Padmabhushan Nikhil Banerjee (1931-1986) was one of
the greatest sitarists of this century. His music earned deep
respect among India's classical music aficionados as well as gaining
him a devoted international following. He was the disciple of
the two greatest forces in 20th Century Indian classical instrumental
music, Padmavibhushan Allauddin Khan and his son Maestro Ali Akbar
Khan. Though he recorded many LPs, few were of live concerts,
in which his leisurely, majestic raga development was unsurpassed.
Mr. Banerjee disliked being recorded, feeling that the process
distracted and somewhat compromised the inner meditative quality
of his music, and high fidelity live recordings are rare.
To preserve his legacy and show the full scope of his musical
vision, Raga Records is reproducing a series of live concert masters.
This radio broadcast, by KPFA Berkeley, was made during one of
Mr. Banerjee's earliest visits to the US, performing and teaching,
sponsored by the American Society for Eastern Arts.
Pandit Mahapurush Misra (1931-1987), a disciple of Pandit
Anokhelal, was renowned for the clarity and sweetness of his tabla
solos and accompaniment. He has performed and recorded with many
of India's foremost musicians.
Rag Chandrakaush belongs to the deep of the night. Closely
related to Rag Malkaush, Chandra-kaush has a pentatonic structure,
completely omitting the second and fifth notes of the scale, and
using a flattened third, natural fourth and flat sixth. Its scale
differs from Malkaush in using a natural seventh. Chandrakaush
shares with Malkaush a mood of devotion and peace, with added
elements of the romantic and the heroic. Ali Akbar Khansahib has
said that there's also a feeling like that of a monkey that can't
keep still. Indian classical instumental music is derived from
vocal music, and the design of the sitar has evolved to allow
it to mimic this age old style with a range extending over five
octaves, with the musician playing notes that can slide through
the best part of an octave by bending the string sideways. Sympathetic
strings tuned to the notes of the raga being played ring out when
those notes are struck on the playing strings. There are also
many strings tuned to the tonic. This performance begins with
the alap proper, a floating, freeform solo exploration of the
tonal materials and structure of the raga, including one of Mr.
Banerjee's signature kharaj sections, going into the lowest notes
of the register. The jor (counter 11:50) begins with the introduction
of a beat. From here on, the tempo steadily builds toward a
climactic jhalla (18:10).
Mr. Banerjee often played rag Khamaj after intermission
at his concerts. After a short introductory alap, the tabla joins
in, with a gat in rupak tal, a rhythm cycle in seven beats (2:43).
During the sitar solos, Mahapurush keeps track of the tal by playing
theka, a characteristic series of drum strokes that define the
tal: "tin tin na, dhin na, dhin na;" with a flat sound
from the bass drum for the first three beats, and a deep whoomp
sound under the fourth and sixth beats. A fast gat in 16-beat
tintal follows (23:26).
Mr. Banerjee recorded more than two dozen albums, on the Indian
EMI label, and for Sonodisc in France, Harmonia Mundi and Chhanda
Dhara in Germany, Amigo in Sweden, and for Capitol, Connoisseur
Society and Musical Traditions in the US. Many of these recordings
are available through the AACM Store (415 454-6264).
Released by arrangement with Mrs. Roma Banerjee and the Pacifica
Foundation. Special thanks to Subrata Chowdhury; Ron Nierenberg
(research), consultants Bob FitzSimons and Bob Bielecki, Charles
Amirkhanian and David Mayers at KPFA, Bill Thomas and John Thompson
at Pacifica Archives, and to National Video Industries for digital
studio facilities. Recorded in KPFA's Studio B September 7, 1967
by George Craig and Wayne Wagner. As no further editing, mixing
or equalization was necessary, the program remained in the digital
domain after transfer from the original 15 ips masters. Cover
photo taken in Mr. Banerjee's Calcutta music room in 1973 by Associate
Producer Ira Landgarten. Produced by John Wilton.