Jaane kahan gaye voh din!

A superhit by Nisar Bazmi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adBGsnYiaZk

Re: # 27

Agree with you 100%, except on Bob-Woolmering him. Let BJ find a Gandhian way to deal with him.:)

Re: # 31
DM
You would agree an orchestra is nothing but a vehicle for the music. The real strength of an orchestra lies in providng chordal harmony, a theme that is not exploited by the music of the subcontinent. Our music is monadic and based almost completely on melody and rythm. That may explain the partiality most of us have to more melodic compositions. A large orchestra can negate some of the effect.
In my opinion Salil Chowdhury was the one music director who used an orchestra in a refreshing manner in Hindi films. Often his orchestra does not follow the voice or primary melody but skirts around the main theme This is closer to the western ideal where there are different melodies played by different groups of instruments. Few other music directors have achieved this.
There are other music directors who are out of the public eye like Bhaskar Chandavarkar and Hridayanath Mangeshkar who dabbled in Hindi film music. They are great too.
I am peeved that you did not mention another of my personal favourites, Sajjad Hussain.
Very few compare to him. Listen to the songs of Sangdil, Rustom Sohrab, Hulchul.....

Cheers

swarrier#34:

I liked the music of Sangdil but am not very familiar with his other work. As for orchestra, the point I was trying to make was that too much of orchestra can drown out the effect of the songs and the melody. Here is my idea of the economical use of orchestra: Jaane kya tu ne kahi (instruments are western, btw):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adBGsnYiaZk

BTW songs can be both fun, playful and melodious. Here is an example: Madhubala in Mr. and Mrs. 55 with music of O.P. Nayar and voice of Geeta Dutt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Wc93YnAaI

Enjoy!

#24 DM-jee

[indeed the term Saqi refers to a boy and not a girl.]

NOW you tell me!

Re: # 36
DM
I think our views differ here. I don`t like the orchestra at all in the `Ranjish hi sahi`` video. The strings are too lush and the music has too much of schmaltz. But to each his own.

I like the one from Mr.and Mrs.55, and Dil par hua aisa jaadoo and Jaane kahan mera jigar gaya jee from the same film would emphasise your point.

My favourite line from the movie is when Lalita Pawar asks Guru Dutt `` Aap socialist hain?`` and he says , ``Nahin, cartoonist hoon``. -)

swarrier#38:

Sorry for the mistyping. That was the wrong video (Urstruly`s recommendation). The ``jaane ky tu ne kahi`` video is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHfGON2rnhQ

Re: # 39
DM
It`s a lovely song but the instruments are Indian, you can hear the sitar and bansuri in the background as the tabla etc. By the way the person who posted that on youtube says its from Kaagaz ke phool and if my memory serves me right it is from Pyaasa.
Anyway it does not matter if the instruments are Western or not. We have used the violin in Indian music for a long time and the harmonium was borrowed by us from the Portuguese and modified.
It is the manner of use that would distinguish a western tune from an Indian one. Got to go now. Will be back later.
Its a pleasure reading your article and all is not doom and gloom. Our music will survive.

swarrier:

Yes, it is from `Pyaasa`. Strange that I took Sitar for a Western instrument.

ghanerii zulfo.n ke saaye me.n chhup ke jii letaa........the original poetry of sahir and not filimi one of silsila....dont think he could be gay...admi stands for human in urdu and all humanity loving is gay them....

DM listen to these, you may have already hear them but they are lovely from Sardari Begum a film made in the 90`s

Ghar Nahin

Sanwariya

Huzoor

Raah mein

swarrier#43:

Yes, I have these in my collection. Good songs. But I think that Khayam would have done a better job; also I would have preferred to see somenone like Vani Jairam or Shubha Mudgal instead of Arti Angalikar as the main singer for Sardari.

Re: # 44
I cannot make such a statement regarding composers that differ so widely in styles. I do not think Khayyam has given a completely classical score of this genre.
I have heard a lot of Aarti Anklikar since she is a purely classical singer and very little of Shubha Mudgal to compare the two. Vani Jairam is not entirely my cup of tea.

Dost Mittar -

Hello! Hope you have been keeping well. As soon as I saw the title, I was reminded of the weird tune of this song. I am sorry I never liked the tune and the music behind this song. The lyrics are pretty, but it`s a very depressing tune. I understand that you have tried to compile the music of the bygone era and used the title to attract your audience. I never understood the reason behind our elders liking these melancholic tunes.

In any case, it was nice to see you back. Hope you had a nice break from Chowk.

Regards,
Z

Re: # 46
A good question why we long for melancolic tunes. I can not answer clearly but but tragic things touch our hearts much deeply and we remember distinctly than joyful things. The legend tells the Buddha was so much affected by sorrow he abandoned happy life.
If you think of all major plays we appreciate by shakespear ,Hamlet, Othollo,McBeth, Julious Ceasar and crowning all them is King Lear are all with Pathos . Classical Greek Drama is tragic only and destruction of men and women by orginal sin , which as basic character flaw. If you have listened to western music played at requium or Funerals is very touching. A very touching music is played in Dr. Zivago music when the child is at funeral of his mother and leaves flowers and starts going back with his uncle and the notes are haunting( there two more melancholic tunes for two more occasions in that movies) and they reverberate as they are melancholic. Or famous Turkish death march/ Vinnea is very great sorrowful majestic music. And you remember notes and they can be stunning. In old age we mature and past haunts and you can listen to meloncolic tunes natural to your mental disposition.
Good day.
Meloncoly is also part of sublimation of older mind and its bit with nostalgic ethos not so natural with young people.I feel as we grow old and our children move away on thier way we are left alone and we know we have to carry our cross its lonely path and on this path some thing, like young people bubbly couple gigling or old cat feebly walking you remember times gone and never to come one , or old cats gone charm just remainds you if you are sensetive.As we grow old one becomes , we note mistakes we made and there is pathos and so we old like meloncolic tunes.

swarrier#45:

I agree that Khayyam has not given completely classical music but, in my opinion, Sardari Begum`s music is also semi-classical and that is very much up Khayyam/s alley. As you would be aware, the inspiration for Sardari was Begum Akhtar and some of her best compositions are with Khayyam. I tried to search for her rendition of Ghalib`s ``Sab kahaan kuchh Lal-o-Gul mein numaaiyaan ho gaye`` with music by Khyaam but couldn`t find it. Try a listen if you can get hold of it.