current HCM vocalists
Badri Ananth
I found this Bilaskhani rendition by Aparna Gurav:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOFRP6c4CwM
It sounds, to my untutored ear, quite competent, to say the least.
That led me to wondering, who would figure in a list of the best
current HCM vocalists, and a list of the most promising ones? For the
category of 'best' I could think of (going by media reports, not a
personal opinion):
Ulhas Kashalkar
Shruti Sadolikar
Ashwini Bhide
Ajoy Chakraborty
Rashid Khan
Of course this could lead to incessant bickering, but perhaps I could
rephrase my question thus: who, among the current crop, would you
recommend that others seek out and try to listen to?
Thanks!
Badri
C Parthapratim
I might add a couple of names more, but I refrain from it now.
About this Bilaskhani and its singer, IMHO, this is the correct form
of Bilaskhani, more pure than what many others have sung, and the
bandish too is doing justice to the raga. This only means that the
singer has received proper tAleem in this raga; even my daughter (13+
only) asked me "does this belong to Bhairavi family?". Of course she
doesn't know anything about Bilaskhani "Todi", is familiar with
"Kramik Pustak Malika" but never heard of Pundits like Ramashreya Jha,
Amiyaranjan Bandyopadhya et al.
However, what I am not particularly fond of in Aparna's voice is her
use of pitch vibrato, even in the middle octave. Steady note is much
more appealing to me. Moreover, not to mention the recording quality
as I have heard her live, her voice is a bit too rough for her age.
But then, that's the current trend of acceptability now.
Certainly, in the circuit, one must keep an eye on her.
Partha
Archisman Mozumder
Over a decade ago, I had heard Manjiri Asnare & was floored. She is
still very good now (but perhaps did not live up to the magnificient
expectation that she had conjured up within me)
Another singer who has all but disappeared is the very talented Vijaya
Jadhav.
Regards.
Sanjeev Ramabhadran
I actually like the voice quality, no issue with roughness vs. age at
least from this recording. I agree about the vibrato, both about it
being distracting (in this amount) and that it seems to be becoming
more and more acceptable.
The Bilaskhani presented here doesn't seem strikingly different
structurally or grammatically to other Bilaskhani-s I have heard. Can
anyone point to examples of "incorrect" Bilaskhani-s widely in
circulation (either on YouTube or elsewhere) and exactly what the
quibbles are?
On a different note, the vilambit bandish ("Re Baansuriya") is
identical, except for the taal, to the one recorded by Ashwini Bhide
(Alurkar release IIRC of Bilaskhani, Nat-Bhairav, and Gurjari). I seem
to remember that most bandishes in that release were the singer's own
compositions. Is this bandish a "traditional" one or a creation of
Ashwini Bhide?
Sanjeev
mausam
Maybe what Partha is referring to is avoiding the use of nS and ndP
phrases. Even when she goes from d to P, there is a distinct pause --
thereby not affecting the raag swaroop. That said, Aparna's taankari
leaves a lot to be desired -- missing notes, and clarity --
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsHWY-VjwU4&NR=1
I will add Manjiri Asnare to the mix of singers to watch out for -- I
enjoy her singing very much, and have heard a tremendous concert by
her a few years back, and some recordings that are at least very very
good, if not excellent. She chooses rare raags and delivers them with
authority and clear picture.
Other singers in non-senior category in my list to watch out for are
Kaivalya Kumar Gurav, and Ram Deshpande. Sanjeev Chimmalgi is good
too.
Recently, Vikas Kashalkar came to Seattle and gave an absolutely first
rate concert, including an out-of-the-box Pradeepaki. Throughly
enjoyed. I wonder why he didn't get his dues, with this kind of music.
Mausam
Bhuvanesh
<sanjeev.ramabhad...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The Bilaskhani presented here doesn't seem strikingly different
> structurally or grammatically to other Bilaskhani-s I have heard. Can
> anyone point to examples of "incorrect" Bilaskhani-s widely in
> circulation (either on YouTube or elsewhere) and exactly what the
> quibbles are?
This came up several months back:
All I'm going to say about that is that there may be more than one
"correct" way to interpret a raga, and I personally like Amir Khan's
Bilaskhani Todi. I was wondering, though, if anyone happens to have
AK's Bilaskhani Todi with the teevra madhyam (not the LP version)?
Bhuvanesh
Abhishek
The Bilaskhani (or rather the singing in general) didn't really do
much for me. While the alaapi was thoughtful and the sur was more or
less pakka, the vibrato was a major detraction. Mausam has already
mentioned the lack of tayyari in taans. Unfortunately, the vibrator
seemed to become stronger with the drut.
As far as 'new' singers go - Manjiri Asanare, Sanjeev Chimmalgi,
Venkatesh Prasad, Kaivalya Kumar Gurav, among others.
Not new, but more recently visible - Vikasji (who btw is older than
Ulhasji, as per my information) is fabulous - a musician and scholar.
It's always a delight to listen to him. I wish I could hear more of
the eldest Kashalkar brother - Arunji.
~
Abhishek
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> > Ulhas Kashalkar
> > Shruti Sadolikar
> > Ashwini Bhide
> > Ajoy Chakraborty
> > Rashid Khan
Just curious where you draw the line. Kishori Amonkar still performs
and is still excellent - better than all of the above in gayaki and
better than most of the above in sheer virtuosity.
> As far as 'new' singers go - Manjiri Asanare, Sanjeev Chimmalgi,
> Venkatesh Prasad, Kaivalya Kumar Gurav, among others.
I am surprised to see S.Chimmalgi in two lists. I was sorely
disappointed by one album of his I picked up. Can you point (youtube?)
to something good by him?
I like V.Prasad's voice, but am not overly impressed by his gayaki.
Too "straight line" for my liking. Wonder why Jayteerth Mevundi is not
in the list. He is probably a shade better than V.Prasad both in terms
of appeal and tayyari.
C
Abhishek
That Puriya + Hameer release of Chimmalgi was rather lackluster (often
out of tune, even), but the live concerts I have heard of his have
been quite good. V. Prasad - I actually like his straight line
approach - harks back to the good old 'khari' gwalior gayaki.
Jayateerth...should be on the list, but is not on my list - personal
preference I guess.
Talking of musical newbies...there are some rather good renditions by
the younger junta interspersed between superb ones by the grand old
masters here - http://shadjamadhyam.com/tarang
Balwant Dixit
good traditional vocalist, but with his full time employment in some
government agency (?) he is not much interested in touring overseas, or even
in India. Manjeeri Asnare (I think she is now Mrs. Kelkar and has moved to
Nasik) does not perform as frequently now-a-days; may be because of family
obligations but until a few years ago she used to give very good
perfomances. Sanjeev Chimmalgi, in live performances, does quite well and
Ram Deshpande is also very good. Jayateerth Mevundi usualy gives very
spirited concerts and I like his style as a vocalist. Among the seasoned
vocalists mentioned above, I still very much like presentations of Ulhas
Kashalkar (consistent quality and impressive imaginative presentations) and
Ashwini Bhide. Rashid Khan in 80s was exceptional but now less said about
him is better. Almost the same is true about Ajoy Chakraborty. That is
just an opinon of a person who has very little classical music training.
..................BND
"Abhishek" <asi...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:bd44ee37-e79d-426b...@l25g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
C Parthapratim
> Who is Venkatesh Prasad? Are you talking about Venkatesh Kumar? He is a very
> good traditional vocalist, but with his full time employment in some
> government agency (?) he is not much interested in touring overseas, or even
> in India. Manjeeri Asnare (I think she is now Mrs. Kelkar and has moved to
> Nasik) does not perform as frequently now-a-days; may be because of family
> obligations but until a few years ago she used to give very good
> perfomances. Sanjeev Chimmalgi, in live performances, does quite well and
> Ram Deshpande is also very good. Jayateerth Mevundi usualy gives very
> spirited concerts and I like his style as a vocalist. Among the seasoned
> vocalists mentioned above, I still very much like presentations of Ulhas
> Kashalkar (consistent quality and impressive imaginative presentations) and
> Ashwini Bhide. Rashid Khan in 80s was exceptional but now less said about
> him is better. Almost the same is true about Ajoy Chakraborty. That is
> just an opinon of a person who has very little classical music training.
> ..................BND
>
I thought V Prasad bowled medium slow, had a good (even) slower
delivery in his stock. :)
bnadig
Ah, promise pleads here :)
Kaivalya Kumar Gurav's Sohini => http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYztrL15DlI&feature=related
Jayateertha Mevundi's Bairagi Bhirav => http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JLAuhZscAE
Venkatesh Kumar 's Gurjari Todi => http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w_8oets8K4
Regards
Balu Nadig
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> That Puriya + Hameer release of Chimmalgi was rather lackluster (often
> out of tune, even), but the live concerts I have heard of his have
> been quite good.
I have not heard him live. Lackluster is an understatement for that
release IMO.
> V. Prasad - I actually like his straight line
> approach - harks back to the good old 'khari' gwalior gayaki.
As others pointed out that should be Kumar :) Okay with the
preference...
> Talking of musical newbies...there are some rather good renditions by
> the younger junta interspersed between superb ones by the grand old
> masters here -http://shadjamadhyam.com/tarang
I have liked the singing of Padmini Rao among the relatively unknown
if not young folk. Check www.padminirao.com.
C
Umesh
IMHO glaring omission is (Pt.- IMHO again ;-) ) Mr. Mahendra Toke in
list above. I recently heard his few renditions & I was spellboud. I
tried to find something by googling but the you tube recordings do not
do justice, I have asked him if I could upload his recording or two,
if he allows would do so in a day or so. He is scheduled to perform in
Mumbai on 11th April though I do not know the venue etc.
Regards,
Umesh
Badri Ananth
> identical, except for the taal, to the one recorded by Ashwini Bhide
A snatch of Ashwini Bhide's Re Bansuriya is also on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAPtz2N_QdE
> Just curious where you draw the line. Kishori Amonkar still performs
> and is still excellent - better than all of the above in gayaki and
Nothing quite objective, except perhaps age and how long ago they came
into prominence. I think it's fair to say that Kishori has earned the
title 'grand master' or some such that the others are yet to attain.
I'd also add a vote for Vikas Kashalkar - his recent tour included a
stop in SF and for me he was first-rate. I was personally not floored
by his taankari, but his ragadari gave the impression of a soulful and
thoughtful musician. A wonderfully humble man, too. I believe
someone (Praful?) had uploaded mp3s from an earlier concert on the
same tour.
Thanks for the suggestions, btw, that is exactly what I was looking
for :)
Badri
Abhishek
Good catch Partha (pun intended!). Ok so I mixed up my music and my
cricket...Mea Maxima Culpa!
Kumar it is. :)
Kaushal Rege
Arun Dravid, and Pta. Jayashree Patnekar, to the list. They are
'current' and not 'new' but are all excellent.
I am always partial to Warren Senders who I learn with. I think Warren
is among the best tarana handlers in the business...
I have heard only a few renditions by Omkar Dadarkar (Pt. Ulhas
Kashalkar's disciple?) and would like to hear some more...
Food for thought (I don't intend to fuel any fires here): how many
current vocalists are 'transformative' or have the potential to be so?
There's a lot of 'cookie-cutter' stuff in my humble
opinion...Vocalists who went outside established traditions (e.g.
Kumar) and those who amalgamated multiple traditions (e.g.
Gajananbuwa) were transformative in their own right and to varying
degrees.
It is also very good to see Gajananbuwa's lineage getting attention
these days! Dr. Vikas Kashalkar recently spearheaded the publication
of a book ('Malaniyaan Goondh Laao Ree') which contains Gajananbuwa's
and Antubuwa's bandishes. It also has an accompanying CD - all
Kashalkar brothers, Padma Talwalkar, Jayashree Patnekar, Shubhada
Paradkar, Omkar Dadarkar, Shashank Maktedar, etc. have sung 60+
bandishes (about 5-10 mins each or thereabouts).
PS: I also liked Mrs. Lalita Ubhayakar, although I don't know much
about her and I have only two of her renditions (marwa and gorakh
kalyan).
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> I have heard only a few renditions by Omkar Dadarkar (Pt. Ulhas
> Kashalkar's disciple?) and would like to hear some more...
There are a couple of his youtube videos. As an aside, Manik Verma
(nee Dadarkar) is his aunt. He must have certainly inherited some
music from her...
> PS: I also liked Mrs. Lalita Ubhayakar, although I don't know much
> about her and I have only two of her renditions (marwa and gorakh
> kalyan).
Smt.Lalita Ubhayakar is a senior disciple of Pt.Ramrao Naik, who was a
direct disciple of U.Faiyaz Khan. She has been at the forefront of the
Hindustani music activities in Bangalore for decades. She runs Smriti
Nandan http://www.smritinandan.org/
C
djames
Manjusha Kulkarni Patil is in my opinion an extraordinary young
singer. James
Abhishek
I'd like to second djames recommendation for Manjusha K Patil. Her
concert here in Austin was very enjoyable.
Vishwaroopa Sharma
In the younger artistes cadre, I like:
Shashank Maktedar
Purbayan Chatterjee
Bahauddin Dagar
Seniors:
Channulal Mishra
Uday Bhawalkar
Vikas Kashalkar
Kaivalya Kumar Gurav
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> > Manjusha Kulkarni Patil is in my opinion an extraordinary young
> > singer. James
>
> I'd like to second djames recommendation for Manjusha K Patil. Her
> concert here in Austin was very enjoyable.
I just viewed some youtubes of her and I agree she is very good.
I am also listening to a previously unheard vocalist named Poornima
Kulkarni. I stumbled upon a few of her tracks on a cheap mp3 CD of
vocal music. I like her. She has a very good voice, good tayyari,
exceptional maturity of presentation. Anyone know anything about her?
C
Vishwaroopa Sharma
Poornima Kulakarni (nee Bhat) is a disciple of Dr Basavaraj Rajaguru.
She is presently settled in Bangalore. Lahari, a recording lable of
Karnaaka has released a CD of her.
~
VS
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> Poornima Kulakarni (nee Bhat) is a disciple of Dr Basavaraj Rajaguru.
> She is presently settled in Bangalore. Lahari, a recording lable of
> Karnaaka has released a CD of her.
Thanks, Vishwaroopa. Is she related to Ganpati Bhat Hasangi?
I was listening to her on a Lahiri CD of mp3s I picked up in a
Bangalore store. She has impeccable lineage, no doubt. I wish to
listen to more of her music (frankly the Shyam Kalyan, Rageshree,
Hamsadhwani combo on that CD does not cover a wide enough canvas in my
mind). Also, I wish she was better known.
C
Vishwaroopa Sharma
You see, that Lahari's mp3 CD is actually pathetic. All of the
contents are at lower resolution. What quality can a 48kbps offer?
I'll let the owner of Lahari (Sh. Velu) know about this.
Are Ganapati Bhat and Poornima relatives? I don't know. I'll ask a
friend of mine (a disciple of Ganapati Bhat) about this and more on
her taleem with pandit ji.
It's really painsome that most of our able musicians remain unnoticed
while a few PR-prone-art-sellers glitter in the arena.
~
VS
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> You see, that Lahari's mp3 CD is actually pathetic. All of the
> contents are at lower resolution. What quality can a 48kbps offer?
> I'll let the owner of Lahari (Sh. Velu) know about this.
Unfortunately I have not seen any individual CD of Poornima in the
local shop. I will not grudge Lahiri such mp3 CDs since they led me to
listen to some good artists liker her!
> Are Ganapati Bhat and Poornima relatives? I don't know. I'll ask a
> friend of mine (a disciple of Ganapati Bhat) about this and more on
> her taleem with pandit ji.
It would be good to find out more. Also, do you happen to have a
contact number or email for Poornima?
> It's really painsome that most of our able musicians remain unnoticed
> while a few PR-prone-art-sellers glitter in the arena.
I agree. Maybe we can convince influential folks on this forum to get
more exposure for such artists!
C
Manohar
I think one of our friends Abhik M is a shishya of Mahendra Toke
( Are you not including the Deshpandes well...............)
M
Abhishek
I found this on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFCwdUA6WW0
Beautiful jawari and perfect akaar. Good range and sustain of voice.
I like the fact that she is singing without the usual drama and
histrionics (no twisting of the mouth, knotting the brow, or excessive
hand movements).
There are some ho-hum moments - IMO it simply takes too long for
Gorakh Kalyan to emerge from the alaapi and the 'bareek' work (murki/
khatka, etc is not very clean, but overall very nice.
I'd like to listen more to her music.
Abhishek
Rasikpiya
> On Apr 8, 8:43 am, Vishwaroopa Sharma <vkr...@yahoo.in> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Apr 8, 6:23 pm, Chetan Vinchhi <vinc...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > On Apr 8, 5:24 pm, Vishwaroopa Sharma <vkr...@yahoo.in> wrote:
>
> > > > Poornima Kulakarni (nee Bhat) is a disciple of Dr Basavaraj Rajaguru.
> > > > She is presently settled in Bangalore. Lahari, a recording lable of
> > > > Karnaaka has released a CD of her.
>
> > > Thanks, Vishwaroopa. Is she related to Ganpati Bhat Hasangi?
>
> > > I was listening to her on a Lahiri CD of mp3s I picked up in a
> > > Bangalore store. She has impeccable lineage, no doubt. I wish to
> > > listen to more of her music (frankly the Shyam Kalyan, Rageshree,
> > > Hamsadhwani combo on that CD does not cover a wide enough canvas in my
> > > mind). Also, I wish she was better known.
>
> > > C
>
> > You see, that Lahari's mp3 CD is actually pathetic. All of the
> > contents are at lower resolution. What quality can a 48kbps offer?
> > I'll let the owner of Lahari (Sh. Velu) know about this.
>
> > Are Ganapati Bhat and Poornima relatives? I don't know. I'll ask a
> > friend of mine (a disciple of Ganapati Bhat) about this and more on
> > her taleem with pandit ji.
>
> > It's really painsome that most of our able musicians remain unnoticed
> > while a few PR-prone-art-sellers glitter in the arena.
>
> > ~
> > VS
>
> Beautiful jawari and perfect akaar. Good range and sustain of voice.
> I like the fact that she is singing without the usual drama and
> histrionics (no twisting of the mouth, knotting the brow, or excessive
> hand movements).
> There are some ho-hum moments - IMO it simply takes too long for
> Gorakh Kalyan to emerge from the alaapi and the 'bareek' work (murki/
> khatka, etc is not very clean, but overall very nice.
> I'd like to listen more to her music.
>
> Abhishek
What's the opinion of cognoscenti about Bhuvnesh Komkali?
RP
Manohar
or for that matter the two Komkalis
M
Vishwaroopa Sharma
Wonderful rendition. Also the Shree listed aside is a nice treat.
I feel he has that spark of his legendary grandfather.
Thanks again for the link.
~
VS
mausam
I found a few of Poornima Bhat's recordings in my collection. Please
download in the next week: www.cs.washington.edu/homes/mausam/musicshare/rmic
Thanks!
Mausam
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> I found a few of Poornima Bhat's recordings in my collection. Please
> download in the next week:www.cs.washington.edu/homes/mausam/musicshare/rmic
Thanks for sharing, Mausam. Actually I recently got these performances
from another user....but this is good for everyone else interested in,
um, current HCM vocalists :)
C
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> I found this on youtubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFCwdUA6WW0
> Beautiful jawari and perfect akaar. Good range and sustain of voice.
> I like the fact that she is singing without the usual drama and
> histrionics (no twisting of the mouth, knotting the brow, or excessive
> hand movements).
Agree with the observations - this was the first video I have seen of
her and it is satisfactory to see the no-gimmicks appraisal from the
audio translate to the overall presentation as well.
> There are some ho-hum moments - IMO it simply takes too long for
> Gorakh Kalyan to emerge from the alaapi
I am not a big Gorakh Kalyan fan. But also the youtube was edited kind
of randomly and the flow was broken.
> and the 'bareek' work (murki/khatka, etc is not very clean, but overall very nice.
Can you elaborate on the bareek work? Is it just missing or is the
execution bad? Also, do listen to Mausam's clips - for one, the audio
quality is far better than the youtube. I liked the Shree a lot, the
other pieces are also nice.
> I'd like to listen more to her music.
Why don't you get her invited to Austin / US for a concert series :)
C
Abubakr
> current HCM vocalists, and a list of the most promising ones?
What do our respected RMICers think of Shaukat Hussain Khan, son of
the late great Sharafat Hussain Khan of Agra? I've only hear a snippet
of his singing on a youtube clip and it sounded good. Has any heard
more of him and would care to share their opinion of his abilities?
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
The Hindu
There are many who have abundant wealth, but have no mental peace.
They do not even know why they are not happy. They do not know what
they can do to be happy. Our thoughts are what make us happy or
unhappy.
One way to ensure good thoughts, and through good thoughts happiness,
is to listen to auspicious sounds and words, Suki Sivam said in a
lecture.
It is good to begin the day on an auspicious note. That is why the
early morning hours are considered ideal for reciting the Vedas. The
sound of the Vedas sets off positive vibrations and ushers in
contentment. And it is not just the sound of the Vedas, but the very
words used as part of Vedic prayers -- 'Om Shanti.' The prayer for
peace is repeated three times.
Thus the words are about peace, and the sound itself calms us and
thus we gain overall a feeling of well being.
Music, too, can heal and comfort. Gyanasambandar sang and saved a man
on the verge of death. The prayerful quality of his words would have
been the prime reason for the miracle, but the music was important
too. It is a proven fact that music heals. Scientists have shown how
music heals and improves our mental faculties. There is no point in
listening to meaningless lyrics and loud music.
Soothing music, with prayerful words, will help a sick person recover
faster. But a singer must also take care to sing tunefully. If he
gets a note or two wrong, the result will be unpleasant, and it will
not produce the same result as the music sung with due attention to
getting the notes right. If the singer sings with feeling and with
emotional involvement, the listener benefits even more.
It has been observed that when two veenas are placed in a closed
room, one in one corner of the room, and the other in the opposite
corner, when the strings of one are plucked, the other produces the
same note too. Sound waves from the veena that is played evoke a
sympathetic response from the veena not played. Thus sounds produce
responses, and if we begin our day listening to auspicious sounds and
words, contentment will automatically come to us.
More at:
http://www.hindu.com
TRIBUTES TO HINDUISM
1. Mahatma Gandhi:
"Hinduism has made marvelous discoveries in things of
religion, of the spirit, of the soul. We have no eye for
these great and fine discoveries. We are dazzled by the
material progress that western science has made. Ancient
India has survived because Hinduism was not developed
along material but spiritual lines.
"India is to me the dearest country in the world, because
I have discovered goodness in it. It has been subject to
foreign rule, it is true. But the status of a slave is
preferable to that of a slave holder."
2. Henry David Thoreau:
"In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous
and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita in
comparison with which our modern world and its literature
seems puny.
"What extracts from the Vedas I have read fall on me like
the light of a higher and purer luminary, which describes
a loftier course through purer stratum. It rises on me
like the full moon after the stars have come out, wading
through some far stratum in the sky."
3. Arthur Schopenhauer:
"In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and
so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the
solace of my life -- it will be the solace of my death."
4. Ralph Waldo Emerson said this about the Gita:
"I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad Gita. It was as
if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but
large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old
intelligence which in another age and climate had
pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which
exercise us."
The famous poem "Brahm" is an example of his Vedanta
ecstasy.
5. Wilhelm von Humboldt pronounced the Gita as:
"The most beautiful, perhaps the only true philosophical
song existing in any known tongue ... perhaps the deepest
and loftiest thing the world has to show."
6. Lord Warren Hastings, the Governor General, was very
much impressed with Hindu philosophy:
"The writers of the Indian philosophies will survive,
when the British dominion in India shall long have ceased
to exist, and when the sources which it yielded of wealth
and power are lost to remembrances."
7. Mark Twain:
"So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left
undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most
extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds.
Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked.
"Land of religions, cradle of human race, birthplace of
human speech, grandmother of legend, great grandmother of
tradition. The land that all men desire to see and having
seen once even by a glimpse, would not give that glimpse
for the shows of the rest of the globe combined."
8. Rudyard Kipling to Fundamental Christian Missionaries:
"Now it is not good for the Christian's health to hustle
the Hindu brown for the Christian riles and the Hindu
smiles and weareth the Christian down; and the end of the
fight is a tombstone while with the name of the late
deceased and the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here who
tried to hustle the east".
9. Jules Michelet, a French historian, said:
"At its starting point in India, the birthplace of races
and religions, the womb of the world." This is what he
said of the Raamyana in 1864: "Whoever has done or willed
too much let him drink from this deep cup a long draught
of life and youth .. . Everything is narrow in the West -
- Greece is small and I stifle; Judea is dry and I pant.
Let me look toward lofty Asia, and the profound East for
a little while. There lies my great poem, as vast as the
Indian ocean, blessed, gilded with the sun, the book of
divine harmony wherein is no dissonance. A serene peace
reigns there, and in the midst of conflict an infinite
sweetness, a boundless fraternity, which spreads over all
living things, an ocean (without bottom or bound) of
love, of pity, of clemency."
10. Shri Aurobindo:
"Hinduism.....gave itself no name, because it set itself
no sectarian limits; it claimed no universal adhesion,
asserted no sole infallible dogma, set up no single
narrow path or gate of salvation; it was less a creed or
cult than a continuously enlarging tradition of the
Godward endeavor of the human spirit. An immense many-
sided and many staged provision for a spiritual self-
building and self-finding, it had some right to speak of
itself by the only name it knew, the eternal religion,
sanaatan dharm...."
11. Will Durant would like the West to learn from India,
tolerance and gentleness and love for all living things:
"Perhaps in return for conquest, arrogance and
spoliation, India will teach us the tolerance and
gentleness of the mature mind, the quiet content of the
unacquisitive soul, the calm of the understanding spirit,
and a unifying, a pacifying love for all living things."
12. Joseph Campbell:
"It is ironic that our great western civilization, which
has opened to the minds of all mankind the infinite
wonders of a universe of untold billions of galaxies
should be saddled with the tightest little cosmological
image known to mankind? The Hindus with their grandiose
Kalpas and their ideas of the divine power which is
beyond all human category (male or female). Not so alien
to the imagery of modern science that it could not have
been put to acceptable use.
"There is an important difference between the Hindu and
the Western ideas. In the Biblical tradition, God creates
man, but man cannot say that he is divine in the same
sense that the Creator is, where as in Hinduism, all
things are incarnations of that power. We are the sparks
from a single fire. And we are all fire. Hinduism
believes in the omnipresence of the Supreme God in every
individual. There is no 'fall'. Man is not cut off from
the divine. He requires only to bring the spontaneous
activity of his mind stuff to a state of stillness and he
will experience that divine principle with him."
13. Sir Monier-Williams:
The Hindus, according to him, were Spinozists more than
2,000 years before the advent of Spinoza, and Darwinians
many centuries before Darwin and Evolutionists many
centuries before the doctrine of Evolution was accepted
by scientists of the present age.
14. Carl Sagan, (the late scientist), asserts that the
dance of Nataraj signifies the cycle of evolution and
destruction of the cosmic universe (Big Bang Theory). "It
is the clearest image of the activity of God which any
art or religion can boast of."
15. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a professor of Eastern
Religions at Oxford and later President of India:
"Hinduism is not just a faith. It is the union of reason
and intuition that cannot be defined but is only to be
experienced. Evil and error are not ultimate. There is no
Hell, for that means there is a place where God is not,
and there are sins which exceed his love."
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the educational
purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may not
have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name, current
e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others are
not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the article.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more information
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
Since newsgroup posts are being removed
by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
this post may be reposted several times.
Chetan Vinchhi
Changing the subject which is more relevant the current, still active,
discussion.
A request to all posters - please do not change titles arbitrarily -
start a new thread for a new conversation.
Thanks
C
Abhishek
> On Apr 8, 11:05 pm, Abhishek <asin...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > I found this on youtubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFCwdUA6WW0
> > Beautiful jawari and perfect akaar. Good range and sustain of voice.
> > I like the fact that she is singing without the usual drama and
> > histrionics (no twisting of the mouth, knotting the brow, or excessive
> > hand movements).
>
> Agree with the observations - this was the first video I have seen of
> her and it is satisfactory to see the no-gimmicks appraisal from the
> audio translate to the overall presentation as well.
>
> > There are some ho-hum moments - IMO it simply takes too long for
> > Gorakh Kalyan to emerge from the alaapi
>
> I am not a big Gorakh Kalyan fan. But also the youtube was edited kind
> of randomly and the flow was broken.
>
Possible. I still think in alaapi the raag bhav and chalan must be
strong enough to emerge at any given point. If not then this makes for
undisciplined alaapi.
> > and the 'bareek' work (murki/khatka, etc is not very clean, but overall very nice.
>
> Can you elaborate on the bareek work? Is it just missing or is the
> execution bad? Also, do listen to Mausam's clips - for one, the audio
> quality is far better than the youtube. I liked the Shree a lot, the
> other pieces are also nice.
>
The execution was sub-par. I am not a fan of the overuse of murkis,
etc. But if they are used they need to be executed correctly.
> > I'd like to listen more to her music.
>
> Why don't you get her invited to Austin / US for a concert series :)
>
Good suggestion. She's on my list of artists to propose for next year.
Unfortunately, ICMCA is not big enough to invite her for a concert on
its own - the effort would need to be supported by other music
societies across the U.S. Any takers?
Abhishek
Abhishek
What are folks' thoughts on Aditi Upadhyay - daughter of Kaikiniji? I
found some clips of hers on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1uyphBHgYE
Didn't find anything off-putting in her music so far. Nothing
spectacular either, on the other hand. She has a well developed mandra
saptak - a rarity in most contemporary female singers. Manjiri A
Kelkar, frequently goes besura in mandra - probably because she is
singing too low for her natural scale (in a bid to sound more like
Kesarbai?).
Abhishek
Abhishek
This link doesn't work for me :( :( :(
Abhishek
> On Apr 8, 11:05 pm, Abhishek <asin...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > I found this on youtubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFCwdUA6WW0
> > Beautiful jawari and perfect akaar. Good range and sustain of voice.
> > I like the fact that she is singing without the usual drama and
> > histrionics (no twisting of the mouth, knotting the brow, or excessive
> > hand movements).
>
A study in contrast (as far as gestures and mannerisms go). My God I
feel sorry for that Tanpura!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HxrT55r-MI
C Parthapratim
> On Apr 12, 12:15 am, Chetan Vinchhi <vinc...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > On Apr 8, 11:05 pm, Abhishek <asin...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > I found this on youtubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFCwdUA6WW0
> > > Beautiful jawari and perfect akaar. Good range and sustain of voice.
> > > I like the fact that she is singing without the usual drama and
> > > histrionics (no twisting of the mouth, knotting the brow, or excessive
> > > hand movements).
>
> A study in contrast (as far as gestures and mannerisms go). My God I
>
>
>
> > Agree with the observations - this was the first video I have seen of
> > her and it is satisfactory to see the no-gimmicks appraisal from the
> > audio translate to the overall presentation as well.
>
> > > There are some ho-hum moments - IMO it simply takes too long for
> > > Gorakh Kalyan to emerge from the alaapi
>
> > I am not a big Gorakh Kalyan fan. But also the youtube was edited kind
> > of randomly and the flow was broken.
>
> > > and the 'bareek' work (murki/khatka, etc is not very clean, but overall very nice.
>
> > Can you elaborate on the bareek work? Is it just missing or is the
> > execution bad? Also, do listen to Mausam's clips - for one, the audio
> > quality is far better than the youtube. I liked the Shree a lot, the
> > other pieces are also nice.
>
> > > I'd like to listen more to her music.
>
> > Why don't you get her invited to Austin / US for a concert series :)
>
> > C
The link works for me. I like the Aakar and jawari in her (Aditi
Upadhyay) voice ... but ... in the lower octave the Lalit at certain
points sounds more like Puriya, with a clear Shuddha Dhaivat. It's not
uncommon in Lalit, and that's one reason why Lalit is counted among
Marwa thaat too, but this Puriya-like formation is new to me. Overall
good rendering, nice temparament.
Abhishek
Actually, the link I was referring to was Mausam's link to download
Purnima Bhat.
Abhishek
I did not detect any Puriya influences - apart from the jump to the
mandra Ma (teevra) from the Ni. My ears did not detect a Shuddha
Dhaivat in what I heard. Maybe I need to listen more carefully.
Abhishek
Have to add, that the more I listen the more I like her alaapi and
badhat. Raag-baddha and bandish-baddha alaapi.
It's classic alaap. Nice progression from the mandra to the madhya
saptak, with sublte use of Behlava (notice how she introduces the
Gandhar) and other alankars...and very nice meend work. There is a
thought process to her singing...not just baithhaya hua gaana.
mausam
Clicking the link is not working but the link is correct. Maybe it is
because I was not using http://
Here try again: http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/mausam/musicshare/rmic
Mausam
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> Here try again:http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/mausam/musicshare/rmic
Actually the original link did not work for me either. I merely
changed it to cs.washington.edu/homes/mausam/musicshare/rmic and
voila!
Abhishek, you need to take TrialAndError 101 :)
C
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> Possible. I still think in alaapi the raag bhav and chalan must be
> strong enough to emerge at any given point. If not then this makes for
> undisciplined alaapi.
That's fair. I guess you are far more unforgiving of a "young" artist
than I tend to be.
> The execution was sub-par. I am not a fan of the overuse of murkis,
> etc. But if they are used they need to be executed correctly.
Was there an overuse of murkis? My ears are not good enough to catch
the sub-par-ness you are alluding to. Irrespective, I want to listen
to more of her music - and I think we are in agreement there.
> Good suggestion. She's on my list of artists to propose for next year.
> Unfortunately, ICMCA is not big enough to invite her for a concert on
> its own - the effort would need to be supported by other music
> societies across the U.S. Any takers?
Check with:
- IAPA (NJ) - http://www.iapa-usa.org/
- someone in Chicago-land and surrounding areas?
- basant bahar (west coast)
- boston-bua
- chhandayan New York
- Kannadiga outfits in the US
- RMICers :)
C
Chetan Vinchhi
>
> Have to add, that the more I listen the more I like her alaapi and
> badhat.
Are you referring to Aditi Upadhya? Which link are you guys talking
about?
Perhaps needless to add: Aditi is the daughter of Pt.Dinkar Kaikini.
C
C Parthapratim
Talking about Poornima Bhat now -- loved the Shree. Reminds me of
another Shree by Malini Rajurkar, possibly it was her debut concert in
Mumbai. Poornima's voice is well tuned, and enough dedication to
render a difficult masculine form so fluently, but again occasional
pitch vibrato on Dhaivat becomes a bit problematic sometimes. She is
not using her full jawari for the higher notes -- a problem with most
young female vocalists. Overall rating :: A+
Partha
Abhishek
Been doing too much of that at work to do it for pleasure. :P
> C
Mausam thanks for sharing the recordings...downloaded them today - on
the slate for tomorrow.
Abhishek
I was referring to to Aditi U. Apropos Purnima Bhat, she did not
overuse alankars, I just thought that there could have been executed
with some more finesse. I will point out specific instances, when I
hear that recording again. Looking forward to hearing the recordings
Mausam shared.
BTW does anyone have any recordings of Aditi U to share? I heard the
rest of her recordings on youtube. While she's solid in alaap and
vilambit, I found her lacking in the drut department. Went off-tune in
the taar saptak, and her fast taans were muddled. Also her drut
presentation was dominated almost exclusively by sargams. After a
point, I found it rather off-putting. I hope this was a one-off thing
and not a habit. As far as I have heard Agra folks eschew overuse of
sargam (though Lalith Rao uses them quite liberally in some of her old
recordings).
A.
mausam
Quick note. Aditi Upadhyay is visiting the US (I think) this May-June.
She may give a baithak in Seattle early June. I don't know if she is
available for concerts or not. The person to contact will be Prof.
Ramesh Gangolli, who is hosting her in Seattle.
Mausam
Abhishek
Mausam,
Please keep me in the loop. In the very least we'd like to organize a
baithak with her.
Abhishek
Mahesh Apte
This is good thread. We arranged concerts of Manjusha Patil and Kumar
Mardur last year. They are amazing young performers. I am surprised to
see no mention of Kaushiki Chakraborty.