MELODY and RHYTHM: Laxmikant-Pyarelal & Tuneful Use Of Harmonium

Laxmikant-Pyarelal & Tuneful Use Of Harmonium

The use of HARMONIUM in Hindi Film Music is comprehensive right from the Music Directors composing the songs. Music Directors first, demonstrate the song to the singers with use of HARMONIUM. Many actors/actresses are seen playing HARMONIUM in the film.

Many music directors have composed some beautiful melodies orchestrating the HARMONIUM. Listing out a few ‘gems’ of the songs composed by various music directors.

Anil Biswas

Shukriya Aye Pyar Tera Talat Mehmood “Aaram” 1951

Naushad

Husn Walon Ko Na Dil Do Talat Mehmood “Babul” 1959

O P Nayyar

Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar Rafi - Shamshad “CID” 1956

Bahut Shukriya Badi Meharbani Rafi - Asha “Ek Musafir Ek Haseena” 1962

Kajra Mohabbat Wala Asha - Shamshad “Kismat” 1968

Shankar-Jaikishan

Jane Kahan Gayi M. Rafi “Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai” 1960

Chalat Musafir Moh Liya Manna Dey “Teesari Kasam” 1966

Roshan

Na To Carvaan Ki Talash Manna Dey-Asha-Rafi “Barsat Ki Raat 1960

Bar Bar Tohe Kya Lata “Aarti” 1962

Nigahe Milane Ko Jee Asha “Dil Hi To Hai” 1963

Hemant Kumar

Sakiya Aaj Mohe Nind Asha “Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam” 1962

Kalyanji-Anandji

Deewane Hai Deewanon Ko Rafi-Lata “Zanjeer” 1973

R D Burman

Chunari Sambhal Gori Lata-Manna Dey “Baharon Ke Sapne” 1967

Ek Chatur Naar Kar Ke Kishore-Manna Dey-Mehmood. “Padosan” 1968

Jeena To Hai Usika Rafi “Adhikar” 1971

Hai Agar Dushman Rafi-Asha “Hum Kise Se Kam Nahin” 1977

Sonik-Omi

Raz Ki Baat Keh Doo Asha - Rafi “Dharma” 1973

Madan Mohan

Ye Mana Meri Jaan Rafi “Haste Jakham” 1973

Laxmikant-Pyarelal have also composed many songs with the prominent use of HARMONIUM. The song composed by the duo “payal ki jhankar raste raste” from the film “Mere Lal”, 1966, still considered to be the best song on HARMONIUM.

Sonik Verma (On Harmonium) with Pyarelalji (on Piano)

Also included a very famous Marathi Song ::Bai Mee Vikat Ghetala Sham :: The song is composed and rendered by Sudhir Phadke with Asha Bhosle, for the film “Jagachya Pathivar” 1960. It is written by G D Madgulkar.

In most of the songs the HARMONIUM is played by Shyamrao Kamble and Sonik Verma, blind musician, of the music director pair of Sonik-Omi.

Payal KI Jhankar Raste Raste "MERE LAL" 1966 Lata Mangeshkar / Majrooh Sultanpuri.

TILL DATE, The Best Song Composed On HARMONIUM. Super Hit Song of the year 1966. A Sheer Magic of DHOLAK and HARMONIUM. Mesmerizing "Prelude" of 42 seconds, full of HARMONIUM, BANJO (overlapped with Harmonium), FLUTE and DHOLAK, sets the mood to listen to this gem of composition. Entire song is woven around glimpses of HARMONIUM (played by Sonik Verma, a Blind Musician, of Sonik-Omi music director pair). All the "Interludes" have different tunes. The Best Song In Terms Of Use Of HARMONIUM. It was the TOP hit song and rocked in Binaca Geetmala Weekly Countdown, also appearing in the finals. Actress INDRANI MUKHARJEE with Dev Kumar has beautifully danced making the song memorable and immortal, as well. In the picture above Sonik Verma can be seen sitting on Harmonium and Pyarelalji on Piano.

Duniya Ne Sunli Hai “SHARAFAT” 1970 Lata Mangeshkar / Anand Bakshi

An extremely melodious ‘mujra’, filmed on Hema Malini. The song is awesomely woven around the glimpses of HARMONIUM, as a filler, in surround sound and also in ‘interludes’. Interludes are orchestrated with HARMONIUM, VIOLINS, SAROD, SITAR and FLUTE. The rhythm of DHOLAK / TABLA is synchronised with GHUNGROO BELLS.

Sanam Tu Bewafa Ke Naam Se “KHILONA” 1970 Lata Mangeshkar / Anand Bakshi

Mellifluously orchestrated with prominent use of HARMONIUM, in ‘interludes’ as well as the ‘filler’, at the end of the “antara”. One of the finest Mujra songs of Hindi Cinema. Wonderful ‘prelude’ of 32 seconds, full of DHOLAK rhythm synchronised with VIOLINS and SITAR. Spectacular take off by Lata ji, at the same time 20 seconds ‘pause’ in the orchestra gives additional flavor to this resonant composition. The rhythm of the song is from DHOLAK / TABLA, intermixed with the CLAPPING and GHUNGROO BELLS. All the ‘interlude’ are excellently orchestrated with traditional musical instruments NADASWARAM, SAROD, SARANGI, MANDOLIN, SITAR, VIOLINS and HARMONIUM. Filmed on Mumtaz.

Hamin Kare Koi Surat “EK NAZAR” 1972. Lata / Majrooh

A typical MUJRA song, Orchestrated with SARANGI, SANTOOR, FLUTE, SAROD, VIOLINS and beautiful display of HARMONIUM. Filmed Jaya Bachchan - Amitabh Bachchan.

Roothe Rab Ko Manana “MAJBOOR” 1974 Asha-Rafi / Anand Bakshi

Street song nicely composed on Harmonium. It has a similar situation like ‘Zanjeer’ son. . Filmed Amitabh Bachchan - Parveen Babi

Yashomati Maiya Se “SATYAM SHIVAM SUNDARAM” 1977 Lata Mangeshkar-Manna Dey / Pandit Narendra Sharma

Fascinating 34 seconds ‘prelude’ awesomely instrumented with TANPURA, FLUTE and HARMONIUM. It has captivative DHOLAK rhythm which will ‘swing’ your neck. FLUTE is sumptuously used in the ‘interlude’ which gives you an ear-pleasing effect. Filmed on child artist, then, Padmini Kolhapure and Kanhaiyalal.

Aadmi Musafir Hai “APNAPAN “ 1977 Rafi-Lata / Anand Bakshi

Doctrine worded, each and every line. Anand Bakshi writes क्या साथ लाये क्या छोड़ लाये ! रस्ते मैं हम क्या छोड़ लाये ! मंज़िल पे जाके याद आते है ! Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s composition is simply superb. 32 seconds of ‘prelude’ is composed by GHUNGROO BELLS, VIOLINS and HARMONIUM.The ‘rhythm’ has DHOLAK synchronized with GHUNGROO BELLS. Interludes are instrumented with SANTOOR, FLUTE, CLERANATE, VIOLINS and HARMONIUM.

Tere Haathon Mein Pehna Ke “JAANI DUSHMAN” 1979 Asha-Rafi / Verma Malik

Mesmerizing composition. “Prelude” of 40 seconds. SHEHNAI and NADASWARAM are awesomely intermixed followed by VIOLINS in SYMPHONY style then “folkish” DHOLAK rhythm and then glimpses of HARMONIUM. All the “interludes” are also orchestrated with the above musical instruments in addition it has a “CLAPPING” in the “rhythm”. Filmed on Jeetendra - Neetu Singh.

Jane Hum Sadak Ke Logon Se “ASHA” 1980 M. Rafi / Anand Bakshi.

HARMONIUM is wonderfully synchronised with the ‘rhythm’ of MATKI and DHOLAK. The song is filmed on Jeetendra - Reena Roy.

Chana Jor Garam Laya “Kranti” Rafi-Kishore-Lata-N. Mukesh / Santosh Anand.

Beautiful display of HARMONIUM in ‘prelude’, तुम तुम तररारा तुम तुम तरम how beautifully rendered by Lata - Kishore, synchronising with TANPURA. The HARMONIUM is also used as ‘filler’ in ‘mukhada’. First ‘interlude’ is full of HARMONIUM. The song is filmed on Hema Maliini Shatrughn Sinha, Manoj Kumar

Mere Dil Se Dillagi Na Kar “WOH SAAT DIN” 1983 Sahabbir - Anuradha

Beautiful Display of HARMONIUM in ‘prelude’ the song has an awesome DHOLAK rhythm intermixed with HARMONIUM. It is filmed Anil Kapoor-Padmini Kolhapure.

Mujhe Aaj Kuch Na Kehna “AKAYLA” 1991 Sudesh - Alka Yagnik / Anand Bakshi.

Once again a beautiful display of HARMONIUM in ‘prelude’. Sudesh Bhosle sounds fresh. Filmed on Amrita Singh - Amitabh Bachchan

Tu Naja Mere Badshah "KHUDA GAWAH" 1992 Alka Yagnik-Mohammad Aziz/ Anand Bakshi.

Spectacularly rendered by M. Aziz and Alka Yagnik. Wonderful use of HARMONIUM with RUBAB (An instrument from Afghanistan). 'Prelude' of 55 seconds mesmerizes the listeners. CLAPPING, RUBAB and HARMONIUM orchestrated awesomely with unusual DHOLAK and THALI rhythm, Alkaji's sweet AALAPS. HARMONIUM is remarkably utilized as a feeler in mukhada as well as in Antara. First 'interlude' instrumented with RUBAB, FLUTE and HARMONIUM. Second 'interlude'/'postlude'> solo VIOLIN, CLAPPING and RUBAB. Filmed on Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi.