I am no expert in the technicalities of music. I am your average listener with average tastes.
Now that I have this out of my way, I have the right to say the following. Pretty redundant, I admit.
Telugu, of an unmatched sonic beauty, is very very sweet. If Saraswati had to speak, she'd choose Telugu. I would have said this even if I were not a native speaker of this divine language. There is some kind of divine niceness and purity to this language. At least phonetically. I use divine very carefully. I like the sound of nice and elegant Tamizh, nice and simple Malayalam, simple and un-harsh Marathi (the kind spoken by Shankar Mahadevan, Sachin Tendulkar and Harsha Bhogle). The enormous love for Hindi is beyond words.
But Telugu is on a totally different level altogether. A totally different level.
So there is no need on the part of singers in Telugu to add extra layers of sweetness to it. The kind of overcooking that borders at times on, dare I say, maudlin, and dare I say, coy. Plain irritating. The language takes care of itself pretty well there.
If I have to find a visual, photographic equivalent, I'd say what we are served with is gloss when all our heart craves and desires is pure matte.
While it is different to extend the scope of the song within the musical parameters as defined by the creator, it's totally different to add non-existent touches to it. One should have a feel for it. Either one knows it, or not. Most of the singers are guilty of it. Male singers are more guilty of it. Do they overcompensate for their supposed manliness and add an unnecessary sweetness to the songs?
Telugu also lends itself to expressions and dynamics one cannot imagine. But a random sampling of the songs over the last twenty years or so, reveals that we have stuck to mundane expressions, and mundane lyrics. When you throw this accusation, you are shown creations that feature great lyrics that only boast of some harsh sounding words of a more reference textbook variety.
We lack the ease of a Javed Akhtar, a Gulzar, or a more recent Prasoon Joshi, Jaideep Sahni. Notice I haven't used "contemporary" for Prasoon Joshi or Jaideep Sahni. Gulzar and Javed Akhtar are as contemporary and modern as anyone out there. Their remarkable felicity in weaving everyday words into poignant expressions so pregnant with meaning is unparalleled. Do you have to have a lexicon by your side to understand their writing? No!
Why is it that we who are blessed with a God's language do not do enough service? Will Veturi and Sirivennela be the last that we will ever revere? Why don't we ever foster newer thought, and if security (in all forms) is all we seek, an elegant twist to the cliched?
I think it's in our culture, it gets dirty there and that forms the basis for another post.
Now that I have this out of my way, I have the right to say the following. Pretty redundant, I admit.
Telugu, of an unmatched sonic beauty, is very very sweet. If Saraswati had to speak, she'd choose Telugu. I would have said this even if I were not a native speaker of this divine language. There is some kind of divine niceness and purity to this language. At least phonetically. I use divine very carefully. I like the sound of nice and elegant Tamizh, nice and simple Malayalam, simple and un-harsh Marathi (the kind spoken by Shankar Mahadevan, Sachin Tendulkar and Harsha Bhogle). The enormous love for Hindi is beyond words.
But Telugu is on a totally different level altogether. A totally different level.
So there is no need on the part of singers in Telugu to add extra layers of sweetness to it. The kind of overcooking that borders at times on, dare I say, maudlin, and dare I say, coy. Plain irritating. The language takes care of itself pretty well there.
If I have to find a visual, photographic equivalent, I'd say what we are served with is gloss when all our heart craves and desires is pure matte.
While it is different to extend the scope of the song within the musical parameters as defined by the creator, it's totally different to add non-existent touches to it. One should have a feel for it. Either one knows it, or not. Most of the singers are guilty of it. Male singers are more guilty of it. Do they overcompensate for their supposed manliness and add an unnecessary sweetness to the songs?
Telugu also lends itself to expressions and dynamics one cannot imagine. But a random sampling of the songs over the last twenty years or so, reveals that we have stuck to mundane expressions, and mundane lyrics. When you throw this accusation, you are shown creations that feature great lyrics that only boast of some harsh sounding words of a more reference textbook variety.
We lack the ease of a Javed Akhtar, a Gulzar, or a more recent Prasoon Joshi, Jaideep Sahni. Notice I haven't used "contemporary" for Prasoon Joshi or Jaideep Sahni. Gulzar and Javed Akhtar are as contemporary and modern as anyone out there. Their remarkable felicity in weaving everyday words into poignant expressions so pregnant with meaning is unparalleled. Do you have to have a lexicon by your side to understand their writing? No!
"...baaho'n ke haar jo daale koi kaanha ke gale,
Radha kaise na jale?!"
"...kya karei'n zindagi isko hum jo mileWhen was the last time I heard such simple, elegant lines in my tongue?
iski jaan khaa gaye raat din ke gile..."
Why is it that we who are blessed with a God's language do not do enough service? Will Veturi and Sirivennela be the last that we will ever revere? Why don't we ever foster newer thought, and if security (in all forms) is all we seek, an elegant twist to the cliched?
I think it's in our culture, it gets dirty there and that forms the basis for another post.
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