Raag - Anuraag

"Raag - Anuraag" is a music CD brought out by Parameshwar Hegde Music Academy.



Before I go into the details of the CD, I would like to give a short intro about Pandit Parameshwar Hegde.




Pt. Parameshwar Hegde hails from a small village in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. The musical environment in his family initiated his study and interest in music. He learnt Hindustani classical music under the guidance of Sri.S.M.Bhat and Sri Pt.Chandrashekar Puranika Math. Later he pursued studying music under the tutelage of one of the masters of Hindustani classical music- Pandit Basavraj Rajguru.



Today Pandit Parameshwar Hegde is one of the known faces and one of the famous voices in the arena of Hindustani classical music. He is an A grade All India Radio artist and has given numerous national and international concerts. His mellifluous unblemished voice, his tans and his strong hold over the raag through his versatile sargams have always enthralled the classical music lovers.



He is also contributing to the promotion of Hindustani classical music through "Rajguru Smriti"- a foundation that he has set up in the memory of his guru, Pandit Basavaraj Rajguru. Rajguru Smriti holds concerts of well-known and upcoming artists from all over India on various occasions every year. Pandit Parameshwar Hegde has also been instrumental in training and promoting the young talent through the "Parameshwar Hegde Music Academy".



Okay, now let me come back to the inroduction of the "Raag - Anuraag" music CD. As mentioned before, this CD is a product of Parameshwar Hegde Music Academy. This set of 2 CDs consists of khayals and semi-classical compositions in 24 ragas sung by the disciples of Pandit Parameshwar Hegde. The semi-classical compositions include devotional songs, natyageet and film songs. An introduction to every raag precedes the composition.



Why was I impressed by this CD?



- If you are a novice or a student of Hindustani classical music, then this would be an ideal CD. The introduction about each raag educates you while the simple compositions help you to get into the characteristic and the mood of the raag.



- The disciples of Pandit Parameshwar Hegde have done a very fine job. In fact, some of them have rendered classical masterpieces.



- As it contains semi-classical compositions too, it appeals to a wide range of music lovers.



- Even if you are not familiar with classical music, this CD would be entertaining and probably would open a door to listen and enjoy classical music.



For me personally, the CD has been worth buying.:)

Let her live her life

I was watching "Britney: For the Record" the other day. It is a documentary made about Britney's comeback. It sort of felt like a confession time for her. It looked like she wanted to clear many things.

As I sat watching it, I wondered why was I watching it? I am not a Britney fan but I do not hate her. I think her music is ok. At least she gives us some music to dance. I admit that she is a better dancer than a singer. And yes, I have enjoyed watching her music videos.:) But yet, all these reasons do not answer my question. Why was I watching this documentary at all?

I started watching it to see the glimpses of the life of a celebrity. As it progressed, I could feel the vulnerability of a celebrity. And when the documentary ended, I had one thing to say - "Let her live her life". After her first hit, she has been in news all the time. Her private life has been ripped apart by the paparazzi. They have followed her everywhere as if they depended on her for living. Her personal life became major headlines. Her music was not discussed any more.

She has made mistakes; so what? Isn't she a human like us? Does she have to pay this big price for being a celebrity? My heart goes out to her kids who deserve a very normal upbringing. Let her say- Oops, I did it again or Hit me Baby one more time. Let her do anything she wants in her personal life. Let us not judge her private moments. Let only her music catch our attention. Let her live a free life. Let her live her life in peace. Let her live a normal life like we all do.

Bharat Ratna for Panditji

Finally, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi gets Bharat Ratna. This 86 year old veteran might have limited his concerts now but his powerful voice will always echo in the hearts of music lovers. His music has always been appealing to the well-informed music scholars to the masses. In Karnataka, people can never forget Pandit's "Bhagayada Lakshmi Baaramma" that was and is almost played in every household. There have been numerous attempts to become another Bhimsen Joshi in vain. I don't think there would be another singer like Panditji any time. But it is a sad thing that his legacy does not have a deserving heir yet.

I have mentioned Panditji in the following post before.
http://madhooo.blogspot.com/2005/08/something-splendid-happens-to-me.html

The one and only George Michael

When I was in high school, I happened to hear "Careless Whispers" being played in my friend's car. The mellifluous voice impressed me so much. Those days, I was not much into western music so I did not have any idea about the singer. When I inquired,I got to know that George Michael had sung that song. My friend suggested another song of his, "Last Christmas". I managed to listen to that on the radio some time. But I loved "Careless Whispers" a lot. Even now I am still in awe of that song. So I just knew George Michael as the singer who sang "Careless Whispers".

As I opened up to the western music gradually, I got to hear his other hits- Father Figure, Faith, Kissing a Fool, Jesus To a Child, Fast Love and so on. All these songs ensured that he became one of my favorite singers quite fast.:)

The other day, when I mentioned George Michael as my favorite singer, someone asked me, "How can you like him? He is a gay. He was also a drug addict!!!! He has lead such a controversial life!!" Well, I have always loved good music. And for me, George Michael is one helluva talented musician and it is all that matters. I do not want to know what he is in his personal life. It is his life. But definitely we have to be thankful to him for giving us such great music.

His "Jesus to a child" can move you into tears. His "Fast Love" can make you jive. His "Kissing a Fool" can make you philosophical. His intense, soulful, melodious voice is his biggest positive point.

My mom is a classical musician. She usually never listens to western music. Once I was playing "Careless Whispers" loud. She just came to my room and heard the complete song. And then she wanted to know who sang it. Since that day, she has been a great fan of George Michael. Nopes, she has not heard any other song of his. But she is in total love with "Careless Whispers".:)) And I think that is a great compliment for one of my favorite singers.:))))

What am I listening to right now: Careless Whispers

Constellations

It is a lazy afternoon. I can see bored and sleepy looks around me. But I guess I am in my own world enjoying as always. Thanks to a friend of mine for introducing me to this song- Constellations by Jack Johnson. Trust me when I say this is an ideal song for a lazy afternoon or for a peaceful night when you just wanna close your eyes and relax. The beautiful sound of the strumming guitar, Jack Johnson's assuasive voice and those simple lyrics will definitely take you to a different world. The two lines that I liked the most can be connected:

To lay down underneath the stars
.........................................
........................................
We drew our own constellations

***********************************************************************************

Since I am so addicted to music, I am thinking of including an information in every post. I shall be mentioning the song that I will be listening to when I write each post. Sounds good, isn't it?:)))

Sur Prabhat on 26th Jan, 2007

Every year on 26th January, we look forward to "Sur Prabhat" organized by Rajguru Smriti at Chitrakala Parishath. Usually the music concerts are held all-night long or in the evenings. Most of the times, I can never sit through the all-night concerts. So I rarely get to listen to the morning ragas live in a concert. "Sur Prabhat" is one event that gives me the opportunity to enjoy the morning ragas. An added luxury is that we get to listen to the soul stirring music amidst nature in an open space.:)

This year's "Sur Prabhat" was more special to me because the eminent musician performing this time was none other than Sanjeev Abhayankar. For those of you who do not know, Sanjeev is the disciple of Pandit Jasraj. In fact, you can see the impact of the guru in Sanjeev's voice and his style of singing. I have always enjoyed listening to his records. So this was one occasion for which I was eagerly waiting.

Sanjeev began the concert with Raag Ahir Bhairav, continued with Bhatiyar and sang a self-composed holi song. And then he presented a beautiful bandish of Raag Charukeshi which is very rarely sung and he ended the concert with Raag Bhairavi. He said that the environment was a perfect one for the morning concert and he was inspired by it.

It was a beautiful experience sitting amidst greenery and listening to the mellifluous yet powerful voice of Sanjeev Abhayanakar. His ease at the toughest taans, his expertise in the raagas and his interaction with the audience made the concert more interesting and enjoyable. For a moment I forgot the real world and got drifted away in the soulful music.

I hope we will get to attend such concerts again and again. We definitely need more of such concerts to rejuvenate ourselves. :)

Falling in love with melancholic tunes

Tears well up in my eyes as I listen to Kishori Amonkar's Todi. Somehow whenever I listen to this Raga, all my hidden pains surface up. And yet I love listening to Todi!

There is an album of Jagjit and Chitra Singh dedicated to their son who passed away in an accident. Trust me when I say that I become very emotional whenever I listen to it. But I am in total love with that album.

I know that lot of us love listening to those soulful, tear-jerking numbers of Kishore Kumar again and again. And we are fully aware that those songs might rake our old wounds. Still we love those songs that touch the pain in our hearts, don't we? May be we love them 'coz they simply touch our heart and pain is such a strong emotion.

Well, as I have mentioned in my previous posts, music is so powerful that it can cause a whirlwind of emotions in your heart. And I don't think anything can equal that. But yes, this effect cannot be produced by all the musicians. There are only some who can make music that can touch one's soul. And a big salute to those great people who can touch millions and millions of hearts so easily.:)

Classical Delight

This sunday, we had gone to a special music concert. My uncle had invited us to an all day long music concert on the occasion of Guru Poornima. The concert started at 10 AM and ended at 10:45 PM.

On Guru Poornima, usually the disciples of a guru perform. It is their way of offering tribute to their Guru. When you go to such concerts, you need to remember that you will see lots of novices as many of them will be performing for the first time. It is a great pleasure to go to such concerts because there will be no known faces and so the audience is open minded.

I go to the Guru Poornima concert every year. This year, nine of his disciples performed. And my uncle gave a grand finale to the concert. Most of the disciples were between 15-28 years. They brought so much of freshness and enthusiasm in their music. I was thrilled when I heard them presenting complicated raagas. Kudos to all of them for puting so much of hard work and dedication which definitely showed in their performances. Let me try recalling some of the raagas:
- Chaitanya sang Jogkauns ( I had heard jogkauns by Rashid Khan and it is mindblowing. I must say that Chaitanya provided fair justice to the raaga)
- Aathma sang Bilaskhani Todi ( I had heard this Todi by Ajay Pohankar. Aathma sang it very flawlessly and melodiously.)
- Kaushik sang Shudda Saarang ( I had not heard much if this Raaga. Kaushik presented the Raaga very technically and effortlessly.)
- Siri sang Pooriya Dhanashree ( She has just finished her 10th. Siri has got a very powerful voice and I must say that she is definitely on the way to carve a niche in the field of music.)
- Amritha sang Bhageshree ( I have been hearing her every Guru Poornima. every year, she seems to come up with better performances.)
- Nethra sang Vaachaspathi ( This is a very rare raaga. Netra sang it beautifully.)
- Meera sang Jeevanpuri ( I was listening to her for the first time. She has got a very impressive voice.)
- My uncle sang Oudhava Bhageshree as the final event in the concert. I had not heard this Raag before. His performance was the cherry on the cake. It is always a great pleasure to listen to him.

Hoping to attend more of such concerts in future.:)

Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya

This song is exactly what I have always felt and what I feel now. This song also expresses what I want to be. Each line is a message by itself. Yes, it is the closest to my heart. Jaidev's music added more beauty to these amazingly simple, yet rich lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi. Rafi was the soul of this song. Dev Anand added more color to it.:))

Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya
Har fikr ko dhuye mein udata chala gaya

Barbadiyon ka sog manana fizool tha
Barbadiyon ka jashn manata chala gaya

Jo mil gaya usi ko muqaddar samajh liya
Jo kho gaya main usko bhulata chala gaya

Gham aur khushi mein fark na mehsoos ho jahaan
Main dil ko uss makaam pe lata chala gaya

Afterglow

There are very few songs from the rock bands that have the soothing, allaying effect on me. Hence I reluctantly agreed to my friend's suggestion to listen to her current favorite song from a rock group. My mind was in turmoil then and I was planning to appease it with some classical or Celtic music. Still on my friend's insistence, I decided to listen to this song, "Afterglow" by INXS. I had not heard INXS before.

And there I sat dumbfounded when I listened to it for the first time. From then on, I have been listening to it. Indeed, a very beautiful song! It gives me an impression of sailing on a smooth sea.:)
An important trivia about this song is that the new lead singer is J.D. Fortune. Yes, you guessed it right. He was the winner of the Rock star show. He has got a very enchanting, penetrating voice. How I wish we could get such winners on our Indian Idol shows (sigh!!)!!

And by the way, I thought I heard Saarangi here and there in this song. If you guys ever happen to listen to this song, lemme know if you heard it too! And if that is Saarangi, then I must say that it is a very good fusion experimentation that they have done.

Tishnagi

I think the lyrics of this song TISHNAGI by Shaan are very meaningful. I also liked the way Shaan has sung this.
Few lines from the song:

Naa koi kami hai
Naa hai kisise ranjish koi
Yu to har khushi hai
Phir bhi jaane kyun main khush nahi
Aye meri zindagi
Jane kiski talaash mein hain sabhi
Bas itanaa bataa kab bujhegi meri tishnagi

Which song am I hooked to now??:)

It is "Chand Sifarish" from Fanaa. I heard it first on my bro's comp. When I heard it, i thought that Rahman was the music director. But then I got to know that Jatin-Lait had composed music for this film. But I donno why I still get the Rahman feel in this song.:) This has been sung by Shaan and Kailash Kher and believe me, they have done a very good job (especially shaan- this is one of his best songs). I donno about the rest of the songs of Fanaa. Yep, I need to listen to them before buying the CD.:)

Classical music is spirituality for me. Every time I listen to classical music, I am amazed at its allaying power. No matter how much I am disturbed, when I sit and listen to classical music, I retrieve my peace of mind. Someone rightly said the other day that it is after all musical nirvana. So very true! I definitely feel very fortunate to have been introduced to this form of spirituality.

So here I sit sipping coffee, listening to the best of Bhimsen Joshi and feeling gratified for this life.:)

As I sit listening to this beautiful piece of music by Unnikrishnan, a feeling of exaltation envelops me. I feel as if I am sitting in an old temple in front of the statue of Lord Krishna. And I look at Krishna's idol with complete love and devotion. I sit there without any desire or wish. I am not begging Lord Krishna for anything or for anyone. I am not asking anything for myself. I am in total unison with the music being played and devotion for Krishna. I am at total peace.

Pop star

She definitely had a very unique voice. She created ripples in the music world when she sang her first Bollywood song in "Qurbani". Yes, I am speaking about Nazia Hassan. I have always been fascinated by her voice. Few years back when I heard that she passed away, I had felt bad. But then I did not give it much thought. Yesterday I was listening to sound tracks of "Star". The songs sung by her in that album caught my attention. So I googled on her to find more about this singer. Only then I realized that she was also very, very beautiful. And also that she was involved in social activities. At the age of 35, she fought a lost battle against cancer and surrendered finally. Her personal life was also in a very sorry state affair. So she left this world as a troubled soul.

Even though she went away at a very young age, she will be very much alive through her songs like "Aap Jaisa koi", "Boom boom", "Khushi" and so on. Her haunting voice will always be unmatched.

It's the time to disco

I have always been in love with the songs of "Disco Dancer". When this film was released, I remember that its music had become a rage everywhere. I think this album has the best compositions by Bappi Lahiri. He has actually brought out the eighties' disco feel in these songs very beautifully. Be it "Krishna", "Yaad aa raha hai", "Ae Oh Aa", or "Goron ki", I think all the songs are really entertaining. I also felt that mithun's performance in those songs added a lot of zing to these songs.:) They say that some things are everlasting and ageless. For me, the music of "disco dancer" is one such thing.:)

I donno if I mentioned this earlier; KK's "yaaron" is so mesmerising. The music is very simple with minimal usage of instruments. KK's soothing voice with lot of honesty and awesome and "so real" lyrics make this song a very memorable one. It is one song that I dedicate to all my pals.

It is post-lunch time and I am listening to hemant kumar's songs. There is something about his voice that captivates me. His songs are very simple. But when you try to sing them, you know that it is very tough to produce the same effect as he does. His lazy, soothing, moony voice is definitely peerless. I am in total love with his songs; to name a few- "Sunja Dil Ka Dastan", "Na Tum Humen Jaano", "Apni Dil Tho Awara".

A secret wish: I hope that his songs will never be remixed. I hope they will stay untouched.

I know that I have spoken about this song already in my first post.
But this song is such a big favourite of mine that I had to post
the lyrics in this post. But I still feel that the song title
could have been better than "Big Yellow Taxi".:)


They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot SPOT
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to seem 'em
Don't it always seem to go,
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Hey farmer, farmer
Put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But LEAVE me the birds and the bees
Please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

I said
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

I have heard "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica several times. And yes, it is one of my favourite songs. But then, there is something about this version of " Nothing Else Matters" by Chris Isaac and Metallica. I have been listening to it continuously for some days now and I am still not bored. And when I try to switch to some other song, I feel that it is not upto the mark and so I switch back to this version of "Nothing Else Matters" again.:-)))