romanticist's blog

Her Majestic Voice
For
as long as I can remember I have been hearing her voice. It was always there with
me subconsciously. On the radio at home in the 1970s—the ubiquitous Vividh Bharti—every
other song announced was sung by her. Pathos-filled ballads, playful songs,
semi-classical songs, love songs—she sang them all with equal flair.
That
voice was a part of [...]

In an earlier post on the golden era of Hindi film music, I talked about Desert Island Discs. Just that reference as revived a long-time fascination with that programme and its concept. It’s a game that has an eternal—and international—appeal. The BBC Radio programme Desert Island Discs was created in 1942 by Roy Plomley, the [...]

The Magical Years: 1960-1975
I have always been fond of old Hindi film music but it’s always had to play second fiddle to my love for classical western music. I worship Mozart and Beethoven and that’s the music I have listened to most for the last, well, 25 years of my life. However, 2008 brought about [...]

These are some of the greatest melodies ever composed. My fascination with them continues to grow as time goes by. They fascinate me. Haunt me. Make me experience ecstasy and agony, both at once. They are cathartic and sensual. Intriguing and eloquent. Genuine lovers of classical music would perhaps call them lightweight but that doesn’t [...]