2ème Festival Algérien de la Musique Andalouse 1969 - Vol. 8

Side A:
1. Conservatoire Municipal de Bedjaia:
Nouba Raml Maya (19:46)
Direction: Sadek el Bedjaoui
2. Centre Régional d'Animation Culturelle de Constantine:
Ensraf & Khlass (5:16)
Direction: Hadj Mohamed Tahar Fergani

Side B:

Société Littéraire, Artistique et Musicale (S.L.A.M.) Tlemcen:

Nouba Dil (23:05)

Direction: Mohamed Bouali

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For infos regarding the ensemble directors on Side A: see Vol. 7

CHEIKH MOHAMED BOUALI

"Ne le 10 Fevrier 1917 dans l'un des vieux quartiers de Tlemcen, R'Hiba, et au sein d'une famille de proprietaires agricoles, Mohamed est le fils du bien connu professeur Si Ghouti Bouali, enseignant à la Medersa et auteur de plusieurs ouvrages sur la theologie, la metrique et la musique. Ghouti etait musicologue et l'auteur de la premiere etude technique jamais réalisée auparavant sur la musique classique Algérienne. Mohamed grandit donc dans un milieu tout acquis à la musique andalouse. Pourtant, rien d'objectif ne le destinait à devenir le serviteur du patrimoine andalou qu'il est devenu. Son pere lui interdisait en effet de toucher aux instruments de musique alors que l'une de ses soeurs avait tout le loisir de l'apprendre.
À partir de 1932, huit mois apres le deces de son pere, Mohamed commenca a s'initier au luth sur celui de son pere, malgre une opposition farouche de sa mere. Les airs deja ancrés dans sa memoire, il apprend rapidement a en executer quelques uns. Passionné par cette facilite d'apprendre, il ira jusqu'a sacrifier ses etudes car sa nouvelle conquete ne voulait plus le partager avec la Medersa, alors qu'il avait seize ans .
En Septembre 1934, la soif de mieux servir son patrimoine l'amena a contribuer, avec Mustapha Belkhodja, Abdelmadjid Bendimered, Anouar Soulimane et d'autres, a la creation de la S.L.A.M. (Societe Litteraire Artistique et Musicale) au sein du cercle 'les jeunes algeriens'. L'art ne pouvait etre dissocié des luttes nationales et sociales, et c'est ce que le cheikh demontrait, si besoin etait.
Entre 1936 et 1939, Mohamed Bouali, assistant dans un cafe de Tlemcen aux concerts hivernaux et printaniers de Cheikh Larbi, secondé par son fils Redouane, pouvait renforcer quantitativement et qualitativement son deja riche repertoire. Notre artiste garde d'excellents souvenir de cette periode: 'Au debut de chaque soiree, Cheikh Larbi prenait son r'beb et attaquait une nouba entiere. A chaque soir correspondait une nouba differente. Et quand l'une de ces noubas revenait, c'etait avec d'autres poemes.
Cheikh Larbi profitait de ces soirees pour s'imposer une sorte de revision de maniere a ne pas oublier ces morceaux qu'il ne pouvait executer lors des mariages. Apres la nouba, le maitre prenait l'alto pour jouer des touchiates, des Haouzi et des Madih.''
Le fait de frequenter ces concerts a sensiblement aidé Mohamed Bouali a retenir la totalite des airs proposés par cheikh Larbi. "Mais celui qui est pour beaucoup dans l'enrichissement de mon repertoire, c'est incontestablement mon inoubliable et tres regrette maitre cheikh Omar Bekhchi . J'allai presque tous les jours a son magasin ou je rectifiais mes erreurs et apprenais beaucoup.'' En effet, cheikh Omar Bekhchi le marque profondement par sa disponibilite et son desinteressement total.
En 1964, deux annees apres l'independance algerienne, Mohamed Bouali fonde la societe musicale ''Gharnata'' et remet la SLAM en activite, d'une maniere epoustouflante puisque l'association chere a Mustapha Belkhodja decrocha la medaille d'or au premier festival de la musique classique algerienne .
Depuis, il n'a jamais cesse d'aimer et de servir cette musique qui constituait a ses yeux un moyen tres persuasif d'avoir une personnalite tres respectable et respectee. Sa disponibilite legendaire lui faisait transmettre tout son savoir avec tant de passion et de lucidite. Decede en 1998, cheikh Mohamed Bouali reste present dans les memoires autant que les autres grandes personnalites l'ayant precede."

from: http://andaloutlemcen.8m.com/custom4.html 

2ème Festival Algérien de la Musique Andalouse 1969 - Vol. 7

We will post in the coming days and weeks the volumes 7 to 12 of this legendary festival. The first six volumes were published last year by Bolingo on his blog. Here we start now with volume 7.

These LPs were published in Algeria by Mehradjane on behalf of La Radiodiffusion Télévision Algérienne. Probably they were pressed in France.

In Algeria there are three traditions of classical arabo-andalusian music: Gharnati of Tlemcen and Oran (western Algeria), Canaa of Algiers and central Algeria and Malouf of Constantine and Annaba (eastern Algeria). All three traditions were represented in this festival. Also the traditions of the neighbouring countries Morocco, Tunisia and Lybia, and traditions having some relationships with arabo-andalusian music from Egypt and Turkey.

Almost all information about Arabo-Andalusian music and it's musicians one can find in the internet is in French. See below references to the singers on this LP.

Side A:

Ensemble de Constantine

Singers: Salah Rahmani & Haj Mohammad Tahar Fergani

Bachraf Sika (22:15)

Side B:

Ensemble d'Alger

Singer: Sadek el Badjaoui

Nouba H'Sine (24:54)

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Salah Rahmani

"Né le 24 juillet 1943 à Constantine. Chanteur et auteur compositeur genre Malouf (Hawzi-Mahjouz-Sejal).
Né dans une famille de mélomanes et dont le père Hassene était joueur de «kanoun» (cithare), Rahmani Salah fréquenta dès l’age de 14 ans les «fundouks» (conservatoires de musique constantinoise de l’époque), il côtoya les grands musiciens et maîtres tels que: Bendjelloul Khoudja, Maamar Benrachi, Larbi et Hamid Benlebjaoui, Kaddour Darsouni et tant d’autres.
Les Rahmani comptent deux grands chanteurs du Malouf: Salah et feu El Hadi son jeune frère dont le style ressemblait à celui du grand et inégalable Raymond Leyris.
D’autre part les Rahmani avaient un jeune frère: Abdelmadjid dit «Riri» très grand virtuose du violon alto qui rivalisait avec Hadj Mohamed Tahar Fergani.
Rahmani Salah pratique le chant et la musique par amour car c’est son hobby puisqu’il était directeur d’une entreprise." 

from: http://www.constantine-hier-aujourdhui.fr/LaCulture/malouf.htm

Haj Mohammad Tahar Fergani

«Aujourd’hui, l’homme a dépassé les soixante-dix ans, le visage expressif, le sourire éclatant et la carrière artistique colorée par un rayonnement d’un bonheur simple et d’un amour seul et unique fidèle à jamais à la chanson malouf, et à une voix spéciale d’un cachet particulier, qui a bercé des générations entières sur plus de cinquante ans de pratique artistique. Cheikh El-Hadj-Mohamed Tahar El-Fergani, né le 9 mai 1929 dans la ville de Constantine, a débuté au milieu des années 40, en compagnie des regrettés Cheikh El-Missoum et Ahmed Wahby, dans le genre musical moderne. Il est issu d’une famille de mélomanes. Son père était un virtuose du "hawzi". Mohamed-Tahar El-Fergani est devenu un des grands maîtres de la chanson algérienne qui s’est consacré au style constantinois, tout en veillant scrupuleusement à garder intactes la pureté et l’âme de cette musique, et en gardant à jamais un lien profond et basé sur les études scientifiques avec les autres écoles de musique andalouse, à Alger et à Tlemcen et c’est justement de ce dernier genre musical c’est-à-dire l’andalou authentique caractérisé par une harmonie entre l’élégance et la grâce de la simplicité que le malouf a conservé son charme et ses normes.
Par ailleurs, El-Hadj Fergani a eu le mérite de porter le malouf dans son cœur au-delà des frontières nationales comme tout d’abord un moyen sensible d’expression, et puis comme un passeport sans visa qui fait connaître aux autres populations la richesse et la variété de la culture algérienne, avec beaucoup de talent, de confiance, de sagesse... Il n’a pas cessé de défendre l’art algérien en enregistrant les chefs-d’œuvre de la chanson malouf, pour sauvegarder un patrimoine splendide malheureusement en voie de disparition.
Les Fergani par ailleurs, de père en fils, ont participé à inscrire la chanson malouf en grandes lettres dans la musique maghrébine et celle du monde entier, en créant le style, en adorant le style, et en faisant une grande école qui demeure à jamais une partie profonde de l’histoire du peuple algérien.»
TAABANE W.
Article paru dans El Moudjahid le 14 janvier 2002 à l'occasion d'un concert dans la salle El-Mouggar, à Alger-Centre.
Discographie:
"Hadj Mohamed Tahar Fergani - Anthologie de la Musique Arabo-Andalouse - Volume 1"; 1992 (Ocora - Radio France)

from: http://www.constantine-hier-aujourdhui.fr/LaCulture/malouf.htm

Cheikh Sadek Bédjaoui

"Sadek Bouyahia, plus connu sous le nom de Sadek El Bédjaoui, est né le 17/12/1907 au quartier de Bab Ellouz (Bédjaia). Il tire son enseignement littéraire et religieux à travers l’école coranique de Sidi El Betrouni, dont les enseignants étaient: Cheikh Larbi Makhchich, Cheikh Belabbas et Cheikh El Hadi Zerrouki, en parallèle avec son enseignement à l’école primaire. Son initiation musicale se fait sentir en 1928 grâce à ses maîtres Cheikh Mahmoud Ahaddad ou Belheddad, Boualem Bouzouzou, Si El Hachemi et Si Aâllaoua Mahindad (Ces maitres étaient en possession de «KNANES» d’El-Aalami, Ben Msayeb, Ben-Triqui Ezzengli et des Genres musicaux pratiqués à Bejaia), qui lui ont enseigné principalement quelques morceaux dans le chant Madih, Melhoun, Hawzi, Aaroubi  et des Nqlabate…mais c’est à Alger que le maître ait pris possession de la «nouba», d’ailleurs, on dit que c’est grâce à lui que cette dernière s’est retrouvée à Bédjaia…Cheikh Sadek Bédjaoui, dont la voix n’est plus à présenter, demeure l’un des facteurs communs que partagent Tlemcen et Bédjaia… 

Ses talents d’artiste furent découverts par le mandoliniste Marcel Lebratti (connu sous le nom Sassi Brati) et le pianiste Moïs Ammar, venus animer une soirée familiale à Bédjaia. Sadek Bédjaoui fut encouragé et incité à les rejoindre à Alger pour renforcer son apprentissage et son répertoire. Avant son départ pour Alger en 1932, Sadek Bédjaoui jouait déjà de la guitare et de la kouitra. Il côtoya ainsi Laho Serour et Mkhilef Bouchaâra et principalement Cheikh Mahieddine Lekhal, et rejoint alors l’association El Mossilia en 1933, et devient très proche de Cheikh Lekhal au point de l’accompagner à Blida chaque dimanche quand il se déplaçait afin de dispenser des cours à l’association El Widadia, qui comptait comme élèves, à l’époque, Cheikhs: Dahmane et Larbi Benachour, Hadj Medjbeur, Hadj El Mahfoud, Mohamed Benguergoura, Med El Mahdi dit Quezzouh…
En 1934, lors d’un séjours à Tlemcen, Sadek Bédjaoui rencontra Cheikh Larbi BenSari et sa carrière prend alors une autre saveur puisque fut pour lui l’occasion de s’acquérir d’un répertoire Hawzi plus dense, mais aussi d’adopter un coup d’archet spécial, inspiré par celui de Cheikh Larbi au violon alto. A Tlemcen, il côtoya également Cheikh Omar Bekhchi et son élève Abdelkrim Dali. À Oran, il fit connaissance avec Saoud l’Oranais dans son café, et au même endroit, Maâllem Zouzou Guennoune, et Ibiho Bensaïd, qui a également influencé la personnalité musicale de Sadek Bédjaoui.
En 1936, il rentra à Bédjaia, doté d’un certain bagage musical, et beaucoup de volonté à faire épanouir la vie culturelle et musicale à Bédjaia. Il devint directeur de Radio Bédjaia en 1942 et crée alors plusieurs associations: «Ennadi» en 1945, «Chabab El Fenni» en 1947, «Chabiba» et «El Inchirah»…qui furent dissoutes par l’administration coloniale, à part «Chabab El Fenni», qui participa en 1938 au Festival à Fès, où il fut décoré par le Sultan du Maroc, pour lui fut l’occasion de rencontrer certains maîtres marocains tels: El Brihi et son élève Abdelkrim Raïs, ainsi que Moulay Ahmed Loukili.
Dès 1948, il fut animateur et Chef d’Orchestre de la Radio Bougie et ce jusqu’en 1954 (déclenchement de notre révolution).
En mai 1949, lors du Festival de Musique Arabo-Andalouse en Tunisie, il fut décoré par le Bey de Tunis du  «Nichan El Iftikhar».
Après l’indépendance, il dirigea «l’Orchestre du Conservatoire de Bédjaia», qu’il a créé le 26 mars 1963, et ce jusqu’à 1986. Il eut comme principaux élèves: Youcef Abdjaoui, Abdelwahab Abdjawi, El Ghazi, Djamel Allam, Mohamed Raïs, M’hamed Rédouane, Kamel Stambouli, M’hemed Schbaiyem…Il a laissé plusieurs nouba enregistrées à Radio Alger, ainsi que quelques Nqlabate, Nsrafate, et Qsayed dans le Hawzi et le R’hawi.
Après la mort de Cheikh Sadek le 05 janvier 1995, l’orchestre du conservatoire municipal de Bédjaia prit le nom de Ahbab Cheikh Sadek El Bédjaoui.
Si Cheikh Sadek Bédjaoui est un brillant interprète doté d’une voix puissante et mélodieuse, il est aussi un compositeur et parolier, il a laissé plusieurs poésies dans les différents dérivés de la musique andalouse; de son corpus, on peut citer:
- Dans le Djed: Ya Smaâ Leklam, Sellou Aâla Ennabi Sid Lessiyed, Medh Sidi Essoufi, Medh Sidi M’hemed Mokrane…
- Dans le Hezl: El Hawa Ouel Houb, Win Ahli Win, Ya Qed El Mesrar, Mehla Del Aâchiya…
- Autres: Wahrane, Ana Dziri, Ksentina Tewsel Ya Hmem, Hada El Aâm, Ya Qelbi Esmaâ, Ya Elli T’hab Temlek, Ah Ya Khti, Tlemcen Ya El Bahia (Dialogue entre les deux cités séculaires Tlemcen et Bédjaia…)
Egalement, il a consacré un poème d’éloge funèbre (Rethwa ou Ritha) à son ami Cheikh Omar Bekhchi qu’il a connu dans les années 30 à Tlemcen au domicile de Cheikh Larbi Bensari, au faubourg d’El Qalaâ. Ce poème traite de l’inéluctabilité de la mort, soulignant le caractère éphémère de la richesse et de la puissance, évoquant parfois l’au-delà, et les joies ou les tourments qui y attendent l’homme le jour il comparaîtra devant le Très-Haut."

from: http://andaloussiate.over-blog.net/article-10425161.html

Ali Akbar Khan - North Indian Master Of The Sarod - WPS-21433 (1964)

Ali Akbar Khan - Sarod

Shankar Ghosh - Tabla

Side 1:

1. Raga Darbari Kanara - Alap (9:55)

2. Raga Misra Mand - Gat in Tala Kaharwa & Gat in Tal Chachar (12:40)

Side 2:

1. Raga Basant Mookhari - Alap (9:40)

2. Raga Basant Mookhari - Slow Gat in Tintal & Fast Gat in Tintal (13:21)

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Mohammed Shareef Khan Poonchwala - Sitar - A Tribute to Hazrat Amir Khusrau - LP EMCPM-5013 (1975)

Ustad Mohammed Shareef Khan Poonchwala - Sitar

Mohammed Tufail Narowali - Tabla

On the first edition of this LP the music on one side was distorted. Later the LP was republished as LKDE-20020. The new edition did not have this distortion, but unfortunately it came with a generic cover. So we present here the music of the second edition, but the cover of the first edition. This is the 4th LP by the great master on this blog. We still have a 5th LP, which we will post in the future.

Side 1:

Raag Saz Giri (20:39)

Side 2:

Raag Surparda (21:03)

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Debabrata (Debu) Chaudhuri - Meditations in Indian Sitar Music - LP published 1968 in UK

Debabrata (Debu) Chaudhuri - Sitar 

Faiyaz Khan - Tabla

This LP was also published in India as "Sitar Nawaz Debu Chaudhuri"

EMI SMFP 2101 (1968)

Side 1:

Raga Maru-Behag (22:49)

Side 2:

Raga Aheer Bhairab (25:27)

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"Adorned with the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest Civilian Govt. Awards, for his contributions in the field of music, from the President of India, Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri, a legendary figure in the domain of Indian Classical Music, popularly known as "DEBU", is one of India's most respected, leading and outstanding musicians of today.

Panditji received his early training from the late Shri. Panchu Gopal Datta for some time and later for 38 years from the veritable great master and the most traditional exponent of Sitar, SANGEET ACHARYA USTAD MUSHTAQ ALI KHAN of the "SENIA GHARANA", the traditional school of Indian Classical Music named after the great MIAN TANSEN, the father of Indian Music. Debuji is the foremost exponent and torch bearer of this Gharana."

from: http://www.debuchaudhuri.com/about.htm

His guru was from an illustrious lineage of the Jaipur Senia Gharana, being seventh in succession from the great Masit Sen, the inventor of the Masit Khani baaj of sitar. He excelled both in sitar and surbahar playing, using three mizrabs.

see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushtaq_Ali_Khan

Ochilxon Otaxanov - Another great Master of Maqam Music from Uzbekistan

Here for the listening pleasure of the few enthusiastic visitors of our Uzbek posts another great master of the Maqam music of Uzbekistan. I guess he belongs - like Orifxon Xatamov - to the Maqam tradition of the Ferghana Valley. I downloaded these (and many more) recordings a while ago from some Uzbek websites and put them for myself on CDs. Here we offer one of these CDs. These recordings are probably from the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s and were probably published originally as Melodiya LPs during Sowjet times. The cover picture above does not correspond to the content. If I remember right I downloaded the picture about 10 years ago and it looks like the cover of a cassette. 

01 Barno Kelib (5:00)
02 Chapandozi (7:32)
03 Dastingdan (3:46)
04 Deganim Shu (3:18)
05 Dilrabolardan (6:01)
06 Dilraboni Axtarib (5:00)
07 Etmasmidim (5:22)
08 Ey Falak (7:02)
09 Farg`onacha (6:17)
10 Husayni Navo (7:38)
11 Keldim (6:54)
12 Keldiyu Ketdi (7:11)
13 Mubtalo Bo`ldim (4:09)

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Barno Ishakova (Iskhakova) (1927-2001) - Considered the greatest female voice of Uzbekistan-Tajikistan

"Barno Ishakova is arguably the greatest classical singer of Central Asia. Born in 1927 in Tashkent, to a Jewish family originally from Samarkand, she grew up in musical surroundings that were ideal for the development of her innate talent. She began to study singing at the age of fifteen with A. Qasimov and Najmoddin Aka and in 1950, she moved to Dushambe, the capital of Tajikistan, and deepened her musical knowledge working with well known performers such as Yunus Rajabi, Fazloddin Shahabov, Babaqul Fayzollaev, and Shahnazar Sahibov. In their midst, she not only mastered the classical repertoire, but developed her own individual style. Her renown grew quickly, and through recordings, radio, and appearances at weddings (toy-s) she won over all connoisseurs of classical song in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, who never lost an opportunity to hear her. When the classical repertoire was collected and transribed, she contributed many songs she had learned through oral transmission. Until 1992, Barno Ishakova was an instructor at the Institute of Arts in Dushambe, giving her courses at home and turning out numerous talented artists, in particular, female vocalists, many of whom later flourished on their own, for example Ra'na Abdollaeva.

In 1992, with the deterioration of the political situation and of living conditions in Tajikistan, Barno Ishakova chose to emigrate to Israel. There she found accomplished musicians from Central Asia who had preceded her, but perhaps not the passionate public that had adored her during her long career...

Her repertoire extends beyond the domain of the Bukharan Maqam to include classical songs that belong to a lighter and more accessible, but still learned, urban tradition. In her carefully prepared and highly ornamented performances, the most simple melodies become artistic masterpieces. Hearing her an Uzbek music specialist was ecstatic: She is a true goldsmith; the others are blacksmiths by comparison. No instrument can follow her ornamentation..."

Jean During in the booklet to "Asie centrale - Traditions classiques", a 2 CD set, Ocora - Radio France, C 560035-36, 1993.

Barno Ishakova belongs to the Shashmaqam tradition of Bukhara. Her name is written sometimes also Barno Iskhakova or Itzhakova. The recordings presented here - originally probably from Melodiya LPs - we collected from diverse Uzbek, Tajik and Jewish websites. Surprisingly there seam to be no CDs by her at all.

Allayo (4:55)

Nasrulloi (11:05)

Navruzi Sabo (10:49)

Ufori Bayat (3:53)

Sokinomai Iraoq (5:12)

Girya (7:49)

Chi doni (4:37)

Ey Sabo (5:54)

Jononae (4:56

Jononai man (4:56)

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Orifxon Xatamov - A great master of the Maqam tradition of Uzbekistan

Although only very few visitors of this blog seam to be interested in the classical music of Uzbekistan - for me the last musical treasure still to discover - I can't help it to post some more treasures from it. In the last 15 years a small number of excellent CDs have been published in the west, mainly in France. But still the older - and in my opinion more interesting - singers from this tradition are almost completely unknown outside of Uzbekistan or Tajikistan. Earlier we had already presented here Mamurjan Uzakov, Fattohxon Mamadaliev, a double LP of masters from the Ferghana Valley and a complete Shashmaqam. In the future we will post some more legendary singers from that area.

Now we present one of the greatest masters: Orifxon Xatamov (his name is given sometimes also as Orif or Arif Xatamov, and both versions can appaer in different spellings). I downloaded these (and many more) recordings a while ago from some Uzbek websites and put them for myself on CDs. Here we offer one of these CDs. These recordings are probably from the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s and were probably published originally as Melodiya LPs during Sowjet times. The cover picture above does not correspond to the content (although the song which gave the album the title appears here). If I remember right I downloaded the picture about 10 years ago and it looks like the cover of a cassette. 

Orifxon Xatamov (born 1924 or 1925) belongs to the Maqam tradition of the Ferghana Valley and was a student of the legendary Jurakhan Sultanov (1912-1977), who was also the teacher of Mamurjan Uzakov. Theodore Levin devoted a very beautiful chapter to Orifxon Xatamov in his very interesting book "The Hundred Thousand Fools of God - Musical Travels in Central Asia". Some excerpts from this chapter, named "The Avatar of a Master", which is based on talks with the master in the early 1990s, can be read here. Orifxon Xatamov is depicted here as a master musician deeply rooted in the musical and spiritual (Sufi) traditions of his country. 
For anybody interested in these musical traditions it's worthwhile to get this book, though I don't agree with all statements of the author, especially not the one regarding Shashmaqam. He must have heard mostly later versions, performed by much bigger ensembles.

01 Aqli rasolaring (4:51)
02 Buxoro Iroqning Sokinomasi (6:03)
03 Guluzorim (7:31)
04 Kam-kam (3:48)
05 Mehr Ruhsoring (6:11)
06 Qarab Qo'y (4:39)
07 Qoshi Yosinmu Deyin (5:44)
08 Sallamno (4:30)
09 Sani Layli (4:39)
10 Senziz (4:38)
11 Yolg'on Demang (3:52)
12 Bo’lmaydi (5:29)
13 Ishqingda Zor (6:00)

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A Musical Anthology of the Orient - India IV - Unesco Collection - LP BM 30 L 2021

Side A:

1. Semmangudi Srinivasa Aiyar (Vocal) & K. S. Narayanaswami (Vina):

Dakshinamurte (12:23)

2. K. S. Narayanaswami (Vina): Pancharagam (12:41)

Side B:

1. Semmangudi Srinivasa Aiyar (Vocal) & K. S. Narayanaswami (Vina):

Navarasa (17:56)

2. K. S. Narayanaswami (Vina) & Palghat Raghu (Mridangam): 

Ehi Annapurne (5:04)

3. Tuning of the Vina (0:36)

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"Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer (July 25, 1908 - October 31, 2003) is considered to be one of the greatest Carnatic vocalists of the twentieth century. He was the youngest recipient of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi awarded by the Music Academy in 1947 and has received many awards including Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India, Sangeet Natak Academy award (1953), Isai Perarignarfrom Government of Tamil Nadu and Kalidas Samman from Government of Madhya Pradesh. He was affectionately addressed as "Semmangudi Maama" (Semmangudi Uncle) by his disciples. He was also considered the "Pitamaha" or the grand sire of modern Carnatic Music. He was conferred with an honorary doctorate by University of Kerala in 1979.

He was born in Tirukkodikaval, Thanjavur District as the third son of Radhakrishna Iyer and Dharmasamvardhini Ammal. He lived with his maternal uncle Tirukkodikaval Krishna Iyer, a violin maestro, until the age of four and after his death, moved to his parents' home inSemmangudi, Tiruvarur District. At the age of eight he started learning music from his cousin Semmangudi Narayanaswamy Iyer. This was followed by some rigorous training under Thiruvadaimaruthur Sakharama Rao, a famous Gottuvadhyam exponent, an event considered by Semmangudi as a turning point in his life. This was followed by another training stint with Narayanaswamy Iyer, during which time he learnt a lot of varnams and keerthanams. Then he had a musical apprenticeship with Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer. In 1926, he performed his first music recital at Kumbakonam. In 1927 gave a concert in the Madras session of Indian National Congress, another event considered by Semmangudy as a turning point in his life, as it catapulted him into the big league of vidwans at that time. He was known for producing soulful music, highly creative and yet very orthodox, despite a recalcitrant voice.

He was instrumental, along with Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar, for the work on the krithis of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma. After attending one of his concerts in 1934, Maharani Sethu Parvati Bai of Travancore was so impressed by his talent and scholarship that she invited him to come to Thiruvananthapuram to edit and popularise the compositions of Swati Tirunal. He succeeded Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar as Principal of the Swathi Thirunal College of Music at Thiruvananthapuram, a post he held for 23 years, until the age of 55. At this age, he handed over his responsibilities to another Carnatic legend, G. N. Balasubramaniam and at the behest of the Government of India, became the Chief Producer of Carnatic music at All India Radio, Madras from 1957 to 1960. In later life, he concentrated on concert performances and tutoring youngsters. He gave public concerts even after the age of 90."

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

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"K S Narayanaswamy, born Koduvayur Sivarama Narayanaswamy, (1914 to 1999 CE) was a Carnatic veena exponent of theThanjavur style, in which nuances and subtleties are given more importance over rhythm based acrobatics.

He was born on the 27th of September, 1914 to Narayaniammal and Koduvayur Sivarama Iyer at Koduvayur in Palghatdistrict in Kerala. He underwent initial training in Carnatic music under K.S. Krishna Iyer, his brother, between his seventh and fourteenth years. Later, he joined the Music College at Annamalai University in Chidambaram where he learnt vocal music under stalwarts like Sangeetha Kalanidhi, T S Sabesa Iyer and Sangeetha Kalanidhi Tanjore Ponniah Pillai, descendent of the famous Tanjore Quartet. He also learnt the veena under Desamangalam Subramania Iyer and the mridangam under Tanjore Ponniah Pillai. From 1937-1946, he served as the lecturer at the Annamalai University, his alma mater, and assisted in publishing the Tamil kritis of Gopalakrishna Bharathi, Neelakanta Sivan and Arunachala Kavi.

Upon the invitation of His Highness, the Maharaja of Travancore, he took up lectureship in veena at the Swathi Thirunal College of Music (erstwhile Swathi Thirunal Music Academy) at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. During his tenure at the Academy, he was instrumental, along with Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, then principal of the Academy, in editing and publishing the kritis of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma (commonly known as Swathi Thirunal). He participated in several international conferences and was a member of the Music and Cultural Delegations to the erstwhile USSR and East European countries in 1954. In 1970, he was invited by Yehudi Menuhin to attend the Bath International Music Festival and perform at London, Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge, and Birmingham. Later, he succeeded Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer as the principal of the Academy and retired in 1970.

In 1970, he came to Mumbai, as the principal of the Sangeetha Vidyalaya of Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha and taught both vocal music and veena till 1985. In 1974, he took part as the teacher of Carnatic music and veena at the Eleventh Conference of International Society of Music Education at Perth, Australia. He also participated in the Indian Music and Dance Festival of the International Institute for Comparative Music Studies and Documentation at Berlin in 1977.

He was a recipient of many awards including the State Award of Kerala in 1962 and that of Tamil Nadu in 1968; the National Award of Central Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1968; the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India in 1977; Sangeetha Kalanidhi from the Madras Music Academy, Chennai in 1979 and the Swathi Ratna in 1999.

Among his disciples, notable ones include Rugmini Gopalakrishnan, Kalyani Sharma, Trivandrum Venkataraman, Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma, Geetha Raja, Nirmala Parthasarathy, Jayashree Aravind. Many musicians like M.S. Subbulakshmi and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer have had good association with him and have appreciated his music."

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

Java - Vocal I - LP Galloway - Musique du Monde 18 (1975)

One of the many fantastic LPs of music from Southeast Asia, french musicologist Jacques Brunet recorded and published between 1963 and 1982. Only a small part of them have been republished later on CD, and most of these are no longer available for many years. Especially noteworthy was the series of 19 LPs of music of Bali and Java published by the french label Galloway, which unfortunately existed only for a couple of years. See text below.

Side 1:

1 - Pramugari

Surakarta (R.T. Hardjonegoro's)

23/09/1973

Trusing Pamireng Petaning Manah (Kandjeng Kyahi)

Gamelan Surakarta

13'06

2 - Ludiro Maduro

Surakarta (R.T. Hardjonegoro's)

23/09/1973

Trusing Pamireng Petaning Manah (Kandjeng Kyahi)

Gamelan Surakarta

13'11

Side 2:

3 - Gending Sigromangsah + Bubaran Udan Mas

Yogyakarta (Paku Alaman)

07/09/1969

PB X

Pura Paku Alaman

25'45

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"From 1963 to 1982, Jacques Brunet, a former concert pianist now musicologist, made a series of recordings of Southeast Asia's traditional music. Starting in Cambodia, the sessions rapidly spread to the neighbouring countries: Laos, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia and Indonesia. Helped by meetings made during previous campaigns, consecutive harvests gradually mapped out the first significant musical cartography of these countries at a time of cultural renewal, which took place between the suspension of artistic activities due to the hardships of the Second World War (or the troubles leading to independence) and the arrival of mass tourism during the mid-seventies. This latter phenomenon contributed to an acceleration in the evolution of local traditions leading to a notorious change in the musical life of these countries.

   Strictly speaking, Jacques Brunet's work was not the first attempt to create a musical encyclopaedia of this part of the world (this was done by the German firm BEKA und ODEON in its 1928 recordings), but it was the first to be duly appropriate to its subject, in several ways. First, it drew from the systematic ethnomusicological researches led by Dutch and Canadian specialists (mainly Jaap Kunst and Colin McPhee);  second it was helped by musical institutions devoting themselves to the collection and study of the World musical cultures (such as the International Institute for Comparative Music Studies and Documentation in Berlin) that were hosting and financing field works; and last but not least, it used recording tools now allowing the local musical activities to be fully documented in their own time frame. The newly acquired independence of Southeast Asian countries provided a favourable addition with the creation of local recording companies starting to publish many disks that were to become precious landmarks for conscientious field researchers.

   When the author started making his recordings, only a few easily available records devoted to this part of the world were in existance (not counting those made by "sound hunters" and other collectors of "ambient sound" - whether these sounds came from a touristic context or another context). There were probably not more than ten genuine "music" records in existance and most of them were the results of a single attempt with no follow-up. Some of these are shown in a special page.

   Some ten years later, the Western public had access to a qualitatively different ensemble encompassing large sections of lengthy works spanning several sides of a 33-RPM LP, a rather extensive collection of the musical treasures of a Javanese palace and a significant musical account of a Balinese local ceremonial tradition.

   Furthermore, Jacques Brunet's productions, like some of his fellow ethnomusicologists, distinguished themselves by extended cover notes (where knowledge coming from the best musicological sources of the time merged with information gathered with an acute ear from local musicians), and by a plentiful iconography that took full advantage of the possibilities offered by the unmatched quality of the LP album format."

Continue reading here. See also the discographies according to region, LP collection and recording session.
from: http://gamelan.free.fr/disco_jb/jb_accue.html

Ram Narayan - Sarangi - Stil's Sunday Solo - LP (1984)

Ram Narayan - Sarangi

Suresh Talwalkar - Tabla

Side 1:

Raga Shudh Sarang (25:59)

Side 2:

Raga Multani (25:57)

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Ustad Bundu Khan (1880-1955) - More recordings

More than 10 years ago I received - I don't remember anymore from whom - on a CD some unidentified tracks by the Sarangi master. Probably these are also radio recordings. The Sarangi player, teacher and connoisseur Dr. Kashyap identified them recently for me. Here they are:

1. Jaunpuri (9:50)
2. Sorath (9:34)
3. Malkauns (0:58)
4. Bageshree (2:47)
5. Adana (13:50)
6. Bhairav pt. 1 (8:51)
7. Bhairav pt. 2 (10:05)
8. Shahana Bahar (11:35)

Regarding the last track, Dr. Kashyap said: "interestingly different from what we have in his radio program, played at another occasion with a different sarangi."

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