I think back to 2018 – and a recrossing of paths led to this collaboration that we were both very proud of! This piece is called “Prelude – An Ode to System 3” and features myself collaborating with Mythili Mahendran.
A spiritually significant composition for me, it was particularly wonderful to hear this played on BBC Asian Network/ BBC Sounds. 🙏.
📸: Ainkaran Sivaaji, photos of Sri Lanka
Ainkaran says: The phrases improvised on the Carnatic violin here were inspired by grand awakening, gentle arousal, the wisdom and brisk pace of elephants and auspicious sunny dawns, which I readily associate with the deity Ganesh or Pillaiyar. I wrote in ragas like Nalinakanthi, Gambeera Naatai, Naatai, Hamsadhwani and Bahudari for these evoke many soundscapes that are musically linked to Ganesh. They remind me of the ancient temples of Sri Lanka.
Mythili Mahendran, collaborator, says: Ainkaran supplied me with almost an hours worth of stems that he had improvised freely in a number of ragams (see his explanation above). His stems were all recorded via IPhone, and we aim to re-record this. However, he did manage to capture some beautiful birdsong in some of his stems! I rearranged his stems to craft a gentle melody that evoked a feeling of mysticism, wonder and the expanse of the universe. Once I had rearranged his stems, I added a supporting orchestral arrangement as well as santoor solo. I also included a reharmonised version of the Menu Jingle from Beyond Good and Evil I.
Credits:
Composition, production, performance, programming, partial mixing, mastering: Ainkaran Sivaaji, Mythili Mahendran
Carnatic violin, electronic tanpura: Ainkaran Sivaaji
Orchestral arrangement, santoor, other instruments: Mythili Mahendran
