QUOTE(unni @ Dec 3 2004, 10:41 PM)
QUOTE(thousandsuns @ Dec 2 2004, 10:57 PM)
Dear Shri Unni,
I thank you for uploading the Talat non-film song "Ro ro beeta jeevan sara".I got it downloaded but unfortunately it is the resung version
and I was present at this recording in 1962.Chari-ji:
I have highlighted in your message what really made me sit up!
Sir, may I trouble you? It would be fascinating for us to learn from you about your first-hand experience of attending a song-recording.
As and when convenient to you, would you please post your recollections of that occasion (and perhaps other live recording sessions you may have attended). We would be immensely appreciative.
I have always wondered how long it took for a single song to be recorded in the 50's and 60's. I guess, in this instance of Talat-sahab
re-recording "Ro Ro Beeta", presumably the number of "rehearsals" would have been far less.
Please describe for us the studio, give us an approximate idea of the number of musicians, recreate the very atmosphere of the occasion, if possible.
Sir, I
envy you!
Dear Shri Unni,
I am happy to share some of my experiences of a byegone era.Talatsaab and I became reasonably good friends in 1959.Though I was an avid fan of his the relationship between us was one of warm friendship and that is how I could prevail upon him to take me to his recordings.In 1960 he took me to the first film recording for the picture "Chhaya" in which he sang "Ansoo samajh ke kyun mujhe".This took about 7 hours, what with repeated takes and break for lunch etc.This was an unforgettable experience for one another reason;I had to go hungry from 10 a,m to 4-30 p.m as the lunch was non-vegetarian and I could'nt partake of it.I had to be content with 3 cups of tea.Later on he also took me for the recording "Aankhon mein masti sharab ki" from the same film.I can tell you that watching a recording was really a boring affair for one had to spend so many hours cooped up inside the sound studio.
The resung private songs of his were recorded in 1962 at the HMV studio on Sir P.M Road which was on the 3rd Floor.He would sing in a large room and we would be about 7 feet away from him.There were only about six musicians:tabla,violin,guitar and other light instruments.
When he resung his earlier private ghajals he would sing about 7 0r 8 at one sitting as he was very much familiar with the tunes.In that one session he sang "ro ro beeta.Ghame jindagi ka yaarab,Ay andaleeb-ejaar jaane ko hai bahar,Chand lamhh teri mehfil mein,Mera pyar mujhe lauta do,Hangame gham se tang aakar.All these songs are contained in the LP "Ghajals to remember",his first released non-film songs.The other songs in the same LP were in his original version as he had sung them just a year or two before and probably the matrix of those songs were with the HMV.
One vivid recollection: When he sang into the microphone we would not be able to hear his voice over the sounds of the music,even though we would be only seven feet from him.He had such a soft voice.
When he sang the private songs for the LP he would polish off the songs in the first take.I left Bombay in 1973 and whenever he had a concert in Chennai,he would phone me on arrival and invite me for his show and make me sit in the first row.He was one of the best human beings I have ever met in my life.The last time I physically met him was on 2-12-1992 when I had gone to Bombay for a wedding.Of course I would phone him up from Chennai maybe once in 4 or 5 months and whenever I would be in Bombay during the years 1974 to 1990 I would invariably look him up at his home "Sunbeam" at BaNDRA.
I had about 30 78 nrpm records of his private songs(about 60 songs) which I brought with me to Chennai in 1973.However in a weak moment I gave it all away in 1986 to a Bombay friend who visited me at Chennai and requested for these songs.I very much regret that decision today
These are some of the experiences associated with Talatsaab.
Regards
Thousandsuns
