Oriental Traditional Music from LPs & Cassettes: 2012

Sunday, 30 December 2012

'Alan Faqir - Vol. 4 - Sufi Music from Sindh - Cassette from Pakistan

Another beautiful casette by the legendary Sufi singer.

Side A (23:57)

Side B (24:01)

Download

Many thanks again to Danny for sharing this cassette.

Friday, 28 December 2012

Zarsanga - Pashto Folk Music - Lok Virsa FK 0015 - Cassette from Pakistan

Beautiful folk music accompanied mainly on Rabab, Flute and Dholak.

Side A (31:10)

Side B (30:46)

Download

Many thanks to Danny for sharing this cassette.

Zarsanga is a famous Pashtu singer widely known as The Queen of Pashtun Folklore. She was born in 1946 at Zafar Mamakhel, a small village of Lakki Marwat. She belongs to a nomadic tribe that used to settle in Afghanistan in summer and stay in Lakki during the winter. In 1965, she married Mulajan, a resident of Sarai Naurang (Bannu) who was also a nomad. Many people believe she is married to popular folk singer Khan Tehsil, but she denies the rumours:

“Actually I sang with him on many occasions and most of our joint songs got immense popularity. He is not my husband he is just like my own brother”.

Zar Sanga has four daughters and two sons. Only Shehzada, her second son, has stepped into the world of music. At the start of her career, Zar Sanga would listen to the songs of Gulnar Begum, Kishwar Sultan, Bacha Zarin Jan, Khial Mohammad, Ahmad Khan and Sabz Ali Ustad. “I liked all of them, but I have maintained my own traditional way of folk singing. The people would earnestly enjoy my songs on both sides of the Durand Line (Pakistan-Afghan border). “I got no education so I cannot sing from a written paper. Most often I sing the songs that are composed and created by the common folk. However my husband also wrote some of my popular songs”, she said. A French researcher, Miss Kia, who worked with Radio France, once said Zar Sanga’s voice was the only mountainous voice in the Pashto language. Miss Kia took Zar Sanga to France for a musical concert. In France, many people were fascinated by her sweet melodies. The Pashto singer described a concert in London: “I was singing a traditional folk song in Pashto about the mountains and gypsy life of the tribals and when I finished it, a British person came close to me and proudly remarked that he was also a gypsy.” The famous numbers of Zar Sanga, which she never misses at any musical event she plays are Da Bangriwal Pa Choli Ma Za (her first-ever song on radio), Zma Da Khro Jamo Yara, Rasha Mama Zwi De, Zma Da Ghrono Pana Yara, and Kht Me Zanzeri De. Zar Sanga has been to Germany, Belgium, Iraq, Dubai, America, France and UK and has enthralled thousands of Pakhtuns and local people with her voice.

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarsanga

Thursday, 27 December 2012

'Alan Faqir - Vol. 1 - Sufi Music from Sindh - Cassette from Pakistan

Side A (23:05)

Side B (23:22)

Download

Many thanks to Danny for sharing this cassette.

'Alan (Allan) Faqir (1932-2000) was one of the foremost exponents of Sufi music in Pakistan. He was particularly known for his ecstatic style of performance marked with extreme devotional rhetoric and sufi dance singing. Deprived of a mother's love, he went off in search of someone who could replace that love. He arrived at the tomb of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai in Bhit Shah and started living there. Faqir's memory was sharp even though he could not read and write. Hearing the traditional Latifi Raag sung every night touched his heart. Encouraged by Faqir Zawar Qurban Ali Lanjwani and Moolchand Maharaj, he began singing Bhitai's poetry at the shrine and ultimately spent twenty years there until meeting Mumtaz Mirza, who introduced him to Radio Pakistan and ptv in Hyderabad and helped him to learn the correct pronunciation of Bhitai's poetry. Eventually, he became a performing legend.

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Fakir

Sunday, 23 December 2012

More Rudra Veena - Anant Bedekar (1921- ? )

Side 1:

Raga Malkauns - Alap (6:41)

Side 2:

Raga Malkauns - Jod (6:24)

Additional tracks:

Raga Madhukauns - Alap (4:50)

Raga Madhukauns - Jod (12:56)

Download

Many thanks to KF for sharing generously these rare recordings.

"Born in a family of music lovers, Anant Bedekar also played the sitar and the surbahar. His music, he said, was neither in the dhrupad nor in the khyal style. His expressive playing technique and the singular sound of his bin made him an original binkar at any rate, unjustly condemned to obscurity.

Anant Bedekar (1921 - ?), doctor and binkar, enjoyed the mixed instruction of Laxman Rao Chavan, son of Balvant Rao Chavan, one of Bande Ali Khan’s disciples."

from: http://www.rudravina.com/html_gb/musi_02.html

Wednesday, 12 December 2012

Sitar maestro Ravi Shankar dies at 92 on December 12 - In his memory: a less known LP from 1972/73

Ravi Shankar, composer, sitar player and worldwide music legend, has died surrounded by family near his home in southern California. He played at Woodstock, collaborated with the Beatles and fathered Norah Jones.

Ravi Shankar passed away in the presence of his family late on Tuesday in California aged 92. He had undergone successful surgery last Thursday, but was unable to recover from the operation. Shankar's family confirmed the news.

"Although it is a time for sorrow and sadness, it is also a time for all of us to give thanks and to be grateful that we were able to have him as part of our lives," his family said.

"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the surgeons and doctors taking care of him, his body was not able to withstand the strain of the surgery. We were at his side when he passed way," Shankar's wife Sukanya and his daughter Anoushka said.

DW.DE

Shankar is as famed in the western hemisphere as in his native India, and is broadly credited with popularizing Indian music in the rest of the world - by virtue of his nimble fingers and the distinctive sound of the sitar.

Intercontinental icon

A three-time Grammy winner, Shankar played at the 1967 Monterey Festival and at Woodstock. He collaborated with violinist Yehudi Menhin and with the Beatles in the same era. He taught band member George Harrison, one of the more famous guitarists ever to have lived, to turn his hand to India's stringed equivalent.

Shankar has also fathered a Grammy winner, the eclectic vocalist Norah Jones who has been honored with jazz, pop and country music accolades during the last decade.

One of Shankar's first international awards was secured in Berlin at the 1957 Berlinale film festival, where he secured the Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize for composing the score for the Bengali movie Kabuliwala.

His influence touched almost every corner of the music industry, including fellow legends in the business. Jazz saxophone master John Coltrane named his son Ravi Coltrane.

Shankar also served as an unelected member of the upper chamber of India's parliament.

msh/dr (AFP, dpa, Reuters)

http://www.dw.de/sitar-maestro-ravi-shankar-dies-at-92/a-16445458

Ustad Zakir Hussain said it beautifully: "Beings like him don't die, they just go back to heaven to take their rightful place amongst the Gods. Today, with his presence heaven is enriched."

Side 1:

Raga Alahiya Bilawal (21:29)

Side 2:

Raga Patdeep (21:25)

Download

Thursday, 6 December 2012

Mugam Trio Djabbar Karyagdyoglu - Mugam from Azerbaijan - LP from 1991

Zakhid Kuliev - Vocal, Naqara

Mokhlat Muslimov - Tar

Fakhratdin Dadashev - Kemanche

Zakhid Kuliev - his name is transcribed sometimes as Zahid Guliev or Quliyev - is
next to Alim Qasimov perhaps the singer with the most amazing and beautiful
voice of his generation.

Side 1

Maxur – Xindi (Mahur-Hindi)

(folk music – A.Vakhid) – 22.26

Side 2

Simai – Shems

(folk music – D.Vasif) – 10.30

Heiraty – 6.45

Gyullyu Gafiya – 3.18

(folk music and text)

Download

Liner notes:

Classic Azerbaijani “mugam” dates back to a long history. It was developed, polished and passed from mouth to mouth. The only thing that wasn’t changed is the creative task of bearers of mugam, which comprises the ability of joining the strict rules of formations and freedom of its interpretation. A mugam performer sings and plays traditional variant of classical composition while demonstrating at the same time his ability of improvisation to listeners that adds a unique colour to the sounds of popular melodies.

Traditional mugam ensemble is a trio, casting a singer-hanende and performers on Azerbaijani national musical instruments “tare” (stringed) and kyamanche (bow). Drumming (“def”) party of music is performed by a singer himself.

From the earliest times Azerbaijani mugam art presents three main performing schools – Karabakh, Shirvan and Baku. Each of them added their amazing tints to the development and formation of this Azerbaijani “dastgyakh”.

The performance of “dastgyakh” can be compared with climbing to the Everest from all slopes by the strongest, skilled and well trained professionals.

Mugam trio named after Djabbar Karyagdyoglu offers organic blending of tastes of two schools: lower-Karabakh (in its turn Karabakh School has three trends: gorno- (mountain), middle- and lower-Karabakh) – singer-hanende Zakhid Guliev and Baku stringed musical instrument player Mokhlat Muslimov, and a bow player Fakhratdin Dadashev. Each of them, possessing an impressive individual performing aspect, tactfully locates the orientation of the improvisatory fantasy of a partner in the ensemble.

A repertoire of classical Azerbaijani mugam ensemble consists of mugams, zerbi-mugams, Azerbaijani-mugams and even traditional ashug (Caucasian folk) melodies.

Ancient land of Azerbaijan has been always generous with talents. Majority of them glorified this beautiful land to the world, entering to the golden foundation of world musical art. Safiaddin Urmevi, Abdul Kadyr Maragi, Uzeir Gadjibekov, Sadykhdjan, Djabbar Karyagdyoglu, Mirza Mamed Gasan, Kurban Primov, Bakhram Mansurov and other Azerbaijani musicologists and performers are the stars of “mugam galaxy”. Undoubtedly, we are the spectators of appearance of new stars, flaring with special glitters.

Gasan Adigezal-zade

Many thanks to Berdak Bayimbetov for the translations and transcriptions, especially the big work of translating the liner notes.

Sunday, 2 December 2012

Ustad Mohammad Sayeed Khan passed away - In his memory: Khan Bandhu: Mohammad Sayeed Khan & Mohammad Rashid Khan - LP "Encore..." (1978)

We received only today the sad news that Ustad Mohammad Sayeed Khan of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana has passed away on the 6th of october 2012, at the age of 77, in Amsterdam where he lived since the 1980s. In the 1970s EMI India released two LPs by him together with his younger brother Mohammad Rashid Khan - who passed away already in the 1980s - under the name Khan Bandhu. The second of these two LPs we present here as a tribute.

Sarangi: Masit Khan

Tabla: Nizamuddin Khan

Side 1:

Raga Tilak Kamod (17:43)

Side2:

1. Raga Kamod Nat (13:17)

2. Raga Raat Ki Gunkali (5:31)

Download

Mohammad Sayeed Khan - Khyal-Pionier in Europa
- Nachruf von Yogendra -

Der große Khyal-Sänger Mohammad Sayeed Khan ist am 6. Oktober im Alter von 77 Jahren in Amsterdam verstorben. Er stammte aus einer alten Musikerfamilie in Mumbai und war ein Vertreter der Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. Gelernt hatte er von Kindheit an von seinem Vater, dem Sarangi-Virtuosen Abdul Majid Khan, Schüler von Gharana-Gründer Alladiya Khan und Sarangi-Legende Bundu Khan. International bekannt wurde Mohammad Sayeed Khan in den 1960er und 70er Jahren auf weltweiten Tourneen und zahlreichen Schallplatten im Gesangsduett als Khan Bandhu mit seinem jüngeren Bruder Mohammad Rashid Khan. Nach Rashids frühem Tod ließ er sich über den Umweg Surinam in den 1980er Jahren mit seiner Familie in Amsterdam nieder. Dort lebte er bis zu seinem Tod als Lehrer und konzertierender Künstler und wurde so ein wichtiger Pionier indischer Musik in Europa.

Sein musikalisches Erbe wollte keines seiner Kinder antreten. Deshalb entschloss sich Mohammad Sayeed Khan 2007 nach einer Pilgerfahrt nach Mekka, mit der etablierten Tradition vieler Musikerfamilien zu brechen, wonach musikalisches Wissen als eifersüchtig gehütetes Geheimnis nur mündlich an sorgfältig ausgewählte Verwandte oder sehr enge Schüler weitergegeben wird. Statt seine gesammelten musikalischen Schätze mit ins Grab zu nehmen, präsentierte er sie 2009 in Buchform mit begleitender CD. 238 Khyal-Kompositionen in 115 Ragas aus seiner Familientradition machte er damit der Allgemeinheit zugänglich und bewahrte sie so vor dem Vergessen.

from: www.india-instruments.de

He bares family 'jewels' to keep music alive

Vithal C Nadkarni, TNN Jan 17, 2009, 12.53am IST

Ustad Mohammad Sayeed Khan got the idea of opening his family's musical riches to the public during a pilgrimage to Mecca in 2007. With the New Year, the Amsterdam-based son of well-known sarangi maestro Abdul Majid Khan has fulfilled his dream, with the release of a CD and a book with 238 compositions in 115 Hindustani ragas ranging from Adana to Yaman. The ensemble was launched recently in Mumbai, London, Delhi and Kolkata.

Noted santoor maestro Shivkumar Sharma complimented the ustad at the Mumbai function for "sharing the family jewels of his Jhajjar gharana''. "In one stroke, he has broken an unspoken taboo against the transmission of traditional knowledge which many old-style pedagogues tend to guard like zealous dragons hoarding buried treasures,'' he said. "By providing print and audio versions of the heirlooms with a commentary on the lyrics, the ustad has greatly facilitated the musical odyssey of the neophyte as well as seasoned performer. It's a milestone in the renaissance of the classical tradition.''

In the past, many chelas have complained of difficulties in getting hold of compositions from their `close-fisted' gurus even after offering years of service to them. Experts cite this as one of the reasons for the decline in the traditional style of teaching and the extinction of many exquisite compositions.

Ustad Mohammad Sayeed says he was inspired to share his family repertoire for the sake of posterity. "I do not want to take these treasures with me to the grave as has happened in so many cases,'' he said. "All my children are highly qualified and well settled in the Netherlands. But they aren't interested in music, which makes it all the more imperative that I share it with the larger `family of man'.''

The ustad recalls how he always used to pray for knowledge whenever he offered namaz. He said he was grateful for the superlative taalim (musical education) from his father, who had himself learnt at the feet of the legendary founder of the Jaipur gharana, Alladiya Khan.

Years later when he went to Mecca for a second visit, the ustad says he prayed for the first time for public acceptance of the knowledge that he had received from his forefathers. "Now that, too, is becoming possible,'' he said while reminiscing about the golden era of Hindustani classical music (which is evoked in the book through anecdotes of musicians). That was when his father used to accompany most of the illustrious musicians of the day on the sarangi. "Many masters visited and stayed with my father, who was particularly known for his sangat or instrumental accompaniment to the great diva, Kesarbai Kerkar,'' he recalls. "And it was during the soirees and night-long addas at home and on the concert platform, from behind the tanpura, that I picked up many a secret of the classical tradition during our rigorous apprenticeship.''

Ustad Mohammad Sayeed, a graduate of St Xavier's College, used to sing jugalbandis with his younger brother Ustad Mohammad Rashid Khan. Later he went to Surinam on an Indian Council for Cultural Relations fellowship and travelled thence to Holland with his family in the mid-1980s to eventually settle abroad. "That was the period when my younger brother died in Mumbai, and I began to brood about giving back to society what I had received in such abundance,'' he said.

Veteran sitarist Arvind Parikh, who was also present at the CD launch, said, "Ustad Mohammad Sayeed's maiden venture focused on the nayika or the heroine. We are now looking forward to the next volume which covers the social and cultural aspects of our rich musical heritage.''

from: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-01-17/mumbai/28001672_1_gharana-hindustani-classical-music-compositions

Saturday, 1 December 2012

More Dabir Khan: Jugalbandi Rudra Veena and Surbahar with Santosh Banerjee

Ustad Muhammad Dabir Khan (1907-1972) (Rudra Veena)

and

Santosh Banerjee (born 1932) (Surbahar):

Raga Rabkosh Kanada: Alap, Jod & Bandish in Chautal (42:38)

Download

Many thanks to KF.

Santosh Banerjee is a student of Dabir Khan. He plays Surbahar and Sitar.

Bihaan Music published recently a very beautiful Surbahar CD by him:

The CD can be obtained from: info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com

Friday, 23 November 2012

More Rudra Veena Masters: Shrikant Pathak and R. V. Hegde

Bindu Madhav Pathak

Here we present two Rudra Veena masters from Dharwar in South India: Shrikant Pathak and R.V. Hegde. Both are students of Pandit Bindu Madhav Pathak (1935-2004), an exponent of Rudraveena and Sitar.

Dr Bindu Madhav Pathak was the son of a great Rudra Veena player Pt. Dattopant Pathak and hails from Hubli. He obtained his early training from his father (pupil of Late Ustad Murad Khan Beenkar of Jawara) and later from Ustad Rajab Ali Khan of Dewas. Both Ustad Murad and Rajab Ali Khan were students of the great Rudra Veena player Ustad Bande Ali Khan.

BMP blossomed into an accomplished artist at a very young age of 17. He was a top 'A' grade artist of AIR. He performed in several National Music Programmes of AIR and Doordarshan. Some of his students are his son Shrikant Pathak, Ramchandra V Hegde and Jyoti Hegde. He was Head of Dept. of Music in Karnataka University, Dharwad.
Pt Pathak was heavily influenced by the vocal music of Kirana Gharana (that of Abdul Wahid Khan). He insisted his gharana to be Kirana, and not formally associated with any Dhrupad gharanas. He said he played Khayal style (Kirana type) of music on Been.

Mr. Pathak, who retired as the Head of the Department of Music of Karnatak University, was popularly known as "Been" Pathak for his expertise in playing the Been. Apart from performing for Akashwani and Doordarshan, he was a recipient of several awards and titles including the Karnataka Kala Tilak Award, Aryabhata Award, and "Vidyaparipoorna" title. He also served as adviser to the Union Ministry of Education and Culture .

Mr. Pathak wrote many books and articles on music, including Bharatiya Sangeeta Charitre.

Bande Ali Khan

He belonged to the Khyal Ang Rudra Veena tradition. Khyal Ang on veena began mainly with Bande Ali Khan (credited: 1826-1890). An innovative and iconoclastic musician, Bande Ali Khan was particularly fond of khyal singing, which he adapted to the bin, the instrument having until then been solely used to interpret the dhrupad style.

Murad Khan (on the right) and his disciple Krishnarao Kholapure

His student Murad Khan was the one who propagated this unorthodox innovation through the state of Maharashtra. Hindraj Divekar, Bindumadhav Pathak, Jyothi Hegde, and a number of other beenkars belong to this tradition and play khyal and dhrupad ang.

Another point to note is these people including Bindu Madhavji played a been manufactured in Miraj (Maharashtra), whereas others like Bahauddin Dagar play ones from Kolkatta (from what I know).

Information collected from a Dhrupad enthousiast from Hubli, Dharwar, from the book "Rudra Veena: An Ancient String Musical Instrument" by Pandit Hindraj Divekar (see here) and from the excellent website: http://www.rudravina.com/
See also here.

The fotos above are from the website www.rudravina.com.

As we were not able to find any recordings by Bindu Madhav Pathak, we present here two musicians belonging to his tradition: his son Shrikant Pathak and his student R.V. Hegde. The music is from All India Radio. We found the recordings a while ago in the internet. Unfortunately we don't remember the names of the original uploaders.

Shrikant Pathak (Rudra Veena) - Raga Madhumad Sarang (27:55)

Download

R.V. Hegde (Rudra Veena) - Raga Ahir Bhairav (24:00)

Download

Shrikant Pathak took Been playing professionally. He has an MA in music and holds a Ph.D. He teaches Sitar at Pandit Panchakshari Gawai music college run by Veereshwar Punyashram, Gadag.

Ramachandra V. Hegde was born in 1953 at Halladkai in Sirsi Taluk, Karnataka in a family with a rich musical background. His grandfather was a well known musician in that area and as a child he grew up in a house steeped in music. He began learning Hindustani Vocal and is an accomplished singer but was fascinated by the Sitar. His love for the Sitar made him give up singing and soon he began his training under Pt. (Dr.) Bindu Madhav Pathak, a well known Sitar and Rudraveena player of the Bande Ali Khan Gharana. Under Pt (Dr.) Bindu Madhav Pathak’s guidance he soon learnt the intricacies of the Sitar. He was also lucky enough to get a guru who was an accomplished player of the Rudraveena.
The Rudraveena is not an easy instrument to master and there are only a handful of artists who play the Rudraveena. Under Pt (Dr.) Bindu Madhav Pathak’s guidance, Ramachandra Hegde was able to master both these classical Indian Stringed Instruments.
Apart from playing the Sitar and the Rudraveena, Ramachandra Hegde believes in keeping the music of the Rudraveena alive for generations to come. He teaches music and trains young pupils from all over the country. Many of his students have gone on to become All India Radio Artists themselves.
from: http://www.angelfire.com/planet/rudraveena/Rudraveena/index.blog/1266513/rudraveena/

If anybody has more information or more recordings by these artists or other artists from this tradition, please share.

Addition of 19th of january 2018:
Just found on YouTube an extremely difficult to get CD by R.V. Hegde, posted by the label in CD quality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WmGlRWSUrM&t=9s

Recently in India a CD by Jyoti Hegde was published:

Jyoti Hegde (Rudra Veena) & ? (Pakhawaj) – Rare Instruments - Rudra Veena: Raga Miyan Malhar: Alap, Jod & Jhala, Dhrupad Bandish in Chautala, Raga Megh Malhar: Alap & Jhala, Dhrupad Bandish in Jhaptal, ASA MUSIC, ASA-MGD-G039

Unfortunately the label put a picture of the Saraswati Veena instead of the Rudra Veena on the cover.

Friday, 16 November 2012

Older Masters of Rudra Veena (Been) - Part III - Ustad Abid Hussain Khan (1907-1978)

Born in 1907 Abid Hussain Khan was an accomplished vocalist and also a Beenkar (a Rudra-Veena player). He traced his musical heritage from Shri Mishri Singh Rajput of Jaipur who once accompanied Miyan Tansen on Rudra Veena before emperor Akbar. As a child, Abid Hussain Khan had been initiated in music by his father Late Ustad Jamaluddin Khan of Bidar state during the twenties and thirties of last century.

Here we present four Ragas on two CDs. Only one Raga - Raga Darbari Kanada - is played on Rudra Veena. The others are vocal: the two Ragas on the first CD are sung in Dhrupad style and the second Raga on CD 2 is in Khyal style. The recordings are probably from All India Radio.

Download CD 1 & Scans

Download CD 2

We are very grateful to KF, the original compiler of these recordings, who created these two CDs for his own collection and shared them generously.

Here is another Rudra Veena program by Abid Hussain Khan from AIR, with Bhimpalasi and Desh, uploaded by Povster:

http://www.mediafire.com/?li5jbezl2qw

Ustad Abid Hussain Khan: The Maestro Par Excellence

By Roop Narayan Dixit
(Roop Narayan Dixit is a retired professor of English who became a Ganda-baddh disciple of Ustad Abid Hussain Khan in 1963)

Late Ustad Abid Hussain Khan of Indore hailed from Baroda and the court of the erstwhile state of the Nawab of Jinjira but had settled down at Indore during forties and fifties of the last century.

Born in 1907 this grandson of Raza Ali Beenkar was an accomplished vocalist and also a Beenkar (a Rudra-Veena player). He traced his musical heritage from Shri Mishri Singh Rajput of Jaipur who once accompanied Miyan Tansen on Rudra Veena before emperor Akbar. As a child, Abid Hussain Khan had been initiated in music by his father Late Ustad Jamaluddin Khan of Bidar state during the twenties and thirties of last century.

In prime of his youth, he became the court-musician of the Nawab of Jinjira, a Muslim state in the coastal area of Maharashtra where he lived in a cottage facing the rolling waves of the Arabian Sea. Perhaps the resonance of his voice, and his own style of Alap and taking Taans reflecting the elegance and grace of an ocean, was due to this.

A versatile genius, Ustad Abid Hussain Khan could sing Dhrupad and Dhamar, Khayal, Tarana, Tappa with competence. His singing enamoured the audience while reaching rare heights. The manner of Alap came to be recognized as Bidar ang with its distinctive development by gliding from Mandra Saptak to pause at Shadja and gradually ascending toward Madhya Saptak where he stayed considerably. The swara-s he applied were graced with nuances (Kana) and Meend. After a relaxed immersion in the lower and middle octaves, Khan Saheb touched the Tar Saptak, yet plunging back to Mandra and Madhya at times. The Alap in Dhrupad and Dhamar was given ample time to establish notes and relationships. The Alap done in a pleasing and interesting manner, it never tired the patience of the audience. His pronunciations established his Dhrupad lineage from Khandarbani explaining his use of Nom Tom for alap.

When he sang a Khayal or Tarana his Alap was brief, yet he continued to be dynamic and graceful in compositions; in Bol-s and Bol-taan-s, he applied Gamak with force of thunder and lightning. In his Tan-s he was equally graceful, elegant and forceful.

Not only the style but his very persona underwent a change when he sang a Thumri, a Dadara or Hori. Invariably each performance was totally subjective and its intense intimacy touched the hearts of each member of the audience.

Khan Saheb preferred common and well-known Raga-s in his concerts. Mostly, the Raga-s were Bilawal, Malhar, Todi, Malkauns, Megh, Darbari, Kaphi and Chhayanat. His compositions were mostly in Teen-tal, Tilwada, Jhoomara and Ada Chautal. He also gave a few memorable concerts singing less common Raga-s like Barwa, Khat, Durga, Shankara and Jhinjhoti.

Shri Vimal (Bimal) Mukherji (Sitar-player), chief among his illustrious disciples is the foremost representative of the Gharana. His prominent representative for vocal style is Bhavyanand Bhatt of Indore who has retained the charm and uniqueness of His Ustad’s Khandarbani style. His accompanists were Late Ustad Alladiya Khan in Sarangi, Pt. Ambadas Agle Pant on Pakhawaj and Ustad Dhulji Khan on Tabla. Among the living generation, Ustad Moinuddin Khan had accompanied him on Sarangi and Ustad Yusuf Khan on Tabla.

from: http://www.omenad.net/page.php?goPage=%2Farticles%2Fabidhussain.htm

About Jamaluddin Khan
Jamaluddin Khan was the son of Reza Ali Beenkar of Jaipur. The family traces its root to the Seni Gharana. Descendents of Tansen selected Rudra Veena for members of the family; to other disciples they taught Surbahar and Sitar. Jamaluddin had mastered the art and became a court musician at Baroda. His performance at Music Conference held in Baroda in 1916 was excellent and remained in memory of listeners. He trained his son Abid Hussain in Been as well as vocal music.

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Ghanonmatta/Musicians

For more information on the Rudra Veena, its masters and its history see:
http://www.rudravina.com/

Thursday, 15 November 2012

Older Masters of Rudra Veena (Been) - Part II - Ustad Sadiq Ali Khan (1893 -1964)

Sadiq Ali Khan (1893-1964), a renowned Veena player, was born in Jaipur. He studied at home mainly under his grandfather Ustad Rajab Ali Khan. He was a court musician of several states including Jhalawar, Alwar and Rampur. He was expert in Alapa and liked depth in music. Unlike many other musicians he disliked percussion competitions. He had nine children by his first wife, but unfortunately, all of them except a daughter, Khurshid Jahan, died young. Asad Ali Khan was the son by his second wife. He was a bosom friend of Vilayat Husain Khan (Agra) and Ayodhya Prasad, the well-known Pakhawaj player of Uttar Pradesh. He died in Rampur on July 17, 1964.

From: Musicians of India by Amal Das Sharma, published by Naya Prokash (1993)

from: http://www.parrikar.org/vpl/?page_id=464

Download CD 1 & Scans

Download CD 2

We are very grateful to KF, the original compiler of these recordings, who created these two CDs for his own collection and shared them generously. Recordings on CD 2 courtesy of VN.

Ustad Rajab Ali Khan & His Descendants

In the last centuries the court of Jaipur was the musical center of Rajastans. The generous patronage of Maharaja Ram Singh II assembled in his ruling times (1835 - 1880) numerous instrumentalists, vocalists and dancers in Jaipur. Among them was the Binkar Ustad Rajab Ali Khan, who was teaching also the Maharaja himself on the Bin.

Since Ustad Rajab Ali Khan did not have a son, he passed on his art to his nephew Ustad Musharaf Ali Khan, who became later court musician in Alwar. Ustad Musharaf Ali Khan performed as one of the first Indian musicians in Europe - 1886 in London. Around the beginning of the 20th century he and Ustad Jamaluddin Khan where two of the most famous Veena players of the country. His golden painted Veena can still be found today in the Alwar Palace Museum.

Ustad Sadiq Ali Khan (1883 - 1964), one of the five sons of Ustad Musharaf Ali Khan, took over the position of his father in Alwar after his death. Later he shifted to Rampur, another famous musical center. Here he lived until the end of his life as court musician of Nawab Raza Ali Khan.

At the court environment of Rampur also his 1937 born son Ustad Asad Ali Khan was growing up. At the age of ten he began his lesson on sitar. Four years later his father started to teach him on the Rudra Veena. It followed another thirteen years of intensive schooling and practice (riyaz) in which he also accompanied his fathers concerts.

Ustad Asad Ali Khan is today the last famous musician who combines the mastery of the traditional Been techniques with profound knowledge of the raga. His family tradition makes him also to be one of the last representatives of the Khandarbani, one of the main styles of the Dhrupad.

This mainly on the Been played style is known for the precise control of the microtonal fineness and the simultaneous ornament rich development of the melody. With worldwide concerts and classes to Indian and Foreign students he works for the continuation of the Rudra Veena tradition. His nephew Zaki Haider lives and learns with him since his childhood. Beside that Ustad Asad Ali Khan teaches also some other disciples on the Rudra Veena.

from: http://taal.20m.com/rajabalikhan.html

For more information on the Rudra Veena, its masters and its history see:

http://www.rudravina.com/

Older Masters of Rudra Veena (Been) - Part I - Ustad Dabir Khan (1907-1972)

In the West the Rudra Veena is mainly known through two great masters of the instrument: Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (1929-1990) and Ustad Asad Ali Khan (1937-2011) (see here).

We are starting now a series of three posts of great masters of the Rudra Veena who lived a generation earlier. As far as I know, never any recordings of these masters have been published. The recordings we present here are mostly from broadcasts by All India Radio.

For more information on the Rudra Veena, its masters and its history see:

http://www.rudravina.com/

We start with Ustad Mohammed Dabir Khan, the grandson and pupil of Wazir Khan of Rampur (the teacher of Ustad Allauddin Khan) who traces his lineage back to Tansen. He was proficient in instrumental Rudra Been as well as in vocal Dhrupad music. He was the recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1969. He passed away in 1972.

Info taken from: http://www.parrikar.org/vpl/?page_id=406