It is true that some things in this world demand respect. I still remember standing in front of the Taj Mahal, & being completely mesmerized by what I saw.
Now, I am feeling the same as I hear to Legendary Naushad?s (LN) Album, Taj Mahal. It would be appropriate to compare this album to the wonder monument itself. Because, like the monument, this album is made in pure, clean components, & is a stunning wonder in it self.
How can one even begin describing a legendary MD?s compositions? My first exposure with Naushad?s music was when he scored music for a Malayalam movie, Dhwani a vocally handicapped girl. In that, album, I was especially intrigued by the flow of his songs.
One of the best among the songs was a Sanskrit bhajan, ?Janaki Jaane?. When I think about LN?s music, certain characteristics stand out. First, the music flows like a river & there are no surprises. Second, the composing is strict & disciplined.
There are no loose ends or half-baked pieces. Third, his compositions are ?ace? works of art. The melody in the songs is unmatched, & follows the rhythm so closely that we seldom feel discomfort.
Now, let me give you readers a heads up (warning?). This album has heavy classical underpinnings. Except for a couple of tracks, all of them contain classically textured orchestral interludes & vocal renditions. Some of you may not like hearing to classical music which is OK.
If you are one of those, you should skip this review/album?altogether! But, keep in mind that the music used in this album is based on our own system of music, described to be one of the most intricately developed & complicated systems in the WORLD!
I have a lot to write about the songs, so let?s go right ahead
Note: In the following passages I have used * wherever a term needs additional explanation. The explanation is given in the comments section.
Ajnabee Tehro
Hariharan & Preeti
>>The song starts with a humming by H., followed by Preeti?s voice? Her voice sounds like Kavita K.?s, I am not sure whether there was a typo. The raag* first seemed to be Abheri/Bhimpalasi, however, LN doesn?t use the note ?D2? which is present in the avarohana of Abheri.
Hence the raag, though sounding like Abheri, might be a mixture of Shudhadhanyasi & Abheri? (Experts please comment). The song employs note-combinations in a very unique way. Listen to the charanams, as Hariharan sings ?Isq Ka Paigham Hoon Main, Pyaar Ka Vaadaa* Ho Tum?? As the asterisk in the previous sentence indicates, the word ?vaada? is sung with the following notes ?G2 M1 Pa? in a very sweet way, slowly moving from Ga to Ma to Pa.
A beautiful feat accomplished by Hariharan. The percussion is done in a peculiar manner to mimic the olden times. You can hear such percussion patterns when epics like this are created.
Apni Zulfein
Hariharan
>>In my view, this ghazal is the highlight of the album. It is beautifully melodious, orchestrally complex & a treat for any music fan. The beginning of the song is somewhat surprising, as it gives no indication of the mood of the song.
It is a really different way to start a ?Mian Ki Malhar? raag based song. The starting is accomplished by a heavy orchestra with cellos, violins & piano notes giving a rich appearance. I am guessing that it is a situational score, where something critical is happening before the song.
After a while, the transition to the raag Mian Ki Malhar* is made with violins playing the first notes of the song. The song is simply amazing to be described in words. You have to remember why you hear Hariharan featured in all songs. Hariharan is probably the only singer who could handle a classically based Hindi-song well, especially with his youthful voice.
That is precisely the reason why we got the opportunity to experience this classic. The signature note combination of this raag is when you sing/play the notes ?R2 P G2~?M1 R2 S..?*. Yaman also gives the feeling of love, but also gives a ?jolly? feel to it, whereas MKM gives it an additional ?humility?. Hence, you see it in most ghazals (& devotional songs) portraying humility & love.
Also, it is important to bear in mind that the orchestral support is equally rich. When H sings the crescendo, there is gentle orchestra acting almost like a bed of roses. The ending of the song is almost exactly as its beginning, with the violins leading us to the silence. I simply wished I got a little more of the song!
Meena Bazaar-Theme
>>Another ingenious theme track, soaked in the early era, and tuned in what seems to be Panthuvaraali/Kaamavardhani (Purvi) or a derivative. Carefully listen as the strings (violin & a Sarod like instrument) play notes in a pattern* following the rustic rhythm.
We get to hear stellar Sarangi interludes accenting a sad, but provocative feeling. Again, Kaamavardhani raag is usually used to portray lust, but, here LN gives it a twist, adding some sad touches. The raag changes towards the end, to elicit a happy mood.
Mumtaz Tujhe Dekha
<HARIHARAN, b PU<>
>>Tuned in what seems to be raag Lalit* (a hybrid of the Panthuvaraali & Mayamalwagowla), this song features some percussive innovations. Using high-bass strings, LN slowly, but steadily pushes the song to its crescendo.
Hariharan unleashes his vocal prowess without deviating much from LN?s notes (except when singing ?..Guzra Hua..?). The charanams also feature beautifully toned orchestral backgrounds, making almost impossible for anyone to become one with the song. The slow pace makes the song much susceptible to orchestral innovation.
Isq Ki
Kavita K. & PU
>>A regular qawwali with not much specialties except for some wonderful percussion & orchestral interludes. PU sings slightly better than KK, with less strain on her voice. The second interlude features Sarangi.
Ye Kaun
Ajay C.
>>Again, the raag of this song seemed to be Purvi or some derivative of it. I am not familiar with the hindustani system, & please correct me if I am wrong. The song is hardcore-classical, with heavy gamakams (note-slides)-ridden sangathis (or different ways to sing the same sentence).
In Cranatic music, this process of singing the same sentence repeatedly, each time exploring a different nuance of the raaga is called ?niraval?. For classical music lovers, this track is ecstasy!
Taj Mahal-Crescendo
>>The song starts & is sustained with high-bass beats to create a the criticality-effect. You can see that MDs often use such beats to portray wars, army marches etc. ARR has done such a score in ’’The Legend of Bhagat Singh’’. The vocals come in intermittently, again sung almost completely in Raag Lalit. The crescendo (peak) is a true tribute to the wonder monument!
People who liked this score could hear a few of these Original Soundtracks: The Bridge (Movie: Anna & the King; MD: George Fenton); 20-Items (Movie: Paycheck; MD-John Powell) Dacoit Duel (Album: Between Heaven & Earth; MD: ARR) etc.
As mentioned earlier, please see comments section for additional details.