Hello,

I have become very interested recently in dhrupad and the music's relationship to overtone physics. I am extremely interested in recordings and traditions which engage on this level, rather than the sort of generic new-age spirituality of the most popular Dagar performers. I recently wrote my thoughts and findings here: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/cd_r0ms/reconsidering-dhrupad/

I would be very interested if anyone in this group has recommendations for further listening, either within dhrupad or other related genres such as north Indian folk musics which are connected.

Thank you!

On Tuesday, 15 March 2022 at 18:01:59 UTC+1, Eli Kerry wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have become very interested recently in dhrupad and the music's relationship to overtone physics. I am extremely interested in recordings and traditions which engage on this level, rather than the sort of generic new-age spirituality of the most popular Dagar performers. I recently wrote my thoughts and findings here: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/cd_r0ms/reconsidering-dhrupad/
>
> I would be very interested if anyone in this group has recommendations for further listening, either within dhrupad or other related genres such as north Indian folk musics which are connected.
>
> Thank you!
Have you listened to Uday Bhawalkar? Also, Zia Mohiuddin Dagar's Rudraveena

On Tuesday, 15 March 2022 at 18:01:59 UTC+1, Eli Kerry wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have become very interested recently in dhrupad and the music's relationship to overtone physics. I am extremely interested in recordings and traditions which engage on this level, rather than the sort of generic new-age spirituality of the most popular Dagar performers. I recently wrote my thoughts and findings here: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/cd_r0ms/reconsidering-dhrupad/
>
> I would be very interested if anyone in this group has recommendations for further listening, either within dhrupad or other related genres such as north Indian folk musics which are connected.
>
> Thank you!

I listen to khayal mostly. But I like Senior Dagar Brothers and Uday Bhawalkar. If you have not already, please listen to Rudraveena recitals of Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Ustad Asad Ali Khan.

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 11:54:41 AM UTC-4, kulde...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Tuesday, 15 March 2022 at 18:01:59 UTC+1, Eli Kerry wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I have become very interested recently in dhrupad and the music's relationship to overtone physics. I am extremely interested in recordings and traditions which engage on this level, rather than the sort of generic new-age spirituality of the most popular Dagar performers. I recently wrote my thoughts and findings here: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/cd_r0ms/reconsidering-dhrupad/
> >
> > I would be very interested if anyone in this group has recommendations for further listening, either within dhrupad or other related genres such as north Indian folk musics which are connected.
> >
> > Thank you!
> I listen to khayal mostly. But I like Senior Dagar Brothers and Uday Bhawalkar. If you have not already, please listen to Rudraveena recitals of Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Ustad Asad Ali Khan.

Thank you for responding, I have listened to all these except Khan, as I am not quite as familiar with instrumental dhrupad.

Senior Dagar brothers are far from my preference. There is nothing really wrong with altering their artistry to appeal to international audiences as they have done, but the result to my ears is less appealing than performers like Rahim Fahimuddin Dagar, Ram Chatur Mallik, or Indra Kishore Mishra (this last is my absolute favorite and has a quite different approach). And Bhawalker and Z.M. Dagar seem to have followed strongly in the senior brothers' footsteps (Z.M. for example modifying his instrument for longer sustain, for a more 'floaty' sound...).

Thank you, though, for the recommendation of Asad Ali Khan, I am excited to hear more of him.

On Thursday, 17 March 2022 at 16:14:58 UTC+1, Eli Kerry wrote:
> On Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 11:54:41 AM UTC-4, kulde...@gmail.com wrote:
> > On Tuesday, 15 March 2022 at 18:01:59 UTC+1, Eli Kerry wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I have become very interested recently in dhrupad and the music's relationship to overtone physics. I am extremely interested in recordings and traditions which engage on this level, rather than the sort of generic new-age spirituality of the most popular Dagar performers. I recently wrote my thoughts and findings here: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/cd_r0ms/reconsidering-dhrupad/
> > >
> > > I would be very interested if anyone in this group has recommendations for further listening, either within dhrupad or other related genres such as north Indian folk musics which are connected.
> > >
> > > Thank you!
> > I listen to khayal mostly. But I like Senior Dagar Brothers and Uday Bhawalkar. If you have not already, please listen to Rudraveena recitals of Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Ustad Asad Ali Khan.
> Thank you for responding, I have listened to all these except Khan, as I am not quite as familiar with instrumental dhrupad.
>
> Senior Dagar brothers are far from my preference. There is nothing really wrong with altering their artistry to appeal to international audiences as they have done, but the result to my ears is less appealing than performers like Rahim Fahimuddin Dagar, Ram Chatur Mallik, or Indra Kishore Mishra (this last is my absolute favorite and has a quite different approach). And Bhawalker and Z.M. Dagar seem to have followed strongly in the senior brothers' footsteps (Z.M. for example modifying his instrument for longer sustain, for a more 'floaty' sound...).
>
> Thank you, though, for the recommendation of Asad Ali Khan, I am excited to hear more of him.

I will now listen to Ram Chatur Mallik and Indra Kishor Mishra. My Dhrupad listening is very very limited and I did not know that ZM had lmodified the instrument, neverthless I find his recitals to have a soothing quality.
Its such a shame that this group is not as active as it used be few years back. Expert listeners of this group would have recommended some other dhrupad artists to you.

On Monday, March 21, 2022 at 6:09:03 AM UTC-4, kulde...@gmail.com wrote:
> Its such a shame that this group is not as active as it used be few years back. Expert listeners of this group would have recommended some other dhrupad artists to you.

Indeed! It seems there is nothing quite like this environment elsewhere on the internet, either, and we are returned to simply meeting people with shared interests via offline channels...

On Monday, 21 March 2022 at 17:51:40 UTC+1, Eli Kerry wrote:
> On Monday, March 21, 2022 at 6:09:03 AM UTC-4, kulde...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Its such a shame that this group is not as active as it used be few years back. Expert listeners of this group would have recommended some other dhrupad artists to you.
> Indeed! It seems there is nothing quite like this environment elsewhere on the internet, either, and we are returned to simply meeting people with shared interests via offline channels...

Also the offline meetings generally happen before or after the concerts and those meetings are full of blind admirers of the performer. There is no space for honest opinion. Everyone is either pandit or Vidushi. And those artists also think of themselves as Pandit or vidushi, Sanjeev Abhyanakar for example. This group was a safe place for honest opinions.

On Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at 6:05:21 AM UTC-4, kulde...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Monday, 21 March 2022 at 17:51:40 UTC+1, Eli Kerry wrote:
> > On Monday, March 21, 2022 at 6:09:03 AM UTC-4, kulde...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > Its such a shame that this group is not as active as it used be few years back. Expert listeners of this group would have recommended some other dhrupad artists to you.
> > Indeed! It seems there is nothing quite like this environment elsewhere on the internet, either, and we are returned to simply meeting people with shared interests via offline channels...
> Also the offline meetings generally happen before or after the concerts and those meetings are full of blind admirers of the performer. There is no space for honest opinion. Everyone is either pandit or Vidushi. And those artists also think of themselves as Pandit or vidushi, Sanjeev Abhyanakar for example. This group was a safe place for honest opinions.

A few dhrupad singers to check out:
- Talwandi Gharana - Ustad Mehr Ali has a good Todi, Ustads Labrez Afzal and Ustad Ali Hafiz are okay today - I think there is some Sikh devotional music sung very similarly to the Talwandi Gharana
- Bettiah Gharana
- I've listened to Indorekishore mishra
- google them, Haven't listened to too much of their stuff
- Vishnupur Gharana
- Influenced Rabindranath Tagore's Rabindrageet
- Pt. Manilal Nag plays sitar in this tradition
- I haven't listened to too much, but not too moved from what I did hear
Agra Gharana
- Khayal singers as well but they had to master dhrupad before going on to khayal,
- Ustad Faiyaz Khan and Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan have sung dhamars
Asgari Bai:
- She was a great singer, I love her dhrupad

I feel like dhrupad suffers from a lot of lack of creativity - while I enjoy the occasional dhrupad, after awhile it all just starts sounding the same, the way they progress from the starting alaap to the nom tom alaap and on.. I think generally the Darbhanga Gharana and Dagar Gharana (yes, the Dagars) have a captivating style
I especially love Pt. Ram Chatur Mallik and Pt. Abhay Narayan Mallik
I think of Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Asad Ali, Vilayat Hussain Khan and the other Agra Gharana singers as more khayal singers, but many times I love their dhamars too

If you disagree with any of my judgements, please let me know