Apoorvnama: Salil Chaudhary

Showing posts with label Salil Chaudhary. Show all posts

THE LAST WORD IN MUSIC MAKING !

Posted by Apoorvnama Wednesday, 5 September 2012 at 04:59

What do I write about a man who has done absolute justice to precisely every genre of music.. about a phenomenon whose music was way ahead of its times.. about a genius who probably holds the distinction of being the only composer composing music in as many as 10 Indian languages (Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Assamese, Gujarati, Oriya and Marathi).. about a magician whose music transcends us into a complete alien world by reaching some amazingly stratospheric heights of creative genius.. SALIL CHAUDHARY means all this and much much more !

I am absolutely dumb-struck by the way Salilda fuses his tunes and moulds them effortlessly in the requirements of the various languages.. for me he was THE MAN who proved that music knows no boundaries ! And that is precisely what I would love to highlight in this post...
Here is a set of tunes he used in as many as 4 Indian languages... 4 languages which are phonetically and characteristically different than each other.. and what is outstandingly brilliant is that fact that though the tune structure remains the same, each song stands its ground firmly.. solidly !

This tune was first made and used for the KANNADA film Samasayaphala (1971) where Ku.ra.Seetharama Shastry wrote 'Harusha Doorada Mearu..', sung by P.Susheela.
Here, the use of the Sitar, Tabla, Flute, Violins makes it sound extremely fresh..the tempo of this song is something that is class.. Tabla outstanding (mark the symphony at M2)

In response to this came the next song in HINDI where Latadi sang 'Madbhari Ye Hawayein..', penned by Gulzar for Anokha Daan (1972)
That prelude kills, the highlight here are the Flute pieces. Mark the racing Violins in the interludes. Again the Tabla spells magic.

The third time this tune was used was in MALAYALAM for the film Devdasi (1978) where Sabita Chowdhary sang 'Ini Varu Ten Nilaave..' penned by ONV Kurup.
This version is something starkly different than the first two. Its softer, more classical-ish, more slower in tempo. The Flute and Tabla ofcourse mark there presence with aplomb.. what takes the cake are the Sitar pieces. Fabulous !

The fourth time this tune was used was in Salilda's home-pitch BENGALI in 1980 as a private recording by Sabita Chowdhary as 'Aar Kichu Naai Mone..'
Again Salilda gives it a different feel. The interludes are the highlights here..he adds a completely different sound to it with keeping all the basic ingredients the same.. the Tabla remains the attraction point once again but the way he has weaved this song which the subtle changes from the classical-ang to the slightly western sound is terrific !

.. and yes, this is what makes him SIR Salil !
He very truly never got his due IMO.. he is never discussed when people talk about reformations and changes and renaissance in HFM.. Salilda gave HFM a new face.. the freshness, the life, the truthfulness in his tunes is something that has boldly written his name in the annals of Hindi Film Music. There is so much to him apart from Madhumati and Parakh.. there are so many angles and facets to this mind-boggling personality.. SalilDa deserves and rightfully so, a place in the highest rungs of music history. Hats off to this true-blue legend.. a master !!

lata and Manna dey

Posted by Apoorvnama Sunday, 10 July 2011 at 14:51

Lata and Manna is a combination of singers who can sing anything together with the same level of excellence for absolutely any composer! Sangat (1975) was one such album which has two stunners from the kitty of Sir Salil..'Balma Mora Aachara..' and this song!
How do you describe the adlib and the prelude of this song? How do you describe the ease in the singing? How do you keep yourself away from this song? BLISS!

Kanha Bole Na Lata Mangeshkar & Manna Dey Film Sangat 1975 Music Salil Chaudhary..

(SALIL DA AND MANNA DEY)

After Latadi, if any featured most in Salilda compositions in Hindi, its Mannada! An association that started with Do Bigha Zameen (1953) and went upto Room No.203 (1980) with some delectable songs pitched in..(around 41 songs)

What is interesting is the fact that Mannada sang under Salilda right from the later's first film...but all the succeeding films had him singing duets with Lata, Asha, Geeta in films

like Amanat, Tangewali, Parivar, Apradhi Kaun etc.

It was in 1957 when he got to sing his first solo and it was that very year where he got to go solo as many as 3 times (though he featured in all the 5 movies of Salilda that year).

I dunno which was released first amongst Apradhi Kaun, Laal Batti and Zamana, so hereby on Mannada's 92nd birthday posting a wonderful song from Zamana (1957), penned by Prem Dhawan!

Song Exposition: 'Mera Dil Dil Dil Dil Na Lekar Kidhar Chala..'

Posted by Apoorvnama Thursday, 7 July 2011 at 12:11

Mera Dil Dil Dil Dil Na Lekar Kidhar Chala.

Asha Bhosle (Apradhi Kaun - 1957)
Majrooh Sultanpuri, Salil Chaudhary

Ohlalala...this is Salilda in a very different avatar... sizzling, scintillating, sensuous, seductive, superb....absolutely groovy and unstoppable!
...and who else than Ashatai to sprinkle her endless magic on it...showing all her prowess, her unbelievable versatility and strength of her singing...

Aparadhi Kaun (1957) was a special Salil Chaudhary album tailor-made for Asha Bhosle and she fired all cylinders blazing!! Three absolute humdingers from her...showing all the various shades in that mesmerizing voice she proudly owns... be it the sexy Rock n Roll with a tinge of Waltz in 'Baat Koi Matlab Ki Hai Zaroor..' or the cute, sweet, song-next-door and adorable 'Koi Dekhe To Kahe Tujhko..' or this song in contention today...!!

This song 'Mera Dil Dil Dil Na Lekar Kidhar Chala...' is a testimony to powerhouse singing and musical extravaganza. From a genre of songs where Asha is untouchable and she shows why from the very first note itself...after the initial seconds of the Accordion, enters the voice that just lingers around...that 'La La La..' is out-of-the-world. This is 1957 and Asha is still arguably considered as the second choice...but when you hear something on the lines of this adlib, you are floored by the veracity of this voice. Just mark the oomphy western touch she gives with that oh-so-lovely lilt to the 'Lawww' at the end...Class!
...and once thats done starts the Salil Magic...which will absolutely stun you...the Guitar strums (with a small background of the ghunghroo-ish beats) and the Castanets is amazing. The actual song starts and it keeps you glued with the background Bongos and the wonderful fresh tune to the song....and Ashatai as usual puts something from her kitty with that 'Naaaaaaa' at the end. WOW!

The interludes are short but remain in memory...they have the Flute (no one has used this instrument as magnificently as this man...terrific, esp. the Piccolo), the Bongos and the Violins...all in sink with each other...all in tandem!
As Asha starts the antra, the Accordion follows in steps...a wonderful chemistry between the singer and the instrument (dont miss the very small piece in the 'kharj', maybe a Cello, when Asha is about to finish the repeat line of the antra..its a highlight for me..miniscule but a pleasant surprise)...they both keep each others company throughout and what a ear-pleasing output we get! The way she ends the antra with the emphasis on 'Dil Dil Dil' and that 'Naahaaa' is penchant Asha!

The Accordions are the USP of this song...their play in M2 supported by the Violins give the song a very light, silky, wavy feel...the song proceeds in the same structure until the third interlude where the Mandolins get an entry adding another spice to the song. This wonderful listening experience ends with a small Bongo piece which again is a cherry on the pie!

This song just absolutely goes to show that nothing was impossible for this legendary master called Salil Chaudhary....and when he teamed up with Asha (though only for some 32 songs) the output was equally magical. And who else could have wrote this song than Majrooh sa'ab with such youth and frivolousness...not to forget Lilian's on-screen ease making it a pleasant watch as well... a song not worth missing certainly! :-)

Song Exposition: 'Aaj Koi Nahi Aapna, Kise Gham Ye Sunayein..'

Posted by Apoorvnama at 11:50

Aaj Koi Nahi Aapna, Kise Gham Ye Sunayein..

Lata Mangeshkar (Agnipariksha - 1981)
Yogesh, Salil Chaudhary

This prelude is probably one of the best to have been created in HFM...with that exceptional use of the Flute and the Santoor Salilda manages to created that ripply effect to perfection (even in the picturization there is a small shot with the water body)...the way the Piano base enters soothing the Flute ripples..and then the Santoor...and the Trumpet...back to the Flute...all ably describe the flickery state of mind of the lead character! She tries to soothe them but all that comes back to haunt her (I havent seen the film but this is what I could guess)...and then enter's that lady who has been at her outstanding best under this master!!

The mukhda has those complex jumping notes, which Lata easily sings to perfection. Again in these high jumps, just probably goes to show the instability of the character's mind.
If the prelude was something out-of-the-world, the interludes will blow you off literally from your feet. The Flute (which was Salilda's best and most used instrument, you can see the variety with which he used the Base Flute, the Piccolo Flute in all his songs and yet sounded different every other time), the racing Cello's is the best part IMO, it reaching a pinnacle and they give way to the Trumpets...soothing down our already raced heartbeats (also in the picture you can see by then Parikshit Sahani walks on a road which is quietened and wet 'after' the rains...even the nature comes to normal and soothes itself with this ensemble of instruments)..in all this not to forget the background support of the Guitars...they unknowingly kept the interlude pieces glued to each other!

The antra is BLISS...the emptiness, helplessness in Rameshwari's character is brought to life by Lata!! This has the Salil stamp all over it...top class! The Tabla play is a treat...the small lehra at the cross line is lovely! When Lata stomps on the 'sam' with 'AAJ koi Nahi..', that feeling is inexplicable!!

The second interlude(M2) is again an ensemble of instruments ably weaved! The Sitar (again a Salil favourite), the Cello (again Salil manages to get the restlessness in the character out with the amazing use of these instruments)...the way he fuses the Sitar with the Cello with that small Flute piece is brilliant!

What a song! How do you even find accurate words to elaborate this humdinger of a song...many may say the Lata strained her voice at one point in the song, for me, no one else could have sung this song with this conviction and this perfect amount of emotion she lent to it! Commendable how she creates that atmosphere in mere 5 minutes! Master Salil was at his rocking best...this is changing with times...who said he was a composer of the 50s...this is what he offered to you in the 80s and with a quality that not many can match! True genius! Way way ahead of his time!!

This song also has as a Bengali counterpart which actually came first, 'Aaj Tabey Eituku Thaak..' which has a quintessential Bengali touch to it..its more subtle and softer with a lot of Sitar in it and a different instrumentation entirely! Another treat for sure!
But this tune was originally made for a Malayalam film titles Pratiksha in 1975 where Yesudas sang it as 'Aathira Poovaniyum..' which had a fair amount of Tabla...but IMO the third counterpart stands tall amongst them in terms of orchestration and singing!!

Here is the Bengali version of this masterpiece ! Lata-Salil magic regales !
'Aaj tobe ei tuku thak '

The journey from MalayaLam to Bengali to Hindi really is an ascending excellence.. with Salilda bettering himself with each version.

Aathira poovaniyaan - Pratheeksha (1979)