ZIA MOHIUDDIN DAGAR // DHRUPAD

100 years ago the Maharaja of Udaipur, H.H one hour, some of them even composed by Tansen Maharaja Bhupal Singh, whom you see on the at Akbars court in the 16th century. Luckily I had cover, was most likely calling his finest court my Nagra tape recorder at hand so now you can musician Ustad Ziauddin Dagar to sing before him take part in this once-in-a-lifetime event as the as he usually did. Ziauddin’s sons were not born album DHRUPAD (CEX21) is out in digital format. yet but later on they would often join their father in performance before the king. At the same time we release an album with KALAVATI (CEX20) recorded later that same year 50 years later, on April 12 1968, Ustad Zia by Ustad Fariduddin Dagar plus one more unique Mohiuddin Dagar received a visit from H.H. recording, a one-and-a-half-hour morning Laxman Singh Bahadur, the Maharaja of duet between two great singers from different Dungarpur in his apartment in Chembur. branches of the Dagar family tree, Rahim Fahimuddin Dagar and Zia Fariduddin Dagar, Something very special happened that day. It felt RAAG KOMAL RI (CEX22). like Ustad was transported back to the time when his father was playing before his Maharaja in Ustad’s son, exponent Ustad Udaipur. Ustad and his brother Fariduddin started Bahauddin Dagar, upholder of this great tradition, with a vocal and rudra veena duet in raga Multani graciously assisted with titles and comments on the and after that they sang very old, very rare and very music. All lyrics are in Brij Basha, an early Hindi beautiful Dhrupad compositions for more than language used in most Dhrupad lyrics. MUSICIANS & PRODUCTION INFO

Zia Mohiuddin Dagar rudra veena, vocal Zia Fariduddin Dagar vocal Subash Naringrekar Sudhir Naringrekar tablas Arjun Sejwal tablas K. Sridhar

Produced and recorded and by Bengt Berger at 6, ”Rukmini” Chembur, Bombay, April 12, 1968. Mastered by Claes Persson, CRP Re cordings. Graphic design by Jon Edergren/Spektra. Release date June 8, 2018.

TRACKS

01. Alap, Jor, Jhala in Multani 38:20 12. Suha – Jhaptal 3:53

02. Bhimpalasi – Chautal 16:13 13. Desi – Dhammar 3:48

03. Suha – Dhammar 11:34 14. Jog/Natai/Chaalnat – Rupak 5:09

04. Lalit – Dhammar 1:46 15. Suha – Dhammar 6:16

05. Kedar – Dhammar 2:46 16. Lalit - Dhammar 0:57

06. Chayanat – Dhammar 1:58 17. Kedar – Dhammar 3:11

07. Gaud-Sarang – Dhammar 2:13 18. Suha – Dhammar 1:10

08. Lachasa – Jhaptal 2:13 19. Adana – Jhaptal 1:57

09. Rageshvarey – Jhaptal 2:58 20. - Rupak/Tivra 5:45

10. Madhmand Sarang - Jhaptal 4:06 21. Bhairavi – Dhammar 1:40

11. Shyam Malhar – Jhaptal 3:28

LYRICS & COMMENTS

01. Alap, Jor, Jhala in Multani 04. Lalit – Dhammar 1:46 The opening piece has Z.M. Dagar on Rudra Veena Morey Jiya Barajo, Main Toh Dekhungee, Aaj Piya and Z.F. Dagar, vocal with K. Sridhar playing the To Dekh Daras Hain tanpura all thru this album. Time of sunset. Ustad Bahauddin had not heard before. demonstrates how you can use 4 different Pa, 2 different Ma and 4 different Re in Multani. 05. Kedar – Dhammar 2:46 Chori Chori Maarat Hain Kum Kuma 02. Bhimpalasi – Chautal 16:13 Old (composition). Kunjana Mein Racho Raas Now the singing starts, Ustad asks me to put tal. 06. Chayanat – Dhammar 1:58 Sarodist Subash Naringrekar starts playing Lachaka Aavey Ho Gori, Abeer Gulaal Ki Bhar Kay but there is a break as Sudhir Naringrekar arrives Jori Pyarey and takes over the tablas. 07. Gaud-Sarang – Dhammar 2:13 03. Suha – Dhammar 11:34 A Kanha Bina Muraliya Ki Nain Bajayee, Mori Airey Aaj Piya Apaney So Khelu Bana Bana Hori. Suda Bisaraee Poetry after Amir Kushru that Bahauddin had not Bahauddin had not heard before. heard before. 08. Lachasa – Jhaptal 2:13 12. Suha – Jhaptal 3:53 Pratham Taal Suratay Saadhay Ratay Naaam Johi Shubh Mahurat Shubh Ghadi Deen Guney Gaavey Baitho Takhat Aaj Delhi Pati Nar Rey Khanda Pramanda Hiralal Naga Moti 09. Rageshvarey – Jhaptal 2:58 Motiyan Ko Chatra Seesa Dharon Hain Pratham Sur Saadhay, Ratay Naam Jo Lo Rahey The king Akbar fondly uses the word ”arey” for Old version of Rageshvarey with ”the old way of Tansen which is used for a friend. Tansen realises applying the pancham”. that he cannot be summoned a friend in the darbar (the court) and to remind the emperor he makes 10. Madhmand Sarang - Jhaptal 4:06 this compositon where towards the end he uses the Dina Aur Duniya Ko, Dekha Palakha Mahi, Aisay word ”Re” to bring to his attention the mistake he Rachay Peer Moinudeen Khwaja had made.

11. Shyam Malhar – Jhaptal 3:28 13. Desi – Dhammar 3:48 Piya Mohey Paas Nahi, Barasey Megharava Sakhi Thado Savaro Dhoda Kahat Nand Kishoree 14. Jog/Natai/Chaalnat – Rupak 5:09 17 Kedar – Dhammar 3:11 Nad Bhed So Nyaro, Kara Dekhalavey Jo Koi Guni Chori Chori Maarat Hain Kum Kuma Taba Hum Jaaney Maanoo Naad Old Bandish, same composition as track 05. At Naad Ke Ashtaadi Kahiya, Naad Bhed Dohi Bheda 0:35 a few seconds are erased on Ustad’s wish as he Naad Bhed Arta Kahiye Chaar Bheda Guni Gaavey cracked a joke that he felt was inappropriate. Ashtavanga Pancha Gandhar Madham Saa saa saa re re ga ga ma ma ma pa ni pa ma 18 Suha – Dhammar 1:10 pa pa pa ma pa ga ma ga sa Airey Aaj Piya Apaney So Khelu Bana Bana Hori. In the last part he sings the names of the notes Poetry after Amir Kushru that Bahauddin had not in the raga. heard before. Same composition as track 03 and 15. 15 Suha – Dhammar 6:16 Airey Aaj Piya Apaney So Khelu Bana Bana Hori 19 Adana – Jhaptal 1:57 Poetry after Amir Kushru that Bahauddin had not Dharat Lanka be Lanka heard before. Same composition as track 03. Daak Dud Danka Shahey Aurangzeb 16 Lalit - Dhammar 0:57 Chadhata Hai Ghodey Morey Jiya Barajo, Main Toh Dekhungee, Aaj Piya Composition by 17th century Mughal To Dekh Daras Hain ruler Aurangzeb. Bahauddin had not heard before. Same composition as track 04. 20 Bhairavi - Rupak/Tivra 5:45 Jagata Janai Jwala Mukhi Saraswati Sharada Vidya Deni Dayani Dukh Harani. Newly arrived pakhawaj expert Arjun Sejwal has taken over the tabla, but as he is not familiar with this composition he mistakes it for Dhammar tala for some time in the beginning until Ustad points him in the right direction, Rupak tal. Toward the end the brothers sing it in Tivra in higher speed.

21 Bhairavi – Dhammar 1:40 Maa Janani Khelata Faguna Naval Kishori In keeping with tradition, Ustad concludes this visit to the past world of Dhrupad performed before royalty in court with a rare composition in Bhairavi raga.

PHOTOS

in order of appearance

Cover photo H.H Maharaja Bhupal Singh during the time of Ziauddin Khan Sahab in Udaipur

Z. M. Dagar & Z.F Dagar singing Still from Mani Kaul’s film Dhrupad, photo credit, Lalitha Krishna

Ziauddin Dagar (left) Father of Z. M. Dagar and Z.F. Dagar, Court Musician of Udaipur a hundred years back

H.H. Laxman Singh Bahadur, the Maharaja of Dungarpur (right) it was in front of him the album was recorded

Z. M. Dagar with Maharana Bhagwant Singh of Mewar The present Maharana of Udaipur

From the rooftop of Ustad’s house ”Rukmini” in Chembur, Bombay A student, Ustad’s wife to be, Pramela Naringrekar, Ustad Z.M. Dagar, Ustad’s first foreign student Dan Smith, Ustad Z.F. Dagar. Front row: Shambu Maharaja, Pandit Chandrashekar Naringrekar, Bengt Berger, K. Sridhar.

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