Category Archives: Year

North, Performance, 1948-1960

Ustd. Amir Khan got impressed and invited him to learn—Jog Kauns by Pt. A.T. Kanan

Told by Jyoti Goho
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 21st February 2017
Place ITC Sangeet Research Academy, 1, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road, Tollygunge, Kolkata – 700040
About the speaker Jyoti Goho is a well-known Harmonium accompanist of Indian Classical Music. He is a Musician Faculty in ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata.
Tags Whole Night Programme, Mahajati Sadan, A.T.Kanan, 1950, Amir Khan, Begum Aktar, Sarafat Hussain Khan, Bade Gulam Ali Khan, Jog Kosh, Khamaj Thumri, Stage, Organiser, Artist
Language Bengali

Jyoti Goho speaks:

Text version:

???? ????????? ?????, ???-???? ?????????, ??????? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ? ??????????, ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????????

(??????) ???? ???? ??? ??????

??? ??? ?????, ???? ???????? ??? ??? ??????, ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ?? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ??? ???, ???? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ???, ??? ???????? ?????? ???, ???-???? ?????????? ?????? ?????????? (Organizer)?? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ??? (??) ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?? ?????????? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ??? ??? ???? ???, ????? ??????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ????, ???? ???? ???? ????? ?? ?????????? ????? ?? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ???, ?? ???? ???? ?????, ?? ? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?? ????  ?????? ?? ??? ????? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ,????? ???? ???? ????, ???? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ??????,?????? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??, ??? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ??? ??? ??????, ??? ??????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ?????, ???? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ?????, ??? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ??????? ???, ???? ??????? ????? ?? ????? ?????, ???? ??? ????? ??? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ?? ?? ??????, ????? ??? ??? ?????, ???? ?????, ????? ????? ???, ?? ?? ?? ???????? ?? ??? ??? ? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?????????? (Organizer) ?? ?????  ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ?????????? ?? ??? ????, ????? ????? ??????? ???? ????, ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ??????, ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?? ?? ????????? ??????? ??? ?????? ????????? ???? ?????? ??? ???????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ?? ??????, ?? ???? ??? ?????, ?? ????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ???, ???? ?? ?????? ????? ???, ??? ????????? ??????? ??????? ???, ???? -??????,   ?????? ????????? ?? ???? ??????? ????? ?????????? ?????? ???, ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??????? ????????? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ????????? ??????? ??? ???????? ????? ???????? ?? ????? ??? ???????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??, ?? ?? ???, ??????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ???, ???? ??? ???????? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ?????, ??? ????? ??, ?? ???? (??????) ??? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?? ??! ??? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ? ????? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ??? (???? ????????)?

Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

In this recording Jyoti Goho has referred to his Guru Pandit A.T.Kanan as Guruji – Editor

 

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

 

Kolkata, Teaching-Learning, 1921-1947, 1948-1960

A.T. Kanan and his Gurus

Told by Jyoti Goho
Obtained by Suranjita Paul
Date 21st February 2017
Place ITC Sangeet Research Academy, 1, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road, Tollygunge, Kolkata – 700040
About the speaker Jyoti Goho is a well-known Harmonium player  of Indian Classical Music. He is a Musician Faculty in ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata.
Tags A.T.Kanan, Girija Shankar Chakraborty, Jnan Prakash Ghosh, Jamini Ganguly, Class, Tanpura, Student, 1947, 1948, Ghulam Ali Khan, Amir Khan, Kolkata, Benaras, Public Performance
Language Bengali

Jyoti Goho speaks:

Verbatim:

?????? ?? ????????? ????? ??? ???? ??????????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ????? ????? ?? ???? ??????,???? ???? ??? ????????? ?? ?? ????? ???? ????????? ??? ???? ?????????? ???????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ????? ???? ???? ????? ?????, ???? ????????? ?????????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ?? ?? ???? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ??? ?? ???? ??? ??? ???????, ???? ???? ?????? ???, ???? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???, ?? ?? ????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ????????? ??? ???? ??? ???????????? ????? ?? ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ???????? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ???? ??? ???, ?? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ???????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ???? ???(??????????) ???????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??, ??? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ????????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ????? ????? ??? ???????? ?? ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ????? ??? ??? ??? (??????) ???????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ????? ???? (??????????) ????? ????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ??? ??????? ???? ??? (??????) ????? ??????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ???????, ?? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ? ?? ???? ???, ????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ????? ?? ????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ???????, ?? ?? ????? ? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ???????, ??? ?????? ???????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? (?????) ??? ????, ???? ?? ??? ??????? ??? ??????, ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ???????? ?????????,  ??????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ??? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ???????? ???????????? ??? ????? ? ???????? ???? ???? ?????, ????? ???? ???? ??, ? ????? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ????????? ?? ?????? ???  ?????? ????? ??? ???????? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?????, ???? ?? ?????? ??????? ??? ??????? ??  ??? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ??? ????????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? ???? ???? ?????????, ?????????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ???, ??? ???? ??, ?????????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ???, ????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ????

(??????) ?? ????? ????

??? ?? ????- ?? ? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ??? ????? ???????? ????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ????????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ??????, ?????? ????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ????? ????? ?????, ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ????? ?????, ??? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ?????? ????? ??, ???? ??? ??????? ???? ???, ????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ??????, ?????? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ?????????? ?? ???????? ??-??? ??? ???? ???? ??????, ???? ?????, ????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ????, ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????, ???? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ???????? ???? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ??, ??? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???????? ?? ?????? ???? ???  ????, ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ??????, ???? ?? ??? ??? ?????????? ???? ??? ?????, ????? ??? ???  ???????? ????? ????? ?? (???? ??? ???????? ?????) ???? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ??????, ?? ?????? ?? ((???? ???) ?????? ??? ??? ??? ?????, ?????  ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??, ??? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???? ??? ?? ?????, ??? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ??? ????, ?? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ??, ??? ????????? ??? ????(???? ??? ) ???????? ?? ??? ?? ??, ???? ?? ????? ???, ?? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??? ??? ???????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ????? ????-? ??? ?????????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ????, ?? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ???????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ????? ????, ?? ???? ??????? ????? ????? ???? ?? ???

In this recording Jyoti Goho has referred to his Guru Pandit A.T. Kanan as Guruji – Editor

Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

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

 

Patronisation, Performance, 1921-1947, Central

A concert at Eden Gardens to honor The Prince of Wales—A Narrative from 1921

Told by Sri Rantideb Maitra
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 4th March,2017
Place Sri Rantideb Maitra’s Residence, Madur Daho, Kolkata
About the speaker Renowned Music Collector and Music Connoisseur
Tags 1921, Prince of Wales, Eden Garden, Principal  Raaga, Musician, Majid Khan, Binkar, Indore, Fida Hussain Khan, Sarod, Hafiz Ali Khan, Sur Sringar, Radhika pRasad Goswami, Gopeswar Bandopadhyay, Sur Bahar, Satya Kinkar Bandopadhyay, Nyas Taranag, Dhrupad, Kheyal, Sitar, Megh,  Bishnupur, Nizam , Maharaja of Gwalior, Maharaja of Baroda
Language English

Sri Rantideb Maitra speaks :

 

Text Version:

Prince of Wales during a tour in India 1921

In 1921, when Prince of Wales visited Calcutta, a presentation was made to him in Eden Gardens where the six principal Ragas were to be presented by six principle musicians at that point of time. So musicians were chosen from all over India. I think I can give you the names of the musicians from my memory. Mostly Majid Khan, Veenkar from Indore, Fida Hussain Khan, the Sarodiya, then Hafiz Ali Khan who played the Sur Sringar. Radhika Prasad Goswami sang Dhrupad, Gopeswar Bandyopadhyay, strangely he played Sur Bahar and Satya Kinkar Bandopadhyay again strangely he played Nyas Tarang.

You know what is Nyas Tarang?

Naak diye jeta…. Kali Prasanna Bandopadhyay…he was the last Nyas Tarang Player. (Played through Nose and Kali Prasanna Bandopadhyay was the last one to play Nyas Tarang).

Pt. Satya Kinkar Bandopadhyay

Satya Kinkar was Dhrupad singer, Khyal singer, Sitariya but he played Nyas Tarang. He played the raga Megh in Nyas Tarang. So these six Principal ragas, I don’t remember who played which raga  but I know he played Megh in Nyas Tarang.

So amazing that out of these six musicians, six best musicians in India, three were from Bengal and from the same gharana that is Vishnupur. We Bengalis forgotten about this but this is on record, this book is available somewhere. This book was published in honour of Prince of Wales. Lot of Rajas I mean Nijam was there, Gwalior Maharaja was there, Baroda Maharaja was there and everybody of note was there at the point of time….1921.

Verbatim by: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.oldindianphotos.in/2014/10/prince-of-wales-edward-viii-during-tour.html

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-ab&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=bLoXW6yDJpD59QPZ4Y3oCQ&q=SatyaKinkar+Bandopadhyay&oq=SatyaKinkar+Bandopadhyay&gs_l=img.12…35722.35722.0.37498.1.1.0.0.0.0.120.120.0j1.1.0….0…1c.1.64.img..0.0.0….0.2mbMHELAlAg#imgrc=ISCawHcDPSTwxM:

Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

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

                 

North, Patronisation, 1900-1920, Teaching-Learning, Accompaniment

The Tawaifs of Kolkata—An Old Kolkata Music-Tapestry

Told by Sri Rantideb Maitra
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 4th March,2017
Place Sri Rantideb Moitro’s Residence, Madur Daho, Kolkata
About the speaker Renowned Music Collector and Music Connoisseur
Tags Tawaif, 1920’s, Baijis, Classical Singer, Malkajan, Gaharjan, Manoda Sundari, Krisnabhamini, Indubala, Angurbala, Sarengi, Accompanist, Bandish, Alladiya Khan, Ustad, Gouri Shankar Mishra, Vishmadev Chattopadhyay, Dhrupad, Khayal, Thumri, Aghor  Chakraborty, Gopeshwar Bandopadhyay, Satya Kinkar Bandopadhyay, Maharaja of Natore, Maharaja of lalgola, Maharaja of Panchokot, Jyotindra Mohan Tagore, Peara Saheb, Jadumoni, Sourindra Mohan Tagore, Kesarbai Kerkar, Alladiya Khan, Seth Dulichand, Shyamlal Khetri, Petron, Bombay
Language English

Sri Rantideb Maitra speaks :

Text version:

Malka Jaan

During the early part of 20th century, the Calcutta music scene was, at least the vocal music was dominated by Tawaifs and the Baijis, not that their male counter parts in the sense that the most popular classical singers of that point of time were all tawaifs, I mean you can name anybody,

 

Angurbala Devi

you can name Malkajan, you can name Gaharjan, you can name Manoda Sundari , Krisna Bhamini right up to Indubala, Angurbala,  and everyone, and they were much more popular than their counter parts.   Now where did they learn their music from? It’s a two way process, in some cases it was found that the tawaifs they themselves took fancy on some good looking male  musicians and taught them music, they mostly learnt from Sarengi players, because Sarengi players use to you know accompany so many artists all over India, and they use to pay the sarengiwalas as per the Bandishes, may be one sarengiwalas has played with  Alladiya Khan, and she liked the Bandish and maybe she will pay hundred rupees or fifty rupees or whatever it is, and sometimes they used to employ ustads themselves, and the terms of employment was, that ustad would you know  never teach any other ‘Baais’. So it is you know captive ustad.

Raja Jyotindra Mohan Tahgore

Like for example  ’Gauri Shankar Mishra’ was captive to ‘Gauhar jaan’ and ‘Gauhar jaan’ only allowed ’Gauri Shankar Mishra’ when she became  old and she moved away from Calcutta, at that point of time  ’Gauri Shankar Mishra’ teach ‘Indubala’ and even ‘Vishmadev Chattopadhyay’ and lot of people. But till such time  ‘Gauhar jaan’ did not release ’Gauri Shankar Mishra’, ’Gauri Shankar Mishra’ could only you know only teach ‘Gauhar jaan’ the Bandishes. Now in  the case of the ‘ Dhrupadiyas’ of Bengal the situation was different because they never learnt from any ‘Tawaifs’ because mostly the ‘Tawaifs’ sang ‘Khayal ’and ‘Thumri’, but not ‘Dhrupads’,

Gauhar Jan

and the ‘Dhrupadiya’ of Bengal like ‘Aghor Chakraborty’ ‘ Gopeshwar Bandopadhyay’ or ‘Satyakinkar Bandopadhyay’,  they avoided those class of musicians, not that they didn’t like them, they liked their music,  but they never you know,  they never imitated their style of music, and these ‘Tawaifs’ also, they were very eager to learn ‘Dhrupad’, but unfortunately their doors were shut to the middle class Bengali Brahmin ‘Dhrupad’ singers. So when, Maharaja Jyotindra Mohan Tagore, because Satyakinkar Babu  was a employed by lots of the Maharajas at that time, like Maharaja of Natore was there, Maharaja of Lalogola, Maharaja of Pachakot and eventually he became court musician of Maharaja Jyotindra Mohan Thakur after Piyara Saheb left the court of Jyotindra Mohan Tagore. But one of the terms of his contract with the Maharaja was that he will never urge him or force him or to teach any ‘Tawaif’ because all the zamindars and rajas, they had their favourite ‘Taawaifs’, whom they used to groom.

Raja Sourindra Mohan Tagore

Like take the case of Jadumoni who was groomed by  Shourindra Mohan Tagore, I mean even Kesarbai had one such, you know mentor, who paid for Kesarbai’s tuitions for Alladiya Khan. In the case of many ‘Tawaifs ‘ they were supported by many wealthy  patrons to learn music. But Satyakinkar Babu never you know, taught any ‘Tawaifs’ and that was one of terms of, I mean I gave you social picture of that time also. So in this context it is important.

Can we please have the name of that person, who patronised Kesarbai Kerkar?

Yah, it was Seth Dhulichand, I mean there were lot of patrons but one was Seth Dhulichand, was originally from Kolkata, then The Khetri, Shyamlala Khetri , their shop is still existing, khetri jewellers, Calcutta, bhawanipore, Punya Cinema, khetri jewellers, and there were other patrons from Bombay, I mean  I forget their names, but these two were definitely patron of Kesarbai from Bombay(Calcutta).

Verbatim by: Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.saregama.com/artist/angurbala-devi_491/album

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=_bcXW76aBZferQGvz4u4Bg&q=Maharaja+Jyotindra+Mohan+Thakur+&oq=Maharaja+Jyotindra+Mohan+Thakur+&gs_l=img.12…81132.81132.0.82444.1.1.0.0.0.0.137.137.0j1.1.0….0…1c.2.64.img..0.0.0….0.lRzGC5g_II8#imgrc=e_ilMVTcC0uAXM:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=3-A1W_3xKcHA0gT2o6SoDQ&q=gauharjan&oq=gauharjan&gs_l=img.3..0i10i24k1.4011.4604.0.5076.3.3.0.0.0.0.198.583.0j3.3.0….0…1c.1.64.img..0.3.578….0.ce_KKKtd9Hs#imgrc=1jHqNywIyy3aIM:

 

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

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 

 

 

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

 

Raja Jyotindra Mohan Tahgore
North, Patronisation, Performance, 1900-1920, Listening

The Pride of Music was Saved at The Royal Court—Remembering Sangeetacharya Satyakinkar Bandopadhyay

Told by Sri Rantideb Maitra
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 4th March,2017
Place Sri Rantideb Moitro’s Residence, Madur Daho, Kolkata
About the speaker Renowned Music Collector and Music Connoisseur
Tags Satyakinkar Bandopadhyay, Faiyaz Khan, Jyotirindra Mohan Tagore, Pathuriaghata, Shourindra Mohan Tagore, Patronage, Tanpura, Pakhawaj, Court Singer, Maharaja of Gwalior, Nizam, Alap, Khayal, Saraswati
Language English

Sri Rantideb Maitra speaks :

Text version:

The first anecdote is about two  great musicians, one Sangeetacharyay Satyakinkar Bandopadhyay and The other Ustad Faiyaz Khan, and it happened  at the house of Maharaja Jyotindra Mohan Tagore at Pathuriaghata, The Grandson of Sourindra Mohun Tagore (?). I heard it from Sangeetacharyay Satyakinkar Bandopadhyay himself.

Sangeetacharya Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay

He said that during that time of royal patronage The royal patrons always looked down on the musicians. In the sense that if they are singing they are expected to sing at a posture, sitting on the ground with tanpuras, pakhawaj, table whatever it is and The Rajas and The Maharajas used to sit in couch, and just listened to their  music from a elevated position.  He never liked that short of arrangement and once at the house of Jyotindra Mohan Tagore when he was a court singer, in fact Satyakinkar Bandopadhyay was a court singer to Jyotindra Mohan Tagore of Pathuriaghata.

Faiyez Khan and Satyakinkar Babu was suppose to sing in honor of The Maharaja of Gwalior and His Excellency Nizam who were visiting Jyotindra Mohan Tagore at that time and He arranged a musical evening of these two great masters

Ustad Faiyaz Khan

and The first artist was Faiyaz Khan, and he sang Alap and Khayal seating  on the ground and Nizam and Mahraja of Gwalior and Jyotindra Mohan Tagore they were just enjoying the music seating on the sofas. And when the turn came for Satyakinkar Babu to sing he just refused to sing. He said that I am not accustomed to sing in this manner because I am a worshiper  of Goddess Saraswati and I cannot bring her down to that level where Saraswati would be just, you know,  seating  beneath the feet of a mortal, so he also reprimanded  Faiyaz Khan Sahab, he said that he was such a great Ustad, he was such a great master of music, how he can you know, are you not proud enough of you know, of your music, and if you are proud of your music then how you can humiliate the muse of music in this fashion, you should never do this in future, you are quite rich, you can afford not to sing,  and he said that I can also afford not to sing and I  will not sing. So what happened, there was an altercation Jyotindra Mohan Tagore and Satyakinkar Babu and  to avoid any other,  you know untoward incidents or embarrassment  a makeshift arrangement was made, another spring sofa  was brought at par with the Maharajas and Satyakinkar Babu said that you know he used to , he sat on the sofa but unfortunately it was a spring sofa, during that time, and he was, his entire thing went down with the spring, with  his pakhawaj player and everything, and it was so uncomfortable, but he said at least you know the pride of  music was saved for that day. That was one incident which he told me. This period must 1927-28, during that time.

Verbatim by: Rajeswary Ganguly  Banerjee

Picture Courtesy: Google

http://archiveofindianmusic.in

https://www.google.co.in/search?client=firefox-b&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=jvgYW_TNGYLB0gT2naqYBA&q=Faiyaz+Khan+Sahab&oq=Faiyaz+Khan+Sahab&gs_l=img.12…338300.338300.0.341478.1.1.0.0.0.0.188.188.0j1.1.0….0…1c.2.64.img..0.0.0….0.i2dukrkSR9Q#imgrc=BYVKTehRKmWM_M:

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Kolkata, 1975-2000, After 2000, Music Criticism

Space Allocation Policy of Newspapers for Classical Music Events

Told by Smt. Meena Banerjee
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 21st February, 2017
Place Smt. Meena Banerjee’s residence , Rani Kuthi, Kolkata
About the speaker Renowned Music Critic, Musicologist and Music Connoisseur
Tags The Telegraph, Artist, Event, The Statesman, Shruti Magazine, Telegraph, 2004, 2010, 1997, Hindustan Times
Language Engllish

Meena Banerjee Speaks :

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
North, Performance, Listening, After 2000

A path breaking recital by Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar at The 75TH Birthday Celebration of Ustad Vilayat Khan

Told by Smt. Meena Banerjee
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 21st February, 2017
Place Smt. Meena Banerjee’s residence , Rani Kuthi, Kolkata
About the speaker Renowned Music Critic, Musicologist and Music Connoisseur
Tags Ulhas Kashalkar, Vilayat Khan, 2003, Mahajati Sadan, Autobiography, Shankarlal Bhattacharya,  Raag, Raga, Sanjh  Saravali, swaravali, Yaman, Behag, Bihag, Hameer, Kamod, Thumri, Bhairavi, Jayanta Chatterjee, Amir Khan, Charhi Lay, Gwalior Gharana
Language Engllish, Hindi, Bengali

Meena Banerjee Speaks :

Text Version: 

This is about a very memorable recital of Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar Ji. He sang during this seventy fifth birthday celebration of Ustad Vilayat Khan Sahab. We were very excited, we went to Mahajati Sadan, and that evening the hall was absolutely packed. There was that official release of the Ustad’s autobiography in Bengali, penned by Sri Sankarlal Bhattacharjee. That also took place there and Ulhas Ji was suppose to sing.

 

Ustad Vilayat Khan

Prior to that Vilayat Khan sahib spoke about his connection with Kolkata, and that he wanted to come back to Kolkata, live here forever, so very emotional kind of beginning, then ulhas ji came and announced that he is going to sing a Raag composed by ustad Vilayat Khan Sahab, and he sang Sanjh Swaravali. It was fantastic, absolutely fantastic, where one experience that, now Yaman came and went away, and then face of Behug, absolutely chiseled Behug came and went away, then Hameer, Kamod, you name an evening melody and their pretty faces, they came and then like a moving, like audio visual, you could feel that they are coming and going away. That was there and then he concluded his recital in Thumri, stripped in spirituality- “ Tum ho jagat ke data” in Bhairavi. That was also composed by Ustadji,

Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar

Ustad Vilayat Khan, and let me tell you since then ulhasji’s style took a totally different turn. As I told you that this was the turning point of Ulhasji’s singing career, from where his singing style took a new turn, where lots of surging emotions, one could feel, that earlier his Raga delineation was absolutely very pristine and pure but there was not much of emotions, but suddenly it was so stripped in emotion that I was forced to think what was the force behind it, then I found out that he came very close to Ustad Vilayat Khan Sahab, thanks to Mr Jayanta Chatterjee of Sunny Towers, he is a well known music connoisseur, so Ustadji’s influence worked wonders with Ulhasji’s singing, and that is how we find the Ustad Amir Khan’s elements in his singing and that ‘Charhi Lay’ which was his forte earlier, became much slower than the usual Gwalior style, and in that he incorporated lot of emotive aspects.

Verbatim: Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 

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

 

Riyaz / Practicing, South, 1975-2000

The Maestro still does it with same passion—Pandit Ajay Chakraborty’s Riyaz Sessions

Told by Smt. Meena Banerjee
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 21st February, 2017
Place Smt. Meena Banerjee’s residence , Rani Kuthi, Kolkata
About the speaker Renowned Music Critic, Musicologist and Music Connoisseur
Tags Riyaz, Artist, Ajay Chakraborty, 1970’s, 1980,s, SRA, V.G.Jog, Girija Devi, Heerabai Barodekar, Mumbai, 2017, January, Seminar, Kheyal, Dhrupad, Thumri
Language Engllish

Meena Banerjee Speaks :

 

The Time-tag [1975-2000] in this anecdote has been restricted to the happenings in Kolkata. – Editor

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

 

North, 1975-2000, Music Criticism

Criticism and Affect—Meena Banerjee Reflects

Told by Smt Meena Banerjee
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 21st February, 2017
Place Smt Meena Banerjee’s residence , Rani Kuthi, Kolkata
About the speaker Renowned Music Critic, Musicologist and Music Connoisseur
Tags Music Criticism, Artist, Ashis Chatterjee, Music Critic, Baithak, 2000
Language Engllish

Smt Meena Banerjee Speaks :

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

 

South, After 2000, Music Criticism

Money matters—Biased Review and an Honest Observation

Told by Smt Meena Banerjee
Obtained by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date 21st February, 2017
Place Smt Meena Banerjee’s residence , Rani Kuthi, Kolkata
About the speaker Renowned Music Critic, Musicologist and Music Connoisseur
Tags Music Criticism, Artist, 2012, Aurobindo Institute Hall, Editor, Money, Forced Writing
Language Engllish, Bengali

Smt Meena Banerjee Speaks :

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