She has come out, After a hiatus of 15 years, With her 2nd instrumental album, Taraana Phir Bhi,
Vandana
Kohli’s outlook towards life is exuberant. One meeting with her will
convince you of this. she is a forward-looking, independent-minded and empowered
woman and yet her musical taste is anchored in the bygone classics of popular
music. She has come out, after a hiatus of 15 years, with her second instrumental
album, Taraana Phir Bhi, of melodies which are closest to her heart. She credits
her husband for the stimulus. There is audibly, no singing in the album but,
she says, plenty of subtle experiments in music arrangement. Vandana is a
multifaceted personality. She is a film producer, photographer and unpublished
writer. But she doesn’t find conflict in chasing so many interests.
In her scheme of things, she finds balance and a greater sense of fulfillment
in pursuing multiple interests. You can’t help but ask what music is
to her.
“Music for me is celebration. I find it the purest from of language.
I have made some of my closest friends over one single evening of music. It
creates a bond which is, to a large extent, unbreak - able I don’t know
anything else that can match the power of music. Simply put, music is food
for the soul.” she expounds. She believes there is more scope for interpretation
in playing an instrumental melody.” There are limited ways to reproduce
an old melody. One can do a cover version and sing but an instrumental makes
one concentrate on the melody. It allows one to interpret, play and share
the melody in a way that is not possible in simply copying it”
Vandana has two new ideas in hibernation - a new album and a documentary on Indian music directors of yore.
She firmly believes that learning music on one’s
own lends more independence and ability to create or improvise as compared
to formal training. Vandana feels that the biggest help in shaping the melody
on her album was her feeling and sensibility of how the music should sound.
she made additions and discounts in her interpretation of songs with no method
or formula, if she felt that a particular instrument played on the original
track would take away the charm of her “feel” she made a discount
and at times elongated a sequence to add to her interpretation.
Having no formula training in music, she keenly observes that each instrument
has a particular sound that can’t be imitated on another instrument
or digitally. She explains. ”it is not just the music director but the
framework within which the production takes place nowadays that affects the
outcome. Technology has it advantage (auto note – correction, fewer,
retakes) but it hampers skill –devel –opment,which is essential
to music arrangement”
She admits that she is more attracted to old music. She attributes sleek production
and over – refinement of contemporary popular songs as the main causes
of loss of retaining the power of the melodies. The older melodies were carried
by the force of their tunes. The new tunes are much more enjoyable and are
technology – driven, not so much by feel”
She feels that contemporary pop songs have good melodies but they don’t
harmonies well with the overall arrangement.
“The new songs have the same beat running from the beginning to the
end.
At times, I find myself straining to hear the build – up. A lot of stuff
that I hear on the radio is comatose.”
Not satisfied that good music is made evergreen by good arrangement, she plays
contemporary melodies on a grand piano in the drawing room to illustrate her
point.
For now, she is content with the accolades that Taraana…has earned her,
but she has two new ideas in the hibernation stage. First, she wants to come
out with an album with an original score, singing and lyrics. secondly, she
would dive into the idea of making a documentary on Indian music directors
of yore if she founds a willing producer.