Showing posts with label Raga Maru Bihag. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raga Maru Bihag. Show all posts

Monday, 7 January 2019

Ustad Faiyaz Khan (1886-1950) - Heritage - Cassette released in India in 1999


Here some other wonderful archival recordings by the great Ustad. The Raga Todi on the first side is in Dhrupad format: first an Alap and then a Dhrupad composition in Chautal.
In the near future we will post more volumes from this Heritage Series with archival recordings, most times from private collections.



Monday, 26 March 2018

Frères Dagar: Nasir Moinuddin Dagar & Nasir Aminuddin Dagar - Inde du Nord - Private CD


Here we have a private CD with beautiful recordings by the Senior Dagar Brothers. And here we have an extreme case of a private CD looking like a real release, in this case an LP published by Ocora, the well known label of Radio France. But for sure it is a private CD and never was published by Ocora. An Indian collector made out of these recordings of unknown sources a private CD and created covers for it. This person seems to take a great pleasure in creating covers and to let them look like real ultra rare releases. Which is sort of funny and sympathetic. And looks nice. But can create some confusion amongst music lovers and collectors.
There are several details proving that this is not an official recording from Ocora:
1. The release date is given as 1977. At that time it was LPs and the tracks are too long to fit on an LP. 
2. The two tracks have very different sound quality and different accompanists, but are supposed to stem from the same concert. 
3. The Dagar Brothers are accompanied in the first track by harmonium, pakhawaj and in the last composition by tabla. In the second track they are accompanied by sarangi and pakhawaj and the track is incomplete and ends abruptly (we made a short fadeout). Ocora would never have published recordings as imperfect. Also the only moment these recordings could have been recorded in France was during their 1964 tour (as mentioned on the back cover), but this tour was organised by Alain Daniélou on behalf of the Unesco and Alain Daniélou as a strict purist would never have allowed the singers to be accompanied on harmonium or sarangi in a Dhrupad performance. On the backcover are given the correct accompanists of the 1964 European tour. But in India it was not unusual for the Dagar Brothers to be accompanied by these instruments, as one can see in other recordings posted by us.
4. The track information is wrong: the first track has after the Alap as a composition not a Dhrupad, but a Dhamar, then in the last few minutes a Tarana in Khyal style with Tabla accompaniment. The second track is neither in Raga Rupashree nor in Raga Shree, as mentioned at another spot on the backside. It sounds like a Hori in Kafi - "Aaj Brij Mein Holi Khelat Nandlal" (different from the one found in the Royal Collection of Mewar CD set). Track information given to us by the Indian collector who shared these recordings. Many thanks to him.
So it is clear that these recordings are not from the 1964 European tour of the Senior Dagar Brothers. And that they were not published by Ocora. They must be recordings done in India at different moments. 
I only know of one other case of someone creating covers to make recordings look like real, but ultra rare LPs. They can be found on the Harmonium blog. See these for example:

I received these recordings from an Indian collector based in the US. Many many thanks to him for his kindness to share these.


Sunday, 1 December 2013

Gopal Mishra (1921-1977) - Sarangi - All India Radio broadcast


Here we present an AIR broadcast by the great Sarangi master Gopal Mishra (1921-1977), accompanied by the great Anokhe Lal Mishra on Tabla. 

1. Raga Piloo (14:41)
2. Purvi Chaiti in Raga Mishra Khamaj (13:56)
3. Raga Maru Bihag (28:02)

See the very helpful remarks by Gidi Hubbert in the comments below.

With Anokhe Lal Mishra, 1950s

About the artist:
Fondly called as 'Sarangi Magician', "King of Accompaniment", the sarangi maestro Pt. Gopal Misra was born to the family of distinguished artists of their times. In early years his training began under his father Pt. Sursahay Misra, Pt. Bade Ramdas and his elder brother Pt. Hanuman Misra. Under the meticulous guidance of these recognized musicians he acquired great mastery over the instrument and emerged as one of the prominent and leading sarangi players of Banaras Gharana. Whether accompanied or solo it was a rare possibility to find someone who could surpass Pt. Gopal Misra, who performed both within the country and abroad and won many accolades for Kashi's proud heritage through his heart warming performances.