My Music Diary

Ustad Vilayat Khan Excerpts from the book ‘Komal Gandhar’ STYLE OF PLAYING (ANG) My Sitar demonstrates the fusion of instrumental and vocal music – this is what the whole world is saying – I never needed to say it myself. So, can I explain a little about it? It is the opinion of some people that my grandfather Imdad Khan Saheb introduced the ‘Gayaki Ang’. No – Imdad Khan Saheb’s style of playing was the ‘Tantra Ang’ – ‘Dhrupad Ang’ on the Surbahar. And there were ‘Gat Todas’ of the ‘Tantra Ang’ which was a part of the Sitar. Then from Inayat Khan came the ‘Sapat Tan’. The playing of ‘Tihais’. This was all the innovation of Inayat Khan Saheb. Then let us take ‘Peshkara’ – of Jantanat Khan Saheb, Tarrale Khan Saheb, Kaale Khan Saheb, Mian Baksh Khan Saheb – then Kallu Hafeez, Bhairon Maharaj – of the Tabla of these great masters. ‘Purbi Baaj’, ‘Farkkabadi Baaj’, ‘Delhi Baaj’. This ‘Peshkara Baaj’ of the Tabla was introduced into Sitar by Inayat Khan Saheb. And the playing of ‘...

  I came to know about Mick Taylor from a concert announcement (newspaper) in Kolkata several years ago. The photo with his elegant posture with Sitar, perfect hand positions and gracious look created instant curiosity to know more about him and his music. I gathered that he was a veteran sitarist from UK and was instrumental to spread the Indian Culture in UK for several decades, along with his wife Kathak artist - Alpana Sengupta. After several years, on my email invitation he kindly attended one of my performances in UK, also congratulated and blessed me. Those memories will remain forever in my heart. I feel to be fortunate to have known him in person. May his soul rest in peace.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/too-little-too-late-ustad-imrat-khan-declines-padma-shri/358626.html http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/too-little-too-late-ustad-imrat-khan-declines-padma-shri/535273/ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/padma-shri-too-little-too-late/articleshow/56942824.cms http://maharashtratimes.indiatimes.com/international/international-news/too-little-too-late-ustad-imrat-khan-declines-padma-shri/articleshow/56943487.cms http://naidunia.jagran.com/national-too-little-too-late-noted-sitar-player-ustad-imrat-khan-declines-padma-shri-979180

Sitar maestro Shujaat Khan who is perhaps the greatest sitar player amongst the younger sitarists, is the son of legendary sitar player, the late Ustad Vilayat Khan. Shujaat’s earliest memories of his father are of sitting with him on stage and listening to him at the age of 3 or 4.  “Abba had oiled curly hair and there he would be in his cream kurta, and we could actually feel the mesmerizing power of his music as he held the thousands that had come to hear him spellbound.  I also remember the time we spent in the early morning,–our time alone, and that one hour that we spent together before every one else woke up. We would play musical games –he would ask me to sing after him and then tell me the notes that went into it. To this day I can immediately identify the notes behind any song in any language. I didn’t realize it then but he was teaching me so much in just a musical game. As I grew older he also made sure I knew how to be self reliant. He would get me to ...

-- By Ramprapanna Bhattacharya. ramprapanna.webs.com Copy rights reserved.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As an ardent follower and admirer of the Imdadkhani Etawah Gharana, it is my humble attempt to consolidate all the treasures, materials and manuscripts related to this glorious tradition and keep it under one space - for quick and easy reference of the Gharana admirers. Copy right belongs to the original authors of the article. Reference, due credits and original links are mentioned as courtesy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TRANSLATED BY D.P. SEN Editor’s note: While his health was fast deteriorating, D.T. Joshi’s ardent admirer and friend Dr Kalyan Bhattacharya of Burdwan requested Joshiji (as he was known) to write about the music and musicians he came across during his lifetime.  Professor Joshi tried to avoid this request saying “Who seriously understands classic...

Being a great fan and follower of Ustad Vilayat Khan, and a genuine admirer of Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta, I thought it will be good to share Pt. Dasgupta's obituary for Aftaab-E-Sitar. Copy right belongs to OUTLOOK INDIA. The original post can be found here: http://mcomments.outlookindia.com/story.aspx?sid=4&aid=223387 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With Vilayat Khan saheb's passing away, what I always adored as the best of sitar has disappeared from my horizon. I've heard Vilayat Khan saheb since I was 15, he was about 20 then. And I watched him attain dizzying heights, hitherto unprecedented. His command over the instrument would leave me breathless, wondering if it was not a part of his body. He could do anything he liked with his sitar. The degree of, tayyari which he achieved led everyone else scrambling after him. But, for Khan saheb, mere tayyari was not enough, it took with it the accuracy of notes, o...

Spotlight Of The Month Aftaab-E-Sitar Ustad Vilayat Khan The greatest of musicians, an epoch-maker, a visionary, Ustad Vilayat Khan was all that and much more. He occupies the pre-eminent place in the world of Hindustani classical music being a legend by virtue of his exceptional musicianship, matchless creativity, dazzling brilliance, superlative perfection, awesomely brilliant techniques and acknowledged mastery over the instrument. Combined with strong base of traditionalism, his own contribution had made him an authority and an icon of Indian Classical Music. Upholding the unparallel musical legacy, Ustad Vilayat Khan had musical blue blood in his veins. His grandfather Ustad Imdad Khan was considered as the greatest master of sitar and surbahar among his contemporary musicians and performed throughou...

An Article by Sri Abhik Mukherjee . The days Ram ( Ramprapanna Bhattacharya ) and I spent with Guruji (Kashi Jethu and Jethuma) were memorable. Pt. Ji teaching Sri Abhik Mukherjee Jethu used to give us some difficult patterns of tans to practice. Ram and I, both very young at the time, got bored with the continuous practice. It was winter time in the district of Birbhum; the air was fine with blue sky and bright sun. We wanted to find any pretext to slip out of Jethu’s house. At one point, our return -journey reservations on the train were not confirmed.  That became our excuse to get out of the house every day after 11am. We would then return during the lunch time and have the delicious dishes cooked by Jethuma. We thought we were smart, but Jethu saw through our plans. A couple of days after the same incident was repeated, Jethu, with his subtle humor, announced at the breakfast table that from now on morning time would be for listening to music and playing alaaps s...

Pt. Arvind Parikh speaks on Ustad Vilayat Khan My association with Ustad Vilayat Khan saheb is 60 years old. I first met him in 1943 and he was kind enough to accept me as his student. I had actually come to Bombay from Ahmedabad to audition for All India Radio since I had learnt the sitar for a couple of years. It was sheer chance that, as I got off the train, I bumped into a friend who told me Ustad Vilayat Khan was coming to his house. I was a great admirer of Khan saheb and told my friend I would love to meet him. When Khan saheb heard I was going to audition for the radio in a few hours, he asked me to play for him. He knew I was going to fail because I was just no good. But he still taught me a few compositions. He even phoned the radio station and told them, 'I am sending one of my students. Look after him.' If I had any kind of merit, I should have passed. But I had absolutely no merit whatsoever. Yet, as far as I was concerned, the trip to Bombay was fru...