Haj Abderrahman ben Moussa (1908-1997) - Complete Qur'an on 60 cassettes published in Morocco, probably in the late 1980s - First set: cassettes 1 to 30

We post here - to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan - a complete Qur'an on 60 cassettes, recited by the outstanding Moroccan Qari (reciter) Haj Abderrahmane ben Moussa. In 2011 we had posted the first and last volume of this series in mp3 format. We also posted over the years a series of six volumes from a different series. See here. Now we post all 60 cassettes in flac and (better) mp3 formats.

Haj Abderrahmane ben Moussa (Abdul Rahman Benmoussa) recited in an old style, based on so-called Andalusian melodies. His recitations had a very refined musical and contemplative beauty. In this he was truly outstanding. I never heard any other reciter reciting his way. Nowadays this way of reciting seems to have disappeared. I had once an Algerian friend staying in our house. When he saw these Qur'an cassettes, he asked me to put on one of the cassettes. When he heard it he was very touched and happy. He said that this was the kind of recitation he used to hear in his childhood and that he had not heard it since decades. This friend talked to me about the beauty of these so-called Andalusian melodies, which are used in Arabo-Andalusian music, but even more so in Sama', the singing of spiritual or mystical poems of the Sufis, and by Haj Abderrahmane ben Moussa in Qur'an recitation. These are only known in Morocco and Algeria. Today one hears them only in the circles of very traditional Sufi orders.

"His full name is Abdul Rahman bin Ahmed bin Mohammed bin al-Bashir Benmoussi Hamasani Hasnawi Salawi, born in the city of Salé on August 28, 1908. Abdurrahman Benmoussa grew up in Beit Alam, where his father, the scholar Ahmed Benmoussa, was a jurist and modernizer. The memorization of the Qur'an was directed by Sheikh Abdul Hadi Ateobi, as taught to a group of elders such as Mr. Ahmed bin Abdul Nabi and Sheikh Abu Shuaib Aldakali and Mohammed bin Arabi Alawi. For a while he was at the service of King Mohammed V. Haji Abdurrahman Benmoussa used to pray in Ramadan with the king, his sons and his clan. In the framework of the construction of the Mulawiya school, Muhammad V commissioned him to teach the then crown prince Hassan II. Al- Sadeq Ma'nino (the former director of the Moroccan TV) said: The more difficult things were for King Mohammed V and the conspiracies of colonialism affected him and brought him into a state of distress, he would call Professor Abdurrahman Benmoussi to sit beside him and recite the Qur'an and recite a collection of verses. When King Mohammed V was banished to Madagascar he returned to the city of Salé. People got to know his voice through national radio, and then they got to know his image through Moroccan television in the early 1960s, which he opened and sealed with verses from the Holy Quran."

Based on a translation done with Google Translator from:
https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%86_%D8%A8%D9%86%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%89

Here a short documentary in Arabic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbrE71tMsAM

Vol. 1 - flac

Vol. 1 - mp3

Vol. 2 - flac
Vol. 2 - mp3

Vol. 3 - flac

Vol. 3 - mp3

Vol. 4 - flac

Vol. 4 - mp3

Vol. 5 - flac
Vol. 5 - mp3



Vol. 6 - flac
Vol. 6 - mp3

Vol. 7 - flac

Vol. 7 - mp3

Vol. 8 - flac

Vol. 8 - mp3

Vol. 9 - flac

Vol. 9 - mp3

Vol. 10 - flac
Vol. 10 - mp3

Vol. 11 - flac
Vol. 11 - mp3

Vol. 12 - flac

Vol. 12 - mp3

Vol. 13 - flac
Vol. 13 - mp3

Vol. 14 - flac
Vol. 14 - mp3

Vol. 15 - flac

Vol. 15 - mp3

Vol. 16 - flac
Vol. 16 - mp3

Vol. 17 - flac
Vol. 17 - mp3

Vol. 18 - flac
Vol. 18 - mp3

Vol. 19 - flac
Vol. 19 - mp3

Vol. 20 - flac
Vol. 20 - mp3

Vol. 21 - flac
Vol. 21 - mp3

Vol. 22 - flac
Vol. 22 - mp3

Vol. 23 - flac
Vol. 23 - mp3

Vol 24 -flac
Vol. 24 - mp3

Vol. 25 - flac
Vol. 25 - mp3

Vol. 26 - flac
Vol. 26 - mp3

Vol. 27 - flac
Vol. 27 - mp3

Vol. 28 - flac
Vol. 28 - mp3

Vol. 29 - flac
Vol. 29 - mp3

Vol. 30 - flac
Vol. 30 - mp3

The second set we will post in about a week or 10 days, insha'Allah.

Ravi Shankar - Music from India Series - Vol. 8 - Raga Nata Bhairav & Raga Mishra Piloo - LP published in 1968 in UK

Here we post another beautiful LP by Ravi Shankar, also from the Music from India Series. The recordings sound as if they were recorded in the same recording session as the LP we posted before. This also was, since I bought it in the early 1970s, one of my favourite Ravi Shankar LPs. The Mishra Piloo is such a beautiful and amazing piece of music!

flac
mp3

Ravi Shankar - Music from India - Raga Khamaj & Raga Lalit - LP published in 1967 in India and UK

Here one of my favourite Ravi Shankar LPs. It was published first in UK in 1967 as volume 4 of the Music of India Series. Our version was released the same year in India.

  

flac

mp3

Nikhil Banerjee - Le Sitar du Pandit Nikhil Banerjee - Raga Patdeep - LP published in France in 1985

Here we present a quite rare LP by Nikhil Banerjee. The same recordings were also released on CD in 1988. Both editions were not widely distributed and only for a quite short period available.

flac
mp3

Nikhil Banerjee - Shriram Shankarlal Music Festival - Copy of a rare CD published in India

The Shriram Shankarlal Music Festival in Delhi is one of the oldest festivals of classical Indian music in India. Many of the concerts the visitors of the festival can later buy as a CD, produced by the festival itself. These CDs can only be bought during the festival and are often sold out quite fast. There is no other way to obtain them. That is the reason why they are very rare and very little known. 

Here we present exceptionally a rare CD by Nikhil Banerjee published by the festival. In the future we might post some more of these CDs, but this one is the only one by Nikhil Banerjee we have. Since quite a number of years this CD or any others by Nikhil Banerjee are no longer offered for sale at the festival. Our friend KF made for us a copy of the CD he had bought years ago at the festival. Many thanks to him.

1. Raga Darbari (46:19)

2. Raga Kirvani (24:54)

flac
mp3

Ramesh Prem - Vichitra Veena - AIR recordings

Here we present two beautiful recordings from the Archives of all India Radio. We recorded them in november 2017 from Raagam, the internet radio channel of AIR, which broadcasts 24 hours 7 days a week classical Indian music from the archives of AIR.

In 2013 we posted a private CD by Ramesh Prem, containing an EP and another AIR program by the artist.

A friend made these covers for these recordings. Many thanks to him.

flac
mp3

Ahmed Raza Khan - Vichitra Veena - Recordings from All India Radio

We pointed out this great master of the Vichitra Veena in a post in 2013, without sharing any music by him, just referring to his excellent CD published in Germany. See here.
Recently we received some AIR recordings from our friend KF, which we share here. Many thanks to him for his generosity.

On the artist see:

http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/citation_popup.php?id=127&at=1

Broadcast by AIR Delhi, Nov. 1980: 

1. Raga Basant Mukhari: Alap,Gat Vilambit Tintal & Drut Tintal - Tabla: Nanak Chand 

2. Raga Mishra Pilu - Tabla: Nanak Chand 

3. Raga Ahir Todi: Gat Vilambit Tintal & Drut Tintal - Tabla: Faiyaz Khan

flac

mp3

from the cover of an EP published by Gramophone Company of India in 1975

Asad Ali Khan (1937-2011) - Rudra Veena - Concert on October 29, 1999 in Frankfurt, Germany

Here we present a private double CD containing a concert which took place on 29th of october 1999 in the big hall of Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt, Germany. It was broadcast on second of december 1999. Many thanks to KF for the recordings and the nice covers.

CD 1 - flac

CD 2 - flac

CD 1 - mp3

CD 2 - mp3

The great Ustad Aslam Khan (1940-2018) passed away on 21st of March 2018

We just received this morning the sad news that the great Ustad Aslam Khan (1940-2018) passed away already on 21st of March 2018. May he rest in peace. We always were very fond of this outstanding singer with a very rich background and a huge, extremely beautiful repertoire. For us he was one of the two or three greatest singers of his generation and perhaps the most interesting. Unfortunately he was only well known amongst the real connoisseurs. He had quite a number of cassette and CD releases during his long career.

In 2013 we posted two cassettes by him.

"A grand Condolence Meeting was organised to mourn the sad demise of Legendary Musician Ustad Aslam Khansahab Khushrang arranged by Pandit Nayan Ghosh, Sangit Mahabharathi and all the Fans Friends Colleagues, Students and disciples of Ustad Aslam Khansahab on the 18th April 2018 Wednesday 7. pm at the Sangit Mahabharathi Hall JVPD Mumbai. It was well attended by many eminent Musicians Followers and Close Associates of Late Aslam Khansahab. It included Pandit Nayan Ghosh (Introductory Speech) His Holiness Shyam Baba. Swami Chaitanya Swarup. Ustad Yakub Hussain Khan. Mr. Ramdas  Bhatkal. Ustad Vajahat Hussain Khan. Prof. Jamil Kaamil. Ustad Raja Miyan. and Pandit Amrendra Dhaneshwar.Two Minuites Silence was observed in the begining of the Meeting to pay homage to the departed Soul.Ustad Aslam Khansahab was a Musicians Musicians  and possessed a very rich repertoire of Indian Classical Ragas and Bandishes. He taught more than 500 Students and many of his disciples are in the frontline performers as on date. Aslam Khan belonged to the very famous Gharanas like  Hapur. Khurja. Atrauli=Jaipur Agra and the Delhi Tanras Khan Gharana.like his Guru the famous Gayan Samrat Ustad Azmat Hussain Khan Dilrang he served the Indian Music till he breathed last. He was an Awarded and Rewarded Musician.He precious recordings are preserved and recorded extensively by Sangit Natak Akademi. ITC Sangit Research Academy. N.C.P.A  Samvad Foundation. Goa Kala Academy. Saptak Sangeet Ahmedabad. Agha Khan Foundation New Delhi and All India Radio Akashwani Mumbai. New Delhi,  CPC Doordarshan. VividhBharathi Mumbai and many other Music Institutes.His prominent disciples include. Ustad Vajahat Hussain Khan. Anwar. Manhar Udhas. Usha Amonkar. Vrinda Mundkur. Bhal Patil. Chandra Kothari. Angna Kothari. Kamla Jhangiani.  The treasure of Music which Ustad Aslam Khansahab has left behind will be of great use for posterity and knowledge for the young generation of India. May his soul rest in peace. Website. www.dilrangacademy.org"

See the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIATf6NIKGQ&feature=youtu.be

There are in total 6 videos there.

On the artist:

http://dilrangacademy.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=12

https://www.esamskriti.com/e/Culture/Music/Down-The-Memory-Lane~-A-Journey-Into-The-Repertoire-Of-The-Living-Legend-~-Ustad-Aslam-Hussain-Khan-Saheb--colon-Khushrang-colon--1.aspx

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/aslam-hussain-khan-an-honest-blend-of-six-hindustani-gharanas/309908

As a tribute to this great master we post here another cassette published in India in 2000:

flac

mp3

Asad Ali Khan (1937-2011) - Rudra Veena - Echoes of Ancient Music - Cassette published in India in 1990

Here a beautiful cassette by the artist, shared generously by our friend Werner Durand. Many thanks.

flac

mp3

Asad Ali Khan (1937-2011) - Rudra Veena - Raga Bihag - Concert in Nürnberg, Germany

Here we present a concert recording of Raga Bihag. The concert took place in Tafelhalle, Nürnberg, Germany. The recording was broadcast by WDR on 15th of november 1995. The Pakhawaj player was Mohan Shyam Sharma.

flac

mp3

Asad Ali Khan (1937-2011) - Rudra Veena - LP published in India in 1978

Here we present the only LP by the other great Rudra Veena master of recent decades, Ustad Asad Ali Khan. This LP was also a very exciting discovery for us as we were able to listen for the first time to the old Rudra Veena, before it was modified by Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. It is very difficult to say which one to prefer: both have their beauty and are in effect two different aural worlds.

In the 1990s and the 2000s I had the good fortune to experience Asad Ali Khan quite a couple of times in concerts in Germany and in Holland. I also had opportunities to talk to him and experienced him as a person extremely enthousiastic and proud of the tradition he belonged to. It was exciting to listen to him. I always was very impressed by his exquisite musicianship and his perfect technique, especially his playing with three fingers, which I never had seen before with any other musician.
Ustad Asad Ali Khan has quite a number of CD releases.
His German student Carsten Wicke, now living in Kolkata, has on his YouTube channel a good number of excellent videos of his concerts in Germany and Holland.

In 2011 we posted a recording of a concert in Germany on the occasion of his passing away. We added now a flac file and covers. We will post next another concert from the same tour.

In the winter 2016/2017 I had a little mouse in my appartment and this tiny mouse decided to build its nest behind one shelf of my LP collection. It made confetti out of parts of the covers of my LPs (about 20) to make its nest more comfortable. Luckily most of the covers I had already scanned a while ago, but this one not. One can see on one side the marks of the sharp teeth of that little mouse. The mouse fed on the food of my bird at night. It took a while until I noticed its presence. Finally I was able to trap it into a box and set it free outside in the garden (it was already beginning of spring then).

flac

mp3