Pandit Nikhil Ranjan Banerjee (14 October 1931 – 27 January 1986) was an

Indian classical Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were not ...

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in ...

ist of the

Maihar Gharana The Maihar Gharana or Maihar-Senia Gharana is a gharana or school of Hindustani classical music, a style of Indian classical music originating in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent. The school was formed by Allaudin Khan in the prin ...

. Along with Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Vilayat Khan, he emerged as one of the leading exponents of the sitar. He was a recipient of the Indian civilian honour of the

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...

Training

In 1947, Banerjee met

Allauddin Khan Allauddin Khan, also known as Baba Allauddin Khan ( – 6 September 1972) was an Indian sarod player and multi-instrumentalist, composer and one of the most notable music teachers of the 20th century in Indian classical music. For a generation m ...

, who was to become his main guru along with his son,

Ali Akbar Khan Ali Akbar Khan (14 April 192218 June 2009) was a Indian Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar gharana, known for his virtuosity in playing the sarod. Trained as a classical musician and instrumentalist by his father, Allauddin Khan, he ...

. Both were

sarod The sarod is a stringed instrument, used in Hindustani music on the Indian subcontinent. Along with the sitar, it is among the most popular and prominent instruments. It is known for a deep, weighty, introspective sound, in contrast with the sweet ...

players. Banerjee went to Allauddin Khan's concerts and was desperate to have him as his teacher. Allauddin Khan did not want to take on more students, but changed his mind after listening to one of Banerjee's radio broadcasts. Allauddin Khan was Banerjee's main teacher and after he left Maihar he also learnt from Ali Akbar Khan, the son of Allaudin Khan, for many years.Interview by Ira Landgarten Page 2
printed in the booklet for ''The Hundred-Minute Raga: Purabi Kalyan'', Raga Records Raga-207) Ustad Allauddin Khan was passing on not only playing technique but the musical knowledge and approach of the

Maihar gharana The Maihar Gharana or Maihar-Senia Gharana is a gharana or school of Hindustani classical music, a style of Indian classical music originating in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent. The school was formed by Allaudin Khan in the prin ...

(school); yet there was a definite trend in his teaching to infuse the sitar and sarod with the ''been-baj'' aesthetic of the

Rudra veena The ''Rudra veena'' ( sa, रुद्र वीणा) (also spelled ''Rudraveena'' or ''Rudra vina'')—also called ''Bīn'' in North India—is a large plucked string instrument used in Hindustani Music, especially dhrupad. It is one of the ...

surbahar ''Surbahar'' (; ) sometimes known as bass sitar, is a plucked string instrument used in the Hindustani classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It is closely related to the sitar, but has a lower pitch. Depending on the instrument's size, i ...

and

sursringar The sursingar (IAST: ), sursringar or surshringar (Sringara: Pleasure in Sanskrit), is a musical instrument originating from the Indian subcontinent having many similarities with the sarod. It is larger than the sarod and produces a deeper sound. ...

—long, elaborate ''alaap'' (unaccompanied improvisation) built on intricate '' meend'' work (bending of the note). He was also well known for adjusting his teaching to his particular students' strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, under his teaching, Shankar and Banerjee developed different sitar styles.

Inspiration and critical acclaim

In an interview Nikhil said he had been influenced by

, Amir Khan, and to a lesser extent by

Omkarnath Thakur Pandit Omkarnath Thakur (24 June 1897 – 29 December 1967), was an Indian music teacher, musicologist and Hindustani classical singer. A disciple of classical singer Vishnu Digambar Paluskar of Gwalior gharana, he became the principal of Gandh ...

, Faiyaz Khan,

Kesarbai Kerkar Kesarbai Kerkar (13 July 1892 – 16 September 1977) was an Indian classical vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. A protege of Ustad Alladiya Khan (1855–1946), the founder of the gharana, from age sixteen, she went on to become one of the ...

, and Roshanara Begum. For Banerjee, music-making was a spiritual rather than a worldly path: :Indian music is based on spiritualism; that is the first word, you must keep it in your mind. Many people misunderstand and think it's got something to do with religion—no, absolutely no! Nothing to do with religion, but ''spiritualism''—Indian music was practised and learned to know the Supreme Truth. Mirabai,

Thyagaraja Thyagaraja ( Telugu: త్యాగరాజ) (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Thyāgayya and in full as Kakarla Thyagabrahmam, was a composer and vocalist of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his ...

from the South, Haridas Swami, Baiju—all these great composers and musicians were wandering saints; they never came into society, nor performed in society. Nikhil Banerjee is revered for his mastery in both melodic and rhythmic aspects of Indian music. His unique style of sitar playing is considered to have completeness, emotion and depth. His interpretation of ragas was usually traditional, although he is credited with creating at least two new ragas. His usage of a completely "bandh" or "closed" jawari in the Maihar style sitar allowed for a much greater amount of sustain (since the strings are not buzzing against the bridge as much) as can be heard in his unique sound. Though his strings do not sound as "closed" as

Ustad Vilayat Khan Ustad Vilayat Khan (28 August 1928 – 13 March 2004) was an Indian classical sitar player.San Francisco Chronicle'', Banerjee's "technique is a phenomenon, faster than cheetahs, more secure than the dollar." ''Music and Musicians'' observed that "his improvisations always sound completely natural and spontaneous." In an obituary the '' New York Times'' wrote "the extraordinary fluidity and assurance of his rhythmic ideas and phrasing set a standard that would have left the more international 'stars' of Indian music behind."

Partial discography

The following is a summary of some recent CD issues. A more comprehensive discography can be found in the external links. * Afternoon Ragas (1970), released in 1992 *Live: Misra Kafi (1982) *The Hundred-Minute Raga: Purabi Kalyan (live) (1982) *Immortal Sitar of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, Ragas: Purabi Kalyan, Zila-Kafi, Kirwa (1986) *Lyrical Sitar (1991) *Live at De Kosmos: Amsterdam 1972 (1995) *The KPFA Tapes: Berkeley 1968 (1995) *Rag Hemant (1995) *Le Sitar Du Pandit (1996) *Raga Patdeep (1996) *Live in Amsterdam 1984 (1997) *Genius of Pandit Nikhil (live) (1998) *Berkeley 1968 (1998) *Live Concert, Vol. 2: India's Maestro of Melody (1999) *Pandit Nikhil Banerjee (live) (1999) *Total Absorption (2000) *Banerjee Live in Munich 1980 (2000) *Morning Ragas: Bombay Complete Concert 1965 (live) (2000) *Musician's Musician (2001) *India's Maestro of Melody: Live Concert, Vol. 5 (2002) *Alltime Classic, Vol. 1: Raag Bageshree (live) (2004) *Pratibha: Sony Music(Live) (2011)

References

*Allauddin claimed he was teaching Banerjee the sitar "style of Nawab Kutubudaulla Bahadur of Lucknow", a player not otherwise remembered. (''My Maestro As I Saw Him'', essay by Banerjee printed in the booklet for ''Afternoon Ragas'', Raga Records Raga-211) * San Francisco Chronicle:

Banerjee's technique is a phenomenon, faster than cheetahs, more secure than the dollar. But he does not lean on that as most players do. It is there, at the ready, a strength to be called on when needed. It is his gentle playing that is so singular. The ease of it, highlighted by atypical (for Indian music) bits of literal reiteration create a kind of euphoric effect. The result is remarkably individual. One could spot a Banerjee performance on a radio broadcast or tape, a thing of great difficulty among Oriental musicians.

Manomanjari—a variation: some argue it's a blend of Kalavati & Marwa. In a 1979/80 ot verifiableCalcutta concert Kala Mandir as per the announcement, Mr. Banerjee played two ragas of his own creation—Manomanjari & Chandrakaushiki.

Last Concert

External links