear too (the old film songs are more about nostalgia than experience, I think. Sheer unrequited love poetry.

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 16 Jul 2009, 02:44

Yep its Shivaranjani. Maharajapuram Santhanam while in an alapana of Shivaranjani (or Vijayanagari)
would always tag the AIR tune to it and the audience invariably rejoiced with appreciative clap.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 16 Jul 2009, 03:19

I always rejoiced at this early morning tune from AIR

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 16 Jul 2009, 06:00

Purist wrote:Yep its Shivaranjani. Maharajapuram Santhanam while in an alapana of Shivaranjani (or Vijayanagari)
would always tag the AIR tune to it and the audience invariably rejoiced with appreciative clap.

And faithfully followed by the sons in their concerts

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 16 Jul 2009, 06:34

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 16 Jul 2009, 08:44

This AIR signature tune has been played by Sri MSG IIRC .

sivachinta1965 · Post by **sivachinta1965** » 16 Jul 2009, 10:18

dear Rasikas

Somebody mentioned the tune was modified by T K Jayarama Iyer! Any connection?

whenever I listen to that, I feel, that is an incomplete Raga. Any corrections?

Sivaprasad

gmohan · Post by **gmohan** » 16 Jul 2009, 10:46

AIR signature tune, National programme of music, chayan, radio sangeet sammelan, Vadya Vrinda composed by emani and T K Jayarama Iyer, 9 PM news followed by spotlight and of course cricket commentary(AIR, BBC, ABC) are vivid memories from growing up in Delhi when there was no TV.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 16 Jul 2009, 11:15

Yes, quite nostalgic to hear that signature tune. Whenever I hear this tune, what comes to my mind as a natural sivaranjani extension is the
waltzy tisra nadai song: Jaane KAhan Gaye Woh Din. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f54_m81x0Y

Here is someone else's interpretation of the AIR signature tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUC2NThg7_s

http://www.intervalsignals.net/ gives the signature tunes of a lot of countries. For example, Nepal's sounds like Mohanam, Sri Lanka's is all rhythm...

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 16 Jul 2009, 16:14

In one his concerts Kunnakudi played this tune and mentioned it is sivaranjani. Quite interesting to know more details associated with this.
Thanjavooran

US123 · Post by **US123** » 16 Jul 2009, 20:14

For my much younger self, this tune was a wake-up call. My mother would switch on the radio everyday minutes before AIR would start its Broadcast and increase the volume as that haunting melody started. This would signal it was time to part from a beloved bed and start the dreaded school day

!

Therefore I listened to this tune with bitter-sweet memories!

I like it much better now

!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Jul 2009, 20:19

Bitter sweet is how Sivaranjani is supposed to sound

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 17 Jul 2009, 02:45

Does anyone have a decent sample of Doordarshan signature tune?

The only one I could find on youtube was of mediocre quality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFoNiwZNcrg

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 17 Jul 2009, 02:46

Purist wrote:Maharajapuram Santhanam while in an alapana of Shivaranjani (or Vijayanagari)
would always tag the AIR tune to it and the audience invariably rejoiced with appreciative clap.

You mean he would sing the AIR tune at the end of his alapanai? Wow, never heard that.
Anyone has a recording?

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jul 2009, 07:20

svkashyap · Post by **svkashyap** » 17 Jul 2009, 09:25

ragam-talam wrote:Does anyone have a decent sample of Doordarshan signature tune?

The only one I could find on youtube was of mediocre quality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFoNiwZNcrg

You can find a lot of Doordarshan videos in http://ddnational.blogspot.com.
I ended up at site in my desperate attempt to search for Baje sargam. Unforntunately it is incomplete. Does any one have a complete video of Baje sargam?

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 17 Jul 2009, 11:19

Thanks for the link.

Here's a better quality DD signature tune on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7XZSz_SY_U

What ragam is this?

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jul 2009, 11:39

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jul 2009, 12:13

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 17 Jul 2009, 12:20

Yes it is. What raga is Sare Jahanse Accha? The first part sounds like S.. D1 N2 P D1....and the second part sounds like N2 P D1.. N2 S..... ( I may be lactching on to the wrong shadam )

Someone please provide the correct swaras for this.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Jul 2009, 15:07

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 17 Jul 2009, 20:15

Cool-saab - thank you, thank you! That was lovely, esp Lalgudi's version.

Also realized I haven't listened to Santhanam for a looong time. He did have a certain magic. Buttery voice.

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 17 Jul 2009, 20:40

ragam-talam wrote:Cool-saab - thank you, thank you! That was lovely, esp Lalgudi's version.

Also realized I haven't listened to Santhanam for a looong time. He did have a certain magic. Buttery voice.

He even mastered reading the pulse of the audience. Very few can match him in that respect.