Mori haay go haay :: Sumanta Basu on Harmonica

Composed by: Salil Chowdhury
Original Vocalist: Sabita Chowdhury
Harmonica, Guitar, Recording, Mixing, Camera and Editing: Sumanta Basu.

I must say, my new recording system made my life relatively easy. For the first time I tried the new system with a Tagore song: 'Tumi kemon kore gaan koro he guni' (what I uploaded as well). And while playing, at that very moment I started the prelude of this song unknowingly in my mind.

'Mori haay go haay' is a famous modern Bengali song composed by Sri Salil Chowdhury and so beautifully sung by Smt. Sabita Chowdhury.

Somehow whenever I listen to this song, I can hear out Rabindranath behind the typical signature of Salil Chowdhury. The more I listen to this song, more I realise that he almost re-invented the tune of Tagore's 'Tumi kemon kore gaan koro he guni'. He took phrases out of the Tagore's composition and juxtaposed them in his own brilliance. In some places he went almost similar to Tagore note by note, yet the tune he made, was so different from Tagore's; that it seems as a master composer, he is playing a game with another maestro. He is making 'Tumi kemon kore gaan koro he guni' play hide and seek with 'Mori haay go haay' out of eternal joy of a creative soul. Even he is deliberately leaving evidence by quoting Tagore in one place, where he is using the word 'Choudike' in its entirety; on the same note. As if like a joyful kid, he is running around and singing - "dhoro dekhi dhorte ki paarbe amay" ('touch me if you can'!!! Ha Ha Ha!!!)

Now, this thought didn't make me record this song. This has been one of my favourites from childhood and took my mindshare again when I recorded 'Tumi kemon kore'. But I didn't think that I'll record it at all. I was living with the song and the related thoughts in my subconscious mind till an evening came a few months back.

As far as I remember, a November evening; I came home from work tired, entered in the living room and turned the TV on. An old pre recorded TV programme from Kolkata Doordarshan archive was being telecasted. I started watching it all over again. Smt. Sabita Chowdhury was singing with an orchestra conducted by Sri Debojyoti Mishra with a violin in his hand. Musicians like Tapas Bhowmik, Antara Chowdhury were on key boards. Most probably Rahul Chatterjee was on Sitar if I can remember correctly...

'Mori haay go haay' was one of the songs what Smt. Sabita Chowdhury sung that evening. Eventually the programme ended, I took my harmonica out ant started playing this song. And that's when the thought of recording of this song came for the first time.

I did not have a ready made track of this song, so I decided to play it with guitar. The thought of improvising it further, came in my mind when I was writing the notation. I thought of using Harmonica in different roles in the audioscape. I wanted to create a situation where a harmonica will play the lead melody. And other harmonicas in different playing styles will accompany the lead melody by playing interludes, counter harmony and obbligato. Hence, while recording I played the harmonica in four tracks in different styles. At the same time, I tried my level best to play guitar with the song. I am not at a Guitarist by any means. It took me almost an entire day to record the guitar parts! I recorded the rhythm guitar in two tracks, in one of this; I didn't use the plectrum to produce the sound, so that it brings some variation in tone. I have also tried to play some counter melody with guitar as well in two tracks. In one more track I played the bass notes in guitar (with a sampled tone), like a 'double bass' that used to play a beautiful role in the orchestras of the past...

I realised that I've added an extra obbligato to the composition, I didn't want to overdo, but somehow I could not resist.

So it was only a guitar and a harmonica, what I have used.

Don't know how will you take it, but I must say I enjoyed the entire process enormously. And that was it; Enjoyment and mental peace... perhaps at that moment nothing else under the sun could offer me that...
I've used some tricks to create the video as well. Actually my thoughts about this song came out when I was thinking of the arrangements of shots. Each and every shot of this video was pre visualised and planned. I wanted to play with myself, the way I visualise Salil babu to make two songs play hide and seek with each other...

The every bit of this audio visual was created by me (except for the music composition!!!!). This recording was done almost one and a half month back... I shared it with couple of my musician friends, but I didn't get time to upload it.

Friends, if you have not heard the original song, please search it on the net and listen to it now. What I have done is nothing, this is for my own pleasure, you should experience what Salil Babu and Sabita Debi did...

Sumanta Basu
21 December 2012
Dum Dum Cantonment

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mori
• haay
• go
• Salil Chowdhury
• Sabita Chowdhury
• Adhunik Bangla Gaan
• Modern Bengali Songs
• Sumanta Basu
• Harmonica
• Mouth Organ
• Experimental
• Orchestration
• Bengali Language
• instrumental
• India
• Indian
• Music

[apoorvabhatt60]

Splendid performance

[sumantaharmonica]

@apoorvabhatt60 thanks :-)

[sumantaharmonica]

@MUKERJEE70 :-D

[MUKERJEE70]

@sumantaharmonica Anupamda and I were convinced that this is our school of music(Legacy of Milonda) and now we can boost of our ears.

[sumantaharmonica]

@MUKERJEE70 Thanks. I am happy to know that. I had got a chance to learn this instrument under guidance of Shri Saikat Mukherjee.

[MUKERJEE70]

@sumantaharmonica Improve for our listening pleasure. I am listening you from those e snips days. From whom you have learnt?

[sumantaharmonica]

@jagjitisher Thanks for your kind comments. Don't really know whether I am worth of such tall words or not...

[sumantaharmonica]

@Sadashiv45 thank you very much :-)

[jagjitisher]

Hi sumanta dear its an all dimensional perfect performance taking us in the aura of maelstrom & the splendor of resplendent music hallucinating the soul & mind vindicating your proficiency in the music genre. My standing ovations for the incendiary rendition. Wish to hear more .

[Sadashiv45]

Excellent rendition and video.  Very soothing music. I am lost for words.