Metaphysics

Dattani ‘s  use  of  music   in   his  play  tara.

written by lyla , date : 11 july 2018

INTRODUCTION:

Mahesh Dattani born on 7 August 1958 is a Banglore – based playwright  and director.He has many critically acclaimed plays , films and dramas to his credit .He was also awarded the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award in 1998.He has directed and scripted  critically acclaimed films like Mango soufflé  and Morning raga . He is also a workshop facilitator for many writing and acting courses , and has conducted workshops in different parts of the world. He also writes script for BBC Radio 4.  His plays  emerged as ‘ fresh arrival’ in domain of Indian English drama. His plays deals with contemporary issues . His plays have universal appeal . His plays speak across linguistic and cultural barriers . Dattani in his plays not only makes an abundant use of Indian mythology , traditions , ritual and contemporary issues , but also explores and experiments with stagecraft .Some of his famous plays  are Dance like a Man , Bravely fought the queen , Where there’s a Will . Tara is also a play written by Dattani. It  showcases or deals with the contemporary problem of gender inequality that eists in Indian society since time immemorial . It is not only the story or the issue that this play deals with makes It excellent and exceptional , bu also the themes and techniques used by Dattani makes it special . In his play  Tara , he not only uses  various stage level techniques but he also uses  other techniques  such as lightining and music ..So , in this essay we are going to talk about the use of music in  Dattani ‘s Tara , and how it enhances as well affects the play and how  use of technique of music is important in Tara.

Use of music in tara .

Dattani in Tara uses music  to create a certain mood as well as to make a point about certain characters . The music that is played at important moments in the play is by Brahms . Infact , in the play , there is a pointed exchange between  Chandan and Tara about  the music . The first reference to Brahms  is in the stage directions in the First Act , right after Dr. Thakkar’s interview with Dan (old Chandan ) , in which the latter describes himself as ‘freak among freaks’.

“Spot fades on DR. THAKKAR , as we hear the explosive opening of Brahms first concerto . The street area is lit . TARA enters the street. She mimes  meeting someone and smiling , starting a conversation . After a while she slowly lifts the leg of her trouser to reveal her artificial limb .She laughs in a ugly way .Then she says goodbye and enters the living room as the light crossfades. CHANDAN is lying on his back on the floor listening to music , conducting an imaginary orchestra in the heaven.”

Tara is made to expose her artificial leg ,to three girls in locality  to the “explosive opening of Brahms “.after this incident Tara enters the house , and after a while comments on music that  is being played , listening to it with pleasure .The dialogue/exchange is somewhat long , but worth paying attention:

“TARA. We women mature fast .speaking of maturity you better not skip any physiotherapy sessions Daddy wants you to be big and sturdy .He will find out from the hospital and….this music is so … I don’t know .

CHANDAN.It has passion.

TARA. Yes, Beethoven must have been a passionate man.

CHANDAN . Brahms .

TARA. Yes and -----What?

CHANDAN .Brahms not Beethoven . Brahms first concerto.

TARA. Are you sure?

CHANDAN . Of course .His very first TARA. Stop it . Turn it off . I thought that  was Beethoven.

CHANDAN.(He stops the music ).You have heard this so often .

TARA. Yes but I always thought it was Beethoven.

CHANDAN. Well , they do sound similar. But this one is unmistakably Brahms. It has his quality of a high tragedy and romance----of youth bursting forth in the World, with all its claim .A spring like freshness------

TARA. Do me a favour. When you become a writer , stay away from poetry.

CHANDAN .It’s written on the record cover .

TARA. You mean ,you can feel all that in the music ?

CHANDAN. (Thinking about it. ) Well, His music is so ----- I don’t know.

They both laugh.”

At  first this only seems a general conversation  just as how some people like to talk about their choices in music , their favourite singers and groups in real life , that really have no real consequence ,or meaning . But  as we know Tara is  a play , its not real life . So , every word/dialogue spoken on stage is significant and definitely holds some meaning . So , what is the hidden meaning in this long exchange between  CHANDAN and TARA?

If we pay  close attention  to the singers or musicians mentioned in this long exchange  , and search a little bit about them , then we found out that these names are not ordinary names , but these names have a greater significance in the world of western classical music. Both these composers were German , and Beethoven was a source of influence to Brahms . But the important thing that one can know by little bit of searching is that Beethoven started going deaf , when he was in his twenties .Beethoven or Ludwig Van Beethoven , German composer and pianist  , around 1801, began to loose his hearing.  He suffered a severe form of tinnitus, a "roar" in his ears that made it hard for him to appreciate music and he would avoid conversation. The cause of Beethoven's deafness is unknown, but it has variously been attributed to syphilis, lead poisoning, typhus, or possibly even his habit of immersing his head in cold water to stay awake. Over time, his hearing loss became acute: there is a well-attested story that, at the premiere of his Ninth Symphony, he had to be turned round to see the tumultuous applause of the audience, hearing nothing. In 1802, he became depressed, and considered committing suicide. He left Vienna for a time for small Austrian town of Heiligenstadt, where he wrote the "Heiligenstadt Testament", in which he resolved to continue living through his art. He continued composing even as his hearing deteriorated. After a failed attempt in 1811 to perform his own "Emperor" Concerto, he never performed in public again.But the thing is ,Beethoven wrote some of his greatest music when he  became completely deaf. But Brahms , or Johannes Brahms , another German composer and pianist  had no such disability . Tara, in his moment of deep hurt and resentment caused by the ‘normal’ world only wants to hear Beethoven .  But , why so ? It is because , Tara is able to identify herself with the musician with a disability, the musician who is eastablished his greatness despite unable to hear his own creations .Tara being a person with disability herself completely identifies with the Beethoven . but the same music that she enjoyed before  , she wants to reject when she learns that it was not by the same composer that she thought. Brahms as he had no disability , Tara does not identify herself with him .  But when , Tara gets rid of her resentment by talking about the incident with Chandan , Her natural longing for a fulfilling life  reasserts  itself and she demands Brahms to be played again. So , Brahms first concerto described by  Chandan as being  having the “quality  of high tragedy and romance---- of youth bursting forth in the world with all its claim . A spring like freshnes ------“ (He says that it was written on the record cover.) , proves right . By Tara agreeing to listen to Brahms , what we understand is that Youth is again ready to make claim on the world loudly and clearly .

Chandan and Tara listening to this music also shows that  how they are misfits in the normal Indian society . Brahms and Beethoven are indeed popular names in world of music , but its rare that an Indian upper middle class  hears their  music  , but  Chandan and Tara  hear this music  . This choice of music shows that  they are not only more ‘ westernized ‘ than other characters but also  very different and a sort of misfits as compared to other characters , or other normal characters in the play . Also , the older Chandan ends up in novel as being English Dan . So , whether they are pushed into  choosing these type of choices by world or society around them , or are they into it by their own choice and will . one can’t really say . But , whatever be the reason , the answer to this question depends on real life view . If someone thinks  that people who listen to western classical music are snob , then one  will not be able to see them in a better light , for having such a taste in music. But , if someone thinks listening to western classical music  shows taste and intelligence than definitely  that person will be able to see Chandan and Tara as more cultured , intelligent , and wise then the rest of characters  , generating a degree of sympathy towards them . Whatever be someone ‘s view the one thing that this this taste of music shows  both  Chandan and Tara are different from the normal world or characters that exists in the play , or even from the normal people that exists in real life.

Another use of music that one can  see in the play , is when  Dattani uses a specific  piece of music , or more specificially a tune  and associates  it with a  one character . When Dr. Thakkar is introduced to audience , a television style signature tune  is played to set up the  interview format as well as also indicate a different movement in the play . Dr . Thakkar will show up his public documentary self , as the revered modern icon . He will share the information With audience , but only that part of information that will show him in good professional light ----- and claim his fifteen minutes of fame . In reality the information has really no  sympathy  with the humanity which it really claims to serve .  We (audience) all know the reality of Dr . Thakkar , that how in his greed of land , he did the injustice of giving the leg to  Chandan , that originally belonged to Tara. Dattani , here wants to imply that it is not really necessary that whatever information shared by  television  is always true .  Television or interviews on television,  the way it works behind the screen has the powe to make devil a hero , and hero , a devil .Here , Dr. Thakkar by sharing only  a part of good things about himself is trying to become a hero , but in reality he is really a greedy and cunning man .

Conclusion:

So , Dattani has exclusively  used music in his play Tara .  The music which he used is not some oridanary kind of music but its  by one of the greatest musicians and composer ever ,  Brahms .   He has also talked about Beethoven , another great musician , compose and pianist ever. His main characters listen to this music , showing that how by being persons with disability they are really  misfits in world around them .  Then , again using a specific television typ of interview  tone for Dr. Thakkar , he wants to emphasise that it is really not necessary that whatever shared through mass media is always true .

Dattani through using various themes and techniques  such as music , makes his play stand out from the plays by other English dramatist .