Final week, we revisited a programme held in 1957 to mark the demise anniversary of Agra gharana exponent Faiyaz Khan. Primarily based on data contained within the evaluation of the programme written by TMM Rao and revealed within the Sunday version of the Bombay Chronicle on December 8, 1957, we appeared on the first half of the operate held to mark the barsi or demise anniversary of the maestro. Whereas we don’t have recordings from that event, we are attempting to recreate the second by accessing different recorded materials that includes the artists who carried out within the authentic live performance.
At present, we glance extra carefully on the second session held on the identical day. However we earlier than try this, allow us to hearken to a observe that includes Vinayak Vora, one of many few musicians to play the taar shehnai (for extra data on the instrument, right here is a hyperlink to an article on the topic that had appeared beforehand.). Based on Rao’s evaluation, the primary session held within the morning culminated with a taar shehnai recital by Vora. Here’s a hyperlink to Vora’s presentation of the raag Purvi Kalyan on the taar shehnai. Recorded at a live performance, he begins with a composition set to a vilambit or sluggish 12-matra Ektaal. He’s accompanied by tabla participant Sadanand Naimpally.
The second session of the Faiyaz Khan barsi programme started with a guitar recital by Tej Bahadur. He performed Bhimpalasi, a raag prescribed for the late afternoon. Apparently, this recital was held a decade or so earlier than the discharge of Name of the Valley, a vastly profitable business recording that featured maestros Brij Bhushan Kabra (guitar), Shivkumar Sharma (santoor) and Hariprasad Chaurasia (bansuri) as the primary instrumentalists with Manikrao Popatkar offering tabla accompaniment. Rao’s evaluation doesn’t include any details about the kind of guitar that was utilized by Tej Bahadur.
Recordings of Tej Bahadur and sitar participant Hasmat Hussain Khan who adopted with Puriya Dhanashri, a raag prescribed for the night, usually are not accessible. However here’s a hyperlink to a observe that includes Swami Vallabhdas, the following performer within the session. He sings Shree, additionally a raag prescribed for the twilight hours.
Mohammad Wahid Khan of the Khurja gharana adopted with a wide range of Gauri, additionally a raag prescribed for the night. Since we don’t have a recording of his exposition of Gauri, here’s a hyperlink to his presentation of the seasonal raag Charju ki Malhar. He sings a composition within the ten-matra Jhaptaal.
This was adopted by vocalist Shrimati Bai Narvekar from the Agra gharana. She introduced the raag Jait Kalyan. Sadly, her recordings usually are not simply accessible.
Bade Ghulam Ali Khan of the Patiala gharana sang Marwa, which the reviewer praises as the most effective of the night. Right here is the maestro’s rendition of Marwa from one other live performance. He sings a vilambit composition set to Ektaal.
Gajananrao Joshi sang Barwa on the barsi. Here’s a hyperlink to a brief presentation of the identical raag by him in an off-the-cuff setting with out tabla accompaniment.
He was adopted by Ratnakant Ramnathkar, who sang Bihag, and a harmonium solo recital by
Ghulam Rasool Khan, who would often accompany Faiyaz Khan in his live shows. Ghulam Rasool Khan performed Nat Bihag and a thumri within the raag Khamaj. Nalini Mulgaonkar got here subsequent with a vocal rendition of Bihagda, and sitar exponent Arvind Parikh introduced Des. Here’s a hyperlink to Parikh’s presentation of Rageshri.
By means of the evaluation, there is no such thing as a point out of any accompanying artistes except tabla maestro Alla Rakha who accompanied violinist V. Jog. The reviewer goes on to explain their efficiency as a “veritable ‘Jugalbandi’” or duet that seemed to be of a aggressive nature. On the following observe, Jog performs two compositions set to Teentaal within the raag Jhinjhoti.
The reviewer mentions that Mrs Okay Chandrachud, the “transferring spirit” behind the programme and a disciple of Faiyaz Khan sang a composition within the raag Kafi. Considerably, the programme didn’t essentially comply with the conference of that includes artistes so as of seniority, starting with the juniors and transferring to seniors. However each periods ended with Agra gharana vocalists, maybe as a becoming tribute to the Agra gharana maestro Faiyaz Khan.
The programme concluded with Agra gharana maestro Latafat Hussain Khan’s presentation of a raag, which the reviewer has described as a mixture of the raags Lalit and Paraj. He adopted this with a composition in Jogia set to Teentaal. We finish this episode with Latafat Hussain Khan’s rendition of the raag Paraj Kalingda.
Certainly one of India’s main tabla gamers, Aneesh Pradhan is a broadly recognised performer, instructor, composer and scholar of Hindustani music. Go to his web site right here.