Music is therapeutic. It’s been an integral part of growing up, so much so that humming a tune continuously throughout the day is considered normal. At home the focus has always been on Marathi music based on classical Hindustani.
Now what I listen to largely depends on how I'm feeling at that point of time. At home it could be songs from Hindi movies on full volume, Qawwali, classics by Beegees, Abba, or Eagles, or even Kailash Kher numbers, and almost always, Hotel California. At the workplace when I'm trying to get something done, it usually is instrumental music, and I've begun to observe the pace of work is much faster when I'm listening to something- really helps me focus. Of the many artists I admire, if I have to hand-pick five, in no particular order, they’d be: Rahul Deshpande, Shankar Mahadevan, Shounak Abhisheki, Kailash Kher, and Bryan Adams.
Rahul Deshpande for his prolific ability to modulate his voice, Shankar Mahadevan for his sheer versatility, Abhisheki for lending soul to my all-time favourite natya-geet ‘Abhir Gulal’, Kailash Kher for the different quality of his voice, and Bryan Adams, well, who doesn't fly into cloud number nine when they remember the summer of ‘69? I have attended live programmes by Deshpande and Abhisheki. Both of them apart from being geniuses in their field, are also simple, humble, down-to-earth human beings. There’s absolutely no air of being celebrities, and are ever-smiling when they meet people post concert.
I end this post with three video links to YouTube. Do have a look.
Dil Ki Tapish, by Rahul Deshpande (picturised on Sachin Pilgaonkar), from the movie version of the outstanding Marathi play, Katyar Kaljat Ghusli.
Tejonidhi Lohagol, by Shankar Mahadevan, again from the same movie. The song was originally composed by Pt. Vasantrao Deshpande.
Abhir Gulal, rendered by Shounak Abhisheki (this one's a bit long), originally composed by his father, Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki. (This video seems to be a clipping from the Nakshatrache Dene program, and piracy is a sin)
Read also: Maestro Mahadevan ~ Katyar Kaljat Ghusli
thank you so much for reminding me of Hotel California :) listening to it now.
ReplyDeleteMy all-time Fav!
DeleteGreat choices.
ReplyDeleteThanks Indrani!
DeleteI really loved Katyar !Esp man mandira and the tarana at the end...hv written a post on this in marathi...
ReplyDeleteNice write up !!
Thank you Maya! Every song- both new compositions as well as the newer renditions of the older ones- are wonderful.
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