Buddhadev Das Gupta (1 February 1933 - 15 January 2018) just passed away - In his memory a cassette released in India in 1991

The great Sarod player Buddhadev Das Gupta passed away yesterday. May he rest in peace. He was a very prominent heir to the great tradition of his guru Radhika Mohan Maitra and a true representative of the Senia Shahjahanpur Gharana. He was also an excellent teacher and left behind many outstanding disciples on both the Sarod and the Sitar. I saw him in the 1990s and the early 2000s quite a couple of times in concert. Always very impressive.

There are many CDs available by him. Quite a number of them can be obtained from info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com.

About the artist see:

http://www.buddhadevdasgupta.com/

http://sarodia.com/generation/pandit-buddhadev-dasgupta/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhadev_Das_Gupta

http://www.raga.com/interviews/210int1.html

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/sarod-master-of-mental-riyaaz-pt-buddhadev-das-gupta-passes-away/articleshow/62515328.cms

http://www.itcsra.org/obituary.aspx

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Moinuddin & Aminuddin Khan Dagar - Dagarvani - Gunkali & Brindavani Sarang from AIR

Here two more recordings by the Senior Dagar Brothers from the archives of All India Rado (AIR). I received these recordings in the late 1990s from VN, a Dhrupad collector from UK. The recordings in our previous post might also come orginally from him. Many many thanks to him. Our friend KF made a CD out of them and created a cover. Also many thanks to him.

Like the Jayjayvanti in our previous post also the Gunkali here is different from the one on the commercial CD from Akashvani. See below.

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Here a commercial CD from the Archives of Akashvani (All India Radio). It can be obtained from: info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com

Dagar Brothers: Nasir Moinuddin Dagar (1919-1966) & Nasir Aminuddin Dagar (1923-2000) (Vocal) - Dhrupad Tradition of Dagarvani - Akashvani Sangeet: Raga Gunkali (29:51), Raga Jaijaiwanti (29:43), AKASHVANI ARCHIVES, H-28

Wonderful recordings by the Senior Dagar Brothers, their only studio recordings available on CD.

Moinuddin & Aminuddin Dagar - Yaman & Jayjayvanti - AIR boadcasts

Here two All India Radio (AIR) recordings by the Senior Dagar Brothers. 

Many thanks to KF for the recordings and the covers he created.

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Moinuddin & Aminuddin Dagar - Dhrupads - The Music of India III - LP published around 1966 or 1968 in Germany

We start this year with a series of Dhrupad recordings. We had already posted in the past quite a number of Dhrupad recordings, both vocal and instrumental. Here it will be only vocal recordings. 

We start with perhaps the most outstanding and beautiful recording of Dhrupad ever: a legendary LP by the Senior Dagar Brothers Moinuddin Dagar (1919-1966) and Aminuddin Dagar (1923-2000), published in the famous Unesco Collection "A Musical Anthology of the Orient" as volume 18. The recordings were done during their 1964 European tour (Berlin, Paris, Venice) in Berlin. For me it was the very first vocal Raga music I ever heard. I had listened to it many times in the end of the 1960s at the home of some friends and bought my own copy, the one we post here, in the early 1970s.

In the early 2000s there was a project to republish this whole Unesco series on CD, but unfortunately only very few volumes saw the day. I guess the label - Rounder in the US - gave up the project as the CDs didn't sell as expected. So these recordings were never republished, though there are still many copies around for sale, as one can see for example on Discogs. 

In 2011 we had posted another LP by the Senior Dagar Brothers, the one originally published in India by The Gramophone Company of India in 1965. See here.

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Happy New Year

Dear visitors of this blog, I wish you all a very happy new year with good health, lots of good music and, most important, lots of love and peace in a world which gets crazier every day. It is a pleasure to share so much music dear to my heart with you. I have the intention and hope to be able to continue for a while. There is still so much beautiful and rare music I wish to share with you.

The next projects will be, God willing, first a series of Dhrupad recordings, then an introduction to some almost forgotten masters of the Delhi Gharana. Afterwards some recordings by other singers like Rajab Ali Khan etc. Then there will be a bigger project about LPs obtained from India, with some remarks on their shortcomings due to the climate in India, mostly by less known instrumental masters.

I would also like to share some interesting and astonishing points about the statistics of this blog:

First the 10 most visited posts of my blog: 

1. Older Masters of Rudra Veena (Been) - Part III - Ustad Abid Hussain Khan (1907-1978), posted 16 Nov 2012, 5 comments - visits: 3515

2. Shashmaqam of Bukhara - Box of 16 LPs, published by Melodiya on the occasion of the 3rd International Symposium of Eastern Music, Samarkand 1987, posted 3 Apr 2012, 23 comments - visits: 3053

3. Mohamed Tahar Fergani - Ya Dalma - LP published in Algeria, posted 26 Sep 2013, 4 comments - visits: 2416

4. Nikhil Banerjee (1931-1986) at WDR, Cologne, Germany - Broadcasts recorded 1971, 1975 and 1984, posted 2 Nov 2014, 24 comments - visits: 2341

5. Music of Afghanistan - A gorgeous Box of 5 LPs published in Japan in 1975, posted 26 Dec 2017, 17 comments - visits: 1896

6. Vilayat Khan - Sitar - A Treasure from Solomon's Mines SME 1/2 - Very rare Indian LP from 1956, posted 8 Jul 2012, 23 comments- visits: 1861

7. Pandit Pran Nath (1918-1996) - At WDR in Cologne on 8.12.1984, posted 16 Nov 2016, 12 comments  - visits: 1715

8. Annapurna Devi & Ravi Shankar - Some rare Surbahar recordings from the 1950s, posted 26 Aug 2014, 15 comments - visits: 1661

9. Dagar Brothers: Nasir Zahiruddin Dagar & Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar - Dhrupad - Double LP Loft 1006/7 (Germany 1983), posted 23 Dec 2011, 18 comments - visits: 1560

10. 2ème Festival Algérien de la Musique Andalouse 1969 - Vol. 7, posted 13 May 2012, 1 comment - visits: 1381

Some I understand, some I find extremely astonishing, especially the Shashmaqam on position 2 and the very recent post of a box of 5 LPs of Music of Afghanistan already on position 5 (in only 10 days). That there is an almost forgotten master of Dhrupad and Rudra Veena on position one is also quite unexpected. Positions 3 and 10 are probably due to the extreme popularity of these albums or musicians in their home country. 

The highest numbers of visitors come from these countries:

1. United States: 436954

2. India: 256288

3. Germany: 175788

4. France: 125747

5. Russia: 89438

6. United Kingdom: 66447

7. Canada: 19480

8. Italy: 18538

9. Spain: 12155

10. Japan: 11943

No big surprises here, though I hadn't expected such a big public from India and a bigger one from the United Kingdom.

The number of comments is quite low, if one takes into account the total number of visitors: just 2309.

Here I owe an excuse to the commentators. In most cases I don't respond to the comments, mostly because of lack of time, except when there are valuable contributions or questions or problems. But be sure: I appreciate them all and are often quite touched by their warmth and find them extremely encouraging. Thank you so much.

Music of Afghanistan - A gorgeous Box of 5 LPs published in Japan in 1975

Here we present a rare gorgeous, luxurious box of 5 LPs of fieldrecordings from Afghanistan, published in 1975 in Japan. The box contains also a gorgeous booklet in the size of an LP of 56 pages with photos, texts and detailed track information. Unfortunately it is only in Japanese. Here we just present the double page giving the tracklist for the 5 LPs. It would be great if someone would be so kind to translate this into English. As the booklet is quite difficult to scan and it is a lot of work I will scan the remaining pages only step by step.

hk dutorchi came already up with a translation of the track details for the first LP (see below) and the subjects of the remaining 4 LPs: Tajik musicians (LPs 3 & 4), The Art of the Tanbur (from Mazar-i Sharif) (LP 5), Mazar-i Sharif musicians (LPs 6 & 7), Hazara music (LP 8), "Echoes of Alexandria" (Music from Kandahar and Herat) (LPs 9 & 10), Music from the Northeastern City of Fayzabad (LP 10). Many thanks, dutorchi. Very appreciated.

For the remaining 4 LPs Kyo from Japan translated the track details. See below and comments. Regarding the names of the instruments I made some minor correction. A very big thank you for the translation to Kyo. Very much appreciated.

LP 1

Side 1 – Sounds of the Mosques (Adhan chanting and Qur’an recitation)

1. Adhan (Sunni/Kabul) - Pul-e Khishti Mosque

2. Adhan (Sunni/Kabul) - Pul-e Khishti Mosque

3. Adhan (Sunni/Kabul) - Sherpur Mosque

4. Adhan (Shiite/Kabul) – Mohammadia Mosque

5. Adhan (Shiite/Kabul) – Karte Sakhi Mosque

6. Qur’an (Kabul) - Pul-e Khishti Mosque

7. Qur’an (Kabul) - Pul-e Khishti Mosque

Side 2 – Pashtun Musicians (from the capital Kabul and Jalalabad)

1. Kabul – Rubab solo

2. Kabul – Paktian folk song

3. Kabul – Sarinda & dhol

4. Kabul – Chang & zerbaghali

5. Kabul – solo tula and instrumental ensemble

6. Jalalabad – Folksong from Jalalabad (from the epic Layla & Majnun; accompanied by rubab, tablas, and two harmoniums)

7. Jalalabad – Folksong from Jalalabad (from the epic Layla & Majnun; accompanied by rubab, tablas, and two harmoniums)

LP 1 - flac

LP 1 - mp3

LP 2 - Tajik musicians (from Kunduz)

Side 3

1. Fakhar - Charbait from Badakhshan (accompanied by Ghichak, Zerbaghali and Tal)

2. "Baccha Mosi Mosi" - Charbait (accompanied by Dambura, Zerbaghali and Tal)

3. Charbait of Tajik (accompanied by Ghichak, Zerbaghali and Tal)

4. Folk Song from Badakhashan (Ghichak solo)

5. "Mondanabosi" - Charbait (accompanied by Ghichak, Zerbaghali and Tal)

6. Shamali Charbait (accompanied by Ghichak, Zerbaghali and Harmonium)

Side 4

1. Charbait of Tajik (accompanied by Tanbur and Zerbaghali)

2. Hazara-like Folk Song and "Mondanabosi" - Charbait (accompanied by Tanbur and Zerbaghali)

3. Folk Song from Herat (Tanbur and Zerbaghali)

4. Zerbaghali Solo

5. Uzbek Folk Song (accompanied by Tanbur and Zerbaghali)

6. "Mullah Mohammad Jan"

7. "Shak-kujan"

8. Lullaby

LP 2 - flac

LP 2 - mp3

LP 3

Side 5 - The Art of the Tanbur (from Mazar-i Sharif)

1. Uzbek Folk Song ~ Folk Song from Shebargan

2. Folk Songs from Herat and Kabul

3. Pashto Folk Song

Side 6 - Mazar-i Sharif musicians

1. Uzbek Folk Song ~ Folk Song from Mazar-i Sharif

2. Folk Song from Mazar-i Sharif (accompanied by Tanbur, Dilruba, Rubab, Dhol and Harmonium)

3. Dance tune from Logar Province (Tanbur, Dilruba, Rubab, Dhol and Harmonium)

4. Dilruba Solo

5. Pashto Folk Song (Rubab and Dhol) 

LP 3 - flac

LP 3 - mp3

LP 4

Side 7 - Mazar-i Sharif musicians

1. Folk Song from Mazar-i Sharif (accompanied by Tanbur and Zerbaghali)

2. Uzbek Folk Song (accompanied by Tanbur and Zerbaghali)

3. Uzbek Folk Song (Tula)

4. Folk Song from Mazar-i Sharif (Tula and Zerbaghali)

5. Folk Song from Mazar-i Sharif (Tula and Zerbaghali)

6. Folk Song from Mazar-i Sharif (accompanied by Tanbur and Zerbaghali)

7. Uzbek Folk Song and "Mondanabosi" (Tanbur and Zerbaghali)

Side 8 - Hazara music ~ In the lineage of Mongol

1. Folk Song from Bamyan (Dambra and Zerbaghali)

2. Charbait of Hazara

3. Charbait of Hazara

4. Pashto Folk Song (Nay Solo)

5. Charbait of Hazara

6. Charbait from Jaghuri

7. Folk Song from Hazarajat

LP 4 - flac

LP 4 - mp3

LP 5

Side 9 - "Echoes of Alexandria" (Music from Kandahar and Herat)

1. Kandahar - Folk Song from Kandahar (accompanied by Rubab, Tanbur, Tabla and Harmonium)

2. Kandahar - Folk Song from Kandahar (Ghazal; accompanied by Rubab, Tanbur, Tabla and Harmonium)

3. Herat - Folk Song from Herat (accompanied by Tanbur, Dotar and Zerbaghali)

4. Herat - Zerbaghali Solo

5. Herat - Charbait from Herat (Tanbur Solo)

6. Herat - "Amena" Charbait from Herat (Dotar Solo)

7. Herat - Shamali Charbait

8. Herat - Shamali Charbait (Tula Solo)

Side 10 - "Echoes of Alexandria" contd. & Music from the Northeastern City of Fayzabad

1. Herat - "Amena" Charbait from Herat (accompanied by Dotar, Zerbaghali and Tar)

2. Herat - "Ya Mustafa" (Dotar, Zerbaghali and Tar)

3. Fayzabad - Farkhar (Badakhshani Charbait; accompanied by Ghichak, Dambura, Zerbaghali and Tal)

4. Fayzabad - Badakhshani Folk Song (accompanied by Rubab, Zerbaghali and Tal)

5. Fayzabad - Falak (Song of Packhorse Driver; accompanied by Dambura and Zerbaghali)

6. Fayzabad - Badakhshani Folk Song (accompanied by Rubab, Zerbaghali, Tal and Harmonium) 

LP 5 - flac

LP 5 - mp3

Orifxon Xatamov - Vol. 2 - MP3-CD from Uzbekistan by the great Maqom master

Orifxon Xatamov was perhaps the greatest Maqom singer (and Tanbur player) of his time. He is in the line of the greatest masters of the Maqom of the Ferghana Valley, connecting his teacher Jurakhan Sultanov and his brilliant disciple Mamurjan Uzakov to his own disciple, the last complete master Fattoxxon Mamadaliyev.

In 2015 we had posted a MP3-CD by the master and in 2012 a cassette. See our post from 2015 for information on the artist. 

Now we present the second volume of his complete works. This is one of the most beautiful collections of Uzbek Maqom music, a rich testimony to an era and a world unfortunately lost. It also contains quite a number of wonderful instrumental pieces. The MP3-CD has three folders: 1. Orif Xatamov, containing 73 tracks, 2. Beknazar Do'stmurodov, containing 8 tracks & 3. Abdunabi Ibragimov, containing 2 tracks. I guess that the artists of folders 2 and 3 are disciples of Orifxon Xatamov. In order to make downloading more convenient, we split the MP3-CD into two parts: part 1 containing tracks 1 to 35 plus the cover scans and part 2 containg tracks 36 to 73 plus the two other folders.

It was again our very dear friend Danny who brought this MP3-CD years ago from a visit to Uzbekistan and shared it so generously.

Download part 1

Download part 2

Boris Namatiev (Namatiyev) - Zulfi Pareşon - LP published in Uzbekistan/Tajikistan in 1988

Here we present an LP by a well-known Jewish Shashmaqom singer from Uzbekisten, who lived apparently most of his life in Dushambe, Tajikistan. We posted in 2016 a MP3-CD with classical music from Bukhara containing 5 folders. One of these folders with 12 tracks is devoted to our artist. See here. We couldn't find much information on the singer in western languages, but there seems to be some in Russain, like here in the liner notes of the LP. Perhaps someone is so kind to translate the liner notes for us.

And here is already a translation of the liner notes by kkrka kr:

"Boris Namatiev, the Honored Artist of Tajik SSR is an actor of the A. Lakhuti State Drama Theater. During his 40 year career in the theater he has starred in numerous productions of classic plays, as well as plays by Soviet and Tajik playwrights.

Thanks to his solid vocal skills, he was particularly celebrated as an actor in musical plays, such as "The Exam" by F. Ansori (Sharif Ismati), "Arshin mol alan" by U. Gadjibekov (Asker), "The 30 kopeks charge" by Sh. Kiyamov and Farkhad (Kamal - police sergeant), and others.

B. Namatiev has done an outstanding deed in preserving and promoting the musical treasures of the Tajik Shashmaqom. He has made recordings of the most difficult/complex parts of this true pearl of folk art. The present record is the result of a long creative labour by a wonderful Tajik artist."

The recordings were made in 1985-87. Track titles are given in Tajik (which I unfortunately do not speak), followed by bracketed words "classic melody - [poet] (e.g. Hafez, Bedil...)" and once in A4 it says "folk melody".

Many thanks for the translation. Very appreciated!

On this LP the repertoire is from Shashmaqom. The ensemble plays a little in a more contemporary style bordering on Khalq (from or of the people, folk) music.

Here what we found in the internet on the artist (more focused on his acting career):

"NAMATIYEV, BORIS-ABO DAVIDOVICH (1930, Kerki, Turkmenistan). Actor, singer, and producer. Honored Artist (1970) and People’s Artist of Tajikistan (1989). Graduated from the Artistic-Musical  College (1954). Since 1948 - soloist of the orchestra  of  folk  instruments.  Actor of A. Lakhuti  Tajik  State Dramatic Theater. Played more than 100 various roles. Soloist at the children’s Ensemble “Pamir”. Participant of the decade in Moscow in 1957. Engaged in concert production, performing fragments of shashmakom. Repatriated  to Israel in 1992. Created the М.Tolmasov and G.Mullokandov Bukharian-Jewish Theater (1993-2002), where he plays in scene and produces performances: “Yosef-Ha-Tzadik” (by  A.Shalamayev), “Arshin Mal  Alan” (1994), “Esther-ha-Malka” (“Queen Esther” by А.Shalamayev, 1996), “Sacrifice of Isaac” (by B.Namatiyev and N.Yukhananоv, 1998), “Haft Barodaron” (“Seven Brothers”, 1999); “Apa Kalmoki Kaimok” (“Aunt Kalmok”) and “Gardishi Davron” (“Whirlpool of the Times”) – on the plays of А.Shalamayev. From 2002, the theater is renamed as “Theater  of Boris Namatiyev”. His creativity is described in P. Niyazov’s book “Theater of Boris Namatiyev” (2000)."

from: http://www.asia-israel.co.il/Encyclopedia-in-English.html

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Mamat Karimov - Old Masters of Arts of Uzbekistan - Vol. 8 - LP published in Soviet Uzbekistan in 1980

Here another volume of the "Old Masters of Arts of Uzbekistan" series in which older LPs of great masters were reissued. I don't know anything about the singer except that he is the same singer who also goes under the name of Muhammadjon Khoji Karimov. Here the cover of a MP3-CD by him, which we might post one day: 

I guess that he belongs to the tradition of Maqom of the Ferghana Valley. The recordings seem to be well before 1980. His voice is much softer then the very powerful voices of most of the other Maqom singers of those times. Here noteworthy is also the small ensemble with its perfect balance and retained minimalism, so typical of older Uzbek Maqom music.

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