Pt. Bhimsen Joshi.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
A current one-day festival in reminiscence of Pt Bhimsen Joshi was organised by the Kirana Gharan Music Society in New Delhi. It featured an fascinating jugalbandi between Delhi-based sitarist Adnan Khan and Jaipur-based vocalist Mohammed Aman Khan (singer within the hit collection ‘Bandish Bandits’). Delhi-based Adnan’s belongs to the Kirana ‘gharana’, whereas Agra-based Mohammed’s hyperlinks are with the Patiala gharana. But gharana does probably not appear to matter today, as type distinctions are not well-defined.
Adnan Khan performing on the Pt. Bhimsen Joshi tribute festival that came about in New Delhi, in 2023.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The younger musicians started with an aalap in Raag Aiman. While Mohammed moved by the notes at a quick tempo, Adnan most well-liked to linger on every main observe, and execute well-defined meends. However, within the jor portion, each the artistes maintained an excellent tempo, with Mohammed displaying flashes of his Agra gharana ‘non tom’ coaching. In the bandish ‘Piya ki nazariya’, set to Teen taal, the duo thrilled the viewers with their quick well-executed taans. Adnan’s choot taans had been notably spectacular.
Mohammed Aman Khan performing on the Pt. Bhimsen Joshi tribute live performance, held in New Delhi, in 2023.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
The subsequent piece was a tarana in Drut Ek taal, which culminated in one more tarana in Teen taal. Though the duo displayed a penchant for pace, it was additionally evident that each have put in immense riyaaz in different points as effectively. Mohammed’s ‘khuli aawaz’ is a delight, and Adnan impresses together with his light taking part in.
While a jugalbandi can spotlight the issues in a efficiency in an specific method, notably in particular person artistes, it was not so on this live performance. On the tabla was Delhi-based Zuheb Ahmed, of the Ajjrara gharana, whose restrained taking part in added to the live performance’s attraction.
The concluding live performance was by the star of the Kirana gharana, Jayateerth Mevundi. He started with raag Durga, sung with soul as effectively in his typical impeccable type, embellished with finely-etched actions inside the swaras, and the vilambit composition was ‘Tu ras kan re’, popularised by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. The interludes by Paromita Mukherjee on the harmonium vastly enhanced the live performance. She effortlessly took each musical considered Jayateerth ahead. A high quality musician herself, Paromita’s unerring intuition to not mar the temper was laudable.
Jayateerth Mevundi.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
Raag composed by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi
Jayateerth sang one other Kirana gharana favorite, ‘Chatar sughara balama’, additionally in Teen taal, where the taans stood out for his or her intricacy and excellent execution. His subsequent and really applicable providing was in raag Kalashri, composed by Pt Bhimsen Joshi. A mixture of raag Kalawati and Rageshwari, this was one of many few raags composed by the maestro. Again, sung with elan, the piece reminded one among its composer.
Jayateerth as typical concluded his live performance with a bhajan ‘Ram ka gun gaan kareeye’ in Rupak taal; an abhang, and the evergreen bhajan ‘Jo bhaje hari ko sadaa’. Ustad Rafiuddin Sabri on the tabla isn’t heard accompanying vocalists, however Jayateerth appeared to evoke the hearth in him.
