One thing life has shown me is that ‘post-romantic’ works better as a descriptor for music, than it does for marriage. While I have little background, and less ability, in music [NB: I find it hard to clap and sing at the same time], my soul seems to recognise a post-romantic composer when it hears one. I can listen for hours upon hours.
During our leadership meetings on Zoom in the worst of the COVID months, we enjoyed having some fun together. On one occasion we revealed the one thing about ourselves which we would be most embarrassed for people to discover. Two (out of eight) chose something to do with Bollywood! Often within the Indian Christian community, especially among new believers, Bollywood is a “no-go” area. I respect this, but as a trainer of preachers I am a little sad because the plot-lines in these movies are often remarkable “know-go” areas when it comes to reading and exegeting the surrounding culture — and the ballads can be just gorgeous.
This is why, when I signed up for Spotify a few years ago, the first two playlists I created were of the post-romantics, especially Sergei Rachmaninoff — and of Bollywood, especially Arijit Singh.
Come on, let yourself go. You know you want to…
First up it is Sergei, the Russian-born composer, pianist and conductor. Along the way he endured years with depression and even more years with ‘writer’s block’ when he composed next to nothing. Here are four favourites:
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini — in less time than it takes a gold medalist to win the 1500m.
Piano Concerto #2 in C minor Op.18 No.2 Adagio — I am an adagio kind a guy and here is a section of the finest piece of music ever written (😀), in about the time it takes me to run a 1500.
Prelude C Sharp minor Op.3 No.2 — in a performance by Valentina Lisitsa dedicated to “all the sufferers and victims of COVID”. It is the only piece of Rachmaninoff I can play. Well, the first three chords, anyway. I used to play them to raise the expectations in the room — and then shatter them.
Moment Musicaux No.4 — with all the notes included, so that you can play along! Yikes. How do you actually make your hands/fingers do such different things at the same time?
And then there is Arijit…
He came into the public eye through one of the early “Idol” shows in India and now he has composed and/or sung one major hit after the other. It never seems to end. Here are four favourites to line-up with Sergei — and here’s hoping the YouTube links last long enough for you to discover them :). My Hindi isn’t good enough to translate the lyrics, but Google Translate is just a click away…
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (with Arijit singing it in a concert and then sung by the actor in the movie, Ranbir, with a church as the setting. Go figure!)
Qaafirana (a poignancy with this one because the main actor — a lad from India’s poorest state who made it big in Bollywood — took his own life a few months into COVID … and then the setting for the video is the foothills of the Himalayas where Barby and I grew up).
Tera Yaar Hoon Main (needing to make sure I choose one with a wedding in it, as marriage is one of Bollywood’s enduring themes.)
Hamari Adhuri Kahani — “our incomplete story” — with a little bit of the movie included.
There is so much more of Sergei and Arijit to savour, but I guess I’ll just have to enjoy it by myself, in the background as I work away … while remembering to keep the church and peoples of Russia and India in my prayers.
nice chatting
Paul
Thank you for sharing that music 🙂
Have you come across this? https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/events/2022/08/nz-s-first-bollywood-concert-with-live-symphony-orchestra/
A Bollywood concert with full symphony orchestra, 7pm on Saturday August 27th.
It looked like your kind of thing 🙂 (I think it'd also be my kind of thing, too, except that I don't really do evenings, and am limiting my exposure to indoor locations due to Covid)
Thanks, Heather — I'll be in Wellington that weekend, but will definitely keep an eye on that site.
Looking forward to an Arijit Singh concert in New Zealand!
Paul