Category Archives: Performance

Performance, Central, 1975-2000

Bald Nails

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 in detail click here
Tags Ali Akbar Khan, Kala Mandir, 1980’s, light-man, sarod, flattened nails.
Language English

Samir Chatterjee speaks:

This is about Ustad Ali Akbar Khan Sahab. In the live performance at Kalamandir and sometime again inmid 80’s. Khan Sahab was in his winter visit to Calcutta. He had an extensive tour in Bangladesh before coming in Calcutta. (At Kalamandir), hall was naturally packed so there wasno way I could get a ticket…high priced…I was a student at that time…so I had to ask for a favor to the light man. I had a connection with the light man of Kalamandir…Manu Da….he said,” Ok, but no seat, you will have to sit on the stage”. I said that would be such a privilege. Manypeople refused that position because that couldn’t see the face but I didn’t need it…I was there to hear music.

Ustad Ali Akbar Khan

Khansahib started alapa. That was probably Raga Shree and either Swapanji or Mahapurushji (SwapanChowdhury or Mahapurush Mishra) were on Tabla — most probably SwapanJi — pin-drop silence –. When Khan sahib was playing alapa— there is no sound anywhere….just the sound of Tanpura and Sarod. But, after few minutes I heard a human voice….very low….. it could be anything…. and sometimes it happens….people whisper among themselves or may be technicians are talking outside the stage. It happened here again a minute later….and then again and again…..by third or fourth time I was able to understand actually what was been spoken….a slang…..a Bengali slang…… ??? ????! — out of frustration, meaning that—you know ‘es eich I t’ (shit) as they say. I thought who could do that! When Ali Akbar Khan Sahab is playing rag Shree alapa….who has the audacity to say something like that in appreciation? Then I found, Khan Sahab himself was saying that! Every time he was trying a meend and his finger slipped ….nails slipped…so he was saying that. After 15 minutes, he got so frustrated that he stopped (playing); said,” After playing 22 concerts in Bangladesh in 25 days my nails are even worse than my bald-head. I am sorry, I am missing notes”. We just roared of laughter…..the whole auditorium even….they were so honest and genuine and very open…..they were put every thing open on to the table without any excuse…

—————————

 

Verbatim by: Mousumi Das

23/08/16

Picture Courtesy: Google

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/Sarod-maestro-Ustad-Ali-Akbar-Khan-passes-away/article16581505.ece

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee 

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

 

 

 

 

Performance, Central, 1975-2000

Embarrassed Ignorance

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 details click here
Tags Karamatullah Khan, Rampur, All India radio, folk sonf, Chandra Kanta nandi, Paritosh, 1982
Language English

Samir Chatterjee speaks:

 

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

Be Specific, Don’t Compromise

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. Click for details.
Tags Mushtaq Ali Khan, sitar player, 1984, riyaz, taalim, All India Radio, Rezakhani, tabla, sitar, thun, dhatun-nara, Paikpara, Nitai Bose, food
Language English

Samir Chatterjee speaks:

 

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Performance, Central, 1975-2000, Others

No Payment No Music

Told by Parimal Chakraborty
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 02 December 2014
Place Sangeet Bhavan, B.T. Road Campus, Rabindra Bharati University, 56A, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700050
On Parimal Chakraborty Well-known Tabla player, Guest Teacher at the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University
Key-words Kala Mandir, Nikhil Banerjee, Shankar Ghosh, alap, 1970’s.
Language Bengali

Parimal Chakraborty speaks:

 

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

Frozen Bayan at Dover Lane

Told by Parimal Chakraborty
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 02 December 2014
Place Sangeet Bhavan, B.T. Road Campus, Rabindra Bharati University, 56A, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700050
On Parimal Chakraborty A well-known Tabla player, Guest Teacher at the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University
Key-words 1989, Dover Lane Music Conference, Samta Prasad, 40 minutes, Vivekananda Park, Politics, Banaras, tabla, silent-baya, Raghunath Bhattacharya, dayan, bayan,

Parimal Chakraborty speaks:

Paraphrased in English

Frozen Bayan at Dover Lane

Told by: Parimal Chakraborty

Dover Lane Music Conference has always been the centre of many stories. In 1989 Dover Lane Music Conference used to be organised at Vivekananda Park. Samta Prasad from Banaras came to perform Tabla. He was assigned there for only 40 minutes to perform. He minded that Kolkata became only the place for politics and not for music.

A funny moment happened next day. It was a wonderful evening. A Kathak concert was going on by Balaka Ghosh. Raghunath Bhattacharya in Tabla was accompanying her. Total ambience was filled with the impact of the Jugalbandi. The audiences were also got totally submerged. In Tabla, Raghunathji was giving his ultimate presentation, full of embellishments in both Daya and Baya.

The performance was at its heights. Suddenly the sound of Baya stopped and the audience could only receive the bols ‘tete dhin na, tete dhin na’ of Daya that was echoing throughout the auditorium. Everyone in the hall was very astound and whispering about the matter. At that very moment Samta Prasadji, the Tabla maestro was entering the hall. He also heard the same.  In a great amazement he came nearer to the stage and asked Raghunathji about the Baya.  Raghunathji tensely answered that the Baya had been ruptured. Samta Prasadji very patiently suggested him to play in reverse mode. But Raghunathji was so nervous at that moment that could not understand the inner meaning of his suggestion ‘ulat ke bajaao’ and literally started playing the Baya by turning it over.

That was the most hilarious moment that anyone can love to recollect.

Author-Date [Reference]

Admin-II. 2014. “Frozen Bayan at Dover Lane.” Music Mapping of Kolkata. December 22. http://kolkatamusicmapping.com/frozen-bayan-at-dover-lane/.

Notes:

Dover Lane music Conference:

Dover Lane Music Conference is an annual Music festival. The conference is organised at Nazrul Manch, Southern Avenue, South Kolkata, on 22nd to 25th January each year. The festival started in 1952. Previously it used to organise at Dover lane under the patronage of Sri Late Narendra Singh Singhi, at his residence, Singhi Park.

About the speaker:

Parimal Chakrabarty is a renowned Tabla player of Kolkata and India. He started taking lessons in Tabla from his father Sri Nikhil Chandra Chakrabarty from the early age. Apart from this, he has also got talim from Ram Dhrubey, Sangeetacharya Guru Jnan Prakash Ghosh and also from another stalwart Pandit Sankar Ghosh. He is a Top Grade artist of All India Radio. He has accompanied with many eminent musicians of all over India.

Paraphrasing and notes by Dr. Suranjita Paul, Research fellow

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, Performance, 1900-1920

Durlabh Bhattacharya’s Pakahwaj

Told by Partha Pratim Choudhury
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Date 04 December 2014
Place At teachers’ room of the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University, 56A, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700050
About Partha Pratim Choudhury

Guest Faculty of the Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University. Pakhawaj player
Key words 1906, Shibdas Lane, Murari Sangeet Sammelan, Shiv-Pasupati, Benaras, Dhrupad, Pakhawaj, Kolkata, Durlabh Bhattacharya, sam, phank
Language Bengali

Partha Pratim Choudhury speaks:

Performance, Central, 1975-2000, Others

Simple Stage Presence

Told by Kareem Shahabuddin
Obtained by Sutapa Chaudhury
Date 17 November 2014
Place Dacca
About the anecdote teller Kareem Shahabuddin of Bangladesh was an Inspector for Bangladesh ShilpaKala Academy, Teacher at Nazrul Academy and Bulbul Academy, musician
Key-words 1982, winter, Rabindra Sadan, Amjad Ali Khan, Jayanta Bose, Shwal, Tabla
Language Bengali

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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

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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.