Songs of Krishna - Rec. by Deben Bhattacharya 1954,1968

Songs of Krishna - The Living Tradition

Recordings and sleevenotes by Deben Bhattacharya

Argo (Decca) - ZFB 52 - P.1971

Side A

A1 Raga Bhupali 11'28

A2 Kathak Krishnalila 4'10

A3 Mira, Bhajan 5'08

Side B

B1 Mathur 16'48

B2 Raga Vasant 6'03

A1, rec. in Jhodpur 1968

A2,A3,B2, rec. in Jaipur 1968

B1, rec in Assansol 1954

This is one of my real favourite of all the records that Deben Bhattacharya made. This LP is full of good music and atmosphere that feels close to me and carries many of the signs that I think are the best illustrations of Deben Bhattacharyas philosophy of recording.

It is also the very label that published all of his first recordings and there is a great site, both with lots of information about the label and excellent discographies, so you can whet your appetite guessing what else could be coming in my later posts from their catalogue.

More info on the label Argo check here!

Well, anyhow it belongs to the best ones I have heard sofar! If he made 130 albums like it says on the backsleeve comments then I have still to find a lot more than the thirty, forty I have been able to hear until now. So if anyone has a good copy of any of his recordings on LP I would be delighted if you could consider sharing those with me and if the quality of photos and the rip meets the standards that I like to keep here on Anthems I will be delighted to post it. Anyhow I will continue to collect them here in one way or another.

I still have a handful of the Indian and Middle Eastern and then a few from his East European

excursions but eventually I will go dry. Wonder if his Java Bali LP on Musidisc was any good?

Anyhow this one definitely is and I hope you like it as much as I do. Not only for the Music,

but for the closeness to the surroundings. A car horn honking in the distance right after a song

some outside noices all giving a wider context than the music room, the small tactile ambient sounds I like so much, in no way disturbing the music only making it more breathing and vivid.

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Musique Religieuse de l'Inde -recorded by Deben Bhattacharya

Musique Religieuse de l'Inde

Documents sonores recueilles et enregistrés à Bénarès par Deben Bhattacharya

Bôite à Musique - BAM LD 015 - P.1964

Side A

A1 Bhajana (chant de dévotion)

A2 Gajan (danse en l'honneur de Shiva)

A3 Chant de Ramprasadi (en l'honneur de Kali)

A4 Mélodie Baul (Dotârâ)

A5 Chant mystique de Baul

Side B

B1 Closhes de monastère

B2 Mangalacharana et Trisharana (Prière bouddhiste)

B3 Jayamangala Astagatha (Bénédiction de mariage)

B4 Ghambhira nritya (Danse de Kali)

B5 Palavali kirtana (fragment)

B6 Pala kirtana

Yet another rarity of the earlier sixties recordings by Deben Bhattacharya. Liner notes are again in french only. For those who only read english it will get a little better once I start posting the LP's on the Argo label, but music is the universal language so I am sure you will enjoy anyhow. I put a lot of work into supplying as full documentation as possible and I try to refrain from rewriting shorter summaries, as I hope you will find enough information in the liner notes. There is always the aid of automatic translations if we are eager enough to find out.

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Bhimsen Joshi - Memorial posts - Devotional 2

Bhimsen Joshi - Daaswani - Kannada Bhajans

EMI India - ECSD 2899 - P.1982

Side A

A1 Bhaagyada Lakshmi Baaramma

A2 Tungateeradi Ninta Suyaivara - Pt.Bhimsen Joshi

A3 Kailasavaasa Gaurisha Isha

Side B

B1 Koruni So Ranga

B2 Yake Mukanandyo Guruve

B3 Yadav Nee Baa

During the 13th century, there arose in Karnataka a new religious-cum-literary movement called the Dasa Vangmaya or the Haridasa Sahitya. Through songs written in simple and quite often colloquial Kannada, it sought to bring to the people the message of the newly founded Vaishnava Bhakti School, the Dasakuta.

Through the songs started as a popular expression of the Bhagawata Dharma and the theistic Dwaita Siddhanta, they succeded in attaining a wider appeal not only because of their ethical and devotional content but also because of their penetrating and critical observations of human nature, its follies and foibles.

Pioneered by Shri Naraharitirtha and Sripadaraya, the movement reached great heights during the 16th century through the efforts of Shri Vyasatirtha and two of his most illustrious diciples, Purandaradasa and Kanakadasa.

Vadiraja, Raghavendratirtha, Vijayadasa, Prasanna Venkatedasa and Jagannathadasa are some of its later exponents. The theistic and mystical touches of their songs raised them to the stature of spiritual literature; while their music made them a rousing expression of devotional sentiments. The central theme of these songs is the realisation of the supreme nature of the god Narayana, or Shri Hari, through the twin routes of "Bhakti" and "Vairagya".

Purandaradasa, the most prominent among the deciples of Vyasatirtha was said to have been a greedy, miserly and mean-minded rich merchant before he became a Haridasa, and a member of the "Dasakuta". Vithala is the central deity of all his devotional songs, and forms a spiritual link between the Dasa Sahitya of Karnataka and the Sant Vani of Maharashtra.

It is to Purandaradasa that this new movement owes its most mature achievements. He pioneered "Carnatic Music" and was a major source of inspiration to the well known composer of the South — Thyagaraja.

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, in his glorious voice fully recaptures here the spirit of this grand tradition of devotional songs. Through his highly evocative rendering of the worlds, which communicate more than their literal meaning, he brings to life the most endearing features of the Dasa Vangmaya — the intimate and affectionate terms in which God is addressed by the devotee, as also the unique equation that exists between the two.

Listening to these songs and their soul-stirring music is a profound experience.

Yashwant Chittal

One of the leading Kannada fiction writers, Yashwant Vithoba Chittal, born on August 3, 1928 in Hanehalli in Karnataka's North Kanara District.

Sri Vyasa Tirtha (1460-1539)

Purandaradasa - Srinivasa Nayaka (1484 - 1564)

"Father of Carnatic Music"

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