The Ahmedabad-based cultural organisation’s podcasts permit listeners a deeper dive into classical music
Forty years in the past, a bunch of classical music connoisseurs, led by tabla exponent Nandan Mehta and his sitarist spouse Manju, arrange a college for music in Ahmedabad referred to as Saptak. They subsequent started internet hosting a three-day annual music competition, which grew in each reputation and length, and is right this moment a 13-day lengthy occasion. One other important initiative was the establishing of the Saptak Archives in 2004 to digitise recordings of Saptak concert events and in addition to amass uncommon classical music recordings.
In a current lockdown deal with, Saptak launched podcasts and already, there are 40 podcasts masking Hindustani music, semi-classical and Carnatic-Hindustani jugalbandis. Says vocalist and contributor Srijan Deshpande, “Right this moment the issue will not be entry to classical music on-line, it’s realizing what to hearken to, and what to hear for. Principally, we are attempting to create a gateway to classical music.”
The music chosen for the podcasts will not be confined to the Saptak archives (managed by Prafull Anubhai, and comprising greater than 20,000 recordings). About half-hour lengthy, the podcasts can be found on the Saptak YouTube channel and have been put collectively by a staff of about 10 musician-scholars.
One in every of most up-to-date podcasts was on the sitar — Manju Mehta launched 4 principal kinds of taking part in the instrument — Etawah gharana, Maihar Senia, Vishnupur and Senia Jaipur.
Sitar taking part in strategies
Etawah gharana or Imdadkhani gharana was launched by veteran sitariya Pt. Arvind Parikh. The proper hand strategies of Hindustani instrumentalists (versus Carnatic exponents) had been extremely developed — the recordings of Ustad Imdad Khan in raga Bihag and of Ustad Inayat Khan in raga Bhairavi exhibited this.
Ustad Vilayat Khan, other than modifying the sitar and eliminating the kharaj wire required for dhrupad-style aalap, focussed extra on left-hand actions, which is right this moment referred to as the gayaki ang. Nevertheless, it might be extra exact to name it the khayal/ thumri ang. Ustad Vilayat Khan’s recording of raga Bahar showcases his implausible tayyari; raga Sanjh Saravalli, composed by the legendary musician reveals his immense creativity.
Pt. Ravi Shankar
The Maihar Senia ‘beenkar’ gharana, established by Ustad Allaudin Khan, rightly centered on Pt. Ravi Shankar. The maestro’s disciple Shubhendra Rao, who introduced the episode, defined the gharana’s hyperlink with Tansen by his daughter, who was married right into a household of beenkars. Shubhendra spoke of the emphasis of the dhrupad model of aalap and jod, after which selected to deal with Pt. Ravi Shankar’s raga Parameshwari. This recording is certainly one of his greatest. Episodes on the opposite two sitar gharanas are awaited.
Influences of gharanas
Srijan Deshpande’s three-part deal with Ustad Amir Khan (episodes 2, 13 and 30) fascinatingly traces the principle musical influences on this trend-setting singer. Half 1 opens with a recording of Ustad Wahid Khan of the Kirana gharana whose ati vilambit aalap model was adopted, and extended additional, by Ustad Amir Khan. Ustad Wahid Khan etches raga Darbari with masterly, assured strokes inside the first minute or so; these days some vocalists are likely to linger on three to 4 notes initially, and the contours of the raga stay obscure.
Half 2 showcases the affect of sargam (used extensively within the Carnatic vocal custom) on Ustad Aman Ali Khan of the Bhendi Bazar gharana, which was adopted by Ustad Amir Khan. The raga is Hansadhwani, a Carnatic raga, which admirably lends itself to reveal this; sadly the recording high quality will not be good. Ustad Amir Khan’s recording of the identical raga is of a non-public baithak; inspiring him to render some really magnificent music.
Half 3 is dedicated to Ustad Amir Khan’s amazingly intricate taans, which had been impressed by Indore-based Ustad Rajab Ali Khan. Sadly, there aren’t any accessible recordings of this grasp at his peak, so Srijan performs the recording of his disciple Ganpatrao Dewaskar in raga Adana.
Three-part Malhar sequence
Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist Radhika Joshi’s three-part sequence on Malhars (episodes 8, 19 and 33) unusually divides the Malhars into three durations — Megh, Shudh Malhar and Gaud Malhar pre-Fifteenth century; Fifteenth-18th century contains Mian Malhar, Sur, Meera and Nat Malhars (the composition by Pt. Dinkar Kaikini in Nat Malhar is a uncommon gem); and nineteenth century until date contains Tilak, Sorath, Chaya and Anand Malhars (all mixtures of Malhar with different ragas)
In episode 31, vocalist Nilesh Dhakras skilfully reveals how a change of tempo in the identical composition in raga Sohni sung by Pt. Gajananbua Joshi and his disciple, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, brings in nearly a brand new feeling to the raga. Sarod artiste Sohan Nilkanth brilliantly presents Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s composed Chandranandan and Gauri Manjari ragas, in three episodes.
North-South jugalbandis by dhrupad exponents Gundecha Brothers and Carnatic vocalists Malladi Brothers (raga Kiravani) and the U.S.-based younger singers Lalit Subramaniam (disciple of Tiruvarur S. Girish and Neyveli Santhanagopalan) and Jai Sovani (disciple of Aarti Ankalikar) singing ragas Subhapantuvarali and Lalit are different fascinating episodes. The podcasts are a real deal with for music lovers.
The Delhi-based creator writes on Hindustani music and musicians.
