Category Archives: Listening

Performance, South, 1921-1947, Listening

Ustd. Allauddin Khan on Radhika Mohan Maitra

Told by Somjit Dasgupta
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Troilee Dutta
Date 14 July, 2015
Place Residence of Somjit Dasgupta Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
About Somjit Dasgupta Disciple of Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. Preserving rare musical instruments including the instruments belonged to Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. He plays different instruments like Sarod, Surshringar, Mohan Veena, etc.
Tags Radhika Mohan Moitra, 1935, Bhagawan Chandra Sen, Swami Vivekananda, Lalit Mohan Maitra, Allauddin Khan, Ali Akbar Khan, Allahabad, 1937, Anokhelal, jaba, Dipali Nag.

 
Language Bengali

Somjit Dasgupta speaks :

Verbatim:

????? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ???, ???? ???? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ????????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ???????? ??? ?? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ??????? ????? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ????? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ???????????? ?????, ??????????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ????? ??????????? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ???? ??????? ?????, ????????? ????????? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ???????? ???? ?????? ????? ?????????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ????? ????????? ??? ??????? ????? ??? ?????????? ???????? ???

?????? ??? ???? ??? ??????? ????? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ????????-‘??? ?? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ??????????? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ?????????? ???? ?????? ?????, ??? ??? ??????? ????? ?????, ?? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??’?

?????? ?? ??? ??? ????????? ???

-??? ?? ?????????? ????????? ?? ???? ????

        Baba AlauddinKhan and Pt.            Radhika Mohan Maitra 

??????????? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ????? ?????????? ????????????????, ???? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ?????, ????????? ??? ?? ???????? ????? ???? ???????? ?????? ?? ???? ????????? ??? ??? ?? ??????????? ???? ????? ??? ????????? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ????? –‘?? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ? ???? ???? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ???? ????’?

??? ???????? ????? ?? –‘???? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????’? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?????????? ?????? ????? ???? ????

?? ?? ????? ?? ???? ????????? ??? ???????? ?????????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ????? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ?? -‘???? ???? ????? ???? ???? ??? ? ???? ????? ????? ??’? ???? ???’? ????? ????? ??? ????????? ??? ????? ?????-‘?????, ????? ????? ?? ??????? ???, ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ?????’?

?? ?? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???-?? ?????? ???????? ??????? ???, ????????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ??-‘?? ?’? ????? ???????? ??? ???’? ???????? ?????? ???? ??? ??’, ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?? –‘???? ???? ????? ???? ??????? ??????,???? ????? ???? ???? ??????? ???????

                          Dipali Nag

?? ?????? ??? ????? ????? –‘???? ??? ??? ???? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??????, ? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ? ??? ????????? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ????’???? ????? ?????? ??? ?????? ????????? ?? ??? ???????? ????????? ??? ??? ????, ?? ?????????

 Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

 Translation:

In 1937, Radhika Mohan Moitra was twenty years old. Bhagaban Chandra Sen had passed away. Bhagaban Chandra Sen was his guru in pakhwaj, he had shielded him, taken him everywhere, and introduced him to other great musicians. This man had passed away. One thing has to be mentioned – Bhagaban Chandra was the disciple of Swami Vivekananda and had learnt both the Dhrupad and the pakhwaj  from him. Bhagaban Chandra Sen was also the friend of Lalila Mohan Moitra, the grandfather of Radhu babu. He visisted their house in that connection. Radhu babu was plating at several programmes during this time. Sometimes, he’d sit down with UstadDabir Khan Sahib. This is how the days were passing. One day, a duet was organised with Allauddin Khan.

                          Ustad Dabir Khan

I had spoken about this with Ali Akbar Khan. He had saidm “I didn’t play then. I used to play with father because I was still learning. When Radhuda and father sat with the surshringar in our house, I didn’t understand much because I was so young.

So the duet took place during this time.

Was this the duet performed in Allahabad?

Yes. But I am saying this because he called this his fourth award.

Three people performed together in Allahabad in 1937 – the twenty-year old Radhika Mohan Moitra, Allauddin Khan, and Anokhe Lal Mishra on the tabla. It was a sarod duet. At one stage of the duet, Allauddin Khan put his instrument down and said, “The sarod can’t be played after this. You are playing in such a way, I cannot continue! I leave my javva to you.” Then Radhu babu said, “You are older than my father. Both of us should play.” Both of them played after that, but the javva stayed with him as his fourth award.

After this event, Allauddin Khan always used the formal address with Radhu babu. Once Radhu babu got desparate and said, “You are older than my father! Please don’t address me like this.” Then Allauddin Khan sahib replied, “Listen, I have to revere the energy that resides within you. That is what I do.”

Deepali Nag was witness to this. Allauddin Khan was in the ausience at her house when he played the Bageshree. He had said, “The Bageshree can be played like this?” He said to Deepali Nag, “I’ve never heard bageshree played like this. Will you hear me play? Will you hear me play?” Deepali Nag said to me, “I had never heard an artiste, mesmerised by the performance of another, asking another artiste to hear their performance. And I had never heard such a rendition of the Bageshree either.

This is something Deepali Nag said to us in her interview.

 Translated by: Sarbajaya Bhattacharya

http://sarodia.com/generation/pandit-radhika-mohan-maitra/

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru-nxrvGmvo

 Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University

 

Central, Listening, 1961-1974

Rebuking Audience

Told by Samir Chatterjee
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 29 December 2014
Place At Kolkata residence of Samir Chatterjee, 15A Gobinda Mondal Lane, Cossipur, Kolkata
About Samir Chatterjee Eminent tabla player, thinker. To know detaisl click here
Tags Audience, Tansen Music Conference, Kishen maharaj, Darbari Kanada, Dhamar, Lady sarod player, 1970’s
Language English

Samir Chatterjee speaks:

Rebuking Audience

Told By: Samir Chatterjee

Text Version :

This is about how compromising Calcutta audience were when it comes to real good music. You remember ‘Tansen Music Conference’ – right? We would all eagerly wait (for) year around when the festival come about and people would gather to listen some of the most renowned and able musicians. I would refrain from mention the name of the musician but she was a Sarod player and she came with one of the most renowned Tabla player from Benaras Gharana (Pandit Kishan Maharaj Ji) . They were on the stage. She started playing raga Darbari Kanada.

She was young to handle the raga and it sounded like, she used the alap section only to introduce the raga and went straight into Dhamar.

Pt. Kishan Maharaj

After a couple of rounds of Dhamar, brilliant Dhamar from Pandit Kishan Maharaj; few members of the audience actually walked up to the stage and asked her to stop and remind her that if you have chosen raga Darbari Kanada you should do proper justice by doing a proper alap, we can wait for the Dhamar.

It was such a strong message and for us as young students of music to see that happening in front of ours it was educable. In those days in the first couple of rows would be filled up with musicians and they had the time, they had the interest and the patience to listen to other musicians they would come. Today we don’t see that happens at all. Musicians just come for their own item, they would play and leave. They would not even wait for or stay on for next performance. But, in those days (whether) they had no performance they would still come and listen and first 3 or few rows, you know and remember, when Ustad Vilayat Khan Sahab played, half of the auditorium was always filled up with musicians. So this was one of such learning lessons.

Another occasion you remember what kind of embarrassment was it when the organizer decided to do a zugalbandi with Ustad Bismillah Khan sahib.

Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay : But it was a good example of Rebuking Audience. Raga Darbari Kanada; this is never a fighting ground. Thank you for the wonderful story.

Verbatim by: Mousumi Das

Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiyv9n7kbzbAhXEXisKHTcMDM4QjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.harbourfrontcentre.com%2Fwhatson%2Ftoday.cfm%2Findex.cfm%3Fid%3D3385%26festival_id%3D0&psig=AOvVaw19K-gSz_Xyt2wx6bWhbgGx&ust=1528274926236331

 Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Patronisation, Performance, Kolkata, Listening, 1975-2000

Radio Impact

Told by Samar Saha
Obtained by Abishek Chatterjee
Date 17 November 2014
Place Samar Saha’s residence at the ITC-SRA, 1 N.S.C. Bose Road, Kolkata 700040
On Samar Saha Eminent Tabla Player. Attached to ITC-SRA, Kolkata
Key-words All India Radio, Betar Jagat, Subaddha Sangeet, 1982, Ajoy Chakraborty, Arun Bhaduri, Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, Kaunsi Kanhara, sarod, Munwar Ali Khan, Jorasanko, Rabindra Bharati
Language Bengali

Samar Saha speaks

North, Teaching-Learning, Listening, 1961-1974

On Listening Attitude

Told by Samar Saha
Obtained by Abishek Chatterjee
Date 17 November 2014
Place Samar Saha’s residence at the ITC-SRA, 1 N.S.C. Bose Road, Kolkata 700040
On Samar Saha Eminent Tabla Player. Attached to ITC-SRA, Kolkata
Key-words Rela, Krishna Kumar Ganguli [Natubabu], Hirendra Kumar Ganguli [Hirubabu], Raichand Baral, Anath Nath Bose, Shobhabazar, 1970s, riyaz, practice, attitude
Language Bengali

Samar Saha speaks

Performance, South, Listening, 1961-1974

Weeping Audience

Told by Biswajit Bhattacharjee
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 11 December 2014
Place Sangeet Bhavan, B.T. Road Campus, Rabindra Bharati University, 56A, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700050
On Biswajit Bhattacharjee Faculty member of the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University, Tabla player of Lucknow gharana.
Key-words 1970s, Tapan Theatre, South Kolkata, Music Conference, Tarapada Chakraborty, Manas Chakraborty, Anil Bhattacharjee, Lucknow Gharana, effect of music, Shiva, Stotra, tears, vocal

???? ???? ???? ???. ??? ??????? ??? ???. ?????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ??? ??????? ??. ????? ???? ?????? ????????? ??????. ??????????? ????? ??? ??? ??????. ??? ??? ??? ??? ?? ????? ??????-??????, ???????????? ?????? ????????? ??? ?????????. ??? ?????? ???? [???? ?????????], ?????? ?????? ???, ??????? ???? ? ????? ???????? ???? ?????. ???? ???? ?????? ???? ??????????? ????? ?????. ????? ????? ???????? ?????. ?? ???… ????… ????? ??? ????????????? ??… ???? ??? ??? ???? ????. ???? ????????????? ?? ??? ????????. ?? ?? ??? ?????? ??????? ?????, ???? ????? ?????? ? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ????? ??????, ????? ??????? ???? ???, ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ??????; ??????.. ??? ????? ?? ????? ???, ????????? ?????? ????? ????????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ????… ?? ??????-?????? ???? ??????? ?? ??-??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??????, ????? ???? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??????? ????. ???? ?????? ??????, ???? ??? ?????, ???? ??? ?????? ???? ????. ??? ???? ???? ??? ????????? ???? ???????. ????? ?? ?-?? ???????? ????? ????? ???????; ??? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????????, ?? ??????? ???? ? ?????? ????? ????? ???? ???????. ?????? ?????? ???? ??, ????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?????!? ??? ????? ??? ?’?! ??? ??? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ?????, ??????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ?????. ? ???? ??????? ????. ??? ?? ??? ??? ????, ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?????! ? ???? ??????? ?? ?? ????????? ??? ??????? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ?????????.

Paraphrased in English

Weeping Audience

Told by: Biswajit Bhattacharya

Around 1970, a musically remarkable incident happened in southern part of Kolkata. A musical concert was arranged in Tapan Theatre. It was in Bhawanipur area near Sadananda Road, Kalighat. It was a wonderful evening, and that evening gave the listeners a memorable music listening experience; the reminiscences of the melody are still echoing in the air.   Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty along with his son Pandit Manas Chakraborty was rendering khyal. Pandit Manas Chakraborty was accompanying his father with tanpura and also providing vocal support. Pandit Anil Bhattacharya was on the Tabla in a very supportive mood. He was following Sangeetacharya very closely. Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty was completely engrossed in his music. After some time he started Shiva Stotra. He had such a unique and beautiful voice! As he continued with the beautiful melody, his son stopped his vocal rendering and kept aside his tanpura. Pt. Bhattacharya on tabla was spellbound. Sangeetacharya Tarapadaji was so absorbed in his creation that water started flowing through his eyes. There was deep silence all around. The audiences got memerised as they began to feel the ultimate connection with the cosmic energy. They were so captivated in the melody that they also could not restrain their emotions. Instead of the sound of clapping there were weeping and hiccups all over.

This is one of the mesmerizing incidents, which still a music lover love to cherish.

Notes:

Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty: Born on 1st April 1909 in Kotalipara, Faridpur, Bangladesh. He died on 1st September 1995. He was felicitated Sangeet Natak Akademy Fellowship from Sangeet Natak Academy in 1972. He was also conferred State Academy award from Rabindra Bharati University in 1972.

Pandit Manas Chakraborty: Born on 9th September 1942 in Kolkata. He died on 12th Deccember 2012. He was the son and disciple of Sangeetacharya Tarapada Chakraborty. He was the torchbearer of Kotali Gharana.

Award list of Pt. Manas Chakraborty:

  • Heritage Samman by Heritage World Society, Tower Group (2012)
  • Sangeet Samman Award, Presented by The Dover Lane Music Conference (2011)
  • Dishari Award (Twice) – West Bengal Journalists’ Association
  • Maharishi Award (1987) – Maharishi World Centre of Gandharva Veda at U.K. Roydon Hall
  • Girija Shankar Memorial Award (1989) – Girija Shankar Smriti Parishad
  • Jadubhatta Award (1995) – Salt Lake Cultural Association, Kolkata
  • Outstanding Citizen Award (2000) – English Teaching Union.
  • Award for his excellence at 15th Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Sangeet Sammelan – Samrat Sangeet Academy (Goa).
  • Felicitated by Rotary International
  • Felicitated by Dover Lane Music Conference (1992) on his 50th birth-anniversary
  • Felicitated by Kotalipara Sammelani (2000)
  • Felicitated by Samatat for his contribution in the field of Indian Arts and Music
  • Lifetime Achievement Award from Mohanananda Brahmachari Sishu Seva Pratisthan

Pandit Anil Bhattacharya: Renowned Tabla player of Lucknow gharana of Tabla playing. He was the disciple of Wajid Hussain Khan and Chhottan Khalifa of Lucknow Gharana.

Kotali Gharana: Pandit Tarapada chakraborty was the prime architect of Kotali Gharna.

 

Paraphrasing and notes by Dr. Suranjita Paul, Research Fellow

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.