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Few contemporary exponents of Hindustani (North Indian) music have come to enjoy so tremendous an appeal as Bhimsen Joshi today. He is acclaimed as a pioneer in the post-freedom renaissance in Indian music. For he represents the new generation of younger veterans worthy of wearing the mantle of old masters.

Bhimsen Joshi now 46, comes of a middle class family from Mysore State, South India. He had a weakness for music right from childhood. But young Bhimsen’s growing obsession with music created a problem for his educationist father, as normal school education was considered to be the only right type for the children from the middle class in those days. In a desperate bid to pursue and acquire the art, Bhimsen ran away from home while only 12. He made hi sojourns at Gwalior, Jullundur and several other places in North India, and learnt music from many masters.

It is, however, his association with Sawai Gandharva, the most outstanding disciple of the great Abdul Karim Khan, that strikes the keynote of Bhimsen’s musical career; His art has no doubt received its magic feel from that celebrated master. But to this master’s feel he has added an unstinted industry and unequalled determination. The result is such mastery of technique and suavity of presentation as belong only to veterans.

The Kirana tradition of vocal music, made so famous by Abdul Karim Khan, is known for its leisurely, relaxed and feeling manner of expression and tenderness of treatment. Bhimsen Joshi has not, however, rested content with the tradition he has inherited from his forbears. Endowed with great gifts of imagination, he has evolved a style of his own. His singing is notable as much for its comprehensive alap as for its uncanny layakari, immaculate taan and imposing architecture. His flexible, well-modulated voice, with its wide tonal range, can conjure up an exciting variety of musical effects – from tender nuances to swift melodic figures.

Although a classicist by temperament and training, he is equally at ease with lighter varieties. There is grace and charm in his thumries, bhajans and stage songs. A regular broadcaster, Bhimsen Joshi is a ‘must’ at almost every music conference and his professional tours take him place to place all over the country.



The disc presents the shining facets of Bhimsen Joshi’s musical genius.

Side One:

Raga Komal Rishabh Asavari-Todi: This early morning raga is conventionally known to create a mood of pathos and separation. The melody omits the third and seventh notes from its ascent and makes use of all the seven notes in its descent. The second, third, sixth and the seventh are flat, while the rest are natural notes. The sixth is the sonant note and third, the consonant.

Bhimsen Joshi starts his recital with a theme rendered in vilambit (slow) tempo. The rhythm employed is known as Ek Taal, in twelve beats (grouped as 2+2+2+2+2+2). This slow elaboration is followed byt the presentation of another theme sung in drut (fast) tempo to a rhythm of sixteen beats (grouped as 4+4+4+4) called Teen Taal.

Side Two:

Raga Marwa: This is one of the most popular melodies in North Indian music. Rendered in the first part of the night, the raga depicts a mood of prayerful introspection. It omits the fifth note from the scale, while the second and the fourth are taken in their flat and sharp variations, respectively. The rest are natural notes. The raga takes the second as the sonant note and the sixth, the consonant.

The vocalist first presents a slow-tempo theme, followed by a fast one. The rhythms employed are the same as those on Side One, namely, Ek Taal for the vilambit and Teen Taal for the drut themes.



Artists:

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (Vocal), Shripad Nageshkar (Tabla)



Tracks:

Side 1

Raga Komal Rishabh        Vilambit Ektaal        - Sab Mera Wohi, Sakal Jagat Ko: Raga Komal Rishabh

Raga Asavari Todi            Drut Teen Taal         - Main To Tumaro Daas



Side 2

Raga Marwa        Vilambit Ek Taal        - Ab Mil Aaye Apne Piya Ke

Raga Marwa       Drut Teen Taal            - Bangri Mori Murak Gai Chhand