Anthony Gonsalves
Encyclopedia
Anthony Prabhu Gonsalves (born 1928) is an Indian musical composer and teacher from the village of Majorda
(near Margao
in Goa
, India
) who, during the mid-1950s, attempted to merge the symphonies of his Goan heritage with the Hindustani melodies and rhythms in films of the day.
He found his first job in the city as a violinist in the group of the composer Naushad
in 1943. He taught R.D. Burman and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma-( member of the Laxmikant Pyarelal
team) and has worked with most of the legendary composers of the 1950s and 1960s. A few examples of his work are B.R. Chopra (Naya Daur
, Waqt
), Naushad
(Dillagi
), and Chetan Anand (Haqeeqat
). The song "My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves" was Pyarelal's tribute to his violin teacher.
In 1958, Gonsalves founded the Indian Symphony Orchestra (not the Symphony Orchestra of India
) featuring playback singer
s Lata Mangeshkar
and Manna Dey
as soloists, the works were performed in the quadrangle of St. Xavier’s College in Mapusa, Goa
.
In 1965, he quit the film industry and went to the United States
, via a travelling grant from Syracuse University
in New York. He became a member of the American Society of Composers, Publishers and Authors, and later in returned to India, settled in his ancestral village of Majorda in Goa, and continued composing music, though he never joined the Hindi films again
Majorda
Majorda is a village situated in in the Salcette taluka of the South Goa district. The village is famous for its beach....
(near Margao
Margao
Margao and commercial capital of the Indian state of Goa. It is the administrative headquarters of South Goa district and of the Salcete taluka.- Etymology :...
in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) who, during the mid-1950s, attempted to merge the symphonies of his Goan heritage with the Hindustani melodies and rhythms in films of the day.
He found his first job in the city as a violinist in the group of the composer Naushad
Naushad
Naushad Ali was an Indian musician. He was one of the foremost music directors for Bollywood films, and is particularly known for popularizing the use of classical music in films.His first film as an independent music director was Prem Nagar in 1940...
in 1943. He taught R.D. Burman and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma-( member of the Laxmikant Pyarelal
Laxmikant Pyarelal
Laxmikant-Pyarelal were a popular Indian composer duo, consisting of Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma . They composed music for about 635 Hindi movies from 1963 to 1998, working for almost all notable filmmakers including Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Feroze Khan, B.R...
team) and has worked with most of the legendary composers of the 1950s and 1960s. A few examples of his work are B.R. Chopra (Naya Daur
Naya Daur
Naya Daur is a 1957 Indian drama film starring Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala, Ajit and Jeevan. Originally filmed in black and white, the film was colourized and re-released on 3 August 2007.-Plot:...
, Waqt
Waqt
Waqt is the Urdu and Arabic word for Time. It may also refer to:* the time schedule for Muslim prayers, see Salat times* Waqt, song from the Pakistani rock band Entity Paradigm* Waqt, a 1965 film directed by Yash Chopra...
), Naushad
Naushad
Naushad Ali was an Indian musician. He was one of the foremost music directors for Bollywood films, and is particularly known for popularizing the use of classical music in films.His first film as an independent music director was Prem Nagar in 1940...
(Dillagi
Dillagi
Dillagi is a 1999 Bollywood film directed by Sunny Deol and also starring Sunny Deol alongside his real-life brother Bobby Deol and Urmila Matondkar. The film was a box office flop but Deol's first attempt at directing was appreciated....
), and Chetan Anand (Haqeeqat
Haqeeqat
Haqeeqat is a 1964 Hindi war-film directed by Chetan Anand. It was supported by the Government of India.The movie stars Balraj Sahni, Dharmendra, Rajender Kumar, Priya Rajvansh, Sanjay Khan and Vijay Anand. the music is by Madan Mohan and the lyrics by Kaifi Azmi. The movie was based on the 1962...
). The song "My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves" was Pyarelal's tribute to his violin teacher.
In 1958, Gonsalves founded the Indian Symphony Orchestra (not the Symphony Orchestra of India
Symphony Orchestra of India
The Symphony Orchestra of India is an orchestra based in Mumbai, India.It was founded in 2006 and is housed at the National Centre for the Performing Arts , Mumbai.The first and current Music Director is Marat Bisengaliev...
) featuring playback singer
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
s Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional...
and Manna Dey
Manna Dey
Prabodh Chandra Dey , better known by his nickname Manna Dey , is a playback singer in Bengali Assamese and Hindi films. Along with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, he was a part of Indian film playback music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs over the course of...
as soloists, the works were performed in the quadrangle of St. Xavier’s College in Mapusa, Goa
St. Xavier's College, Mapusa, Goa
St. Xavier's is a college located in the North Goan town of Mapusa . It is the largest and oldest college north of the Mandovi River in Goa, a state along the west coast of India. Its current principal isDr. Fr...
.
In 1965, he quit the film industry and went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, via a travelling grant from Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in New York. He became a member of the American Society of Composers, Publishers and Authors, and later in returned to India, settled in his ancestral village of Majorda in Goa, and continued composing music, though he never joined the Hindi films again
Music Arrangement in Indian movies
- Dholak (1950)
- Pehli Nazar (1945)
- MahalMahal-Geography:* Mahal, India, a small town in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India* Malé, the capital of Maldives* Mahalle, Turkish language country subdivision or neighbourhood term* Mahalla, an Arabic language country subdivision or neighbourhood term...
(1949)
Influences in Indian popular culture
- My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves, a song in the 1977 film Amar Akbar AnthonyAmar Akbar AnthonyAmar Akbar Anthony is a 1977 Bollywood film about three brothers separated during their childhood who grew up in three homes, adopting three religions...
- My Name Is Anthony GonsalvesMy Name Is Anthony Gonsalves (film)My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves is a Bollywood Drama starring newcomer Nikhil Dwivedi, Amrita Rao and Mithun Chakraborty as the lead protagonists. The film is directed by E. Niwas. The name of the movie is derived from the 1977 hit movie Amar Akbar Anthony's famous song, "My Name Is Anthony...
(2007), a film based on the song
- My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves
- Anthony Gonsalves, in Raj ComicsRaj ComicsRaj Comics is an Indian comic book line published by a division of Raja Pocket Books.Raj Comics' best-known characters include Nagraj, Super Commando Dhruva, Doga, Parmanu, Shakti, Bhokal and Super Indian.-History:...
by Tarunkumar Wahi