Hi Folks,
This is my first review in 2005.I am still busy but had the time to write a review on this album.First of all I am really disappointed after listening to this album.Why?Read on......
Album:-Taj Mahal(2005)
Producer/Director:-Akbar Khan
Lyrics By:-Naqsh Lyllapuri & Syed Gulrez
Music By:- Naushd
Arranger:-Uttam Singh
Rating by Zoster:-1/2
Let me elaborate on terms that you will come across while reading this review.
Octave:- An octave contains 12 swaras/tones.Out of these 7 are natural(Shudha) swaras that we all aware of, 4 are komal swaras(re, ga, dha & ni) & one is tivra swara(ma).....Generally all white keys of piano are considered as shudha swaras and all black keys except ma are considered as komal swaras(the black key exactly next to shudha/white ma is called ’tivra’ ma)......
Thaat:- Thaat has exactly seven swaras either in their natural(Shudha) form or komal...
e.g.Thaat Kaafi(Ga and Ni Komal):-Sa Re ga Ma Pa Dha ni
Thaat Purwi(Re, Dha komal & Ma tivra):-Sa re Ga ma^ Pa dha Ni
Raaga:- Raaga generally is derived from any particular thaat. By arranging swaras in thaat in ascending, descending order, keeping some swaras sustaining & bending, skipping some swaras one can derive number of raagas belonging to that particular thaat.Raaga should have atleast five swaras...
e.g.Raaga:- Raaga Puriya Dhanashri belongs to thaat Purwi.Ascending order of notes for this raaga is Ni(lower octave) re Ga ma^ Pa dha Pa Ni(all middle octave).Descending order is re(HO) Ni dha Pa ma^ Ga ma^ re Ga re Sa(MO).
Now, About the songs....
1}Apni Zulfein.....Rating(***)
Thaat:- Kaafi.
Raaga:- Miya Malhar + slight use of raaga zinzoti.Miya Tansen created this raaga hence the name.
Time:- Midnight/Rainy Season.
Singers:- Tune of this song is magical but singer Harharan ruins it cosiderably.Though he has done fair job, his accents really mar the effectiveness of the tune and the raaga in particular.This is the only tune/song where Naushad stands up to expectations.
Orchestration:- Hooa!The arranger has made a blunder.First two minutes what you hear?More than 100 violins, strings, guitars..blah blah...where are the contemprary instruments?...they have played all the western stuff just to paly it...nothing that you and me are not aware of.....then ordinary tabla percussions, chorus etc.etc.....
2}Ajnabi Tehero Jara:- Rating:-[*]
Thaat:- Asawari
Raaga:- Dhani
Time:- All time....
Singers:- Preeti Uttam & Hariharan.Absolutely poor singing with equally bad https://lyrics.Not for a moment I got the feeling of raaga dhani. Both have destroyed the raaga. Raaga Dhani is such a unique raaga that it touches and melts even the hardest of hard.Generally raaga dhani compositions are not so easy thats why there are only 3(to my knowledge) songs in the entire history of hindi film music and that list includes the song ’Dil deewana’ from the movie ’MPK’......I can not believe this(Ajnabi Tehero) is Naushad’s composition....
3}Mumtaz Tuze Dekha:- Rating[*1/2]
Thaat:- Purwi
Raaga:- Lalit+Purwi
Time:- Last prahar of the day...
Distinct Feature of raaga lalit:- Use of both tivra and shudha ma...
Singer:-What can I say?Why only Hariharan.The singer has done very average job...Sonu could have been an apt choice....Second, going by Naushad’s reputation this is avearge tune...he has done nothing extraordinary..no variations...has used one of his unused futile tune.....
Orchestration:-I think this is Mughal era film.You can not use modern instruments just for change....even the santoor they have used is synthesized....Cann’t they afford good Rs.60, 000 real instrument santoor? Where was naushad while recording the songs and how can he tolerate all this chaos?
4}Tareef e Meena Bazaar...(couplet) Rating[Not applicable]
Thaata:- Purwi
Raaga:- Puriya Dhanashri
Time:- Evening
The raaga used is similar to purwi but shudha ma is eliminated....This is couplet means it uses two lines of the same verse....
5}Ishq ki Dastaan..(Qawwali) Rating[*]
Thaata:- Kaafi
Raaga:- Shivranjani+Yaman...(To give the feeling of lamenting a loss of some kind, generally used in drut and light compositions)
Time:- Midnight
Singers:- Kavita Krishnamurthy & Preeti Uttam.....What happens if two nasal singers sing together?..They make us suffer from cold.....I cann’t believe a man who gave us ’Thade Rahio’, ’Pyar Kiya To’..& other timeless melodies has composed this mediocre qawwali.Am I flogging a dead horse?Sorry, but I can not expect this type of music from Naushad(The only MD who brought Indian Classical Music up in front of International audience)...
6}Dilruba Dilruba.....Rating[0.1*]
Singers:- Hariharan & Preeti Uttam & thats enough......
7}Yeh Kaun Muze Yaad...Rating[***]
Thaata:- Purwi
Time:- Evening
Raaga:- Puriya+slightly Puriya Kalyan....
The song is mostly in raaga puriya and slightly in puriya kalyan.To be precise check when singer sings the word ’saanj’.This word is entirely sung in puriya while the word ’raien aaye’ is sung in puriya dhanashri...
Singer:-Ajoy Chakrobarthy.Good singing.But has done too much breathing while singing & today’s modern microphones catch everything !!......
8}Taj Mahal(Crescendo)...Rating[N/A]
Raaga & thaata N/A
What is crescendo?...Gradual increase in loudness. I don’t know what Naushad or the arranger wants to do?The tune is mixture of 6 or 7 ragas.So, its better we don’t go into details....
Final Verdict:- I don’t know whom to blame?The composer, the arranger or the singers?..All I can say amidst of this bewilderment ’Don’t Buy This Album’.Atleast Naushad fan should not buy this.They will start disrespecting Naushad.....Sorry, me being so harsh but a true music lover like me can not tolerate this.......