A treatise on film music without mention of the sphagetti westerns by Morricone (if you have heard of them, that is!..check out imdb.com on the Good, the Bad and The Ugly etc). Do you really watch american movies or is this just a typical non- westernized desi's attempt to sound cool and comment on english soundtracks? Restrict yourself to commenting on Hindi film music, and leave the english stuff to those better equipped for the job.
In the same week, that Rediff carries exclusive articles on innovation, creativity in India, an article on movie soundtracks, it fails to mention (forget honoring) the most creative,consummate composer India has produced - Maestro.Ilaiyaraaja! how ironical; if there is one Indian composer who stands tall and rubs shoulders with composers like John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Ennio Morricone and others, that is Maestro.Ilaiyaraaja- musicologist Dr.Scott Lipscomb (North Western University, Illionois), French composer Paul Mauriat, conductor Zubin Mehta and a score of other Indian film makers (including one Mr.Kamal Hassan) have waxed eloquently on Maestro. Ilaiyaraaja's movie background scores - according to the late musicologist Mr.Parag Trivedi, the Maestro deserved a Bharat Ratna long time ago - it is a pity that his exploits and creative genius have never been genuinely understood and recognised in our country, only because he is restricted to scoring music in the regional arena. Maestro has pioneered the creative usage of Western classical elements like harmony, melody, point-counterpoint, juxtaposing them with Indian classical music and vice-versa in astonishing prolificity!
