1902 - Gauhar Jaan records India's first Calssical song in Calcutta.
PremC...@gmail.com
While reading this article in Outlook
I came across this paragraph
"It's Gauhar Jan, an artiste of mixed European-Armenian-Jewish
heritage who trained in Indian music in Lucknow and sang the first
recorded Indian classical song at a recording studio in Calcutta in
1902."
Is this a fact ? Does anyone have a copy to share ?
Prem Joshi
partha_c...@yahoo.com
wrote:
> Dosto,
>
> While reading this article in Outlook
>
>
> I came across this paragraph
>
> "It's Gauhar Jan, an artiste of mixed European-Armenian-Jewish
> heritage who trained in Indian music in Lucknow and sang the first
> recorded Indian classical song at a recording studio in Calcutta in
> 1902."
>
> Is this a fact ? Does anyone have a copy to share ?
>
> Prem Joshi
I found the following link that talks about the recording...
http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/gauhar.htm
"November 14,1902: A very rudimentary and makeshift recording studio
had been set up in two large rooms of a hotel in Kolkata by the
Gramophone Company. Frederick William Gaisberg and his assistants had
arrived just three weeks before from England on their first Far East
recording expedition for the Gramophone Company, which had been
founded in England in 1898. They had appointed a local agent for
selecting and training artists for recording on gramophone discs.
However, the agent selected Anglo-Indian artists and completely
ignored local talent. Gaisberg then sought the help of the local
Police Superintendent, visited several theaters, attended mehfils at
wealthy Jamindars’ palaces, and thus found at least one promising
artist to begin with. The artist was a very famous dancing girl, and
her voice was very sweet; although not for European ears. She agreed
to a recording session for the handsome fee of 3,000 rupees. Such an
artist was necessary in order to build a firm business foundation on
the Indian scene, especially when several other German, French and
American recording companies were also planning to capture the Asian
market in general and the Indian market in particular.
At around 9.00 a.m. a young lady entered the studio with all her
paraphernalia, including accompanists and relatives. Loaded fully
with very expensive ornaments and jewelry, this 30 year old, fair,
medium-built lady went onto the stage prepared for the recordings.
Sarangi, harmonium, and tabla players began to tune their
instruments. Gaisberg personally checked the equipment. A thick wax
master record was placed on the turntable rotating at 78 rpm. A huge
recording horn was fitted on the wall behind her and close to her
face, and she was asked to sing loudly into the horn. At the narrow
end of the long horn a diaphragm fitted with a needle was connected to
the recording machinery, with a needle placed on rotating disc for
cutting the grooves. Gaisberg requested her to sing for three minutes
and announce her name at the end of the recording. At the end of the
trial recording she announced - "My name is Gauhar Jan". (sound clip -
Bhairavi ) This announcement was necessary since the wax masters were
sent to Hanover in Germany for pressing the records and the
technicians would make proper labels and confirm the name by listening
to these announcements at the end of the three minutes
performance."...
And from Wikipedia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauhar_Jan
"India's first-ever record
India's first disc had Gauhar Jaan [6] singing a khayal in Raag Jogiya
[7], recorded on November 2, 1902, by Fred Gaisberg, an assistant to
Emile Berliner, the father of Gramophone record [1], who left America
to become the first recording engineer with the Gramophone Company,
London. The recording was done in a makeshift recording studio in two
large rooms of a hotel in Kolkata, and at the end of the trial
recording Gauhar Jaan announced - “My name is Gauhar Jaan“. Gauhar
Jaan agreed to do the recording session for a princely sum of 3,000
rupees [8]. By 1903, her records started appearing in Indian markets
and were in great demand."...
- Partha
PremC...@gmail.com
> On Aug 14, 9:15 am, "PremCJo...@gmail.com" <PremCJo...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Dosto,
>
> > While reading this article in Outlook
>
> >http://www.outlookindia.com/fullprint.asp?choice=2&fodname=20080818&f...
>
> > I came across this paragraph
>
> > "It's Gauhar Jan, an artiste of mixed European-Armenian-Jewish
> > heritage who trained in Indian music in Lucknow and sang the first
> > recorded Indian classical song at a recording studio in Calcutta in
> > 1902."
>
> > Is this a fact ? Does anyone have a copy to share ?
>
> > Prem Joshi
>
>
> "India's first-ever record
> India's first disc had Gauhar Jaan [6] singing a khayal in Raag Jogiya
> [7], recorded on November 2, 1902, by Fred Gaisberg, an assistant to
> Emile Berliner, the father of Gramophone record [1], who left America
> to become the first recording engineer with the Gramophone Company,
> London. The recording was done in a makeshift recording studio in two
> large rooms of a hotel in Kolkata, and at the end of the trial
> recording Gauhar Jaan announced - “My name is Gauhar Jaan“. Gauhar
> Jaan agreed to do the recording session for a princely sum of 3,000
> rupees [8]. By 1903, her records started appearing in Indian markets
> and were in great demand."...
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
HI Partha bhai,
Thanks for the information. very interesting. Did she record two
items?
Raag Jogia and Bhairavi . I wish I could hear what music was like
in
that era.
Sincerely
PJ
surjit singh
wrote:
Then go to google and type gauhar jan mp3.
>
> Sincerely
>
> PJ
partha_c...@yahoo.com
wrote:
>
> HI Partha bhai,
>
> Thanks for the information. very interesting. Did she record two
> items?
> Raag Jogia and Bhairavi . I wish I could hear what music was like
> in
> that era.
>
> Sincerely
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
Prem-ji,
The first link that I posted has a snippet of the bhairavi
recording...
http://www.mustrad.org.uk/sound/bhairavi.ra
Here's another one...
http://www.esnips.com/doc/c1461abd-1037-4079-a619-cb72cd5f2475/Gauhar-Jan---Early-Recording
Enjoy!
- Partha
shooganpr...@yahoo.co.in
wrote:
> Dosto,
>
> While reading this article in Outlook
>
>
> I came across this paragraph
>
> "It's Gauhar Jan, an artiste of mixed European-Armenian-Jewish
> heritage who trained in Indian music in Lucknow and sang the first
> recorded Indian classical song at a recording studio in Calcutta in
> 1902."
>
> Is this a fact ? Does anyone have a copy to share ?
>
> Prem Joshi
Check the following
Regards
Sukesh
PremC...@gmail.com
> On Aug 14, 6:15 pm, "PremCJo...@gmail.com" <PremCJo...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Dosto,
>
> > While reading this article in Outlook
>
> >http://www.outlookindia.com/fullprint.asp?choice=2&fodname=20080818&f...
>
> > I came across this paragraph
>
> > "It's Gauhar Jan, an artiste of mixed European-Armenian-Jewish
> > heritage who trained in Indian music in Lucknow and sang the first
> > recorded Indian classical song at a recording studio in Calcutta in
> > 1902."
>
> > Is this a fact ? Does anyone have a copy to share ?
>
> > Prem Joshi
>
> Check the following
>
>
> Regards
> Sukesh- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Dosto,
Million thanks to all of you. With your research and info, you have
enriched my life, by giving me a peak at Indian music from the
earliest period of recorded music.
Sinvcerely
PJ
jyotiprakasguha
to record songs for the Gramophone Company in India. On the same day Miss
Phanibala also recorded some songs-after Shashimukhi. Some duets by the
these two artistes were also recorded. These songs were in Bengali and I
am not sure whether they were classical or not.
Miss Gauhar Jan, Calcutta recorded her first songs three days later on
11th November. On that day, before Miss Gauhar Jan, Miss Saila Bai (alias
Miss Sila Bai)recorded Hindustani songs-classified as Tarana, Dadra. Her
record numbers extended from 13029 to 13036. She recorded eight songs that
day.
After Saili Bai's session was over, Miss Gauhar Jan recorded her first
song-record no. 13037-classified as Mohameddan song-dadra. Gauhar Jan
recorded eight songs on her first sitting in languages like-Mohamedan (2),
Gujrati, Bengali, Madrasi, Peshwari ,Tailungi, Gurmes. (The language names
as expressed in the records). Miss Gauhar Jan also recorded one (probably
more)song in English-"My Love is like a little bird".
Jyoti Prakash Guha.
--
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PremC...@gmail.com
wrote:
Jyoti Bhai,
Thanks for this wonderul information. Now the question is, are these
recordings available to listen ?
PJ
jyotiprakasguha
record songs for the Gramophone company in India-in Calcutta. The record
number was 13024. The song was in Bengali. Miss Phanibala was the second
Indian artiste to record her songs. Her first record number being 13025.
These two also recorded two duets the same day. I cannot say whether any
of these songs were classical or not.
Three days later, on the 11th of November, 1902, Miss Saila Bai (alias
Miss Sila Bai)became the third Indian artiste to record songs in
Hindustani. The record numbers were from 13029 to 13036. her songs were
classified as Tarana and Dadra.
On the 11th of November again, after Miss Saila Bai's session was over,
Miss Gauhar Jan became the fourth Indian artiste to record her songs. Her
first record number was 13037-the song classified as MAHOMEDAN
song-Tarana. Miss Gauhar Jan, Calcutta in fact recorded eight songs on her
very first session in languages like Mahomedan, Madrasi, Gurmes, Gujrati,
Tailungi, Bengali, Peshwari-as listed on the records.These were classified
as Tarana, Dadra, Pahari.
Jyoti Prakash Guha.
--
jyotiprakasguha
number of Miss Gauhar Jan records although none of her first day
recordings.
Thanks.
Jyoti Prakash Guha.
--