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Ingredients for a film music text book

Topic started by krishnan (@ uswgne11.uswest.com) on Thu Jul 2 13:21:16 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I am amazed every time I visit the public libraries in US, the vast number of books on music( which includes research works & biographies).This has laid a good foundation & a starting point for anyone who wants to do some serious stuff.In carnatic music I am not able to think of a good work other than P.Sambamoorthy.The others have been a rehash of his original research.What about film music ( or one could say fusion music)?.Not a single book to my knowledge.
Even the biographies are mere personal stuff & not on the subject.Let us discuss what should be out in black & white ( atleast we don't keep reinventing the wheel!!!).

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Responses:

• From: Bharat (@ isdbsd1-inet.ci.mil.wi.us) on: Thu Jul 2 14:57:31 EDT 1998
  
  Very interesting topic. AFAIK, there is a definite lack of enthusiasm for non-fiction in India, at least in terms of saleability. I remember going to bookstores trying to pick up "Thuppariyum Saambhu" novels for my dad, and all I would find was tons of fiction. I am not implying that no one reads non-fiction, just that there probably isn't enough of a market as in the US.
  
  In addition, you have here several writers who research deep into the past to produce their non-fiction, funded by publishing houses. This concept does not exist in India. Plus, I don't know how many people view film music as something to read about.
  
  I would like to see an anthology of Tamil film music, an evolution of composing and singing styles through the ages, from Kalidas (isn't that the first Tamil talkie?). The evolution from actor/singers to singers for actors... Evolution of use of different types of instruments... Evolution of incorporating different types of technologies... I would also be interested in learning about how music styles came to evolve, how composers stood tall and when they had to bow down to the next generation.
  
  Of course, needless to say, I do not want an IR-ARR comparison, having seen so much here in the recent past :--).
  
  
• From: Kanchana (@ spider-tj042.proxy.aol.com) on: Thu Jul 2 16:10:50 EDT 1998
  
  Just an FYI...
  Theodore S. Baskaran has written a bunch of articles as well as books on the history of TF, which could be one of the references. His most recent book "Eye of the Serpent: A History of Thamizh Movies" traces the evolution of thamizh movies starting from the silent movie era to more recent years. It contains synoptic accounts of 30-40 movies to exemplify each year (roughly); assume it touches on music briefly too.
  
  This will be such an interesting project to work on!
  
  
• From: Bharat (@ isdbsd1-inet.ci.mil.wi.us) on: Thu Jul 2 16:36:58 EDT 1998
  
  Has Randor Guy written anything about this subject? I know there's an article about MSV-TKR by him on the TFM pages. He's a good historian, who even transcribed the MKTB case in later days. Are old newspapers available in Chennai libraries? As Kanchana says, this will be an extremely interesting project to work on!
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 205.218.142.217) on: Thu Jul 2 18:57:55 EDT 1998
  
  Great topic, Krishna. Bharat, I have felt the way you do about non-fiction in India. I'm glad you mentioned Randaar Kai, didn't he have a weekly serial in either Hindu or Indian Express circa 1990? I believe, he focused on a trend setting movie every week and explored it in thorough detail on all its consequences. Can someone expand on what I'm talking about?
  
  
• From: rjay (@ 204.220.169.94) on: Fri Jul 3 04:57:30 EDT 1998
  
  If someone wants to research, Newspapers and magazines of last 100 years
  (I am not kidding!) ARE available in libraries-
  the best being Roja Muthiah's book collection at Chennai which has been bought and maintained by University of Chicago. It also has a
  webpage where you can browse titles in a
  database.
  
  I am not sure if we would get anything more than anecdotes and histories and more of X vs Y
  debates from these. One sure can build sociological, historical aspects of film music development.
  
  But what we want are not stories about people alone but ideas and principles and trends.
  We want the physics, cognitive psychology of
  film music.
  
  To my mind, the best resource in Film Music styles, evolution, similarities and differences would be the knowledge base of great brains like Illayaraja, MSV Rahman. They have deeply
  analysed many such ideas and have successfully put them use.
  
  Unfortunately, in India,
  such guys don't write anything like a study or a
  popular man's introduction.
  
  I am sure they think in analytical terms - I was once surprised to hear Illayaraja use the term saying -"Naan music
  kaetpadhe vera vidhamaga irukkum - analytical
  listening. Udharanamaga, paattoda tune-aik kaetkaamal endha instruments upayogappaduththi irukkiraargal enpadhai gavaniththu kondiruppen.."
  
  But beyond a point they dont say the real thing.
  They paint blurring strokes like 'god's gift' 'music is cheat' etc. At times they reveal their specific techniques on how they arrived at a tune!
  
  Or is it that they do not have enough of an academic background to see the importance of such a task or being capable of such unbiased objective presentation.
  
  If somebody can select a set of living MDs and make a list of interview questions and chat with them, a great amount of useful info may come.
  From the practitioner's mouths.
  
  We might have to wait for a publisher to see the
  potential and sponsor such a research or we can pool together funds to sponsor a film-music-fanatic-who-is-also-knowledgable to
  do such a thing.
  
  Actually speaking a more practical resource is this forum. We have got quite a wealth here.
  Does someone want to take a Sabbatical to
  do a consolidation and come up with a
  gem?
  
  Hope I am still on the topic!!
  
  
• From: rjay (@ 204.220.169.94) on: Fri Jul 3 05:04:08 EDT 1998
  
  Allow me to digress a little bit.
  
  On the topic of nonfiction in India - the only type of nonfiction that sells the maximum is
  astrology/religion (I hear someone saying -
  who said that is nonfiction!)
  
  In general the curiosity of a Tamizhan is more comfortable with people and stories rather than ideas.
  
  There has been an improvement in the last
  few years - self help books sell like hot cakes.
  
  
  
• From: krishnan (@ uswgne11.uswest.com) on: Mon Jul 6 14:13:19 EDT 1998
  
  I once heard raja saying 'Just by learning counter & harmony one cannot compose'.I would agree & disagree with him.Music in my opinion has both the elements of science & art in it.It is quite difficult to explain the art portion as it is 'karpanai' & has to come within oneself.But the scientific element can very well be put in black & white.By making such a statement he may very well discourage even the potential composers!!.
  
  Not a single composer to this day has composed without learning the basics ( incuding mozart,bach,Thayagaraja,dikshitar & even raja!!).
  One of the reasons for our music to remain stagnant ( in terms of shear technicalities) is documentation.If one were to go to any of the libraries containing western music books , u could find subjects like 'how to compose' ( on jazz,blues,classical,pop,rock etc) rather than the life & times of elvis priesley!!.
  
  we should be more interested into the works of dikshitar rather than his life.If one were to go to madras university u can find thesis on music.
  90 percent of the topics would be mere historical findings & rehash of some older work.
  
  Let us document the achievements of the history rather than just learn the who's & when's & where's!!.
  
  
• From: nAn (@ bones.deneb.com) on: Tue Jul 7 03:53:39 EDT 1998
  
  Udaya:
  
  That Tamil Cinema articles of Randor Guy came in
  Hindu. From my archives - I had just one article
  about Pava Mannippu - its casting, music, and story.... It is an interesting article.
  
  To read this click here....(which I put there in my
  friend's school account copule of years back)
  
  http://www.cs.wayne.edu:80/~tea/msv/pmaan.html
  
  
  
  
  
• From: Udhaya (@ 205.218.142.217) on: Wed Nov 4 13:46:12 EST 1998
  
  Gundu sattiyaith thaandi kuthiraiyai oatta indhath threadai pudhuppikkiraen. Of course, Ravi has the power of veto.
  
  
• From: Chandrasekaran (@ globalb25.citicorp.com) on: Wed Nov 4 16:56:51 EST 1998
  
  Bones, the NEXT PAGE on your link doesnt work...
  
  
• From: l_asa (@ ) on: Tue Jul 10 08:40:08 EDT 2001
  
  visit www.sangeetham.com for articles by Randor Guy
  
  regards
  
  

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