Sitar Maestro Nikhil Banerjee of the Maihar Gharana plays Raga 'Maluha Kalyan'. The deep and contemplative phrasings build up an atmosphere of reposefulness. A rare recording of technique and musical approach of the last century.
There is nothing more divine than this man's playing. This music cannot come through intense practice only. There has to be a spark of the infinite. What an irreparable loss to us when Nikhil da passed away at the prime of his life.
So glad I finally got a chance to see this wonderful film. Great to have so much of his music, along with the historical facts. It made me feel as if I had really gotten a chance to know. (I saw only one concert of his, about 2 years before he died.) I don't see this film as unfinished. Like Nikhil's music, it may not appeal to everyone, but those who can appreciate his artistry will be very grateful they have seen it. (This is Teed Rockwell, using Diana's computer.)
Great performance by a musical genius! Doordarshan, please bring out Nikhil Banerjee's 1962 All India Radio Bageshwari Kedar performance for the wider public to enjoy!
Pandit Nikhil Banerjee was extremely devoted and through rigorous training under the guidance of Annapurna Devi and Ustad Ali Akhbar Khan ,he attained this unique level of melodious music rendered through Sitar. He blended the style of many Gharanas like, Pandit Radhika Mohan Maitra, Pandit Jatindra Kishore Roy Chowdhury of Natore State and John Gomes.,a disciple of Ustad Vilayet Khan ,his own father who initiated his training as first Guru and then finally to some extent by Ustad Alauddin Khan who was his official Guru at Mahihar. He imbibed all these different styles of music ,besides Ustad Amir Khan saheb ' vocal music . So he was able to develop his own style of playing Sitar,specially his Alap and Jor followed by Gatkari ,of Sapat Tans in the way of Ustad Vilayet Khan, on different talas following Pt Ravishankar and Ustad Ali Akhbar Khan . Ustad Amir Khan influenced his music to a great extent. Here the Meru Khanda played by Sri Banerjee was in the style of Ustad Amir Khan using three octaves and using the fluent strokes of Dadara and Dri Dri . Moreover the melody of his rendition was always enchanting to the listeners. He worshipped his music and offered as an offerings to the Supreme Power. He was very modest. His music is beyond our assessment as an audience unless one is acquainted with the Classical music onself. But the melody had long impression in the minds of his Audience. H. M . V first published a Long Playing record in the year of probably1964/ 65 and it was based on this Raga. That was the age of Pandit Ravishankar, mainly,and to some extent to Ustad Vilayet Khan.He hardly disappointed his coveted Audience while performing in India and abroad. He had no disciple as he was busy in rigorous practice of his instrument as a matter of Routine. But he might have some students in U. S. A as a lecturer of Ali Akhbar College of music. Music enthusiasts all over the world of Indian Classical Music had really lost a Gem like him untimely which created a big void in that world where it is hard to find devoted Artiste of his calibre.
In which year this programme was held in Doordarshan? Nikhil Babu was exqusite in playing his sitar for the Audience over the telecast of his recital when he was in full form .
What a spellbound sitar presentation!!! Remembering my days of seventies, when listening him live in kolkata and got mesmerized. Thanks to the lockdown days, it gives me ample of time to listen him and plunged into deep ocean of melodies and meditate !!!
Panditji was truly gifted and Blessed by Goddess Saraswati , he parted before his time at least he left us his beautiful music which we the music lover will enjoy till our ending days. I consider myself lucky to have met him couple of times. Great personality.
so beautiful to see the great Pandit Nikhil Banerjee in concert, with such detail to his playing style captured on film. I've been playing sitar since 1986, and now I have another 5 years of practice ahead after watching this film...thankyou...
+peter davidian Yes my friend. We've been playing since 1991. After hearing Maestro Banerjee, one's first impulse is disbelief, then which locomotive to toss your sitar under….but then in the end, he makes you want to practice even harder. His "Dabari Mood" nearly sends us into outer space. To do just one meend with 1/2000th the rasa, that would be something!
It is sad to see that the last comment was a year ago. Let ne start off 2021 with "I love sitar music!" Among the Avatars are this man, and the legendary Ravi Shankar and all the thousands, perhaps millions of sitar players whom I have not heard of.
I have not heard any other musician attempt to play or sing this raga (Maluha Kalyan ) Only Nikhil Banerjee has the ability to play this difficult raga.
@@burkabandar3393 Please don't use such words for maestros. If you can't pay respect, please learn to. If you genuinely want to belittle him, do upload your recording. I would love to listen to it. Thank you 😊
The ethereality, the aesthetic, the poise...as if the goddess of music herself is manifesting the music - note by note - from the abstract, and is weaving them into a bead to offer to Nadabramha.
I enjoyed lots of music played by him but this's the first video where I saw him playing. Here he seems feeble. His eyes are telling me, he's suffering inside. I read, he died at the age of 54. Shocking, the world lost a gem. While Shankar & others are a bit faster, he's a bit meditative. Only in the video, I saw him playing it faster. At 46:40 the second part starts. Which is what I like. Added to a playlist: Ragg~Indian classical music. Thanks from Great Britain (Wed 31 Mar 2021 21h23)
As a curiosity, Sitarists have permanent calloused cuts on their playing fingers which is evident here early during the alap phase as very dark patches on his index and second fingers of his left hand. Another interesting thing is the use of the third (ring) finger when playing, whereas most play with only two fingers on the string. I think this started with Pandit Ravi Shankar. Donno if it is a character if the gharana. Another interesting and astounding fact is that every sound we hear struck is done with the single index finger of the striking hand. There are hardly any left handed sitarists. 🙏🙏😁
I've been unable to find any written analysis of this Raga either. The Kalyan flavor is obvious but I can only find a few performances of this Raag. I can't find anything written about "Maluha". Regardless, it's sublime.
As I understand it Maluha Kaylan is similar to rag yaman only with the tonic tuned Ma as a opposed to Pa and using shudda ma rather then tiva ma. I might be wrong tho
@@burkabandar3393 yes..even zakir hussain told this in his book that nikhil banerjee was one of them who suffered because of ravi shankar's fame because ravi shankar could speak english and entertain his audience rather than playing sitar! He also stated than in India specially in Kolkata people loved to listen to nikhil banerjee and not ravi shankar...!🙏
Naresh Bagewadi Are you sure he said that? I haven’t read the book yet but it’s quite unbelievable that he’d say that about Ravi Shankar. Whenever I’ve listened to him speak about Ravi Shankar, he’s always been full of praises, though I totally agree with you.
@@nareshbagewadi No argument here. Nikhil Banerjee's greatness is unparalleled. But attributing Ravi Shankar's fame to his marketing acumen and/or articulation is a bit too much to digest!
As usual the tabla player does not get a mention in the title of the video, shame on you Doordarshan. Pt Anindo Chaterjee is an exceptional tabla player and one of our greats and deserves to be named. Frankly I am disgusted at how many youtube videos make no mention of accompanying musicians, it's as if the 'main' artist is all that matters. Well, music at this level requires accompanists who are also of the highest ability and deserving of being named.
Hi JasJi, it may well be Ustad Shafaat Ahmed Khan but to me it looks very much like Pandit Anindo Chaterjee in his younger days. If anyone knows for sure it would be appreciated.
@@nareshbagewadi yes, cetainly. I am wuite familiar with him. It is only that I could not recognize him in the clip as his face seemed unfamiliar, may be due to time lapse. Thanks again.
2006minesh Dang man such negativity you are displaying. It would be more ignorant if he didn’t care to learn what’s going on. He is interested enough to ask about the music to gain more of an understanding and this is how you respond?! Much love your way man I hope you learn to become kinder in your responses.
Typical Doordarshan quality. The sound and picture are at least a few seconds out of synch. Are there no technical people who pay attention to such quality issues at Doordarshan. An insult to a great artiste.
The volume not measured or equally ballanced for sitar & tabla. This is the wickness or lac of audio technicians, who are need to be music lover at least, if not musicians. The details of ChkraTihai, Tukra etc. aren't audiable playing in between by the Tabla mastro Pt. Anindyo Chaterjee. Doordarshan would be more thankfull if would takes care timely
