Monthly Archives: November 2016

Instrument Making, South, 1961-1974, 1975-2000, Others, After 2000

Ganga: The Sarod of Ustd. Amjad Ali Khan

Told by Ratan Kumar Sen
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 9th March 2015
Place 140 B Rasbehari Avenue, Workshop of Tapan Kumar Sen
About the speaker Ratan Kumar Sen is an instrument manufacturer and exporter. He is the younger son of legendary instrument maker Hemendra Chandra Sen.
Tags Ganga, Sarod, Amjad Ali Khan, 1969, 2010, Dover Lane Music Conference
Language Bengali

Ratan Kumar Sen speaks:

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

Verbatim:

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

?? ?????

Ustad Amjad Ali khan

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

Verbatim: Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 Translation:

The Sarod of Amjad Ali khan, Ganga was made by my father in 1969.

Sri Hemendra Chandra Sen

My father, Sri Hemendra Chandra Sen  passed away in 2010 and we were doing his last rites on 14th January suddenly Amjad sahaab’s secretary called. He informed us that his Sarod was broken by an air flight from Ahmedabad to Bombay and we had to fix it. So we asked him to send it to us. He had a performance in Dover Lane Music Conference on 25th January. So we had a tight time frame. We got it the next day and fixed it within a week. When I delivered it to him he hugged it tightly, he loved his instrument so much. He played it in Dover lane and remembered my father and praised us lovingly. Afterwards this same Sarod got missing in British Airways and found again. He loves it so much that he plays  it in every programme till today, never let it go.

 Translated By: Arundhati Banerjee

Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-ab&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=WLoLW5eyD9C4rQGtp6Vg&q=dover+lane+music+conference+amjad+ali+khan&oq=dover+lane+music+conference+amjad+ali+khan&gs_l=img.3…43919.48783.0.49207.15.15.0.0.0.0.158.1967.0j15.15.0….0…1c.1.64.img..0.1.157…0i30k1j0i24k1.0.AFyJFoL0jho#imgrc=prT9A3OxtB2dGM:

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-ab&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=d279Wo6yO42m9QO7v5PoBw&q=hemendra+chandra++sen&oq=hemendra+chandra++sen&gs_l=img.12…0.0.0.5990.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0….0…1c..64.img..0.0.0….0.Z_8mSJq6sLo#imgrc=tmoMoqQ9i2aUkM:

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

South, Music Allied, After 2000

Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s last Shop Visit—A Lasting Memory

Told by Ratan Kumar Sen
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 9th March 2015
Place 140 B Rasbehari Avenue, Workshop of Tapan Kumar Sen
About the speaker Ratan Kumar Sen is an instrument manufacturer and exporter. He is the younger son of legendary instrument maker Hemendra Chandra Sen.
Tags Ali Akbar Khan, 2006, Dover Lane Music Conference, 2009, Hemendra Chandra Sen
Language Bengali

Ratan Kumar Sen speaks:

 

 

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

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

 

 

Instrument Making, South, 1975-2000, After 2000

Changes in Instrument Supply and Distribution with Time—A Gross Overview

Told by Ratan Kumar Sen
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 9th March 2015
Place 140 B Rasbehari Avenue, Workshop of Tapan Kumar Sen
About the speaker Ratan Kumar Sen is an instrument manufacturer and exporter. He is the younger son of legendary instrument maker Hemendra Chandra Sen.
Tags Hemendra Kumar Sen, Quality, Gujrat, Puna, Maharastra, Delhi, Benaras, West Bengal, Sarod, Hafiz Ali Khan, Ali Akbar Khan, America, Canada, Germany, Japan, Sitar, Surbahar, Sursringar, Sarangi, Lucknow, Indian Classical Music, David Balaban, Ken Zuckerman, Jimmy, Narendra Nath dhar, England, Switzerland, France, Pakisthan, Shahid Parvez, Bangladesh, Nepal, T.L.Rana, Damodarlal Kabra, Jaipur, Basant Kabra, Maihar Gharana, Allauddin Khan, Afganisthan, Surbahar, Sitar, 2009, Nasir, Muneer, Dubai
Language Bengali

Ratan Kumar Sen speaks:

 

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

 

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

 

Instrument Making, South, 1975-2000, After 2000

Different Sarod in different Gharanas: A brief discussion with Ratan Kumar Sen

Told by Ratan  Kumar Sen
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 9th March 2015
Place 140 B Rasbehari Avenue, Workshop of Tapan Kumar Sen
About the speaker Ratan Kumar Sen is an instrument manufacturer and exporter. He is the younger son of legendary instrument maker Hemendra Chandra Sen.
Tags Hemendra Kumar Sen, Radhika Mohan Moitra, Strings, Drum, Plate, Joydeep Ghosh, Narendra Nath Dhar, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Gharana, Hafiz Ali Khan, Tonal Quality, Maihar Gharana, Teak Wood, Tun
Language Bengali

Ratan Kumar Sen speaks:

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

Verbatim:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra

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

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

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

Verbatim by: Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

Translation:

Radhika Mohan Maitra’s Sarod was made of Teak Wood, which would have six ears with eleven Taraf and two Chikari. The Sarod would have a total of nineteen strings. Radhika Mohan used to customize his instruments in a way, where he asked to change it a bit. He used to add a string to the Pancham of  Khad( Kharaj)  and take one off the Jowari, so that there were five main strings in total. There were thus one Jowari Sa string, two Chikari, and thirteen Tarafs. This was their speciality. At the head of the instrument, he would also place a Tumba.

– Do you remember the year when you made the Sarod for Radhika Mohan Maitra?

– In the very beginning, it was father who used to do all the making, and I have no idea about that. I have only heard from my father about it.

– What was the diameter of the drum of these Sarods?

– The diameter was of eleven inches, along with the nineteen inch plate. Initially the size of the drum was smaller, but later they converted it into the eleven inch drums.

– Did you make Sarod for any student of Radhika Mohan Mitra?

– Yes. Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Naren Dhar, Joydeep Ghosh are some of the names I remember now. Father used to work on the instruments and we used to help him. After my father’s demise, I have also worked for these people.

– Is there any difference in the making of the Sarod of these people and the other Sarod players?

Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan

– Radhika Mohan Maitra’s Sarod and Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan belonged to almost the same type of made. Only difference was that there were eleven Tarafs in Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan’s Sarod , while there were six ears and two chikari in Radhika Mohan Maitra’s Sarod. Otherwise, all Sarod were made of Teak wood. The speciality about Teak wood is that the tonal quality of Sarod made from this wood has a sharp and sweet tune. The Sarod from the Maihar Gharana are made of Tun Wood, and these Sarod would bring out a sweet tune and  bold tune, and also the treble was more in this type of  Sarod.

Translated by: Ankana Das

Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.google.com/search?q=radhika+mohan+maitra&client=firefox-b-ab&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:CcZWhv9EyPwqIjjryJz6odBelmyfJ4pDp9BbdW5zudpMTAs0sVQFNIo21z264UC-VNrZ5omcsV39GsutCRxk1btRqyoSCevInPqh0F6WEZGZFnMRyyEnKhIJbJ8nikOn0FsROj6ZHmnvmtwqEgl1bnO52kxMCxEiNXfDTkUiGCoSCTSxVAU0ijbXEfjKk-uN_1Kz5KhIJPbrhQL5U2tkRD1TNNSCcF_18qEgnmiZyxXf0ayxGRmRZzEcshJyoSCa0JHGTVu1GrEZGZFnMRyyEn&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiQvdjB_6fbAhVVWysKHeL1DLoQ9C96BAgBEBg&biw=1366&bih=631&dpr=1#imgrc=YOPjzAnG-39wlM:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-ab&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=yL4LW-WXI4WurQH1naeYCQ&q=hafiz+ali+khan&oq=hafiz+ali+khan+&gs_l=img.1.0.0i30k1j0i5i30k1j0i24k1l2.3604.41681.0.43534.15.15.0.0.0.0.169.2232.0j15.15.0….0…1c.1.64.img..0.15.2223…0j0i67k1j0i10k1.0.TNMn7ur4WHY#imgrc=pXsR5hhylu07AM:

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

 

 

 

 

 Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Instrument Making, South, 1975-2000

The starting years of Instrument Making—Tapan Kumar Sen

Told by Tapan Kumar Sen
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 9th March 2015
Place 140 B Rasbehari Avenue, Workshop of Tapan Kumar Sen
About the speaker Tapan Kumar Sen is an instrument manufacturer and exporter. He is the elder son of legendary instrument maker Hemendra Chandra Sen
Tags Hemendra Chandra Sen, Sarod, Instrument maker
Language Bengali

 Tapan Kumar Sen speaks:

 

 

Metadata generated by Suranjita Paul

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
North, Performance, 1921-1947, Music Criticism, #Press Reports

Demonstration of Ahir Bhairav – Amrita Bazar Patrika – December 31, 1940

ambp-dec31-1940

AMRITA BAZAR PATRIKA  | 31 December 1940 |  Page 7

All Bengal Music Conference Second Day Concerts

CLASSICAL RAGAS

Demonstration of Ahir-Bhairav

One wishes a larger audience as presents as yesterday’s morning demonstration at the music conference. Now holding session on board the first empire to hear Ustad Bhallal Mahammad Rababi of Amristsar, (a direct disciple of the famous Hindu musician Pt. Bhaskar Rao), an artist of superior excellence, endowed with a high intuitive artistic sense who is able to hold big audiences in rapt attention for any length of time. Bhallal Saheb was booked to sing after 1 p.m; i.e at a time when the audience melted away for lunch. He had to sing before a very thin house, of course appreciative elements and Vidwans were all present on the stage, some of whom lavished high encomiums on the artist for his really soul-stirring performance. Bhallab Saheb commenced his repertoire with an Alap in an appropriate Rag-Ahir Bhairav, a sampooran one with Bhairav in the Poorvang and Kafi in the Uttarang. He proceeded with a Bilampat and then a Drut Kheyal and concluded with a Tarana of a same Raga.His display was characterised  by a remarkable individuality and rich imagination. Rag Chandrkaswar describes Ahir Bhairav as ‘Ati Bichitra’ and Bhallal Saheb with an (inmate) artistic consciousness did the technical elaboration of the Raga and played ‘Swaras’, scrupulously conserving the purity of his style in such a way that even the ears of a few good fastidious purists failed to be offended. Bhallal Saheb gave his first demonstration on Sunday night when he gave an Alap and kheyal in Malkoush.

Among other artists of repute who demonstrated 2nd, 3rd and 4th sittings, i.e. on Sunday night and Monday morning and evening included Srimati Hirabai Barodekar, Pt. Onkar nath Thakur, Prof. P.A. Sundar(?)Iyer ( Violin), Prof Nageswar Rao, Prof Shafiullah Khan (Setar), Prof Naseer Khan (Dukkar play in Dhamar), Sj. Bimala Kanta Roy Choudhury (Sitaar in Pilu and Kafi), Sm Menaka Bal (Kheyal in Shankara, Thumri Bhajan and dance), Prof Ram Chandra Bhatt (Dhrupad), Prof. Gopeswar Banerjee ( Dhrupad in Chhayanat and Narayani), Prof. Ziauddin Khan (Dhrupad in Darbad Kanada), Sj. Jatadhar Jha (Kheyal In Purabi and Bhajan), Prof. Wazid Khan (Tabla Lehra), Sj.Krishna Ch. Dey ( Dhrupad in Darbari), Sj. Jnanendra Praosad Goswami (Kheyal in Jaijayanti), Pandit Maganlal of Panchgachia (?) (Kheyal in Vasant-Vahar), Dani Babu (Dhrupad in Bhairav and Asavari), Prof. Shafiullah Khan (Alap in Badhamsasarang and Gat in Brindabani), Prof Nageswar Rao ( Kheyal in Lalit), and Miss Bijanbala Ghose Dastidar (Lalit-Kheyal).

Comments on Sm. Hirabai’s and other artists’ performances will be published in a future issue.

TO-DAY’S PROGRAMME

Morning 9-30 A.M.: – Demonstration by competitors.

Demonstration by musicians :- Prof. Ramanuj Iyangar of Madras (Veen), Nilimarani Dutt of Tatanagar (Kheyal), Sj. Hirendra Kumar Ganguly (Tabla Lehra), Prof. Asfaque Hussain Khan of Surgana (?)  State ( Kheyal), Sm. Menaka Bal of Bombay Kheyal Pt.Onkarnath Thakur (kheyal and Bhajan) an Sj.Jnanendra Pd. Goswami (Kheyal).

Evening at 5.30.P.M.:- – Demonstration by competitors.

Demonstration by musicians :- Amarnath Bhattacharya (Dhrupad), Sudhir Majumdar and Ram Kissen Misra (Kheyal), Dhirendra Chandra Mitra (Felu Babu)-Thumri, Nirmala Majumdar (Kheyal), Sachin Deb Burman ( Bengali Songs), Kalyani Debi of Benares (Dance), Prof. Ali-Ahmed Khan (Sitar), Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan of Lahore (Kheyal) and Prof. Hiralal of Jaipur (Dance).

After an interval of 15 minutes the following artists will demonstrate:-

Lalit Mohan Mukherjee (Dhrupad), Master Madan of Kutlehar (?) State (Kheyal), Mustaque Hussain Khan of Rampur (Kheyal), and Pt. Maganlal (Kheyal).

Source:

“Amrita Bazar Patrika [Daily]. Vol: 72; Issue:361 (31 December 1940).” Accessed November 23, 2016. http://eap.bl.uk/database/large_image.a4d?digrec=4266682;catid=226953;r=26962.

————————-

Identified by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee, Research Fellow

Special support – Dr. Suranjita Paul

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


Performance, Kolkata, 1975-2000

Some remarkable Musicians without Remarkable Public Presence

Told by Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 11 July, 2014
Place Kolkata residence of Dr. Rajib Chakraborty, Swinhoe Street, Kolkata 700019
About  Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty is a renowned Sarod player, a music composer, and also involved in a large number of experimental projects internationally. He received several awards for his experimental work in music.
Tags Tabla Player, Anil Palit, Kishen Maharaj, Dilip Das,  Anil Roy Chowdhury, Rabindra Bharati University, Ajoy Sinha Roy, Ranadhir Roy, Esraj, Sujata Sadan.
Language Bengali

 Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty speaks :

 

Metadata is generated by Suranjita Paul

 Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Kolkata, Listening, 1961-1974

Radio and Indian Classical Music—As I felt

 

Told by Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 11 July, 2014
Place Kolkata residence of Dr. Rajib Chakraborty, Swinhoe Street, Kolkata 700019
About  Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty is a renowned Sarod player, a music composer, and also involved in a large number of experimental projects internationally. He received several awards for his experimental work in music.
Tags Radio, 1975, 1974, 1960, Television,  National Programme, Tuesday night Concert, 1970, Listener, Classical music, Compile, Compere, Artists, 1978, Tape Recorder, Record Player
Language Bengali

 Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty speaks :

 

 

Metadata is generated by Suranjita Paul

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Riyaz / Practicing, South, 1961-1974

Riyaz—My father’s rewarding Chappal

Told by Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 11 July, 2014
Place Kolkata residence of Dr. Rajib Chakraborty, Swinhoe Street, Kolkata 700019
About  Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty is a renowned Sarod player, a music composer, and also involved in a large number of experimental projects internationally. He received several awards for his experimental work in music.
Tags  Ravi Chakraborty, Riyaz, Inspiration
Language Bengali

 Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty speaks :

 

Metadata is generated by Suranjita Paul

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

Briefly Talking on Music Criticism

Told by Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 11 July, 2014
Place Kolkata residence of Dr. Rajib Chakraborty, Swinhoe Street, Kolkata 700019
About  Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty is a renowned Sarod player, a music composer, and also involved in a large number of experimental projects internationally. He received several awards for his experimental work in music.
Tags  Positive, Negative, criticism, Performing Musicians, Performer, Content, Stylization, photo
Language Bengali

 Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty speaks :

 

 

Metadata is generated by Suranjita Paul

 

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