Music… or not…
I think I’m a failure in terms of fitting into the writer’s mould.
I don’t sit and write in a study. (I write anywhere and everywhere)
I’m not surrounded by learned tomes. (Hard when you write anywhere and everywhere)
I don’t write X number of words in any one day. (Life’s sort of busy. For example at the moment we’re lambing… just saw a new lamb the size of a Jack Russell terrier pup and with ears like Dobby’s)
I don’t write in any particular way. (Some days I edit back over the days before, sometimes I just have to write as it comes)
And I don’t really play inspirational music. As such.
That said, when A Thousand Glass Flowers was hardly a sparkle in its mum’s eye, I came across Bride and Prejudice, the movie by Gurinda Chada and bought the soundtrack. This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocNFQioWM5c) and then by connection, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmV_kWtkbPI&feature=fvwrel) and then more and more, put me in a Raji sort of mood.
Not only that but Ashwariya Rai became the embodiment of my female protagonist and gave me her name, Lalita, from the above mentioned movie . And Richard Armitage’s appearance totally became Finnian in my mind.
But generally I listen to this sort of thing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DnZw4j3_I0). I’m very partial to Cary’s music (http://www.cary.com.au/) and can listen to it all day every day. It never fails to smooth the pathways ready for writing.
Yipeee! I found someone who is a Bride and Prejudice fan besides ME!!! I play this when I need to dance…while dusting furniture, washing dishes, whatever. When I found it on the TV 4yrs ago, I recorded it and can’t stop watching it! Sort of like watching North and South…over and over. Love Martin and Ashwariya, the musical score and the DANCING!! When I read “Lalita” was your main character, I thought, “that’s only the second time I’ve ever heard that name!” Good choice!! And don’t you love the market scene w/the 3 girls singing about marriage coming to town?!
Today I learned to braid corn while listening to a fab Christmas album. Yesterday, I made pile of sandwiches to Alan Jackson, Renee Fleming and Muse. Gotta have music!!
NB, I’m one of the rare ones as well! Not many like that movie as much as I do.We’ll have to form a fanclub.
I crave owning my own exquisite sari or shalwar kameez like the ladies wear in the movie. I love driving on the open road with the Punjabi Wedding Song or the ‘Stick Song’ (where Lalita gives Darcy the cold shoulder in favour of Wickam) on high volume. I try to sing along in Hindi or Punjabi or whatever it is. My Indian friends would be ashamed of me!
But having said all that, the reason I called the post ‘Music… or not…’ was because I am more for silence myself or the sounds of nature. I have music if I’m lonely or doing the ironing. Very rarely otherwise. Unless I’m in the car.
Essentially though, indian and Arab music was an inspiration for A Thousand Glass Flowers as were Ashwariya and Richard. Isn’t she beautiful?
She is gorgeous, and hallelujah for not fitting into a mould.
I also like Bride and Prejudice.
and if you like Cary Lewincamp, who is known for playing seven string, I wonder if you also like Earl Klugh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-KYusTRJV8
Frenz! you know about Cary! And yes, I love Earl Klugh, but opt for Cary because he is a homegrown Tasmanian and lives in my town. Cary’s guitar was crafted locally out of our beautiful indigenous woods.
Not to turn this into a musical dialog BUT if you like these guys (and I do!) y’all would love Darin Leong who specializes in, among other instruments, the slack guitar. Favs are Meditation, Ukulele Etude and Aloha Papalua found at: http://www.hawaiiguitar.com/
Also http://www.youtube.com/user/darinleong?blend=24&ob=5#p/u/22/TohPEh3FoQg
I don’t mind it being a musical dialogue. Go for it!
I’ve seen Bride and Prejudice and agree that Ashwariya Rai is very beautiful. However I can’t watch any version of P&P without comparing it to the book (which I know back to front) and this one troubled me for many reasons. So I find it hard to just sit and enjoy it.
That Richard Armitage is quite good-looking too 😉
Hello Kaprekar. Amazingly I found I was able to divorce myself completely from P&P when I watched B&P for the first time. There was something witty and clever in it and which illustrated the whole arranged marriage set-up that is such a part of the sub-continent’s tradition. Later, on subsequent viewings, I had a thought that Jane Austen herself would see how well the Regency tradition sat with the Indian tradition. Not only that, I rather liked the subtle way Gurinder Chada showed the latent snobbery the West has over the longstanding traditions and beauty of the East.
As for RA… hmmm…
So that is who Lalita is! I have never seen the film or the actress, but it is uncanny how she fits the mental image I had of your heroine, mesmered — the shape of her face, the cheekbones, the expressive eyes and the smile with the hint of spirit and mischief. You paint a mean word-picture.
One thing puzzles me though — whoever is this Richard Armitage of whom you speak? 🙂
My love for music is sporadic nowadays. The right piece can still have me soaring, but mostly I feel that if I had a quarter to put in a jukebox, I’d always settle for the sound of silence.
I’ve often thought, Giselle, that you and I might be on a similar wavelength.
Even down to the sound of silence…
It’s a commodity that’s so hard to come by in modern society.
That’s just the Lalita I had in my mind while reading! So beautiful. Guess what? I’m listening to music and writing a book review. I’ve always loved music and often listen to my favourite songs while completing other tasks. Back to my review 😉
I’m really pleased that everyone thinks Ashwariya makes a good Lalita Khatoun. Let’s hope you all think the image of the male protagonist is as good!
Quite a few years ago Carey was most gentle and encouraging with a wee little lady and her busking debut on her 1/8th violin. He played Teddy Bears picnic for her and encouraged her to keep up the good work. Even years later whenever we see him with guitar in hand a few bars of Tddy Bears picnic is still played. Hmm I wonder how long it has been part of a bards repertoire?