Monday, November 3, 2014

MUSIC AND INDIA - 3 (NAUSHAD)


Lets start the post independence era of Indian Movies and Music with Naushad, he was the foremost music director of all times,His first musical success was Rattan in 1944 and thereafter he had 35 silver jubilee, 12 golden jubilee and 3 diamond jubilee hits.
Naushad was known for his deft adaptation of the classical musical tradition for movies. For some movies like Baiju Bawra, he composed all scores in classical raga modes. He could easily work with Western instruments, including the clarinet, the mandolin, and the accordion. He could incorporate Western musical idioms in his compositions, and compose for Western-style orchestras.
He was one of the first to introduce sound mixing and the separate recording of voice and music tracks in playback singing. He was the first to combine the flute and the clarinet, the sitar and mandolin. He also introduced the accordion to Bollywood film music and was among the first to concentrate on background music to extend characters’ moods and dialogue through music. But perhaps his greatest contribution was to bring Indian classical music into the film medium. Many of his compositions were inspired by ragasand he even used distinguished classical artistes like Amir Khan and D.V. Paluskar inBaiju Bawra (1952) and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). Baiju Bawra(1952) demonstrated Naushad’s grasp of classical music and his ability to bring it to the masses.
For Aan (1952), he was the first to use a 100-piece orchestra, He was the first composer to have developed the system of western notation in India. The notation for the music of the film Aan was published in book form in London.
In Uran Khatola (1955), he recorded an entire song without the use of orchestra, having replaced the sound of musical instruments with choral sound of humming.
For Mughal-e-Azam (1960) song Ae Mohabbat Zindabad, he used a chorus of 100 persons. He asked Lata Mangeshkar to render a part of the song “Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya” in a bathroom that had glazed tiles and then recorded the music to get the echo effect.
For Ganga Jamuna (1961), he used lyrics in chaste Bhojpuri dialect.
He used just 6-instruments in the title song of Mere Mehboob (1963).


In 2004, a colorized version of the classic Mughal-e-Azam (1960) was released, for which Naushad had the orchestral music specially re-created (in Dolby Digital) by today’s industry musicians, while maintaining all the solo vocals from the original soundtrack. To elaborate, the playback vocals (though not the chorus) recorded four decades ago are mixed with orchestra tracks created in the present millennium. (Wikipedia.org)


Here are some of his compositions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-od_9SokUKE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uVHWJSfEu8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErPVM41ksc0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj3t5jOTYmw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSbMdrP5xbI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d829wRBRTU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpfoyoRuICs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JXYm4yNrKY&list=PL48BF20581EBC0B54

One of my all time favorite from ''Mere Mehboob'' 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nW-stF_EYg&list=PLgpP6tRb7fHnZBPMnP8KUkp_tMo3HaDnW
Another one from ''Pakeezah''
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMT6R4ZGn-4&list=PLgpP6tRb7fHnZBPMnP8KUkp_tMo3HaDnW&index=6
Another one from ''Kohinoor (1959)''
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2vq8uULHM4&list=PLgpP6tRb7fHnZBPMnP8KUkp_tMo3HaDnW&index=7
Another one from ''Leader''
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TehJFYrDFJw&list=PLgpP6tRb7fHnZBPMnP8KUkp_tMo3HaDnW&index=10
And the list goes on and on.......
Naushad was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema in 1982. He is one of the most talented and popular music composer in Indian cinema. He holds the credit of introducing the famous Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi to Hindi filmi music. Naushad's professional training in Hindustani music made him adaptable of the Hindustani ragas to filmi music.

Naushad was born at Lucknow on 25th December 1925. His fatherwantyed him to achieve high academic qualifications . But Naushad's interests always made him inclined towards music from the very beginning.

Since early childhood in Lucknow he was an avid listener to the live orchestras accompanying silent films. He learnt music from Ustad Ghurbat Ali, Ustad Yusuf Ali and Ustad Babban Saheb. In his initial days he composed for amateur theatricals such as the Windsor Music Entertainers.

Naushad joined a dramatic company in a theatre at Golagunj in Lucknow.He was trained under Laddan Khanhad where he became capable of working independently as a composer. There he also developed the sense to pick rare musical jewels from the folk tradition of Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Saurashtra during the company's sojourns in those regions. The dramatic company broke up while in Saurashtra and once again Naushad was literally thrown on the streets.

In the late 1930s he came to Bombay to try his luck as a musician but had to really struggle . He even had to spend nights on the footpath before he worked as a pianist in composer Mushtaq Hussain's orchestra. Naushad worked as a harmonium player in the Ranjit film company where he met D. N. Madhok the well-known songwriter.Mr. Madhok recommended Naushad due to which he got a job in Prakash Studio and was also assigned to compose music for a film Premnagar which launched this young music maker on a career .He also assisted music director Khemchand Prakash for a while.

He got his first break in Prem Nagar (1940) that went unnoticed .He earned recognition with the film Sharda (1942) wherein 13-year-old Suraiya did the playback for heroine Mehtab. he turning point in his career was Rattan (1944) that took Naushad to the top . Ankhiyaan Milake and Sawan ke Badalon became the most popular songs of the day.

Naushad was one of the first to introduce sound mixing and the separate recording of voice and music tracks in playback singing. He was the first to combine the flute and the clarinet, the sitar and mandolin. He also introduced the accordion to Hindi film music and was among the first to concentrate on background music to extend characters' moods and dialogues through music. Songs for his music have been mostly penned down by Shakeel Badayuni. In a sense, their partnership can be compared to that of Rodgers & Hammerstein's.

In the 1940s , Naushad had aseries of hits including A.R. Kardar's Shahjehan (1946), Dard (1947), Dillagi (1949), Dulari (1949) and Mehboob Khan - Anmol Ghadi (1946), Elaan (1947), Anoki Ada (1948), Andaaz (1949). Naushad also boosted Lata Mangeshkar's career with films Mahal and Barsaat The lilting tunes from Dillagi (old), Baiju Bawara and Mughal-e-Azam, Mother India and Aan along many other films delighted millions.Fame and fortune followed him and his name figured prominently in film circles.

In 1950's he He went on to score the music for classics - Mother India (1957),Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Ganga Jamuna (1961) and Mere Mehboob (1963). Mughal-e-Azam, had Naushad's outstanding musical score was outstanding Shubh Din Aayo and Prem Jogan ke Sundari Pio Chali and Lata 's gems like Mohabbat ki Jhooti Kahani pe Roye and Pyaar Kiya to Darna Kya .Also Mohd. Rafi's Ae Mohabbat Zindabad. After 1960's ,Naushad completed Pakeezah (1972) and continued doing occasional films.

Awards And Honors:
AwardSong-Movie
Filmfare Award -1952Baiju Bawara
BFJA Award - 1961Ganga Jamuna
Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 1982
Lata Mangeshkar Award - 1984
Padmabhushan - 1992
Best Of :
SongMovie
Pyaar Kiya To DarnaMughal-e-Azam
Mohe Panghat Pe NandlalMughal-e-Azam
Mana Tarapata Hari DarashanaBaiju Bawara
Madhuban mein radhikaKohinoor
Do sitaron kaKohinoor
Mere Meheboob TujehMere Mehboob
Dhoondo Dhoondo Re SaajnaGanga Jamuna
Nain lad JaihenGanga Jamuna

I wish we could list all the songs here, he has such wide range unmatched by any other music director or composer in the Indian film industry.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

MUSIC AND INDIA 2

The so called vintage era saw the rise of other successful singers like Ashok Kumar, Surendra, Amirbai, Zohrabai Ambalewaali, Noor Jahan, Suraiya and Shamshad Begum besides K. L. Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, K. C. Dey and Jagmohan.



                                                                         Ashok Kumar




                                                                           Surendra




                                                            Zohrabai Ambalewaali




                                                                          Noor Jahan



                                                                       Suraiya



                                                                   Shamshad Begum


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzcUgBGGSbw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmKTDj1BGmM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IVykPTPGyE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZBO9UzeYR4


One of the best song I remember that Ashok kumar sung is from the movie ''Khoobsurat''(1980) , composed by R D Burman.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSKVIfIvSc0
Post independence, India saw a new breed of male singers like Mohd. Rafi, Mukesh, and Kishore Kumar. Noor Jahan immigrated to Pakistan after independence clearing the way for the new breed of female singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle, new breed of music composers like Shankar Jaikishan, OP Nayyar, Madan Mohan, S. D. Burman also came into the limelight changing the music style with introduction of new instruments and arrangement.

Indian music in movies came a long way from the first song that was recorded live with an harmonium and tabla for Alam Ara the first talkie or sound film in 1931 and sung by Wazir Mohammed Khan to K. L. Saigal to Mohammed Rafi, what a journey it was.


The Indian Cinema journey started with the first full length silent film in Marathi, Raja Harishchandra produced by Dadasaheb Phalke in 1913, the female roles in the movie were played by male actors. Thereafter it took 18 years to transit from silent to talking film and the first Indian talking film was Alam Ara released on 14 March 1931 followed by Bhakta Prahlada on September 15, 1931 in Telugu and Kalidas in Tamil was released on October 31, 1931. Ardeshri Irani produced Alam Ara and H. M. Reddy produced Bhakta Prahlada and Kalidas was produced by Ardeshri Irani and directed by H. M. Reddy. One can say the talkie movies were pioneered by Ardeshri Irani and H. M. Reddy.
The period from late 1940 to 1960 was the “Golden Age” of Indian cinema when some of the most critically acclaimed Hindi Commercial films of all times were produced, Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz ke Phool (1959), Raj Kapoor’s Aawara (1951) and Shree 420 (1955), Mehboob Khan’s Mother India (1957), V. Shantaram’s Do Ankhen Barah Haath (1957), Bimal Roy’s Madhumati (1958) and K. Asif’s Mughal-E-Azam (1960) to name a few made a mark and left a lasting impression on the Indian movie canvass.
Indian is the only country in the world that produces movies in over 13 languages catering to the different regions of the country. Over 1000 movies are produced every year in different languages with the highest number of movies produced in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil languages.
Songs are an integral part of the movies in India, there are very few movies made without songs and could be counted on one hand (Probably). Only two movies come to mind that had no songs in them, Kanoon in 1960 and Ittefaq in 1969, both produced by BR Chopra  and both suspense thrillers. They say B. R. Chopra took it as a challenge when he was told that Indian movies contained nothing but songs when he attended a German Film Festival and made Kanoon. Ittefaq was shot in 28 days flat with superstar Rajesh Khanna and Nanda and was directed by BR’s brother Yash Chopra and based on English film Signpost to Murder. Though these two movies did well at the box office there is nothing much to talk about besides being song-less movies.
Movies are remembered by its songs and as mentioned in my earlier posts there are movies which was a “Hit” at the box office mainly because of the songs, movies had to have eight to ten songs in them and film makers found different situations or created one to insert the songs in the movie. The music directors or composers are as much in demand as are the actors in the movies. It is very difficult to imagine a Hindi movies without songs.
Today Film songs has carved a niche of its own in the culture of India, one can say that besides Carnatic and Hindustani music there is a place for Film music too.It takes years of dedication and practice to learn the classic forms of Indian music but its very easy to learn and sing movie songs. Its the songs from movies that motivates and inspires us, its easy for a man to express his moods with the help of songs from movies.  Movie songs has  tremendous influence on us and without them our life is incomplete.
                                                                     B. R. Chopra

                                                                    Yash Chopra

MUSIC AND INDIA

India produces the largest number of movies in the world and that too in various languages catering to the different regions and cross section of the country. There are millions, like me, who are into, what we call, Indian Movies and Music. Indian movies are unique, the only one of its kind in the whole world where songs are an integral part of the movies, very few movies are made without songs and there are many movies which have become hits because of the songs in them. Actors are know by the songs and there are songs that became famous because of the actors.
These songs from the Indian movies, especially songs from Hindi movies have been a constant companion to me as it has been to many of my friends and I am sure it will be for you too. I hope the songs that I have selected and posted here give you the same joy and feeling of nostalgia it has given to me.
I am going to start with few songs of inspiring singers like K L Saigal, Punkaj Mullick, K C Dey, Jagmohan and others and will add more songs from these and other singers from time to time.
                                                                               K C Dey
                                                                        Sapan Jagmohan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz_Rd1jYIew
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0be5noKMEU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zkKVMinPzc
I have no idea what I am getting into with this, I am aware that this is not a easy task and demands time and to an extend dedication, regular updates and contribution is necessary to make it interesting.
I have received couple of feedback from my friends and I am sure many more will be coming in as we progress, I do look forward to every feedback and positive criticism, don’t like the negative kind so please refrain from that.
I see that its tough to go in a chronological listing of the music in movies of India so have decided to go with my random listing, I am however glad that I started with K. L. Saigal as I grew up listening to his songs everyday, though I was not a fan of KLS in my childhood I did later develop a liking and now love his singing, I realize why he was adored and copied by many singers. I would also like to add couple of songs of Pankaj Mullick, Kanan Devi and others to keep you in the mood of those days before I jump to music of the 50’s when Rafi, Lata, Mukesh started putting their mark on Hindi music.
                                                                                Md Rafi
                                                               Lata Mangeshkar
                                                                        Mukesh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxGargpJ9XY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zkKVMinPzc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6VR3OyMWd0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boIsny8t8z8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs5HqC0Q-eo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUNmD7C7_xc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mguKXx_nBI8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heCY6UnsNSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoCUt4Qtu9w

All  the above singers and songs are from before I was born, I thought of listing them as sometimes I wonder how it would have been if I was born in that era, maybe I might not be writing this as I would be too old, non the less I do relate to those years when these songs were composed and these singers contributed to the songs in Indian cinema. Were they the curtain raisers of Hindi cinema?