A brief history of this recital, at the behest of Panditji, is in order; it may amuse some and irk others. During a period extending about 3 years during mid/ late 70s Bhimsen Joshi preferred to sing only a handful of Raags in Music Conferences, for certain personal reasons. He had become so predictable that if he sang in the early or late night, people could expect either Yaman, Puriya Kalyan, Durbari, and occasionally Malkaus!! Calcutta was the focal point and watering hole of all artists - all of whom openly declared that they derived their inspiration from the audiences of Calcutta. Bombay ( in those days!) paid them much more but the real inspiration came from Calcutta. Kumar Prasad Mukherjee, a noted musicologist, singer , corporate honcho and above all the Music Critic of Statesman ( Bengali Newspapers often quoted his views) had a very acidic pen and he never spared anybody, even Vilayet Khan. Kumar Mukherjee got after Bhimsen , hammer & tongs, declaring him to be lazy and indolent for only singing a few Raags all the time This program was , as I mentioned earlier, at the request of Bhimsen Joshi. His condition was Kumar Mukherjee MUST be present. Bhimsen wanted to make a point that he has not "forgotten" his large repertoire. Hence he sang these slightly off beat Raags, principally for the benefit of Ki=umar Mukherjee and to silence critics
+RAFAT SAID Thanks a lot, Mr Rafat Said, for the recording as well as the history snippet ! Beyond doubt, Pandit Bhimsenji was one of the greatest musicians India has produced, but its true, in spite of his popularity reaching ever new heights all across the globe, he had stagnated and was getting very predictable. He also travelled astonishingly & unprecedentedly extensively those years, all across India & the world. If the authority like Mr Mukherjee were critical of him, they have done a great service to music, if that could bring something of the best in him! It was only in the eighties that perhaps the great legend of Bhimsen took real shape, as we recognise him today. He used to be Padmashree, Padmabhushan & then Padmavibhushan all those journey of 60s through 70s, but the Bharatratna emerged as he aged...
Wah!! Kya Baat Hai!! Extremely grateful for sharing this. Had not heard before some of these ragas being sung by Bhimsenji. It just shows the versetality of Bhimsenji & one can safely say that he was very much capable of singing rare ragas with equal ease. One can only wish he had included these ragas into his programs more often as a variety. Very much enjoying these recent uploads of Bhimsenji. I express my heartfelt gratitude to you sir, & Mr. Farhad Said Khan & Mr Rafat Said Khan for making these treasures available to all the thirsty listeners.
Thank you very much Mr. Rafat Said Khanji for sharing this rare ragas presented by the great "King of Mehfils" Pt. Bhimsenji. (Of which I have heard Gauri (Marwa that), Patdeepki and Bhatiyar (Khamaj that) at 150 years celebration in the year 1989 of The Times of India at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai) Thank you once again for remembering these ragas.
0:00:00 Gauri - Atahi Prachudana 11:24 Raag Khamaji Bhatiyar: Mahadev 18:00 Raag Pradeepki Piya Ghar Nahi 24:30 Marwa Vilambit and Guru Bin 34:35 Violin Solo 37:46 Raag Lalit Gauri Khelen Aayi (Seems to have same lyrics as the one Alladiya Khansaheb and Haider Khansaheb composed, different chaal) 41:15 Bhankar Todi Jago Jago 43:58 Raag Shankara Aaj Suhaga, Piharawa 1:00:00 Raag Nayaki Kanada, Bageshree Ang
My Dear Raju Asokan Sir... "A Ri aaj Suhag Ki Raat Neeki Bhayi Ri..." is A Vilambit Bandish Of Raag "Shankara" "Ustad Abdul Karim Khan Sahib" & "Sawai Gandharwa" Smt Gangu Bai Hangal & Krishana Hangal also use to sing this Bandish in Concerts... which Concluded with "Piharwa Maika Gar Lago..." That is Raag Shankara...
Mr. Khan, I knew of and agreed totally with Mr. Mukherjee's comments regarding our great and magical Panditji. These recordings are therefore all the more precious as i have searched hugely and come across naught but repetitions of the handful of ragas (all very exceptional) that he sang . Many thanks once again
I am not sure how I missed out on this gem. Apart from its historical value, it brought out the very best from PBJ. Many thanks to RSK, RA, and of course (Late) KPM who "forced" PBJ to prove and display his repertoire!
This is so very precious - cannot thank you enough for making it available to all. Panditji's repertoire is vast as the ocean and cannot be measured in number of ragas he chose to sing. There are various factors - Firstly, Panditji sang a LOT more concerts in his six decade career than most others he is compared with. So he was naturally bound to 'repeat' his ragas more often than others. Secondly, those who 'complain' that he sang only a few ragas miss the whole point of his art. Panditji believed in digging into the depths of the raga and not in intellectual sports like singing novelty item ragas. If I had 20 minutes left to live I would want to hear his Puriya. THE SAME PURIYA I HAVE BEEN LISTENING FOR ALL MY LIFE. The same goes for all the so-called few ragas like Todi, Multani, Shuddha Kalyan, Malkauns and Darbari and of course, Bhairavi where he has achieved the impossible with his superhuman powers. And yet, this post of his rare ragas is an absolute gem! If this does not silence the critics then I wonder what will.
Thanks for this upload sir. But would it be possible for provide the lyrics for each of them. Some are clear but some like the first one. Gauri is just not discernible. If you know please let everyone know. Thanks.
The bandish mukhda is 'ati prachandana', and Abdul Karim Khan has also renderred it. Have a look at Parrikar's feature on Lalit, Gauri and Lalita Gauri.
Pranams 🙏🙏🙏
A brief history of this recital, at the behest of Panditji, is in order; it may amuse some and irk others.
During a period extending about 3 years during mid/ late 70s Bhimsen Joshi preferred to sing only a handful of Raags in Music Conferences, for certain personal reasons. He had become so predictable that if he sang in the early or late night, people could expect either Yaman, Puriya Kalyan, Durbari, and occasionally Malkaus!!
Calcutta was the focal point and watering hole of all artists - all of whom openly declared that they derived their inspiration from the audiences of Calcutta. Bombay ( in those days!) paid them much more but the real inspiration came from Calcutta.
Kumar Prasad Mukherjee, a noted musicologist, singer , corporate honcho and above all the Music Critic of Statesman ( Bengali Newspapers often quoted his views) had a very acidic pen and he never spared anybody, even Vilayet Khan. Kumar Mukherjee got after Bhimsen , hammer & tongs, declaring him to be lazy and indolent for only singing a few Raags all the time
This program was , as I mentioned earlier, at the request of Bhimsen Joshi. His condition was Kumar Mukherjee MUST be present. Bhimsen wanted to make a point that he has not "forgotten" his large repertoire. Hence he sang these slightly off beat Raags, principally for the benefit of Ki=umar Mukherjee and to silence critics
+RAFAT SAID Thanks a lot, Mr Rafat Said, for the recording as well as the history snippet ! Beyond doubt, Pandit Bhimsenji was one of the greatest musicians India has produced, but its true, in spite of his popularity reaching ever new heights all across the globe, he had stagnated and was getting very predictable. He also travelled astonishingly & unprecedentedly extensively those years, all across India & the world. If the authority like Mr Mukherjee were critical of him, they have done a great service to music, if that could bring something of the best in him! It was only in the eighties that perhaps the great legend of Bhimsen took real shape, as we recognise him today. He used to be Padmashree, Padmabhushan & then Padmavibhushan all those journey of 60s through 70s, but the Bharatratna emerged as he aged...
Thanx alot sir that's so kind of u to share this rare information with us.
We r really thankful to u fr this priceless information.
We need someone like Kumar mukherjee today,
Raju Asokan, Mr. Rfat Said Khan, you are doing great service to the world of Indian classical music by sharing these recordings.
Wah!! Kya Baat Hai!! Extremely grateful for sharing this. Had not heard before some of these ragas being sung by Bhimsenji. It just shows the versetality of Bhimsenji & one can safely say that he was very much capable of singing rare ragas with equal ease. One can only wish he had included these ragas into his programs more often as a variety. Very much enjoying these recent uploads of Bhimsenji. I express my heartfelt gratitude to you sir, & Mr. Farhad Said Khan & Mr Rafat Said Khan for making these treasures available to all the thirsty listeners.
Thank you very much Mr. Rafat Said Khanji for sharing this rare ragas presented by the great "King of Mehfils" Pt. Bhimsenji. (Of which I have heard Gauri (Marwa that), Patdeepki and Bhatiyar (Khamaj that) at 150 years celebration in the year 1989 of The Times of India at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai) Thank you once again for remembering these ragas.
Thanks for the upload.
Mesmerizing! Thank you very much.
Interestingly, whoever the violinist is, they seem to play a short solo in a rare SRMmD scale around 33:00
Pt. V. G. Jog?
0:00:00 Gauri - Atahi Prachudana
11:24 Raag Khamaji Bhatiyar: Mahadev
18:00 Raag Pradeepki Piya Ghar Nahi
24:30 Marwa Vilambit and Guru Bin
34:35 Violin Solo
37:46 Raag Lalit Gauri Khelen Aayi (Seems to have same lyrics as the one Alladiya Khansaheb and Haider Khansaheb composed, different chaal)
41:15 Bhankar Todi Jago Jago
43:58 Raag Shankara Aaj Suhaga, Piharawa
1:00:00 Raag Nayaki Kanada, Bageshree Ang
My Dear Raju Asokan Sir... "A Ri aaj Suhag Ki Raat Neeki Bhayi Ri..." is A Vilambit Bandish Of Raag "Shankara" "Ustad Abdul Karim Khan Sahib" & "Sawai Gandharwa" Smt Gangu Bai Hangal & Krishana Hangal also use to sing this Bandish in Concerts... which Concluded with "Piharwa Maika Gar Lago..." That is Raag Shankara...
Thank You!
Mr. Khan, I knew of and agreed totally with Mr. Mukherjee's comments regarding our great and magical Panditji. These recordings are therefore all the more precious as i have searched hugely and come across naught but repetitions of the handful of ragas (all very exceptional) that he sang . Many thanks once again
00:00 - Raga Gauri (Marwa thaat)
11:18 - Raga Pradipaki
24:29 - Raga Marwa
33:40 - Raga Lalita Gauri
41:16 - Raga Bhatiyar
43:50 - Raga Bihag
For everyone's reference. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
11:18 is Khamaji Bhatiyar imo
2112x1Book2 43.50 is not Bihag its Raag Shankara with immediate drut bandish Piharawa widly available in Record
I agree..More popularly known as Jhinjhoti
I think 41:16 looks like Bhatiyari Todi, 43:50 is Shankara and the last one seems to be a Raisa or Bageshri Kanada
11:18 is Khambavati
I am not sure how I missed out on this gem. Apart from its historical value, it brought out the very best from PBJ. Many thanks to RSK, RA, and of course (Late) KPM who "forced" PBJ to prove and display his repertoire!
waah .. thank you :)
This is so very precious - cannot thank you enough for making it available to all.
Panditji's repertoire is vast as the ocean and cannot be measured in number of ragas he chose to sing.
There are various factors - Firstly, Panditji sang a LOT more concerts in his six decade career than most others he is compared with. So he was naturally bound to 'repeat' his ragas more often than others. Secondly, those who 'complain' that he sang only a few ragas miss the whole point of his art. Panditji believed in digging into the depths of the raga and not in intellectual sports like singing novelty item ragas.
If I had 20 minutes left to live I would want to hear his Puriya. THE SAME PURIYA I HAVE BEEN LISTENING FOR ALL MY LIFE.
The same goes for all the so-called few ragas like Todi, Multani, Shuddha Kalyan, Malkauns and Darbari and of course, Bhairavi where he has achieved the impossible with his superhuman powers.
And yet, this post of his rare ragas is an absolute gem! If this does not silence the critics then I wonder what will.
Shankar Lakshmanan do people really criticize him ?
🙌🙌🙌
Thank you so much for uploading this gem! Who is accompanying on violin?
Bhankar Todi and Bageshree kanada too are present.
Thanks for this upload sir.
But would it be possible for provide the lyrics for each of them.
Some are clear but some like the first one. Gauri is just not discernible.
If you know please let everyone know. Thanks.
The bandish mukhda is 'ati prachandana', and Abdul Karim Khan has also renderred it. Have a look at Parrikar's feature on Lalit, Gauri and Lalita Gauri.
Last one is raag shankara I guess