Two new Begum Akhtar releases
Abhay Phadnis
excerpts from a 1957 live concert of Begum Akhtar. They have now released
more excerpts from the same concert in two more albums ("Phir Wohi
Farmaaish" and "Khazana"). Some concert, this - in the three albums, there
are 19 ghazals/thumris/dadras, with a combined playing time of over three
hours. As I have said in my earlier post that described "Farmaaish", the
recording catches Begum Akhtar the peak of her powers. Fans should
definitely not miss this series; non-fans risk conversion! :)
"Phir Wohi Farmaaish", containing two dadra-s and two ghazals, was released
just before Begum Akhtar's death anniversary (30 October) this year; unless
it was happenstance, kudos to Sony Nad for the timing! "Khazana" has a
thumri and three ghazals (detailed album listings below). Two ghazals from
each album have previously been released by Makar Records in their CD
containing excerpts of the same concert. [The remaining ghazal on the Makar
CD is also there on the first album, "Farmaaish".]
For some reason, the sound quality of 'Khazana' is bad. Surprising, because
the sound quality of 'Farmaaish', 'PWF', and the Makar CD is very good.
It's almost as if Sony Nad didn't bother to clean up the original recording
in this case.
Why do recording companies do such a sloppy job of cassette/CD inserts? In
"Khazana", "wo adaa-e-dilabarii ho ki nawaa-e-aashiqaanaa" is listed as
"Woh Adaayen Dil Bairiyon Ki", while "is shaan se wo..." becomes "Is Chand
Se Woh" (space travel, anyone?). Makar has made equally silly mistakes, but
they can at least plead lack of familiarity with the language. What excuse
does Sony Nad have??
Also, Makar has taken the trouble to identify the tabla accompanist and the
poets; Sony Nad mentions no credits other than the singer, and just states
the mukhaDaa of each piece without bothering to mention what it is
(thumri/dadra/kajri/ghazal).
Detailed Album Listings:
Phir Wohi Farmaaish
==============
1.
laagii beriyaa piyaa ke aawan kii (dadra)
2.
is ishq ke haatho.n se hargiz naa mafar dekhaa
itanii hi baDhii hasarat jitanaa bhii udhar dekhaa*
(ghazal - Jigar Muradabadi)
3.
ai tose laagii priit (dadra)
4.
Gam-e-aashiqii se kah do rah-e-aam tak na pahu.Nche
mujhe Kauf hai ye tohamat tere naam tak na pahu.Nche*
(ghazal - Shakeel Badayuni)
Khazana
======
1.
dekhe binaa naahii chain (thumri)
2.
wo adaa-e-dilabarii ho ki nawaa-e-aashiqaanaa
jo dilo.n ko fatah kar le.n, wahii faateh-e-zamaanaa
(ghazal - Jigar Muradabadi)
3.
aa.Nkho.n se duur subah ke taare chale gaye
nii.nd aa ga_ii to Gam ke nazaare chale gaye*
(ghazal - Shakeel Badayuni**)
4.
kis shaan se wo aaj pa-e-imtahaa.N chale
kitano.n ne paa.Nv chuum ke puuchhaa kahaa.N chale*
(ghazal - Jalil Manakpuri)
*Also featured on the Makar CD.
**The Makar CD lists Shameem Jaipuri as the poet, but - in the maqtaa - BA
very clearly says "shaqiil", so Shakeel it is for me. Anyone know for sure
whose ghazal this is?
Warm regards,
Abhay
Abhay Phadnis
news:askctv$rnkkn$1...@ID-75300.news.dfncis.de...
> Last year, Sony Nad had released an album titled "Farmaaish" that
contained
Sorry to follow up on my own post, but in the interests of accuracy, that
should be "earlier this year".
Warm regards,
Abhay
UVR
> excerpts from a 1957 live concert of Begum Akhtar. They have now released
> more excerpts from the same concert in two more albums ("Phir Wohi
> Farmaaish" and "Khazana").
[snip]
> 3.
> aa.Nkho.n se duur subah ke taare chale gaye
> nii.nd aa ga_ii to Gam ke nazaare chale gaye*
> (ghazal - Shakeel Badayuni**)
[snip]
> **The Makar CD lists Shameem Jaipuri as the poet, but - in the maqtaa - BA
> very clearly says "shaqiil", so Shakeel it is for me. Anyone know for sure
> whose ghazal this is?
>
> Warm regards,
> Abhay
Definitely Shakeel Badayuni. I have read it in my Shakeel book.
I'm writing a few of the couplets from it below -- will appreciate
it if you could mark those that BA has sung.
1. aa.Nkho.n se duur subah ke taare chale gaye
nii.nd aa ga_ii to Gam ke nazaare chale gaye
2. dil thaa kisii kii yaad me.n masaruuf aur ham
shiishe me.n zindagii ko utaare chale gaye (*)
3. allaah re beKudii hai ki ham unake ruu-ba-ruu
beiKhtiyaar un ko pukaare chale gaye (*)
4. mushkil thaa kuchh to ishq kii baazii kaa jiitanaa
kuchh jiitane ke Kauf se haare chale gaye
5. naakaamii-e-hayaat kaa karate bhii kyaa gilaa
do din guzaaranaa the, guzaare chale gaye
6. jalve kahaa.N jo zauq-e-tamaashaa nahii.n 'shakiil'
nazare.n chalii ga_ii.n to nazaare chale gaye
This last sh'er is my favorite. What a neat way of saying "beauty
lies in the eyes of the beholder".
-UVR.
ham beKudii me.n tum ko pukaare chale gaye
saaGar me.n zindagii ko utaare chale gaye
PS: Isn't this Ghazal strongly reminiscent of this Kala Pani song?
Majrooh's lyric for that Rafi song itself is not a Ghazal, but I do
remember that in the film, one of the roommates of Dev's character
is a poet of sorts (Mukri?), and in the scene/s preceding the sing-
ing of 'ham beKudii me.n' this guy actually hums a few couplets of
a Ghazal which he is currently writing. The matla of that Ghazal
is (no prizes for guessing) "ham beKudii me.n...". I can't recall
any of the couplets of the Ghazal, but perhaps one of our "buzurgs
with elephantine memory" (such as Kalra-ji or Afzal Khan sb.) do?
Abhay Phadnis
news:9c085b63.02120...@posting.google.com...
(snip)
> Definitely Shakeel Badayuni. I have read it in my Shakeel book.
> I'm writing a few of the couplets from it below -- will appreciate
> it if you could mark those that BA has sung.
Thanks for clearing that up, Ravindra! BA has sung all the couplets you
have quoted except # 4.
Warm regards,
Abhay
Abhay Phadnis
> nazare.n chalii ga_ii.n to nazaare chale gaye
I was just listening to this ghazal again, and Begum Akhtar distinctly says
"zauq-e-*nazaaraa*", not "zauq-e-*tamaashaa*". Are you sure it's the latter?
Warm regards,
Abhay
UVR
Yes, it is so in the book. 'nazaaraa' makes sense, too.
Perhaps the book has a misprint (not improbable) or may
be Shakeel modified the Ghazal for BA (also not improbable).
-UVR.