[arr] Re: A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman - India West
it is not important to always have qawwali type number or a typical
sufi type number to consider it a sufi song. The central concept in
Sufism is love. If you read the lyrics carefully, youll see many
references to love and religion. especially islam. Sufis believe that
God desires to recognize beauty. That can also be seen in the
lyrics.I would consider to be the more sufi type of song because of
its reference to god and beauty.
THE LOVE AND RELIGION PART:
-Jinke Sar Ho Ishq Ki ChaaonThe words ishq and jannat are used as
Paanv Ke Neeche Jannat Hogi a cause and effect.
-Taabeez Banaa Ke Pahnoo Use Aayat Ki Tarah Mil Jaaye Kahin
Sufis wear tabeezes. and an aayat is a sentence from the Quran
-Mera Nagma Wahi Mera Kalma Wahi
Kalma= Special prayer. reference to religion once again.
One of the Sufi practices is DHIKR, this means to remember God that
is commanded in the Quran, which may include recitation, singing,
instrumental music, dance, costumes, incense, meditation, ecstasy,
and trance.
BEAUTY PART:
-Woh Yaar Hai Jo Khusbhu Ki Tarah The beauty in the friend and
Jiski Zubaan Urdu Ki Tarah comparing it to beautiful things
A type of worship so to say.
well i hope this helped you out into understanding why this is a sufi
number. AS FOR WHAT SONG THIS WAS INSPIRED FROM
go to this link, on the far top right there is a list of artists,
click abida parveen, it appears that she has an album by the name of
BABA BULLEH SHAH, maybe thats the one. i cant recognize exactly which
one it may be inspired from but i think its JO RANG RANGAYA because
it says somesthing about yaar and rang, which are similar in chaiyya
chaiyya, but i dunno.
http://pakistanimusic.com/
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "ashwin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> hi,
> mayb the lyrics r based on that song, 'coz chaiyya chaiyaa is a
> peppy no, i don't see the tune being sufi.
>
> ash
> --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Gomtesh Upadhye"
> wrote:
> >
> > Hey Guys
> >
> > "Chhaiyya Chhaiyya" ("That was
> > based on a Sufi song from Bulleh Shah, sung originally by Abida
> Parvin").
> >
> > What the hell is he talking about!!??
> >
> > Gomzy
> >
> > On 2/24/06, Arijit Debnath wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi all,
> > >
> > > Excellent to raed the article. Just went through ARR's thought
> about his
> > > destination and only one thing came to my mindwhy should we
> worry about
> > > other MDs to overtake ARR's music etc etcmany MDs/composers
> will
> > > come---compose music--create historymay be better
> composition than
> > > ARR---but no one can be a greater phylosopher or a good
human
> being than
> > > ARRthat's why we all be feeling proud to be his fan.
> > >
> > > Arijit
> > >
> > >
> > > On 24/02/06, Karthik S <6times9@> wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?
> subaction=showfull&id=1140722059&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7
> > > >
> > > > A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman
> > > >
> > > > By LISA TSERING
> > > > India-West Staff Reporter
> > > >
> > > > PALO ALTO, Calif. - The superstar was down-to-earth, with an
> easy
> > > > laugh, self-deprecating air, and an ingratiating willingness
to
> speak
> > > > from the heart. A.R. Rahman traced his career from pre-Roja to
> > > > post-Rang De Basanti in an intimate, satisfying onstage chat
at
> > > > Stanford University's Dinkelspiel Auditorium Feb. 14 during
the
> > > > school's Pan-Asian Music Festival.
> > > >
> > > > Visiting ethnomusicology professor Natalie Sarrazin prefaced
the
> > > > conversation by tracing the history of what film music was
like
> before
> > > > a 25-year-old Rahman burst on the scene in 1991 with Roja.
> > > >
> > > > Sarrazin offered a fascinating look at the history of Hindi
> film music
> > > > with its penchant for absorbing international influences and
its
> > > > unwritten rules. Each example was illuminated with a charming
> snippet
> > > > of video, from films such as Shree 420, Sholay and Dilwale
> Dulhaniya
> > > > Le Jayenge.
> > > >
> > > > "There are certain 'codes' - iconic sound images - that recur
in
> > > > Indian film music," she said. "The timbre of the Indian
female
> voice
> > > > is quite prominent, you hear large orchestras and soaring
> violins, and
> > > > a wall of sound ... rising violins are a code for a love
song."
> > > >
> > > > Rahman turned it all upside down, she explained.
> > > >
> > > > "The first thing he did was to take the orchestral
introduction
> and
> > > > completely get rid of it." Cueing a scene from the Tamil film
> > > > Gentleman (Rahman's Tamil compositions were not overlooked
> during the
> > > > evening), she demonstrated how Rahman brought in one
instrument
> at a
> > > > time, creating musical tension. To cheers and shouts from the
> > > > audience, Sarrazin moved on to musical scenes from Rahman's
> scores
> > > > that have become ico
Re: [arr] Re: A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman - India West
Read the Gulzar's article which gopal has posted yesterday...hope that'll clear it out for u...Gomtesh Upadhye <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:Hello Jawd Thanks for the info.I would want to know how much of the tune is same and can anyone please upload that song?Thanks .Cheers Gomzy " The search is more important than the destination " - a r rahman - Brings words and photos together (easily) with PhotoMail - it's free and works with Yahoo! Mail. Explore, Experience, Enjoy A.R.Rahman - The Man, The Music, The Magic. Only at arrahmanfans.com - The definitive A.R.Rahman e-community. Homepage: http://www.arrahmanfans.com Admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] BGM fest and Potters contest From arsaregama Log on to http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/arsaregama SPONSORED LINKS Music artists New music artists Country music artists Christian music artists New country music artists Unsigned music artist YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS Visit your group "arrahmanfans" on the web. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
Re: [arr] Re: A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman - India West
Hello Jawd
Thanks for the info.I would want to know how much of the tune is same and can anyone please upload that song?Thanks .Cheers
Gomzy
On 2/24/06, ashwin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
hi,mayb the lyrics r based on that song, 'coz chaiyya chaiyaa is apeppy no, i don't see the tune being sufi.
ash--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Gomtesh Upadhye"<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:>> Hey Guys>> "Chhaiyya Chhaiyya" ("That was
> based on a Sufi song from Bulleh Shah, sung originally by AbidaParvin").>> What the hell is he talking about!!??>> Gomzy>> On 2/24/06, Arijit Debnath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >> > Hi all,> >> > Excellent to raed the article. Just went through ARR's thoughtabout his> > destination and only one thing came to my mindwhy should weworry about
> > other MDs to overtake ARR's music etc etcmany MDs/composerswill> > come---compose music--create historymay be bettercomposition than> > ARR---but no one can be a greater phylosopher or a good human
being than> > ARRthat's why we all be feeling proud to be his fan.> >> > Arijit> >> >> > On 24/02/06, Karthik S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:> >
> > >> > > http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?subaction=showfull&id=1140722059&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7> > >> > > A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer
A.R. Rahman> > >> > > By LISA TSERING> > > India-West Staff Reporter> > >> > > PALO ALTO, Calif. - The superstar was down-to-earth, with aneasy> > > laugh, self-deprecating air, and an ingratiating willingness to
speak> > > from the heart. A.R. Rahman traced his career from pre-Roja to> > > post-Rang De Basanti in an intimate, satisfying onstage chat at> > > Stanford University's Dinkelspiel Auditorium Feb. 14 during the
> > > school's Pan-Asian Music Festival.> > >> > > Visiting ethnomusicology professor Natalie Sarrazin prefaced the> > > conversation by tracing the history of what film music was like
before> > > a 25-year-old Rahman burst on the scene in 1991 with Roja.> > >> > > Sarrazin offered a fascinating look at the history of Hindifilm music> > > with its penchant for absorbing international influences and its
> > > unwritten rules. Each example was illuminated with a charmingsnippet> > > of video, from films such as Shree 420, Sholay and DilwaleDulhaniya> > > Le Jayenge.> > >
> > > "There are certain 'codes' - iconic sound images - that recur in> > > Indian film music," she said. "The timbre of the Indian femalevoice> > > is quite prominent, you hear large orchestras and soaring
violins, and> > > a wall of sound ... rising violins are a code for a love song."> > >> > > Rahman turned it all upside down, she explained.> > >> > > "The first thing he did was to take the orchestral introduction
and> > > completely get rid of it." Cueing a scene from the Tamil film> > > Gentleman (Rahman's Tamil compositions were not overlookedduring the> > > evening), she demonstrated how Rahman brought in one instrument
at a> > > time, creating musical tension. To cheers and shouts from the> > > audience, Sarrazin moved on to musical scenes from Rahman'sscores> > > that have become icons themselves: Mani Ratnam's Roja (the witty
> > > "Rukmani Rukmani"), Bombay ("Tu Hi Re"), the Hindi version ofYuva and> > > Dil Se ("Chhaiyya Chhaiyya"); Tehzeeb and Saathiya.> > >> > > "He often puts two incongruous styles together that somehow
seem to> > > work," Sarrazin observed, with a clip from Lagaan'sEnglish/Hindi song> > > "O Re Chori" and Sushmita Sen's jittery "Shakalaka Baby"(Nayak),> > > which was one of his hit songs reworked to great effect
in "Bombay> > > Dreams."> > >> > > As much as his fans and fellow artists love his music, Rahman is> > > notorious for taking his time on each project. "I have a nice
> > > relationship with all directors, but I drive the producerscrazy," he> > > joked. "Mani [Ratnam] tells me the story that he told me forRoja, 'I> > > need five songs, and I need them yesterday.' I was gone for
three> > > months."> > >> > > Working with lyricists, too, has its quirks. "Sometimes Gulzar-sahib> > > or Javed-sahib will give me just a title. Other times, they
want the> > > tune first, then they'll give the lyrics."> > >> > > One of the reasons Roja was such a departure from the style ofmusic> > > at the time was the way it was recorded, explained Rahman. "At
the> > > time, there were these huge recording halls, with 50 violins,"he> > > said. "But I was doing commercials in my own studio. When Maniwanted> > > me to do the music, I said, 'Let's do it at my place.'
> > >> > > "I called my musician friends to come for the session, but atthe last> > > minute they all ditched me! I think they had all been offeredmore> > > money somewhere that day," he said, laughing along with the
audience.> > >> > > "But my mother said, 'God will provide.' I ended up recording[the> > > instrumental version of ]'Choti Si Asha' by myself, on akeyboard and> > > sequencer. I thought I'd need to bring in 50 violins, but Ma
[arr] Re: A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman - India West
hi,
mayb the lyrics r based on that song, 'coz chaiyya chaiyaa is a
peppy no, i don't see the tune being sufi.
ash
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Gomtesh Upadhye"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Hey Guys
>
> "Chhaiyya Chhaiyya" ("That was
> based on a Sufi song from Bulleh Shah, sung originally by Abida
Parvin").
>
> What the hell is he talking about!!??
>
> Gomzy
>
> On 2/24/06, Arijit Debnath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Excellent to raed the article. Just went through ARR's thought
about his
> > destination and only one thing came to my mindwhy should we
worry about
> > other MDs to overtake ARR's music etc etcmany MDs/composers
will
> > come---compose music--create historymay be better
composition than
> > ARR---but no one can be a greater phylosopher or a good human
being than
> > ARRthat's why we all be feeling proud to be his fan.
> >
> > Arijit
> >
> >
> > On 24/02/06, Karthik S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?
subaction=showfull&id=1140722059&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7
> > >
> > > A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman
> > >
> > > By LISA TSERING
> > > India-West Staff Reporter
> > >
> > > PALO ALTO, Calif. - The superstar was down-to-earth, with an
easy
> > > laugh, self-deprecating air, and an ingratiating willingness to
speak
> > > from the heart. A.R. Rahman traced his career from pre-Roja to
> > > post-Rang De Basanti in an intimate, satisfying onstage chat at
> > > Stanford University's Dinkelspiel Auditorium Feb. 14 during the
> > > school's Pan-Asian Music Festival.
> > >
> > > Visiting ethnomusicology professor Natalie Sarrazin prefaced the
> > > conversation by tracing the history of what film music was like
before
> > > a 25-year-old Rahman burst on the scene in 1991 with Roja.
> > >
> > > Sarrazin offered a fascinating look at the history of Hindi
film music
> > > with its penchant for absorbing international influences and its
> > > unwritten rules. Each example was illuminated with a charming
snippet
> > > of video, from films such as Shree 420, Sholay and Dilwale
Dulhaniya
> > > Le Jayenge.
> > >
> > > "There are certain 'codes' - iconic sound images - that recur in
> > > Indian film music," she said. "The timbre of the Indian female
voice
> > > is quite prominent, you hear large orchestras and soaring
violins, and
> > > a wall of sound ... rising violins are a code for a love song."
> > >
> > > Rahman turned it all upside down, she explained.
> > >
> > > "The first thing he did was to take the orchestral introduction
and
> > > completely get rid of it." Cueing a scene from the Tamil film
> > > Gentleman (Rahman's Tamil compositions were not overlooked
during the
> > > evening), she demonstrated how Rahman brought in one instrument
at a
> > > time, creating musical tension. To cheers and shouts from the
> > > audience, Sarrazin moved on to musical scenes from Rahman's
scores
> > > that have become icons themselves: Mani Ratnam's Roja (the witty
> > > "Rukmani Rukmani"), Bombay ("Tu Hi Re"), the Hindi version of
Yuva and
> > > Dil Se ("Chhaiyya Chhaiyya"); Tehzeeb and Saathiya.
> > >
> > > "He often puts two incongruous styles together that somehow
seem to
> > > work," Sarrazin observed, with a clip from Lagaan's
English/Hindi song
> > > "O Re Chori" and Sushmita Sen's jittery "Shakalaka Baby"
(Nayak),
> > > which was one of his hit songs reworked to great effect
in "Bombay
> > > Dreams."
> > >
> > > As much as his fans and fellow artists love his music, Rahman is
> > > notorious for taking his time on each project. "I have a nice
> > > relationship with all directors, but I drive the producers
crazy," he
> > > joked. "Mani [Ratnam] tells me the story that he told me for
Roja, 'I
> > > need five songs, and I need them yesterday.' I was gone for
three
> > > months."
> > >
> > > Working with lyricists, too, has its quirks. "Sometimes Gulzar-
sahib
> > > or Javed-sahib will give me just a title. Other times, they
want the
> > > tune first, then they'll give the lyrics."
> > >
> > > One of the reasons Roja was such a departure from the style of
music
> > > at the time was the way it was recorded, explained Rahman. "At
the
> > > time, there were these huge recording halls, with 50 violins,"
he
> > > said. "But I was doing commercials in my own studio. When Mani
wanted
> > > me to do the music, I said, 'Let's do it at my place.'
> > >
> > > "I called my musician friends to come for the session, but at
the last
> > > minute they all ditched me! I think they had all been offered
more
> > > money somewhere that day," he said, laughing along with the
audience.
> > >
> > > "But my mother said, 'God will provide.' I ended up recording
[the
> > > instrumental version of ]'Choti Si Asha' by myself, on a
keyboard and
> > > sequencer. I thought I'd need to bring in 50 violins, but Mani
said
> > > 'No, just be yoursel
[arr] Re: A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman - India West
Hello Gomzy,
Yes its true. The song Chayya Chayya is inspiration from Bulleh
Shah's Thayya Thayya (sung by sufi singer Abdia Parvin from
Pakistan), and Gulzar Sahib based his lyrics on sufi poetry from
Bulleh Shah, but since the influence is very obvious, both Gulzar
Sahib and ARRahman never felt shy in saying it was based on Bulleh
Shah's work.
Now if you are still having any doubts, the song THAYYA THAYYA (and
not Chayya Chayya) on Dil Se album, again sung by Sukvindar Singh is
Bulleh Shah's kalam (or peotry). These are the original lyrics which
were previously sung by Abida Parvin. These ones are not by GUlzar
Sahib, but although ARRahman changed the music a bit, the basic
meldoy remains the same.
Just like ghazals, the sufi peotry is also something which is ,and
can be, sung by many people, coz its to do with arts and culture,
unlike film songs, which are written for a particular film. If you
remeber, BULLEYA KI JANA MAIN KON, a chart buster from Pakistani Rong
band Junoon, was re-done by a SIKH singer and apparently he was
topping charts with it as well.
So nothing really to worry about, but the news however, is true.
Take care.
Jawad.
In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Gomtesh Upadhye"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Hey Guys
>
> "Chhaiyya Chhaiyya" ("That was
> based on a Sufi song from Bulleh Shah, sung originally by Abida
Parvin").
>
> What the hell is he talking about!!??
>
> Gomzy
>
> On 2/24/06, Arijit Debnath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Excellent to raed the article. Just went through ARR's thought
about his
> > destination and only one thing came to my mindwhy should we
worry about
> > other MDs to overtake ARR's music etc etcmany MDs/composers
will
> > come---compose music--create historymay be better
composition than
> > ARR---but no one can be a greater phylosopher or a good human
being than
> > ARRthat's why we all be feeling proud to be his fan.
> >
> > Arijit
> >
> >
> > On 24/02/06, Karthik S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?
subaction=showfull&id=1140722059&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7
> > >
> > > A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman
> > >
> > > By LISA TSERING
> > > India-West Staff Reporter
> > >
> > > PALO ALTO, Calif. - The superstar was down-to-earth, with an
easy
> > > laugh, self-deprecating air, and an ingratiating willingness to
speak
> > > from the heart. A.R. Rahman traced his career from pre-Roja to
> > > post-Rang De Basanti in an intimate, satisfying onstage chat at
> > > Stanford University's Dinkelspiel Auditorium Feb. 14 during the
> > > school's Pan-Asian Music Festival.
> > >
> > > Visiting ethnomusicology professor Natalie Sarrazin prefaced the
> > > conversation by tracing the history of what film music was like
before
> > > a 25-year-old Rahman burst on the scene in 1991 with Roja.
> > >
> > > Sarrazin offered a fascinating look at the history of Hindi
film music
> > > with its penchant for absorbing international influences and its
> > > unwritten rules. Each example was illuminated with a charming
snippet
> > > of video, from films such as Shree 420, Sholay and Dilwale
Dulhaniya
> > > Le Jayenge.
> > >
> > > "There are certain 'codes' - iconic sound images - that recur in
> > > Indian film music," she said. "The timbre of the Indian female
voice
> > > is quite prominent, you hear large orchestras and soaring
violins, and
> > > a wall of sound ... rising violins are a code for a love song."
> > >
> > > Rahman turned it all upside down, she explained.
> > >
> > > "The first thing he did was to take the orchestral introduction
and
> > > completely get rid of it." Cueing a scene from the Tamil film
> > > Gentleman (Rahman's Tamil compositions were not overlooked
during the
> > > evening), she demonstrated how Rahman brought in one instrument
at a
> > > time, creating musical tension. To cheers and shouts from the
> > > audience, Sarrazin moved on to musical scenes from Rahman's
scores
> > > that have become icons themselves: Mani Ratnam's Roja (the witty
> > > "Rukmani Rukmani"), Bombay ("Tu Hi Re"), the Hindi version of
Yuva and
> > > Dil Se ("Chhaiyya Chhaiyya"); Tehzeeb and Saathiya.
> > >
> > > "He often puts two incongruous styles together that somehow
seem to
> > > work," Sarrazin observed, with a clip from Lagaan's
English/Hindi song
> > > "O Re Chori" and Sushmita Sen's jittery "Shakalaka Baby"
(Nayak),
> > > which was one of his hit songs reworked to great effect
in "Bombay
> > > Dreams."
> > >
> > > As much as his fans and fellow artists love his music, Rahman is
> > > notorious for taking his time on each project. "I have a nice
> > > relationship with all directors, but I drive the producers
crazy," he
> > > joked. "Mani [Ratnam] tells me the story that he told me for
Roja, 'I
> > > need five songs, and I need them yesterday.' I was gone for
three
> > > months."
> > >
> >
[arr] Re: A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman - India West
Actually, I can tell you a little bit more about the name..
Apparently it was K. Balachander I think (who was a producer for
Roja?) who recommended A R R use his Muslim name (A R R was fine
with using Dileep Kumar). To keep it cool, A R R decided to use
only "A R" since his name is Allahrakka (ONE WORD) Rahman. However
KB liked the ring of "A R RAHMAN" and that name has stuck although A
R are his complete initials already :) I hope also that he clarified
that he did Trinity level 7 IN CHENNAI and not in the UK. His nephew
G V Prakash has done level 10 and is now programming for him..
ciao!
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Karthik S" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?
subaction=showfull&id=1140722059&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7
>
> A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman
>
> By LISA TSERING
> India-West Staff Reporter
>
> PALO ALTO, Calif. - The superstar was down-to-earth, with an easy
> laugh, self-deprecating air, and an ingratiating willingness to
speak
> from the heart. A.R. Rahman traced his career from pre-Roja to
> post-Rang De Basanti in an intimate, satisfying onstage chat at
> Stanford University's Dinkelspiel Auditorium Feb. 14 during the
> school's Pan-Asian Music Festival.
>
> Visiting ethnomusicology professor Natalie Sarrazin prefaced the
> conversation by tracing the history of what film music was like
before
> a 25-year-old Rahman burst on the scene in 1991 with Roja.
>
> Sarrazin offered a fascinating look at the history of Hindi film
music
> with its penchant for absorbing international influences and its
> unwritten rules. Each example was illuminated with a charming
snippet
> of video, from films such as Shree 420, Sholay and Dilwale
Dulhaniya
> Le Jayenge.
>
> "There are certain 'codes' - iconic sound images - that recur in
> Indian film music," she said. "The timbre of the Indian female
voice
> is quite prominent, you hear large orchestras and soaring violins,
and
> a wall of sound ... rising violins are a code for a love song."
>
> Rahman turned it all upside down, she explained.
>
> "The first thing he did was to take the orchestral introduction and
> completely get rid of it." Cueing a scene from the Tamil film
> Gentleman (Rahman's Tamil compositions were not overlooked during
the
> evening), she demonstrated how Rahman brought in one instrument at
a
> time, creating musical tension. To cheers and shouts from the
> audience, Sarrazin moved on to musical scenes from Rahman's scores
> that have become icons themselves: Mani Ratnam's Roja (the witty
> "Rukmani Rukmani"), Bombay ("Tu Hi Re"), the Hindi version of Yuva
and
> Dil Se ("Chhaiyya Chhaiyya"); Tehzeeb and Saathiya.
>
> "He often puts two incongruous styles together that somehow seem to
> work," Sarrazin observed, with a clip from Lagaan's English/Hindi
song
> "O Re Chori" and Sushmita Sen's jittery "Shakalaka Baby" (Nayak),
> which was one of his hit songs reworked to great effect in "Bombay
> Dreams."
>
> As much as his fans and fellow artists love his music, Rahman is
> notorious for taking his time on each project. "I have a nice
> relationship with all directors, but I drive the producers crazy,"
he
> joked. "Mani [Ratnam] tells me the story that he told me for
Roja, 'I
> need five songs, and I need them yesterday.' I was gone for three
months."
>
> Working with lyricists, too, has its quirks. "Sometimes Gulzar-
sahib
> or Javed-sahib will give me just a title. Other times, they want
the
> tune first, then they'll give the lyrics."
>
> One of the reasons Roja was such a departure from the style of
music
> at the time was the way it was recorded, explained Rahman. "At the
> time, there were these huge recording halls, with 50 violins," he
> said. "But I was doing commercials in my own studio. When Mani
wanted
> me to do the music, I said, 'Let's do it at my place.'
>
> "I called my musician friends to come for the session, but at the
last
> minute they all ditched me! I think they had all been offered more
> money somewhere that day," he said, laughing along with the
audience.
>
> "But my mother said, 'God will provide.' I ended up recording [the
> instrumental version of ]'Choti Si Asha' by myself, on a keyboard
and
> sequencer. I thought I'd need to bring in 50 violins, but Mani said
> 'No, just be yourself. Follow your instincts.'"
>
> Since he got his start writing ad jingles, wasn't it intimidating
to
> take on the soundtrack to an entire three-hour film, asked
Sarrazin.
> "I was terrified in the beginning," replied Rahman. "But then I
> learned that if I could write a piece of music that was 30 seconds
> long, then all I'd have to do is repeat it!"
>
> He's not afraid to repeat what works. Rahman's haunting, cello-
heavy
> Bombay theme, used to poignant effect in that film and in Deepa
> Mehta's Fire, also cropped up in the Nicolas Cage vehicle Lord of
War.
> And when he was first approached for "Bombay Dreams" by im
[arr] Re: A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman - India West
A great read!!
Thanks Karthik.
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Karthik S" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>
http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?subaction=showfull&id=1140722059&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7
>
> A Look Inside the Mind and Soul of Composer A.R. Rahman
>
> By LISA TSERING
> India-West Staff Reporter
>
> PALO ALTO, Calif. - The superstar was down-to-earth, with an easy
> laugh, self-deprecating air, and an ingratiating willingness to speak
> from the heart. A.R. Rahman traced his career from pre-Roja to
> post-Rang De Basanti in an intimate, satisfying onstage chat at
> Stanford University's Dinkelspiel Auditorium Feb. 14 during the
> school's Pan-Asian Music Festival.
>
> Visiting ethnomusicology professor Natalie Sarrazin prefaced the
> conversation by tracing the history of what film music was like before
> a 25-year-old Rahman burst on the scene in 1991 with Roja.
>
> Sarrazin offered a fascinating look at the history of Hindi film music
> with its penchant for absorbing international influences and its
> unwritten rules. Each example was illuminated with a charming snippet
> of video, from films such as Shree 420, Sholay and Dilwale Dulhaniya
> Le Jayenge.
>
> "There are certain 'codes' - iconic sound images - that recur in
> Indian film music," she said. "The timbre of the Indian female voice
> is quite prominent, you hear large orchestras and soaring violins, and
> a wall of sound ... rising violins are a code for a love song."
>
> Rahman turned it all upside down, she explained.
>
> "The first thing he did was to take the orchestral introduction and
> completely get rid of it." Cueing a scene from the Tamil film
> Gentleman (Rahman's Tamil compositions were not overlooked during the
> evening), she demonstrated how Rahman brought in one instrument at a
> time, creating musical tension. To cheers and shouts from the
> audience, Sarrazin moved on to musical scenes from Rahman's scores
> that have become icons themselves: Mani Ratnam's Roja (the witty
> "Rukmani Rukmani"), Bombay ("Tu Hi Re"), the Hindi version of Yuva and
> Dil Se ("Chhaiyya Chhaiyya"); Tehzeeb and Saathiya.
>
> "He often puts two incongruous styles together that somehow seem to
> work," Sarrazin observed, with a clip from Lagaan's English/Hindi song
> "O Re Chori" and Sushmita Sen's jittery "Shakalaka Baby" (Nayak),
> which was one of his hit songs reworked to great effect in "Bombay
> Dreams."
>
> As much as his fans and fellow artists love his music, Rahman is
> notorious for taking his time on each project. "I have a nice
> relationship with all directors, but I drive the producers crazy," he
> joked. "Mani [Ratnam] tells me the story that he told me for Roja, 'I
> need five songs, and I need them yesterday.' I was gone for three
months."
>
> Working with lyricists, too, has its quirks. "Sometimes Gulzar-sahib
> or Javed-sahib will give me just a title. Other times, they want the
> tune first, then they'll give the lyrics."
>
> One of the reasons Roja was such a departure from the style of music
> at the time was the way it was recorded, explained Rahman. "At the
> time, there were these huge recording halls, with 50 violins," he
> said. "But I was doing commercials in my own studio. When Mani wanted
> me to do the music, I said, 'Let's do it at my place.'
>
> "I called my musician friends to come for the session, but at the last
> minute they all ditched me! I think they had all been offered more
> money somewhere that day," he said, laughing along with the audience.
>
> "But my mother said, 'God will provide.' I ended up recording [the
> instrumental version of ]'Choti Si Asha' by myself, on a keyboard and
> sequencer. I thought I'd need to bring in 50 violins, but Mani said
> 'No, just be yourself. Follow your instincts.'"
>
> Since he got his start writing ad jingles, wasn't it intimidating to
> take on the soundtrack to an entire three-hour film, asked Sarrazin.
> "I was terrified in the beginning," replied Rahman. "But then I
> learned that if I could write a piece of music that was 30 seconds
> long, then all I'd have to do is repeat it!"
>
> He's not afraid to repeat what works. Rahman's haunting, cello-heavy
> Bombay theme, used to poignant effect in that film and in Deepa
> Mehta's Fire, also cropped up in the Nicolas Cage vehicle Lord of War.
> And when he was first approached for "Bombay Dreams" by impresario
> Andrew Lloyd Webber, he said, "I decided, I won't tell them I'll use
> my old film songs!" ("Ishq Bina" and other hits were reworked in
> English for the play.)
>
> Rahman traced the history of some of his best-loved pieces, such as
> the ambitious Vande Mataram project and "Chhaiyya Chhaiyya" ("That was
> based on a Sufi song from Bulleh Shah, sung originally by Abida
Parvin").
>
> Superlatives follow Rahman around like a spotlight: one of India's
> most prolific and top-selling composers; reportedly the world's
> top-selling artist, with many millions of records sold, he is no
