Yesterday’s Melodies Today’s Memories - Page 8

Begum Akhtar (1914-1974)


Profile
The name of Begum Akhtar has a special significance and meaning for ghazal.

She was barely seven when she was captivated by the music of Chandra Bai, an artiste attached to a touring theatre group.With initial training from Imdad Khan, a sarangi player from Patna, Faizabad-born Akhtari began her musical career. She came to be groomed as a classicist by traditional training from Ata Mohammad Khan of Patiala and Abdul Wahid Khan of Lahore in subsequent years. But her real aptitude was for light classical music, in which she was destined to emerge peerless.

In her quest, she was inspired by Jaddan Bai, a noted dispciple of the great thumri singer, Moijuddin Khan (and mother of the late celebrated film actress, Nargis), and the equally noted Barkat Ali Khan, the younger brother of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Begum Akhtar's music presented an uncanny fusion of technique and appeal. There was in her singing an incredible blend of all that was best in the Purabi, and Punjab genres of light classical singing. Whatever the song-form, she had evolved her own individual and inimitable style of presenting it.

Few, indeed, could equal her - much less surpass her - when it came to imparting the touching tone to a lyric clad in an equally delicate tune. Her songs revealed not only a delicate grace of spontaneous niceties of musical phrasing, but their poetic excellence. Besides, there was that hypnotic quality of her voice and the authenticity of style and approach that swayed her countless votaries. What also gripped her listeners was the kind of youthful exuberance that came so naturally through her music till her death at the age of 60. In between, Begum Akhtar's good looks and sensitive voice brought her under the spell of the silver screen in the early years of her career.

But when she chanced to hear great singers like Gauharjaan and Malakjaan, she decided to forsake the glamour of the film world to take to music. And she never looked back. Begum Saheba's supreme artistry in light classical music had its moorings in the tradition of pure classicism. This is the secret behind her finesse for setting her repertoire to basically classical modes, which comprised a variety of simple as well as complex ragas. This she did with an ingenuity and craftsmanship difficult to come by in a blue-blooded Hindustani vocalist. And this was what made Begum Akhtar the darling of the classes and masses alike. She was always in her elements when she came to perform.

She was widely traveled and ranked high among our foremost cultural ambassadors. Official recognition came to her rather slowly and late. She was honoured the Sangeet Natak Akademi award for vocal music and a mere Padma Shri a few years before her death. Ironically, the Padma Bhushan came to be conferred on her posthumously. But to the people at large, Begum Akhtar was the "Queen of Ghazals", and it is this acclaim that she cherished most. She has left behind hundreds of songs in commercial discs. She has also groomed a large number of disciples. All said and done, Begum Akhtar's music is truly sui generis.




Discography
In alphabetical order of the title
Title Music / recording Contents Label Year
All India Radio Recording Thumris, Sawan, Ghazals Music India
Ghazals Rasm-E-Ulfat Sikha Gayo Koi, Khuda Ke Waste Ab Be-Rukhi Se Kaam Na Le, Tabiyat In Dino Begana-E-Ghum Hoti Jati Hai, Hum To Mita Sake Ye Zamane Me Dum Nahin Music India
Malika-e-Ghazal Begum Akhtar in Mehfil. Ghazals "Yahiya" Jasdanwala Music India
Malika-E-Ghazal Ae Mohabbat Tere Anjam Pe, Diwana Banana Hai To, Ulti Hogain Sab Tadbiren, Others. EMI India
Rare Gems Dil Aur Woh Bhi Toota Hua Dil, Dabdaba Aayi Woh Aankhen, Abhi Josh-E-Baharan Dekhna Hai, Mashq-E-Sitam Farmate Rahiye, Sun To Sahi Jahan Mein Hai Tera Fasana Kya, Sab Kahan Kuchh Lala-O-Gul, Yun Aankhon Ka Aalam Gulabi, Others. EMI India
Rare Moments Dil Aur Who Bhi Toota Hua dil, Na Socha Na Samjha Na Seekha Na Jana, Rahe Aashiqui Ke Maare, Bazm Se Unki Hum Kya Laaye, Ilahi Kaash Gham-E-Ishq Kaam Kar Jaaye, Laila Majnu Ki Misalon Pe Hansi Aati Hai, etc EMI India
The Golden Collection - Begum Akhtar Aye Mohabbat Tere Anjam Pe, Ab Ahhalakte Huye Sagar, Diwana Banana Hai Tu, Who Jo Hum Mein Tum Qarar Tha, Ulti Ho Gain Sab Tadbiren, Dayam Pada Hua Tere Dar Par, Kuchh To Duniya Ki Inayat Ne, etc. 2 CD Set. EMI India
The Golden Moments - Shaam-E-Firaq Ishq Mein Gairat-E-Jazbaat, Kis Se Poochen, Uzr Aane Mein Bhi Hai, Unki Berukhi Mein, Mere Naseeb Me Jab Mujh Pe, Itna To Zindagi Mein, Ab To Yahi Hain Dil Ki Duayen EMI India
The Golden Moments Vol 3 Dil Ki Baat Dil Ki Baat Kahin Nahin Jaati, Is Ishq Ke Haathon Se Hargiz, Duniya Ke Sitam Yaad, Zindagi Ka Dard Lekar, Jab Bhi Nazm-E-Maikada, Sar Mein Sauda Bhi Nahin, Khoosh-Hoon Ke, Zamin Pe Rakhe EMI India

Thanks SS for posting a wonderful article on Begum Akhtar.

Down Melody Lane

By V V Shukla Oriya film song has had its heydays in the 60s and 70s with legendary composers and lyricists making a lasting impression in the Oriya consciousness with their immortal compositions. "Eka Eka Bhala Lagena" is a collectors' item with upcoming singer Trupti Panda showcasing eight evergreen Oriya film songs of the 60s as a token of tribute to the legendary non-Oriya singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Sandhya Mukherjee and Nirmala Mishra who lent their golden voices to Oriya lyrics. Panda showcases her range fully in this debut album which is indeed a harmonic tribute to the legends of Oriya film music: not just composers like Balkrushna Dash, Shantanu Mohapatra, Bhubaneswar Mishra, but also lyricists like Guru Krushna Goswami, Narayan Prasad Singh, Jibanananda Pani, et al. Panda's mellifluous voice adds the right feel to the songs that one would want to hear again and again. Her voice has the right mix of romanticism and musical expression required for the songs. Haling from a musical family rich in traditional and cultural values, she has the unique ability to blend theme-linked emotions with her gifted voice. Evident from Late Balkrushna Das's composition 'Phula Rasiya Re', Panda is seductive to the core with lots of vocal art which she does with aplomb. The rest of the songs in this collection -- Ei Lagane, Aji Mu Srabani, Sei Chuna Chuna, Jochhana Luchana, Au Chanda Lagi, Mo Akhira Kete Katha and Jibana Jamuna -- are also rendered impeccably with a well-pronounced diction, right pathos and emotion, thus awarding justice to the original compositions, that is specially commendable for a debutante. Love is the theme explored and Panda tries to cover a wide gamut of love emotions. A celebration of the different moods that love inspires, both joyous and painful, has been well evoked by Panda. Truly, Panda's engrossing and enchanting vocal chords with meticulous care for diction embarks one on a musical journey down melody lane. Cover version recordings have become extremely popular in contemporary Bengali music since the last 15 years which has, perhaps, never been conceived in Orissa where stereotypical bhajans and album songs rule the roost. No doubt, the music lovers of Orissa (who are fed up with the run-of-the-mill stuff) will appreciate this novel and refreshing flavour of cover version songs. Several mediocre re-mix versions of old hits are available in music shops obliviously because they lack nostaligia owing to electronic improvisation. So Panda's album, released by Satish Mishra (Sweet Sangeet) and music re-arrangement by Shantiraj Khosla is a humble step in this direction. Panda, who has had her Hindustani vocal training from Odissi exponent Pt. Gopal Panda and singer Subash Dash, has earned scores of certificates and accolades for singing. She aspires to release successive volumes of old Oriya film songs as well as traditional bhajans and poetic compositions. DISCOGRAPHY 1) Ei Lagane (Naba Janma: 1965) 2) Aji Mu Srabani (Arundhati: 1967) 3) Jochhana Luchana (Adina Megha: 1969) 4) Sei Chuna Chuna (Suryamukhi: 1963) 5) Phula Rasiya Re (Sri Lokanatha: 1960) 6) Au Chanda Lagi (Laxmi: 1962) 7) Jibana Jamuna (Amada Bata: 1964) 8) Mo Akhira Kete Katha (Stree: 1968)