While the domain has been dormant for quite a while, please understand that this isn’t anything more than an expression of my personal dedication to Indian music. We’ve moved from music.binaryturf.com to http://www.musicwith.in. A domain is difficult to find these days but musicwith.in  reflects upon the basic idea of the foundation of this site. There are few subscribers to this blog, but then truly interested audience are rare and difficlut to find.

Welcome to MusicWithin. In the coming days I hope to share my experiences interviewing the gurus in Gwalior.

Many wouldn’t be able to recall this name. I immensely admire the work of A.R. Rahman. When Duniya Dilwalon Ki was released, I was in hostel. I didn’t have a music system or even a walkman. The songs “mustafa mustafa” and “hello doctor” were doing the rounds those days. “Duniya Dilwalon Ki” is a Tamil movie dubbed and released in Hindi. The movie was an unceremonious flop but A.R. Rahman’s work does not go unnoticed. Four years later I heard the album and realized that some of the songs were priceless possessions. I started my search to buy the album.

Fast–forward to 2005, almost 7-8 years after the movie was released. I had looked everywhere but failed to find the album in the market. One day casually browsing through one of the music sites, I saw the banner advertising the availability of the album. I bought it for five times the price of the original.

What’s so special about Duniya Dilwalon Ki? We all know A.R. Rahman does create strange music once in a while. But when he does a good one and that too featuring Sonu Nigam, its like the unison of two celestial talents. They make love to their music. These melodies may not be to the tastes of the masses but they are more to the likings of the serious and indulged listeners who know their music.

• Hello Doctor – This is just another song which shows Rahman’s love for bass.
• Mustafa Mustafa – Bass power demonstration. This was a favorite of the kids that time. But the memories of songs did last long enough though many would be able to remember the movie by this song.
• College Ke Saathi- A melodious use of instruments in the western style ushers the song in. Some of the meaningful proses sung by the talented Hariharan soon turning to the more peppy kind. I like the use of chorus.
• Jaana Jaana- A wonderful song sung by S.P. Balasubramaniam. This is an emotional song depicting the feel of loneliness, longing and separation from the lover. S.P. Balasubramaniam is a great artist. He brings the feel to the lyrics as he turns the lyrics into music effectively reaching to the higher notes. The first song in the album that impressed me.
• Jaari Jaa e Hawa- This is the song that I bought this album for. It’s difficult to imagine any other singer voice other than Sonu’s. Sonu effectively has rendered every detail with finesse, every still note to the perfection with the divine drum beats and a surreal rhythm creates an heavenly abode of love and romance. The song doesn’t have any murkis which would otherwise break the flow and feel. However, creative as artists are, Sonu couldn’t stop himself from introducing his own signature. The piece “raat ki godi” demonstrates the unique art, talent and creativity of Sonu Nigam which jells beautifully so much so that one never realizes it as any this district. The song feels slightly different from the others since it is in roopak taal (a rhythm) which gives it a different feel.The second stanza part of the song has been sing by S.P. Balasubramaniam. His use of soft voice and special emphasis at places summarizes the song perfectly which slowly lets go off the rhythm and turns into fine murkis leaving the heart yearning for more.
• O Meri Jaa- another song from Sonu comes as a bonus as I had never heard this marvel before. This is a very difficult song where all the various aspects of musical expression come together. , high-notes , soft expressions, outstandingly beautiful lyrics and a steep variation of notes. A typical song which would be lifeless without Sonu’s rendition. He is an artist who helps the director realize his dream and expression. The music is in dadra taal which is seldom heard in serious songs.
  I bought this album for the song jaari ja e hawa. Song like this are unique and aren’t made a second time. O Meri jaa comes as a bonus. However this album ran out of stock due to the failure of the film and its hard to procure a copy. But it’s worth adding to the collection if only for these two songs.

It’s holiday season here and I’ve moved to my home town. Have been busy but not so much so to be absconding now. Wishing you all a very prosperous and happy Diwali.

No popular musical reference would be complete without the mention of the legendary A.R. Rehman. I share a very special connection with Rehman’s music touches some never reached corners of the heart and expresses and draws out emotion like none other. As a run follower I also find it in order to mention that all his music is not as effective and at times doesn’t even sound like music. But look at the marvel, his reputation as an artist and his recognition as a master remains unfazed. He is a musician whom the highs and lows don’t affect. His music style is unique and very distinguishable than the lot while he does direct a variety of melody and musical genres with ease and equal effect.

Let me divert a little and mention another artist without which the mention of A.R. Rehman is incomplete. That would be none other than Sonu Niigaam (or Nigam). Sonu’s musical prowess can’t really be praised enough. However in the current context, Sonu is to Rehman what Kishore was to R.D. Burman. Sonu’s perfection in vocals and the quality of his voice is a surreal match made in heaven. Together they create magic. While this cannot be established as the popular opinion, and facts stands as witness. A south Indian movie dubbed into Hindi – “Duniyan Dil Walon Ki” rose to popularity at the time of release. Most of us will recall the songs like “Mustafa Mustafa don’t worry Mustafa“. However there were other songs that never saw the light of the day. I liked “Ja Ri Ja Ae Hawa” and “Oh Meri Jaan” – both rendered with the divine perfection and melody. The album is extinct and after hunting for several years, I did manage to find a seller selling it online. I finally had it imported from the UK for several times the price in the Indian market.

My bond with the music is more special than with other albums of Rehman. For me it’s the musical of a life time. I had just undergone engagement to my then future wife. Emotions of a lifetime bond with the melody and got framed into unforgettable memories. They touched and embedded deep and flow out when I experience the melody again. While not every song in a Rehman-album is close to the heart, those which are leave an ever lasting impression. You won’t ever stop being fond of them. Let’s go through Guru.

Barso Re – The not so melodious songs of Rehman aren’t necessarily devoid of the sweet, melodious preludes and pieces that captivate the emotional pleasure. The song has markedly difficult to produce vocals and is punctuated with steep highs and lows. Rehman’s songs are “contextually targeted” to mention an analogy with today’s online advertising. Songs, lyrics and expressions form a part of the movie’s story. The song is just what its purpose is – to carry the story forward. It emotes the feelings of a young woman in love, enjoying the virtues of the nature and dancing in rain.

Tere Bina – The song has two versions – the other in the form of “Ay Hairathe“. The song is special in the sense that a slight alteration to the lyrics and the musical “bhaav” sets the two versions aside – both emoting love – one with a personal companion and the other with the divine. This is the sweetest and the most melodious in the album, however it will be difficult to say which version is better. The vocals are rendered by none other than Rahman himself who may not have the finesse of the classical vocalist but has an established hold on the notes while also known for his reach to the higher octaves.

The song “Tere Bina” is dedicated to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Saab – fondly remembering his association with me through this decade.

-AR Rahman

Ek Lo Ek Muft – Nothing much in this song to write back home about except the fact that it does its duty and carries the story forward. Thankfully it’s a Rehman creation so not all that unwelcome as another song could have been had it come from a different director.

Mayya – I’d like to commend the singers and Rehman for this song. While the melody is beyond the tastes of the Indian audience, it is accurate and relevant to the context. Vocals like these are a task and can be testing on the abilities of the singer. However in today’s digitally advanced technically influenced studios, there’s little that would be impossible. And we’d never come to know for sure whether it’s the art of a singer or a technically sound audio engineer.

Aye Hairathe – The song slowly fades in and is a perfect pleasure to listen to. With all the ease in the rhythm, in the accompaniment of modified bass instruments rendered by a legendary classically sound artist Hariharan the song is nothing but perfect – perfect to listen to, perfect for inspiring vocals and perfect in melody and emotion. The lyrics depict two romancing lovers. There are several fine and beautifully rendered “murkis” which jell perfectly with the melody and carries the mood to a more pleasurable state. Alka has contributed with her unique ease and melody in vocals perfectly complimenting Hariharan’s finesse in this memorable song.

Jaage Hain – The song comes with a warning which sounds out-of-place in the musical context – this song is extremely depressing and may have unknown effect of the faint at heart. The effect is devastating on even those better and sound at an emotional level. The saddest lyrics I’ve come across coupled with the most depressing music induce and captivate the emotions and remind of moments where you dreamed of things which never witnessed the light of the day. They put you into the shoes of a person at loss of dreams, achievement, hope and beyond. It leaves you wounded and possibly imagining and dreaming of fulfilling the dreams in a reincarnation or second life. It is one song which it extremely easy to relate to as disappointments and set-backs form the background of every human soul. The voice of Rehman as the song concludes adds pain while the chorus induces a sinking feeling and pinches you to realize that you’ve been carried far and deep.

This album is a must have for all Rehman fans. I’d have loved a song by Sonu Niigam but then Rahman can be too particular about minute details and his choices.

Sometimes you are able to appreciate art through respect than only by interest. If one doesn’t have the ear or the understanding to appreciate a performance, respect is one virtue which shall enable you to enjoy the ‘rasa‘ of the art.

Something similar happens when I witness a performance by classical maestros. Though I didn’t have the fortune of studying it, I have developed respect for the art.

But when you are listening to a performance by a legend like Ustad Vilayat Khan, you needn’t develop understanding to develop interest. A great artist as he was, he cast the spell to capture and influence the audience’s mood, imagination and awe. He would offer a hand to the laymen and walk them through the divine experience of the rasa. “When time stood still” is just a case in point. With many in the younger generation believing that Indian art needs to be “presented” to the world, most have overlooked this side of the legend. Ustad Vilayat Khan has romanced music through his life and it is evident from the affection with which he holds the instrument. This is one quality that is unique to the Ustad. He had a distinct personality and royal interests and indulgences. There’s an article exploring the maestro’s personality in-depth and presenting the orthodox revolutionary he was.

“Padmashree” , “Padmabhushan” Pt. Krishan Maharaj comes from the Baneras gharana. He has accompanied greats like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan amongst others.

The perfomance commences at a lasting roar of spastic applaud. The first part of the performance is in raga Darbari Kanada popularly referred to as Darbari. The raga is one of the most revered and is only performed by maestros with in-depth understanding and maturity. And as is evident from the name Darbari, it was performed for the rulers in the darbaar.

The Ustad explores and enjoys expressing some of the finer details of the notes in the alap pausing ocassionally to explain what he plays and the emotion and essence behind it. He then describes the perspective and mentions the lyrics of the bandish.

Later the raga manifests to the other parts of the presentation – the Jod and Jhala. The maestro is carried away into the higher levels so much so that he vocally sings a part before continuing with the sitar again. A Vilayat Khan performance is not complete without this part of vocal recital and the audience feels cheated otherwise.

The second part of the presentation is in Bhairavi a favourite of Vilayat Khan. Bhairavi is a beautiful raga and allows flexibility in the notes being rendered thus introducing higher levels of creative exploration. Artists can judiciously introduce newer notes into Bhairavi as they explore and the performance matures.

Through the entire performance the stage is set alive by the understanding the two maestros share. With Ustad’s generous appreciation for Pt. Kishan Maharaj, the beautiful performance transcends into some finer details of the rythm. And they cast a magical spell and strike the notes in a rhythm with an exquisite tihai announcing their confidence on the rhythm punctuated by several sessions of applaud.

The album – as every album reviewed here – is a collectors piece. When Time Stood Still is a performance with high interaction and communication between the performers and the audience when the artist and the instrument unify to explore the higher realms of musical devotion and dexterity.

Living through these long years of life, I’ve experienced a lot of drama, emotion and music. And I’ve realized that somehow the music that you listen to during the phases, periods and times of life gets ingrained into those moments and memories.

I purchased this melodious music album in the cloudy days of the year 2000. This is one of my favorite albums at these times of the year. It reminds me of the nostalgic, depressed, gloomy days with cloud-covered dark skies. Depressing yet pleasing. the world turns into a never imagined dreamland with the contrast of dark clouds against the clear blue skies, the playful rays of the sun and the momentary rainbow, the clarity of the water in the puddles reflecting the clear skies.

Piya Basanti is an album which reflects all this and much more. It reflects the blooming love and the lovely virtue nature is. Incidentally, the title video of the album to a large extent portrays the exact feel of the music. The vocals have been beautifully rendered by two famous artists viz. Ustad Sultan Khan – a renowned classical musician and a sarangi exponent and Chitra -the nightingale and melody queen of the south.

Piya Basanti :-

The title song Piya Basanti feels of the lush greenery, of the finesse of the rain showers accentuating the feeling of love.

Teri Yeh Surmayi Aankhen:-

Ustad Sultan than has blended the song with a unique combination of his relaxed sargams and his distinct voice to the effect of a folk song while Chitra’s trained flawless voice has complimented with the accuracy, softness and melody. The song is in appreciation of his lover’s eyes.

Koi Pyaar Se Mujhe :-

The song is relatively not very impressive because of several features (or their lack thereof). First, the melody is subtle or unnoticeable since it is a sad and solo song depicting lonliness of the lover. Secondly, the music has less articulation, a monotonous feel to it.

Shaam Dhale:-

This is my favorite song from this album. The song has a deep, lovely, haunting, lovelorn feeling of love creating a strong sense of nostalgia, an urge, craving of love. It has a deep sinking feeling that has an everlasting effect on mortals. One song that stands out among the masses – there are few songs made like this one.

Chale Re Kahar:-

This peppy number brings a welcome change of mood. Punctuated by some fine “Murkis” by Chitra, the song has a distinct acoustic echo which only accentuates the impression of the rainy season.

Saawan Rut Aayi:-

A slow song with beautiful articulation, it describes the onset of the rains and the dark clouds. It narrates of the sound of the rain drops falling on the leaves and the music that emanates from it. The metaphorical depiction of the rainbow as if they were the two arms of Mother Nature. as if awakened from sleep is marvelous as is the musical expression.

Dhee Morae (“More” ):-

This is a sad song expressing the separation from the beloved and how the lover consoles his heart telling it to feel the breeze that comes from the direction of his separated lover in the lands far-off.

Rangilo Rut :-

Another peppy number that concludes the album; it sober’s up the mood to a more lively state. The background score in the beginning is punctuated by the thundering of clouds and the sounds of the rain. A fast paced number with the pleasant feeling of a carnival or celebration – the onset of the rains – saawan.

The prince of vocals – Sonu Nigam has come up with another everlasting marvel. Its called “Classically Mild”. The album comes after a long era of Sonu’s silence on the pop front and has been almost three years. While it has been a punitive wait for the millions of fans out there, one listening proves that it has been worth it. The work is best in the class and a first attempt of its kind on the pop front. Sonu has made a strong statement with the album and that is that he leads creativity when it comes to vocals and music. When one reaches a stage where they have ‘been there done that’, seeking challenges is not always fruitful. And one has to set milestones and wander into realms where none has been ever before.

Before you read further first things first. This is not an album that one would understand in the first listening. Something like Deewana wherein all songs were romantic and the only song that sounded different was “Deewana Tera”. Also, listening to this album is not unlike watching a movie studded and packed with stunts. Unfortunately there are few who understand the complexities of rendering vocals in classical music. The album is a medium of the artist’s creativity and expression and not a medium of the director. Thus focus has been completely on good, authentic music and some path breaking vocals. Attempting to review such artwork is only futile and a small attempt of mine to translate ‘excellence’ into a layman’s language.

Sonu is a perfect perfectionist — if that makes sense. From establishing excellence as a TV show anchor, a mimicry specialist to setting mile stones in the finesse of rendering vocals, he is a talent in many disciplines. Though Sonu’s classical training is still arguably ‘mild’ and he states so at the release of the album, it is in fact a modest statement in itself considering the fact that Sonu had the rare fortune of training in live studios. All the hardwork perfecting Rafi’s songs reflects in the precision evident in his songs. The second leverage is the face that Sonu is the son of a well known singer, which is a major factor in building the right perception of the art.

The album is based on Indian classical music and is a fusion. In the age of instant coffee where patience sounds alien, the music has been presented keeping in view the audiences perspective. This album though is a collectors choice. The music contains vocals which have never been attempted in the history of pop music. Aptly referred as the God of vocals (by me) Sonu has long established his rank as a supreme disciple of the art. Sonu’s sonorous voice enriches the music as rain does to barren dry land.

The vocals being classical carry a strong feeling of light classical forms of music resembling a thumri (in a fast tempo – drut) molded into a western form (though the music too is based on ragas). The album is quite reminiscent of the excitement Ustaad Bade Ghulam Ali’s inspires though you can’t (shouldn’t) compare the two legends. Here are the highlights from the album.

1. Sochta Hoon Main

   Not the best introduction into the album the song does set the standards of the kind of vocals to expect going forth.

2. Bheege Bheege

   Odd music punctuated with melodious preludes and amazing transitions between notes.

3. Soona Soona

   Enriched with beautiful and fine murkis and taans Sonu has made a statement. Complete control over the vocals the rendering is flawless demonstrating amazing precision and mastery. The hard work shows in this one. A typical classical inspired fusion.

4. Suratiya

   These are the kinds of songs I want to see Sonu sing. He has mastered the nuances of music. Its time he realizes which one suits him the best. Sonu should be singing more songs like these.

5. Chhalki Chhalki

   Another sweet melodious romantic number. The music and singing build up a perfect mood and one can visualize ambiance.

6. Dhanya Dhanya

   Soft and melodius this song is quite similar in feel to Suratiya.

7. Lamha Lamha

   A slow song, it has a more contemporary film music feel to it.

8. Ai Dil Mat Ro

   My current favorite. I have been listening to this song through night and day. The song portrays a very specific loneliness, sad, nostalgic feeling. It essentially is a sad heartfelt expression of pain. I should say that its been a long time since I heard a sad song like this. It has been years. I don’t know if this kind of music just happens because I felt that musicians made a similar attempt in Sonu’s album Jaan which didn’t really manifest as expect. This kind of music is quite rare and isn’t created now.

Overall the first three songs have a high intensity and energy. The rest are the kind of melody that suits Sonu the best. Sonu’s velvet voice has been use in a very effective way. I hope they do it more frequently because such voices are rare. Also, all songs are punctuated with fine classical nuances which can best be rendered by a classical artist or Sonu. They are typical and difficult. The new age reality show participants may use this album to learn and train their vocal chords and experiment. It still remains a mystery to me how artists can be so perfect. Sonu has the perfect sense of melody. His transisions between notes can be very soft and suttle or totally vibrant. He has that one voice which India is proud of.

Here are some screenshots of Sonu’s latest album coupled with a teaser/medley. Hope you like it. Review in progress. Click on the pictures for full size (readable).

It’s the onset of summers but not yet. The breeze still carries the fragance of spring in the morning… and the evenings. Its dry and warm. The sun has already set.

There is a kind of familiarity in the breeze. Its been years. It feels changed but the breeze is still the same. I listen to the music of Pukar. I’ve listened to Pukar since it’s release.

The music is from A. R. Rehman and is arguably one of the best from Rehman. Lately though he has been experimenting with different sounds which sound well… awkward at first. Its not easy to understand the music of Rehman at the first play. It takes time to come to terms with the melody contained within. And sometimes there’s no melody at all.

Pukar was released when I was graduating in college. I hadn’t seen the movie yet but the music was the best available. Pukar has some of my most favorite songs. Yes you tend to have many favourites if you have a musical soul. Some of the remarkable renditions include “Sunta hai mera khudah”, “Ek tu hi bharosa” in Lata’s celestial voice and “Kismat se tum hamko mile ho” in the magical voice of Sonu Nigam and Anuradha Paudwal. Pukar is another gem in my collection, but not just another.

Kismat se tum hamko mile ho

I come to the melody of the music later. I’d first like to mention something notable about the singing in this masterpiece. When I was in a call center, my trainer used to say “One can always feel your smile at the other end of the phone”. The same goes for singing. Greats like Rafi, Talat Mehmood have had a distinct orgasmic pleasure in their renditions. To quote an example try listening to “Deewana hua badal” from the movie “Kasmir Ki Kali”. One can feel the smile. Sonu Nigam has used the same smile at one or two places after the first stanza. Also Sonu has attempted reaching some highest notes in the upper octave while he stays husky and casts a spell in the lower notes earlier in the song.

The song is rich in lyrics and Rehman has matched it with his amazing music. The song makes a deep impact. As the lyrics set one thinking, the music carries the emotions right into the heart and across.

The lyrics in the song has a lovely and thoughtful theme. Its about a couple realizing the value of their (breaking) relationship and their promise to not let go… reminscing and fantasising about the intricate romantic anecdotes and their resolving to be together once again through thick and thin.

Ek tu hi bharosa

Lata never fails to surprise. Combined with the subtle musical effect by Rehman, the song creates a celestial, heavenly musical ambiance. The clarity, accuracy of rendering brings a lot of definition to the song.

The song is basically a prayer for the good of all. Not sure if its a piano… it carries an impression of water drops falling into a pond. Rehman has used this in many songs in the past. the music naturally (and amazingly) carries a sense of peace. Thanks to the well defined and slow rhythm.

Sunta hai mera khudah

There is a distinct…, very distinct pleasure in ease and slowly progressing music. Don’t get me? Listen to this number. Udit Narayan has enriched the slow pace of the song with the finesse and nuances of his trained voice in classical music.

Time to plug in the headphones. Its 11pm. I tend to write about music once in a while. And hopefully the next time I’ll touch upon another great by A. R. Rehman – “Humse hai mukabla”.

This is a gem in my collection. While an audio compilation may be more enjoyable for the connoisseurs of the classical music to listen and appreciate, there’s quite nothing that can match a live performance. For those who are quite not as lucky, this title brings alive the feel of a live performance. The “The Gurus of Bandish: Ustaad Rashid Khan” is a DVD containing ten different bandishes in various ragaas by Ustad Rashid Khan. It was never the same again after I stood a witness spellbound by the amazing renditions in this album.

Ustaad Rashid Khan is from the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana. I know him for his amazing rendition of taans, husky voice and a unique style of inducing the feel and melody in the artwork. While I can’t claim literacy in the discipline of classical music, I can with some authority say that he is one of the better performing artists alive today. Some of my favourites from this album are the raga basant, bihag and hansdhwani. Most of the compositions are in madhya (medium) or drut (fast) laya (rythm) thus more receptive to the youngsters or the more eager awaiting some action. But the mood and pleasure of rendering a flawless eternal alaap is divine.

While rendering more complex intricacies of the raga induce confidence and eagerness in a singer, they are arousing to the audience and to the keen listener. The best part is that these bandishes are in ragaas which depict the feeling of the bandish in the best feel and grandeur. There’s quite nothing as exquisite as the feeling and expression of this artwork.

Notable renderings in this album

• Basant – Piya sang khelun hori weaved in raaga basant describes of a female lover celebrating the festival of colors – Holi with her beloved. The raga expresses a distinct mood and feel with the use of consecutive notes giving it a more subtle difference and expressions than others in the album.
• Bihag – Aliri albeli sundara naar depicts a beautiful women passing by. The effect of music cannot be described in words but ustaad sahib has sung this number with interest, involvement with the moods and a range of musical expressions. The taans are marvelous accompanied by the teen taal on the tabla.
• Hansadhwani – Laagi Lagana pati sakhi sana desctibes a women awaiting to be united with her husband. The raga is South Indian in origin and thus in nature. Punctuated by fast taans it expresses the devotion and eagerness of the lover who has prepared for this moment and awaits to be united with her beloved.