First appeared in www.scroll.in on June 13, 2015. Last week, this column featured harmonium solos by two prominent musicians from the early part of the twentieth century. But in the generation preceding theirs, it was Bhaiyya Ganpatrao, a scion of the Gwalior princely family, who was one of the most significant harmonium players to have presented detailed raag renditions on the instrument. In the absence of any readily available recordings featuring Bhaiyya Ganpatrao, here is one that features his disciple
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First appeared in www.scroll.in on June 6, 2015. Until recent times, the harmonium was commonly called a baajaa, a baajaa ki peti or a peti, reflecting popular notions about the physical shape of the instrument and its supposed musical capabilities. Originally introduced by Christian missionaries from the West as a table-harmonium or a leg-harmonium played with both hands and operated by pedals, the instrument was adapted by Indian craftsmen for the traditional seating arrangement in Hindustani music concerts. But
First appeared in www.scroll.in on May 30, 2015. Been player and vocalist Inayat Khan (1882-1927), more popularly known as Sufi or Hazrat Inayat Khan or Inayat Khan Pathan, was the grandson and disciple of Maula Bakhsh (1833-1896). In 1910, Inayat Khan and his brothers travelled to the US, where they joined the Ruth St. Denis dance company the next year. The brothers performed as The Royal Musicians of Hindustan, with the dancer Mata Hari in France. Between 1910 and 1926, Inayat Khan performed
First appeared in www.scroll.in on May 23, 2015. The number 56 seems to have captured the imagination of many these days. Whether it is to do with someone’s chest size or it is to do with another taking a sabbatical, 56 seems to be the magic number rolled out. But several decades ago, the same number was associated with a vocalist through an unfortunate incident in her life. Jankibai “Chhappanchhurivali” (1880-1934) of Allahabad was one of the most prominent singers
First appeared in www.scroll.in on May 16, 2015. Kesarbai Kerkar’s austere khayal renditions did not prevent her from singing thumri, a form associated earlier with Kathak. There is a clear emphasis in thumri on expressing the mood of the composition through a skillful playing with the song-text. Kesarbai Kerkar’s thumri renditions adhere to this requirement, and are therefore, significantly different from her khayal presentations that primarily use the aakaar or the vowel “aa” for melodic elaboration. She also uses the pukaar element or the projection
First appeared in www.scroll.in on May 9, 2015. Last week, this column focused on a selection of 78 rpm recordings featuring Jaipur-Atrauli gharana exponent Kesarbai Kerkar. Originally, Kesarbai Kerkar was averse to recording and broadcasting her music, but a couple of gramophone companies managed to convince her to record. Today, we also have the opportunity of listening to her live concert recordings. On the first track, Kesarbai Kerkar sings the famous khayal Preetam sainyaan composed by the eighteenth-century composer Niamat Khan “Sadarang” in the
First appeared in www.scroll.in on May 2, 2015. Aficionados of Hindustani music would agree that vocalist Kesarbai Kerkar (1892-1977) was one of the most significant performers of the twentieth century. Kesarbai’s career began in the 1930s, and she soon rose to fame as a vocalist with a commanding presence on the musical firmament that lasted close to four decades. Originally from Keri village in Goa, Kesarbai Kerkar belonged to the devadasi tradition. She grew up listening to bhajans and
First appeared in www.scroll.in on April 25, 2015. Last week, this column had reflected over Addha or Sitarkhani taal and its peculiar lilts. This week we will talk about Jat or Aadhaa that, like Sitarkhani, is another taal that shares the same structure as Teentaal, but differs in the theka or the string of syllables used to represent the taal. Although some musicians refer to it as a taal or time cycle with eight matras or time units, it is more
First appeared in www.scroll.in on April 18, 2015. Last week, this column featured tracks that had used Tilwada, a 16 matra or time-unit taal, that shared a framework with the more popular Teentaal, but differed in the theka or the syllables that were played on the tabla to represent the taal. Addha, also called Sitarkhani, is yet another taal that has the same framework of 16 matras divided into four sections as is the case with Teentaal and Tilwada, but once
First appeared in www.scroll.in on April 11, 2015. Conventionally, some taals or time cycles in Hindustani music are more appropriate for accompaniment to vocal and/or instrumental music, while others can be explored in solo recitals too. Although norms have been established regarding the appropriate speed for each taal, musicians have often been known to cross these boundaries. But the taal cycle is not a mere organisation of a fixed number of matras or time units arranged in equal or