Notes and Beats

Let us not forget those great singers who chose to stay out of the race of name and fame . Azam Bai of Kolhapur (1906-1986) was also known as Azambai Pisal. Very little is known about her but the recordings she left behind testifies that she was a classical vocalist of truly exceptional quality . It is known that she was trained in the Jaipur-Atrauli style of Ustad Alladiya Khan, by one of his sons -- either Manjhi Khan or Bhurji Khan during the 1930s. She also starred in a film named Naagaanand (1935) for which Vamanrao Sadolikar composed the music. Azambai of Kolhapur cut at least 15 78 RPM records released by the Odeon Company in 1936-37 -- most of which are now only available in the collectors' archives.

A Rag mala is a garland of beautiful flowers . These flowers are verses composed in different Ragas . Though there are many flowers in a garland , that are all held together in a central strand of oneness . Similarly a Rag mala though comprising of several ragas has a central theme and a mood . Padmashree Goswami Gokulotsavji Maharaj is undoubtedly a great living saint and an equally great musician .He belongs to the tradition of Indor gharana of Khan saheb .We don't get to listen to him often . But when we do , he takes us to a different world of devotion and melodic nectar. Sharing with you this beautiful Rag Mala composed by Swamiji .

In this world of loud music ,what a bliss it is to get to listen to musicians who can uncover , the softness , intensity and delicacy hidden in musical compositions .  John Eliot Gardiner is one of the great modern day conductors .I love him for his calm ,mature disposition ,his scholarship and of course his humility Here he conducts a mass by Mozart . It is 59 minutes of absolute glory. The way such a huge band of musicians is synchronized in body ,mind ,heart and spirits and elevate the audience to a higher meditative state is amazing . Masses are essentially spiritual compositions written by composers such as Bach and Mozart . Very soothing and pleasing indeed !! I am sure Mr Gardiner the Lord is extremely pleased every time you conduct  smile emoticon   smile emoticon

We hear a lot of grievance statements in the field of Indian classical music. Some of them are. 1.Most of the Indian music lovers feel classical music is out of their reach .The Raagas , the Gharanas , the Alaaps , the rhythm ,take any of it , they can relate to none and hence classical music falls out of taste of masses . 2.Musicians that belong to the older generations or those who follow older generations feel that musical sensibilities of audience of the present day have degraded. People don’t want to listen to a long drawn elaborate development of Raaga. They want classical music to be wrapped up as soon as possible and light classical/light music to be sung. If possible a fast beat, high pitched song that they can tap their feet on. 3. Artists that belong to the new generation feel that we are dragging our feet too much on the old sands; we must look out for new kind of music, innovative, original and fresh. Nothing should stop creativity even it means creating fusion. Art form...

Any time in our creative life if we get tempted by smaller things, we can turn back and check the path that great artists followed ."Mahajano Yen Gatah Sa Panthah"(Follow the path that great people followed ).Pandit D.V. Paluskar churns our consciousness with his heart wrenching exposition of Raag Bhoopali .His Shuddha Aakar , Purity of tonal constructions in Raaga Bhava, Smooth silky mellifluous voice makes us wonder what kind of emotional intensity this great man had !! If we close our eyes and listen ,we feel as if we are swimming in the vast expanse of sonorous music . This is a rare big recording of Panditji.

Raag Saraswati is a beautiful melody that comes to Hindustani music from Carnatak Music. The “Jati” is Audav –Shadav i.e. Five Swaras in the aroha (ascent) and six Swaras in the avaroh (decent). Gandhar and Nishad are not taken in Aroh and Gandhar is not taken in Avroh .The dialogue between Pancham and Rishab is very pleasing. They are Vadi and Sanvadi swars respectively. It is a sweet coincidence that an artist specially blessed by Saraswasti Maa is singing Raag Saraswati. Deeply emotive artistic communication and profundity are signatures of Sanhita Nandi 's Raga development .As the aesthetic beauty of colourful flowers of notes in the garden of this raga are carefully caressed; a holistic feeling of the Raaga Bhava emerges. One tends to get lost in the ocean of divine musical experience .True to the Kairana legacy; the musical sonority is loved and protected beyond life. Raaga Saraswati becomes a medium to connect with Maa Saraswati.