Module 3 Blog MUH6515
World Music Listening Blog Post #3
Topic: Provide an example of and discuss the role of context in musical structure.
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Title: "Butterfly"
Artists: Nooran Sisters, Sunidhi Chauhan, Dev Negi, Aman Trikha
Movie: Jab Harry Met Sejal
Released: 2017
Culture: India
Orchestration: Voice, traditional Indian instruments and modern popular music instruments (chordophones, idiophones and voice).
I love Bollywood! Wade (2013) states that music and movement are often intricately woven. This is definitely true in Bollywood film. I love the dynamic way music, movement and drama are intimately and intricately woven into the Indian film industry. Masala film and ancient Sanskrit drama, called natya is even a word derived from the root word nrit, meaning dance. These ancient and traditional approaches to drama, with music and dance as an essential element incorporated into the Indian, mainly Hindi, cinematic offerings, are what separate the Indian cinematography from that of the Western World. With the booming increase in globalization since advent of the World Wide Web, filmi music has changed (filmi in Hindi simply means "of film"). Inspirational global trends of American pop, salsa, hip hop and R&B have changed the flavor of many of the Bollywood soundtracks, however, the structure of the songs have to stay true to the plot, dialogue and other parameters of the films they accentuate. In Western culture, a musical soundtrack, though often conceived alongside the movie making, is structured in strophic form or other tradition verse refrain pop form or classical form or rondo, true to the musical art to which it belongs. Modern filmi music, just as in this example provided from the August 2017 release of "Jab Harry met Sejal," is structured as a component of the action of the film and literally accompanies the drama and dialogue just as it would have in an ancient Sanskrit drama in the 3rd and 4th Century AD. The filmi structure is always driven by the context of the script. At first this song seems to take a traditional medley or chain form of AABBCCDD...etc, however, it changes with the dialogue and takes a new direction and eventually a recapitulation of sorts.
Because this movie is a must see for any Bollywood fan, and really, any fan of a great romantic comedy, I have included the trailer to the movie as well as the song “Butterfly” from the filmi soundtrack. Enjoy!
Reference
Wade, B. C. (2013). Thinking musically: Experiencing music, expressing culture. New York, NY:
Oxford University Press.
What an interesting and fun song! Stylistically you can hear the Indian musical elements. I can also hear some pop within it. Would this style of music also be called Bollywood? and if it is, is it only called Bollywood because it's in a film? If this song was not in a film, would it be a different genre? I'm not too familiar with Bollywood that's why I am asking all of these questions. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting and fun!? Bollywood is actually the Indian film industry and the music only exists because it is in the film. This is much like a song from an American musical. For example, the song "There's a Place for Us" from Westside Story was also a pop hit, however, it only existed because of the film. In Indian culture, particularly Hindi, popular film incorporates song and dance with the dialogue because it is so intricately woven into their culture. India is second in popularity to American film in the world and has been first in the world at times, I believe in the 1970's. I just love how musicals are the norm in India where I may have to really persuade my students to keep watching when the actors sing. They often say things like, "Oh no! Are they going to sing again?!" and almost seem embarrassed. Can you imagine if Brad Pitt burst into song during "Troy?" Would our culture laugh or embrace the song? India customarily expects their main characters to sing and dance - or at least lip sync. So glad you listened!
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