This thread of comments here includes some intriguing differences of opinion about gharanas and the like. I am an अनपढ़ in this topic, but despite this ignorance I too am entranced by the performance. Ustad Rafique Khan is a new discovery to me, and he has entirely distracted me from the writing work I had planned for this early morning - I can do nothing but listen to him. His melodic and rhythmic imagination is astonishingly strong and original; his phrasing rivals that of Ustad Vilayat Khan, and his playing overall belongs to the very highest category. Simply outstanding. Thank you.
What a pleasure to see two such fine musicians so deeply in touch with each other and turning that communication into an absolutely bewitching performance. Thanks so much for posting this video.
It’s the first time I heard Ustad Rafique Khan Saab. Indeed, a soul-stirring rendition - serene, mature and profoundly dignified. A rare instance of an artiste of the extended Imdadkhani gharana presenting a Maihar creation with such care and fondness ...
Soumya Roy sorry he belongs to none of the Gharana names you mentioned. He is a 6th generation from the Dharwad Gharana legacy which has produced more than 15 professional sitar players till date
Mansoor Khan Saab - thanks! I stand rectified. However, that doesn’t take away two things: His sitar playing style and tone bear strong resemblances with the Etawah sound. He plays a Maihar gharana creation which, as I earlier wrote, is commendable in itself.
As far as tone of the sitar is concerned, you're absolutely right because the tuning of the sitar is Gandhar Pancham which was created by Late Ustad Vilayat Khansaheb. But, when it comes to Maihar Gharana I doubt whether you are aware about the peculiarities of Dharwad Gharana as most of the traditional compositions are common amongst gharanas. They don't belong to any particular Gharana. They belong to the composers of the traditional Bandishes. Listen to the founder of Dharwad Gharana of Sitar on this link: Late Sitar Ratna Rahimat Khan. The recording is probably one of the first sitar of its kind. m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VuX_kPHBaA0.html
Mansoor Khan Saab - I’ve never written anywhere that Rafique Khan Saab’s playing has a Maihar influence. I only wrote about his playing raag Parameshwari which is a Pt Ravi Shankar creation. And, even at the cost of being repetitive, I say it’s a wonderful thing because most artistes tend to confine themselves to raags popular in their own gharanas. This orthodoxy of course is slowly easing out. That in itself is very appreciable. I’ve heard Shujaat Khan Saab play Hemant and Shahid Parvez Saab play Parameshwari a couple of times. As far as playing styles go, most of today’s young sitar maestros outside the Imdadkhani gharana have had some degree of influence of Vilayat Khan Saab (examples - Niladri Kumar and Purbayan Chatterjee). There’s absolutely nothing wrong with such melodious gharana cross-pollination. That’s all I wanted to say. Rafique Khan Saab’s own baaj doesn’t have much in common with those of Ustad Usman Khan and Ustad Bale Khan. That, at least, is what struck my untrained ears. Thank you so much for educating me! Deeply appreciate.
It wouldn’t be right on my part not to say something about Rafique Khan Saab’s baaj. Amalgamating his own Dharwad taalim with various other influences, he has evolved his own unique sound. A beautiful sound. I wish him all the accolades and success he so richly deserves.
Ankush-ji Thanks for posting a very well recorded performance by a musician who richly deserves a wider recognition. Ustad Rafique Khan's performance is masterly!
Wonderful.....looks like he will be the future torch bearer of the Dharwad Gharana for sitar...some claim it is an offshoot of the Kirana Gharana - but instrumental style !..senior practitioners have been Ustads Usman K & late Ustad Bale K...lets wish him all the best in the classical music jungle !
Ankushji , I had the good fortune to know late Ustad Bale K personally - we lost a great man due to his untimely death...his Shivranjani and Darbari are unforgettable...good to see you posting his gharana's music...this style of sitar playing needs more sponsors!!
re,ga and ni flat{komal} The other way you can say it is ahir bhairav but shudh ga of ahir bhairav is replaced by komal ga and pancham is not also there. Sa,re,ga,Ma,Dha,ni,SA SA,ni,Dha,Ma,ga,re,Sa smalls stand for komal swaras and SA for taar SA. Hope it would serve your purpose.
the first true master of the Sitar was Ravi Shankar, then during the mid 60's, George Harrison had lessons with him to introduce the band to new sounds for future albums, beginning with Norwegian Wood for Rubber Soul in 1965, then for some tracks on Revolver and Sgt Pepper
its a very difficult and almost not possible to compare between musicain ,..specaily when you talk about artist like Nikhil dada and Ustad Vilayat Khan and Ravi shankar ,,,for me my most beloved is Pandit Nikhil Banerjee ,.but Vilayat kHAN HE IS MORE WIDE ,,WHEN HE PLAY you listen hunderd years behind him ,,,but the most wise artist is Pandit Ravi Shankar no doubt ,,Ravi shankar he is Ocean ,,and its almost not possible to understand how much he is above ..like Bhimsen Joshi oR Kumar Gandharva ,,that my personal view ,,
@@kiyoto123 Vilayat Khan introduced Gayiki ang on the Sitar which was very inferior to tantra ang of playing. His style was very simple and copied the style of vocal singing. He was nowhere to Nikhil Banerjee and Pt. Ravishankar. HIs Darbari is interesting. He was one of the worst sitarist of India as you cannot find any intricate and difficult meed, taan etc. Hype has been unnecessary created by some poor aritstes as it was easier to copy this style. Think why one should listen gayiki on an instrument. Only Pt. Ravi Shankar played intricate taans and sometimes fused some great styles of gaiki style.
pt ravi shankar style sitar(kharaj pancham) inke dada ustad rehmat khan ji ka banaya huaa sitar hai World me sitar ke do gharane hai etawah gharana Dharwad gharana Jise hum maihar gharana bolte hai,dharwad gharana ka copy hai Maihar gharana ka mizhrab ke bol dharwad gharana ka copy hai Dharwad gharana ka sitar 4 saptak me bajaya jata hai
