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.
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).
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.
AMRITA BAZAR PATRIKA | Wednesday, December 4, 1940 |
Page 10
AMRITA BAZAR PATRIKA |
Wednesday, December 4, 1940 | Page 10
NEW BROADCASTING HOUSE AT CALCUTTA
[By R. L. SURI, Deputy Installation Engineer, All – India Radio]
I wonder if listeners in Bengal and elsewhere have recently observed an improvement in the quality of programmes from the Calcutta Station All- India Radio. Calcutta’s Broadcasting House, which is been officially opened by H. E. the Governor of Bengal on December 3rd now has six new air-conditioned Studios with modern acoustic treatment and new technical equipment; The modifications have been carried out by The Installation Department of All-India Radio and have taken nine months to complete.
Old Radio Station at Garstin Place
To describe these studios, let me for a moment transports you in imagination to the building at NO 1, Garstin Place. It is the same building which has previously been occupied but with the difference that the ground floor has also been taken over due to the increased accommodation required for more Studios and offices. We enter the premises and pass into the Reception Hall through the entrance door right under the porch with the ‘A. I. R.’ monogram moulded on it. The Control Room is on the left containing all the necessary technical equipment for controlling the Studios and programmes. We are now facing a large double swing door which opens into the corridor with Studio No 1. (To- Drama) on the left and Studio No 2 (for Indian Music) on the right. The swing door opposite opens into a lounge with Studio No 3 (For Talks) on the right and Studio No. 4 (For Dramatic Control) on the left. The third swing door opposite takes us into a passage and we face the waiting room, with the rehearsal rooms on its right and left. Studio No.5 (For European Music).Studio No. 6 (Second Dramatic Control) and Sound effects room are situated on the first floor. The offices are located partly on the first floor and partly on the second floor.
Why have we so Studios? Firstly because experience has proved the necessity of using different Studios with widely different acoustic conditions for various types of programmes in order to achieve the best possible result. For example, a small but comfortable Studio with little reverberation is just what is desired for Talks while we need a much larger capacity to accommodate two score musicians for an orchestral item. Certainly it will be appreciated as explained latter that for plays more than one Studio has to be engaged. In addition there are at times to progrrammes in broadcast simultaneously involving the use of at least two Studios. Another reason is that some of the programs have to be rehearsed several times, which keep the studios occupied for most of the time.
SOUND INSULATION
It will be appreciated that any extraneous noises developed outside the Studios, if allowed to enter the Studio affect the sensitive microphone and tend to interfere with the programme originating from it. This is more true of programmes of the nature of solos, news and talks, for this reason a minimum number of entrances is aimed at. All openings likely to affect leakage of sound are blocked or treated so as to provide sufficient insulation. Each of the Studios has a single entrance only which is a specially designed sound proof door about 5 inches thick. Extraneous noises, which were previously a source of great trouble at the Calcutta Station, have now been completely eliminated.
ACOUSTIC TREATMENT
After attending to the sound insulation work we commence with the preparation of the walls to take on the acoustic treatment. But someone asks, why have an acoustic treatment in the studios? Can’t we do without it? Let us go into a large and empty room and allow someone to speak at one end and while we listen at the other end. When he speaks one word at a time we probably can make out what he says about but we do notice that the sound of that word persists for some appreciable length of time owing to reflection and re-reflection from hard surface till it entirely dies away. But we can’t make out what the speaker says if he utters a few words following one another, as he would do in his ordinary course of speech. What is the reason? Obviously it is due to the overlap of one sound on other. The reflection of the first sound and the direct sound of the second have reached the ear simultaneously and have formed a jumble of words so that our ear is unable to interpret them .The root cause of this trouble is the persistence of the sound in the room. An engineer calls it ‘Reverberation’ and the time taken by any sound to die away to one millionth of its original strength is termed the ‘Time of Reverberation’ of that room. This varies at different frequencies. The object of acoustic treatment is to use a certain quality and quantity of an absorbing material so as to absorb the sound and thereby reduce the reverberation period to an optimum value. This depends on the size of the room or studio and the purpose to which it is to be put—music or speech. Methods of acoustic treatment are varied in nature although all aim at achieving the best results. In order to investigate this problem various experiments were carried out in an experimental studio at Delhi and the present method of acoustical treatment employing “building board” was evolved which at the same time gives the room a satisfactory appearance. Every one of the studios is tastefully decorated by means of groove cut designed in the building board. The decoration scheme is different in every Studio which lends individuality and a very modern appearance. All Studios have false ceilings which are also acoustically treated. Three are zig-zag in shape so as to allow uniform diffusion of sound in the Studio, as well as to avoid inter-reflection between the floor and the ceiling. These also greatly enhance the internal appearance.
AIR CONDITIONING
All the Studios, being hermetically sealed require forced air circulation and ventilation. The new Calcutta Studios also have the advantage of air-conditioning. Each Studio according to size contains one or two ‘air-conditioners’ (or cooling units) comparing cooling cools, a fan and a thermostat. The refrigerant (methyl chloride) is drawn in and returned to the plant. Room in pipes: The plant room contains a compressor with driving motor, condenser shut off valves for liquid and gas lines, the main switch board for starting and stopping the compressor motor and air-conditioning units in all the studios. Fresh air is let into the air-conditioners through special ducts to avoid transmission of outside noises. The air exhausted out through special ducts let into the walls. Both outlets and inlets with absorbing material for suppression of noise. The air is maintained automatically as described temperature by means of thermostats incorporated in each of the air conditioners in the Studios.
LIGHTING SYSTEM
The electric installation of the whole building has been renewed. The lighting scheme in all Studios except one is indirect by means of bowl sittings. The one exception is the Indian Music Studio which has tubular or architectural fittings fixed on the ceiling. The Studio corridor and lounge also have the same types of fittings fixed on to the ceilings.
SPECIAL TECHNICAL FEATURE
Let me now show you round the Control Room. The speech control equipment installed in it is assembled in two racks. Several modifications have been carried out in equipment to obtain the maximum operation facilities and to allow easy and prompt checking in the event of break down.
The present arrangement allows transmission of two programmes (one on the abort wave and second on the medium wave) and two auditions to be carried out simultaneously. Two separate ‘mixing’ or Control positions are provided—one for short wave and one for the medium wave. Sound picked up by microphone in the Studio is amplified by about a million times in the Control, Room before they are sent to Transmitters at Cossipur by underground cable.
Four 25 watt bridging amplifier are mounted in the third rack and are employed for feeding the loud speaker circuits for monitoring, audition and ‘talk back’ purposes. All the Studios, Control Room and six offices have been equipped with loud speakers to enable the staff to listen to any of the four channels. The loud-speakers in the Studios are for ‘talk back’ purposes. Any unengaged Studio, however, can be used as a listening room and audition can be listened to.
DRAMATIC CONTROL PANEL
One of the special technical features provided for this Station is Dramatic Control Panel .A Dramatic Control Panel comprises six channels or faders connected thus: one to the announcer’s microphone for the producers of the drama, one to each one to each of the two gramo-reproducers installed on one side of the table, one of the sound effect room and two of the remaining to two Studios—ONE being adjacent to the Dramatic Control Studio and the second on the other floor. For each of the programme source outside this room and associated with its ‘fader’ is a key which enables the producer to flick a cue light installed in that particular Studio for the ‘alert’ or ‘stop’ signal. There is a similar key in the Studio to flick a light in the D.C. Panel room. Now as to its utility. It may first be mentioned that there are certain types of feature programmes which need the use of more than one Studios. Previously such programmes constituting music, song [Solos as well Chorus ], Conversations and sound effects were all performed and managed in one single medium-sized room. In certain plays broadcast on Fridayas from this Station. I have seen as many as fifty people featured in it. In addition to the congestion involved which affected adversity the performance of some artists. It retained a tremendous efforts and strain on the part of the producer to convey the desired atmosphere and effect that he had visualised. In order to overcome these difficulties and to co-ordinate various parts of an elaborate programme such as this D.C. Panel is brought into operation. The artist can follow the continuity of the programme by means of head-phones provided in the Studios. In some of the Studios the artists can listen to the announcement made by the producer directly for the speakers provided in the Studios.
OTHER FACILITIES
In addition to the above the producer can listen to the programme re-produced from the loud-speakers in that same room which is automatically switched off when he fades up his own microphones for making announcement.
Facilities are also provided which enable the producer to ‘talk-back’ to the artists through the Studio speakers during auditions or rehearsals. The gramo-producer sets provided are used for recorded effects during plays and for regular programmes. Sporting or other special announcement and market reports etc, are also broadcast from this room. Two such Dramatic Control positions, one each in Studio No. 4 and 6 have been provided.
It may be of interest to mention that about five miles of cable was used for loud-speakers, headphones signaling and clocks circuits and 1000 yards of cable for the microphones.
DISC RECORDING EQUIPMENT
There are many items of interest which happen at odd hours of the night or at inconvenient time of the day and cannot be relayed immediately, either because the station is closed down or because the majority of listeners are not at home to tune in. In such cases the recording equipment is put into service. The equipment is similar to that used by the gramophone companies. There are, however, two main points of difference-Firstly that the recording head cut grooves on a cellulose-coated metal disc instead of a wax disc. Secondly this method permits immediate play-back, while the wax disc has to undergo several processes before a record is ready for play-back. We have two similar types of recording machines so as to record simultaneously to obtain a duplicate copy or to make continuous recordings. These records are not permanent but can be played over a dozen times without appreciably affecting the quality.
The equipment is mobile and has frequently to be carried to the desired spot for making records of talks or effects etc. Dr Rabindra Nath Tagore’s talks for example, are usually recorded at his residence and broadcast at the appointed time. There are in fact numerous everyday uses to which the equipment is put to.
SIGNALLING SYSTEM
An illuminated signaling system is used between the Control Room and the Studios for instantaneous change-overs to one Studio to another.
There are numerous other problems which need careful thought while designing a broadcasting Studio. Excellent results achieved in respect of sound insulation, acoustics and technical facilities justifies the time and energy expanded in this direction. But this is not all. Modern steel furniture and carpets enhance the appearance of the Studios, as will be seen from the illustration. In future the listeners will have the advantage of both the improved quality of reception from these new Studios as well as the improvement in programme production which will be possible with the additional facilities provided.
Source:
“Amrita Bazar Patrika [Daily]. Vol: 72; Issue:334 (04 December 1940).” Accessed December 23, 2016. http://eap.bl.uk/database/large_image.a4d?digrec=4266303;catid=226926;r=28145.
Photo source:
“LEGEND OF THE LOST – No.1 Garstin Place, AIR, Kolkata.” Noise Break, November 1, 2016. http://noisebreak.com/legend-lost-no-1-garstin-place/.
Identified by Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee, Research Fellow
Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
S.A.P. Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University, B.T. Road Campus.
About the speaker
Renowned Sitar Player and Torchbearer of Bishnupur Gharana.
Tags
Manilal Nag, 1954, All India Music Conference, All India Radio, Tabla, Vocalist, Varanasi,Benaras, Musician, Kishan Maharaj, Shanta Prasad, Birju Maharaj, Amir Khan, Maihar, Ravi Shankar, Uttarpara, Uday Shankar, Nikhil Banerjee, Sitar, Vilayat Khan, Dagar Brothers, Jor, Alap, Binkar, Dhrupad, Concerts, Organizers, Tansen, Surdas, Veenkar, Sadarang, All Bengal Music Conference, Satin Sen, Park Circus, Manmatho Ghosh, Pathuriaghata, Music Conference, Audience, Classical Music Concert, Patroniser, Jhala
Language
Engish
Ms Mita Nag Speaks
Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Residence of Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
On Irfan Muhammad Khan
Irfan Md. Khan is an established Sarod Player. The scion of Lucknow Shahjanpur Gharana Sarod player. He represents the Lucknow-Shahjahanpur Gharana which has produced eminent Sarod players like Ustad Enayet Khan (1790-1883), Ustad Asadullah Khan Kaukab (1852-1919), Ustad Karamatuilah Khan (1848-1933), Prof. Sakhawat Hussain Khan (1875-1955), also his illustrious father Ustad Umar Khan (1916-1982) and his uncle Ustad Ilyas Khan (1924-1989) the famous Sitar player of Lucknow.
Key-words
Ali Akbar Khan, Umar Khan, Jodhpur, Dagar, daraspiya, inspiration, shagird, R.D. Burman, Joydev, Roshan of Bombay, Begum Jabbar, Palm Avenue, morning concert, 1960, Bilaskhani todi, Dover lane, 1970, Puriya
Language
Hindi
Irfan Muhammad Khan speaks:
Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Residence of Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
On Irfan Muhammad Khan
Irfan Md. Khan is an established Sarod Player. The scion of Lucknow Shahjanpur Gharana Sarod player. He represents the Lucknow-Shahjahanpur Gharana which has produced eminent Sarod players like Ustad Enayet Khan (1790-1883), Ustad Asadullah Khan Kaukab (1852-1919), Ustad Karamatuilah Khan (1848-1933), Prof. Sakhawat Hussain Khan (1875-1955), also his illustrious father Ustad Umar Khan (1916-1982) and his uncle Ustad Ilyas Khan (1924-1989) the famous Sitar player of Lucknow.
Key-words
Waliullah Khan, waliulla, Manjh Khamaj, Majh, Metiaburuj, Nawab of Jalpaiguri, 1840, Begum Jabbar, Umar Khan, Roxy Cinema, Basushree, Sree Cinema Hall, Basusree, 1953, Marris College, Illiyas Khan.
Language
Hindi
Irfan Muhammad Khan speaks:
Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Prof Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date
27th September, 2016
Place
Ashoka Road,Alipore, Kolkata -700027
About the speaker
Rajeev Goenka is a noted connoisseur of Indian Classical Music and is a passionate music collector. He is the founder and protector of The Rajeev Goenka Music Academy at Dundlod, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. He is closely attached to Kolkata’s music scenario.
Tags
G.D.Birla, G.D. Babu, Jamuna Prasad, Jaman, Birla House, Gangadas Jhawar, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Raag, Teensaptak Taan, Lower Octave, Third Octave, 1954-55, Gurusaday Dutta Road, Violin, Melody.
Language
English
Sri Rajeev Goenka Speaks :
Verbatim:
Another two incidents I’ll tell you, we were very close the Birla family. So Mr G D Birla, liked my father very much. So G D Babu would ask my father, my father’s name was Jamuna Prasad, but his nickname was Jaman. So he would tell, that Jaman, who is a good singer today. So my father was like his son, he said Kakoji, it depends , if somebody likes somebody. He said I want to call somebody in Birla House, so Babuji told that, and at that time Gangadas Jhawar, was the music adviser to the Birla family,
Sri G.D.Birla
So my father told G.D Babu that you ask Gangadasji, and why not call Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Sahab. So the Ghulam Ali programme was arranged at Birla House, G.D.Babu phoned my father saying,’ Tumne to bola tha, ghulam alia a rahe hay, ajana shunne ko’, to mujhe bhi mouka mil gaya uske sath jane ka, so G.D. Babu asked “who is this?” I touched his feet, and my father just introduced me, then asked – ’Tum Gatey ho kya, raag ka kuch pehchan hai?” then I was just stood looking at down, and then he said seat, he was seating on the sofa, so I sat near his feet. Then Ghulam Ali Sahab sang, and Gangadasji started doing Ishara, to Ghulam Ali Khan Sahab, that he was famous for teen saptak ki taan, because he wanted to impress G.D.Babu, that this artist.
Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
So one or two isharas then Ghulam Ali khan Sahab did one of those tanas.After the programme was over, G.D Babu told Gangadasji and my father , he told Gangadasji that “why are you doing those isharas” and thenG.D.Babu wanted to know and learn, so he asked my father that – ”Jaman what was that up down?” so babuji explained. Then he said – “don’t you think that in the lower octave it was besura, and in the third octave it was shrieking, “ G.D Babu didn’t know classical music, so he was asking my father, what do you think of this three octave business.
-What was the time; can you tell us the time? Approximately?
-It 1955 or 54.
– And the Birla House is at?
-Gurusaday Dutta Road.
-Thank You this is wonderful, you are talking about Jog Sahab as well.
-Again at Birla House, there was another programme of V.G.Jog. So after the programme was over G.D.Babu told my father that – “ I don’t know much about music, but it is pleasant to the ears, I have not heard much of a Violin, but Jog Sahab’s finger seems to be very harsh. There should be melody.
Prof Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee
Date
27th September, 2016
Place
Ashoka Road,Alipore, Kolkata -700027
About the speaker
Rajeev Goenka is a noted connoisseur of Indian Classical Music and is a passionate music collector. He is the founder and protector of The Rajeev Goenka Music Academy at Dundlod, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. He is closely attached to Kolkata’s music scenario.
Tags
Kolkata, Music Programme, Maniram A. Kanan, Debu Chowdhury, Manilal Nag, Performance, Baithak, Muktaram Babu Street, 1950-60, Jasraj, Goenka House, V.G. Jog
Language
English
Sri Rajeev Goenka Speaks :
Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Pt. Anindya Banerjee is an eminent Sarod and Sursringar player of Maihar gharana
Tags
Ramakrishna Mission, Golpark, M.S. Gopalakrishnan, 18000/-, 19000/-, Artist, Organiser, Ulhash Kashalkar, 5000/-, 8000/-, vocalist, Tabla player, United States, Concert, Samta Prasad, Reception, Lahara, Disciple, 1977, Audiences, All night concert, Ali Akbar khan, Vilayat Khan, Duet, Girija Debi, Nikhil Banerjee, Netaji Indoor Stadium, Allauddin Music Circle, Stage
Language
Bengali
Pt. Anindya Banerjee speaks:
Verbatim:
I had a very odd experience while organizing concerts for Ramkirishna Mission, two or three I’ll mention, one is, it’s basically based on monetary things,
M.S.Gopalkrishnan
Once M.S.Gopalkrishnan refused to take some extra money, what happened, he was suppose get rupees eighteen thousand or rupees nineteen thousand or something, but instead in order to make it round off and we wanted to pay him rupees twenty thousand, but he refused to take that, and we said that we have made this voucher so we can’t cancel it, but he said no no, he was adamant, he said you make a new voucher and then I’ll accept it. So we had to give him the exact amount. Which is a very rare thing because in most of the time the artists want to grab as much as money from the organizers.
Second thing happened also with Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar. He agreed to sing with five thousand rupees, but he we had fund so gave gave him,eight thousand rupees, three thousand rupees extra, which he also refused, he said “no, I can’t take that extra money and on top of that this is a very religious institution, I can’t take extra money from them”. So there were two other musicians, one very famous vocalist, who took first class air fare, he did not come and he used the ticket, and he never talked about that thing and never returned that money, which is very bad. Same thing also happened with one very famous Tabla player who resides in U.S.A. He didn’t come and next time he said last year while coming to this concert I had to pay so much extra money, so please give me that money. But actually he didn’t come and didn’t spent any kind of money but we had to sent because he was such famous artist. So in organizing concerts, this kind of things happens.
It happened with Samta Prasad ji also, we organized a concert with three very famous Tabla player’s solo, again in Ramkrishna Mission, so Samta Prasad ji came two years earlier than the concert and he stayed at Ramkrishna Mission guest house, he thought that this guest house is like a hotel, So he used to call at the reception at a very late night and asked for Paratha and Boti Kabab or something like that, and though it was prohibited but he used to have drinks there, then one day he fell sick, actually he fell sick after playing his Lahara, then we found that he consumed almost two k.g.s of Kaju Badam ( Cashew Nuts) and we came to know that from his disciples that their Guruji consumed that amount of Cashew Nuts, so we had a big problem in cleaning the room and so these things also happens organizing concert.
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Vilayet Khan
We also had a big fighting with the audience in 1977. We organized a night long concert of Ali Akbar Khan Sahab and Vilayat Khan Sahab duet, and also Girija Devi and Nikhil Banerjee at Netaji Indoor Stadium. We had a music circle called Allauddin Music Circle, on behalf of that we organized that concert. You know that the stage there is oval shaped and so everyone could not seat in front, because all tickets were sold out so many people were seating at the back side of the artists, which they didn’t like, and they kept on shouting that ‘you have to turn, you have to turn’, which couldn’t be possible and as we were the part of organizers wearing batches so people can find us and they started abusing us and somehow we have announced on the stage that it is not possible so please bear with us and just listen them playing but they kept on shouting that no we want to see them too and not only listening we also want to see their face and mood and expressions of the artists, so we were almost beaten up by the audience but somehow we were rescued so this is another part of organizing a concert.
