MUSIC AND TECHNOLOGY

We had a well to do neighbor, who had a gramophone. My 2 sisters and I used to go to their house to listen to music.

I recall 2 songs, which I picked up from their gramophone; one was “ Fall in love, “ by Cliff Richard and the other was   “ Dark moon.” By Elvis Presley. These songs were so melodious, that I used to sing along, as well as I could, as I was just 6 years old then. Our neighbor’s daughter whose name was Sachhu, was 10 years elder to me. She loved my singing, and always asked me to sing these songs.

We had a radio. Hindi songs were broadcast every day in the morning by 10A.M. my favorite song was , “Jiya o , jiya o jiya kuch bol do,” from Movie Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai,  by Singer Mohd Rafi.

Then, my parents bought a record changer in 1960, from the German company Garrard. We had got it and paid the money in monthly installments. We are a very religiously sentimental lot. Whenever we buy something new, we would like to inaugurate it with something connected to rituals and ceremonies. So the first record to be played was a sloka. My first introduction to Sanskrit slokas, came unexpectedly. I had not anticipated anything so new. When I heard the sloka, I was so frightened that I ran far away from the record changer, and hid in another room.

The sloka was “Kaalidasas’ Shyamala dandakam” a hymn to Goddess Saraswathi, sung by D.K.Pattammal.

Later we purchased a lot of records in 78RPMs. In these records you could listen to just one song in a side. For the other song we had to flip the record and play it.

My earliest recollection of songs were:

Ellam inbamayam-from film Marumagal- sung by MLVasanthakumari and P. Leela.

Varugiral unnai tedi- from film Tanga Padumail- sung by MLVasanthakumari

Teerada vilayattu pillai- from film Vedalaulagam- sung by D.K.Pattammal.

Shambho mahadeva and Arul Purai by M.S Subbalakshmi.

These records were brittle and could easily break if you dropped them. Each came in a paper sleeve. We had to handle them with care.

Then came the 45RPM records. It contained a minimum of 3 songs per side. The first record we bought in 45rpm, was from the film ,”Do ankhen bara haath.” The most famous song being, “Ai maalik tere bande ham.” This song was sung once, by Lata Mangeshkar and once as a chorus song. It was a moving song, and still raises goose pimples every time I listen to it.

Then came 33 1/3 RPM records which had all the songs of a movie in it. The first record we bought in 33 1/3 RPM, was from the film , Sangam. It had thrilling songs, like “Tere man ki ganga,” by Mukesh, and “Ye mera prem patru pad kar,” by Md.Rafi.

Of course no lover of music can escape the Beetles and their song, “Its been a hard days night”

Mono recordings were replaced by stereo recordings. Now, we could hear music waft from two directions. The  sheer beauty of stereophonic  recordings impacted me, the first time I listened to a symphony of ,Lara’s theme, “Somewhere my love’” from Dr.Zhivago.  Records were ruling till 1974 to give way to the cassette player and recorder. My sister who settled in USA, sent us the first National Panasonic cassette player and recorder. It held a C90 cassette which could hold the songs of 2 records or 33 1/3RPM, record. 

This trend which lasted till 1990,was replaced first by the CD and later by DVDs.

The magnetic hissing and the crackling noises of records and tapes were heard no more, and we could listen to clear music.

Then came A.R Rehman, who added technical dimensions to crystal clear music. As I listened one night on the FM, to his composition “ Puttham pudu boomi vendum,”  from the film, “ Tiruda Tiruda,” I knew I had to chuck my stereo cassette player and upgrade to CD player. It cost me 12000 Rs. But it was worth the investment. All composers had to upgrade technical quality of music, because the bar had been raised by A.R Rehman.

I too moved with times, to a DVD player, and to a Sony walkman too. Today we have the pen drive, which holds so many hours of music in such small space. We have too the mobiles, the smart phones , the laptops, the notebooks, the I pads, all of which play glorious music.

From 1960 to 2014 I have moved from one gadget to another ; from the  gramophone to the I pads, taking my precious music with me from one format to another.  Whether it is” Manam kudugalippadeno,” of M.S Subbalakshmi from Sakuntalai or ,” What a Karuvaad,” of Dhanush from, Velai illa patta daari, each moment of my life has been enriched by music. Thanks to the composers, lyricists, singer, films, albums and of course the technology.