Legends Forever: Pandit Bhimsen Joshi - The Finest in Indian Classical Music (Audio CD)

$28
Item Code: IZZ737
Specifications:
Pandit Bhimsen JoshiSony Music Entertainment India Pvt. Ltd. (2010)
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From the CD
Artist : Pandit Bhimsen Joshi
Catlogue No : 88697199622
Format : Audio CD
About the Artiste

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi without doubt one of the modern greats of Hindustani music, has been an enormously popular singer with concert audience for over 50 years. Bhimsen Joshi was borin in Gadag (now in the state of Karnataka) on 4th February 1922, well away from the main centres of activity of Hindustani music and with no family tradition of professional music making behind him. Legends tells of how, deciding on a musical quest he left home in his teens and travelled over much f the subcontinent learning his art from several masters in musical centre such as Gwalior, Lucknow and Rampur. Best known as a disciple of the renowned vocalist sawai Gandharva Rambhau Kundgolkar, Bhimsen Joshi is consequently regarded as a representative of the kirana Gharana made famous by Sawai Gandharva guru Ustad Abdul Karim Khan.

Now in his 80’s Bhimsen Joshi has been performing in public since the age of 19 both in India abroad. It is a measure of his stature in the Indian music world that he has received such high national honors as the sangeet Natak Academy Award, the Padma Sjree and Padma Bhushan. He has earned the respect of all for his musicianship and for the immense power and majesty of his performances. For many he is most at home performing the grand and serious ragas, although he is also appreciated as a signer of bhajans and other types of song. His voice style and sheer presence are intently recognizable his performances amongst the essential experiences of Indian music.

Without doubt one of the modern greats of Hindustani music Pandit Bhimsen Joshi has been an enormously popular singer with concert audiences for over 50 years. It is a measure of his stature in the Indian music world that he has received such high national honours as the sangeet Natak Academy award the Padma Shree and Padma Bhshan. He has earned the respect for the immense power and majesty of his performances. His voice style and sheer presence are instantly recognizable his performance amongst the essential experiences of Indian music.

This performance was recorded live in Coventry England on 22nd October 1993. Panditji was accompanied by the steady and reliable table of Shahikant muely and by Tulsidas Borkar’s neat and tasteful Harmonium support.

About the CD

Raga Maru Bihag
Maru Bihag is a variant of the popular Raga Bihag, which was created earlier his century and is now widely known and appreciated in its own right. An evening raga it uses the same tonal material as Bihag itself.

Sa Re Ga Ma’ Ma Pa Dha Ni

[1 2 3 4 4, 5 6 7]

In common with Bihag, Re and Dha [2 & 6] are omitted in ascending passages while Ga and Ni [3 & 7] are strong notes. The main differences from its parent raga are in the usage of Pa [5 , a little stronger in Maru Bihag] and the two Mas. Shuddha Ma [4] is used in only one principal context following a leap from Sa [1] and usually falling back to Ga [3]; however this note (Ma) can be held for a considerable time and it has an important role in establishing the ragas character. Tivra Ma [41] is used in a variety of other contexts, particularly in the direct decent ‘MaGaReSa [3321] (in Bihag, Shuddh Ma occurs between two Gas and is also included in a more complicated descending line).

This performance opens with an unaccompanied alap of a little over 5 minutes in which the soloist outlines the main features of the raga. Then we hear the main composition, “Rasiyaa ho na Jaa” which is set in the 16 beat metric cycle teental at a very slow tempo (the 16 beasts take up over 50 second at the beginning of this section). The greater part of the development of this piece comprises, as one would expect, bola lap (development of the raga sung to the song text); in the later stages, after a brief passage of sargam singing (i.e. using the note syllables Sa, re, etc.) the soloist unleashes an impressive array of fast akaar tans (melodic figuration sung to the open vowel aah). This bandhish is followed by a chota khyal composition set in fast teental and complemented by a further display of virtuosic taan signing which brings the presentation of Raga Maru Bihag to a close.

Raaga Abhogi
The second item on this recording is Raga Abhogi a member of the Kanada group which originates in carnatic (south Indian) music. Pa and Ni [ 5 & 7] are omitted from its pentatonic scale – which is therefore a little unusual in that it has all the notes of the lower half of the scale (Sa Re Ga Ma), and only one of the upper (Dha).

Sa Re Ga Ma Dha [1 2 3 4 6]

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi begins his alap in the lower register establishing at once a stately and somewhat somber mood. This firs impression is not dispelled when the melody moves up into the middle register or later when the first composition is introduced. This bandish, ‘Charana dhara aayo ri, is set in jhaptal a metric cycle of ten beats; the easiest way to follow a rhythm in this piece is to listen to the bass drum sound., which is generally absent on beasts 6 & 7 (Listener may be interest to know that the same composition is sung by Ustad Rashid Khan on Navras NRCD 0072.) the development of this piece comprises essentially the same elemtns as maru Bihag (bol alap, sargam, akar taans) albeit with everything on a slightly shorter time-scale. Pandit concludes this recording with a second bandish this time in fast ektaal (a metric cycle of 12 beats; to give an idea of the tal, the line hama gariba tuma daataa’ takes up exactly one cycle from beginning to end).

Displayed here once again are all the qualities which have delighted and awed audiences for over half a century as listeners have come to expect of this peerless singer nothing is allowed to compromise either the expressiveness or the dignity of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi recital.

Indian classical music has one of the most complex and complete musical systems ever developed. Having it origins in the sama veda t developed as a form of meditation and discipline initially meant for the elite. Under the regal patronage of successive dynasties, this form of art flourished to create a tresorie of culture a heritage that is deservedly considered the most formidable in the world.

Over centuries Indian classical music has been developed by musicians who dedicated their lives to the discovery of music. These are geniuses who delved into the intricacies of a raga played with its nuances and created further musical marvels.

Legends Forever is a series of definitive albums from Sony BMG music that is a tribute to artists comprising the genius of Indian classical music of the modern world. These are the doyens whose repertoire amasses colossal proportions. Including the most talented vocalists and instrumentalists this collection salutes the stalwarts who have given the genre it current stature. What each artist has created belongs to the realm of the eternal traversing time and space. For that indeed is the essence of art.

This series is therefore an attempts to introduce successive generations of musician and enthusiast to the richness of India musical legacy it is to sustain a cultural wealth that exemplifies the artistic prosperity of India a land where music implies a way of life.

A legends is a marvel a prodigy. They also say that a legend is a star. Bringing together the best of the best this series is in fact an entire constellation.

Contents

Raga Maru Bihag – Khyal in Vilambit Teental and Drut Teental
Raga Abhogi – Khyal in Jhaptal and Drut Ektal

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