review of Deepak Raja’s book on khayal

I am giving you all a sneak preview of this review that is coming in the next issue of the Journal of Indian Musicological Society.  Please feel free to comment.

Khayala Vocalism, Continuity within Change

Deepak Raja

D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd. New Delhi, 2009

xxxiii+316pp.

Review by James Stevenson

Deepak raja’s book is a close look at some less well known khayal vocalists as well as a general overview of the recent history of Hindustani classical vocal music. His method is scientific and detailed, formal and detached, inventively employing architecture as a descriptive metaphor.  Writing about mostly second and third tier vocalists, while ignoring for the most part the current stars of the concert circuit is an interesting approach and provides a broad perspective on how the music has developed in the recent past. Raja’s selection of artists for analysis is based on his project of writing extensive liner notes for commercial cds. Inevitably in his choice of artists the omissions might ruffle some feathers in the politics-infested insider world of hindustani classical music and he has made some iconoclastic choices- for example barely mentioning late twentieth century giants Bhimsen Joshi and Mallikarjun Mansur. With the unfortunate dearth of analytical writing in English on Indian classical music, this book deserves a close read.

Since so much of the text involves dense elaborate descriptions of music an accompanying mp3 recording of selected excerpts or audio clips on a website would have been beneficial to help the reader. Alternatively simple diagrams using the Bhatkande notation that most readers of this book would be familiar with could have been used. For example writing on Kesarbai Kerkar he states (p.125) “Short ekahara passages occur, often woven into a more complex construction, which includes chuta patterns of varying speed, occasionally even including alapa-like anarhythmic passages. The most common tana form is the gamaka-driven multiple-stroke or two-by-two tana, in leaping waves.” This is impressive description but difficult to understand.

In writing about the recent history of khayal the author relies primarily on the gharanas and the popularity and influence of individual singers (Bade ghulamali khan, Amir Khan, Faiyaz Khan, Kesarbai Kerkar etc.). Often illogical, suspect, and anachronistic, gharana purity is still seen as the ideal (the Gwalior branch of Gwalior gharana represented by Krishnarao Shankar Pandit, Faiyaz Khan for Agra, Kesarbai- Jaipur-Atrauli) with deviations seen as regrettable dilutions. In this context the author introduces some original ideas and classifications- neo-Kairana, neo-Japur-Atrauli, the Atrauli out of the Agra gharana and the romanticist movement of Kishori Amonkar, Pt. Jasraj and Kumar Gandharva.  The original gharana arrangements already can be confusing, as some examples from this book show- Nisar Hussein Khan (sounding like an Agra singer), Nivruttibua Sarnaik (stumping the expert), Aarti Anklikar-Tikekar (impossible to classify). Despite the almost universal mixture of gharanas among present-day vocalists and the absence of the word gharana in any music literature before the 20th century (including Bhatkande), it is an inescapable tool in any discussion of khayal music. Interestingly the author has placed Rashid Khan one of the most popular singers today in Kirana gharana rather than Rampur based on his vocal style. One wonders how this will be seen by the singer himself and the other members of Rampur gharana for whom he is their star representative. Likewise Amir Khan is included in Kirana rather than the “amorphous” Indore gharana.

The author writes about “…khayal’s encroachment over thumri territory (in) the form of a romanticist movement spearheaded by Kumar Gandharva, Jasraj, and Kishori Amonkar…primarily a revolt against aloofness….Romanticism is now on the march, virtually threatening the survival of classicism.” (p.14). This strikes me as more rhetorical than credible. These three vocalists are fastidious classicists far removed from the emotive intimacy of thumri that had come naturally to other khayal vocalists, particularly Faiyaz Khan, Abdul Karim Khan, and Bade Ghulamali Khan. A romanticist movement led by the three previously cited vocalists, with so little in common, is not convincingly established. The author writes “Jasraj moved…in the romanticist direction…often blurring the dividing line between the khayal and the thumri genres” (p.245). Without analysis of his music and a convincing argument this iconoclastic opinion is difficult to accept.  Musically the Gwalior approach to the composition in khayal with its bol generated development (and non-linear architecture) seems closer to the way thumri is developed through the words and phrases, best exemplified by the esteemed paragon of Gwalior orthodoxy, Krishnarao Shankar Pandit. His khayal style also exhibits the maximum use of ornamentation, gamak, murki, khatka stylistic hallmarks of the thumri vocal style. It is another matter that his music and that of other Gwalior-oriented vocalists like Mustaq Hussein Khan and Nisar Hussein Khan had the reputation of being cold and emotionless and thus not as popular as singers like Abdul Karim Khan, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan or Faiyaz Khan.   Khayal moving in a romanticist thumri direction would indicate more importance being given to lyrics and the poetic meanings.  The opposite is true.     Writing about Fateh Ali Khan the author states “Ghazal stylistics exhibit a prominent presence in his vocalism primarily due to the autonomous status he imparts to the poetic element…” but later says that “(he) does not appear to enunciate the entire lyrics of the bandish in his renditions”.  This could be a more convincing indication of thumri oriented khayal even though the author differentiates between ghazal and thumri as reflected in his (Fateh Ali Khan’s) khayal vocalism. Whether this is the remnant of an older ethos connected to the “baiji” or “tawaif” traditions, or authentic Gwalior as with Krishna Shankar Rao Pandit, or an indication of modern populism, or perhaps just an individual predilection is uncertain. Dhrupad formalism can no longer be considered the unique archetype in the historical context considering recent textual research on the origins of khayal by Katherine Butler Brown which suggests an older more complex history. A closer look might need to be given to qawali, for example. From anecdotal evidence and observation of what is considered the most authentic vocalism of Gwalior gharana it would seem that emphasis on raga rather than composition is a recent development in khayal, facilitated by Bhatkhande and others to be able to better organize and classify the music in the modern world. This suggests a modern evolution in khayal toward linear architecture (reflecting the nom-tom alap) and primacy of raga over composition- hallmarks of dhrupad.

The author writes “”The (romanticist) movement argues in favour of explicit emotional stimuli in art music….” (p.277). Rather than something new from Jasraj, Kumar Gandharva and Kishori Amonkar I believe this reflects an essential feature of khayal music itself.  Why was Dondutai Kulkarni, despite having all the qualities and being the inheritor of Kesarbai’s legacy unable to gain much popularity?   Krishnarao Shankar Pandit’s flashy technique is very impressive. Nisar Hussein Khan sang very well into his old age. Vilayet Hussain Khan?  These are great musicians but they were unable to attract the listening public- their music often described as cold and dry. Besides the extroverted emotionalism of vocalists like Bhimsen Joshi, Faiyaz Khan, or Abdul Karim Khan, austere classicists like Amir Khan, Kesarbai and Kumar Gandharva connected emotionally with the listening public. Emotion in this music, a complex subject, is a visceral requirement for the listening public. Without this stimulation from great artists, I, like many others would never have been attracted to it.

Recordings can change perceptions and reputations. Serene meditative music that might be boring in a concert situation can sound better in a quiet bedroom. Music can sometimes be better appreciated at home minus distracting theatricality. Exciting performers may not come across so brilliantly in recordings if the voice is not pleasing. An example in another context is Lata Mangeshkar exquisitely emotional in so many recordings but very dull on stage.  Without the elements of luck, promotion and politics involved with popularity that sometimes interfere with the in-built quality control of the Establishment,  historical judgments in khayal music will depend more and more on recordings and Deepak Raja has spent many hours listening and analyzing. His views are well thought out but inevitably invite some disagreement.

The author states that after Faiyaz Khan’s death there was no front-ranking performer of Agra gharana for two decades. It is a subjective view that ignores a rich history of great performers like Latafat Hussain Khan, Chidanand Nagarkar, Dinkar Kaikini, and K.G. Ginde,  who I believe had a great impact in the post-Faiyaz Khan scenario. Along with the historical record, recordings, particularly of Latafat Hussain Khan and Chidanand Nagarkar if ever released commercially and seriously considered might confirm this. Emerging later Sharafat Hussain Khan’s importance is undeniable despite being unable to make an impact in Bombay for various reasons. In Calcutta- possibly because of its instrumental and thus dhrupad oriented sensibility- he was second in popularity only to Bhimsen Joshi in the 1970’s and the combination with Sagiruddin Khan on sarengi and Keramatullah Khan on tabla was legendary.  Yunus Hussain Khan was for long in his father’s shadow and the intellectual austere approach was reflected in his music. Generally ignored in his lifetime, his reputation grew mainly after his death. Although the author’s approach to this and the other gharanas’ recent histories constitutes a narrow reading of who was important, a large part of the book is concerned with study of vocalists who are often not well-known to the general public (as part of the author’s project of writing cd notes) giving an altogether different impression, that of a wider body of creative artists actively participating in the evolution of khayal music. It is also remarkable that so few of the vocalists whose music is analyzed in this book have been students of any of the famous names in classical music.

Raja’ perspective on the Gwalior-Agra confluence is convincing and reflects the sometimes confusing defining differences between the two gharanas.  Although this mix is pervasive in the modern khayal world and includes influential vocalists Bholanath Bhatt and S.N. Ratanjankar, he limits his discussion here to the influence of Gajananbua Joshi and Jagannathbua Purohit.

I found the author’s discussion of the Atrauli gharana as part of but distinct from the Agra tradition confusing. Without convincing recorded material the distinction seems tenuous. The author states that Atrauli vocalists tend to be less staccato than Faiyaz Khan (a term I wouldn’t use to describe his singing!) but from recordings (accompanying Faiyaz Khan and the ramkeli 78rpm disc) a distinctive feature of Ata Hussain’s music seems to be harmonium-like taans that could very well be described as staccato.  Inayet Hussain Khan is cited as the founder of this gharana and although he died in 1936 nothing seems to be known about him. An obvious question arises as to whether there a connection between this Atrauli gharana and Jaipur-Atrauli? He says that Atrauli music relied more on the element of surprise. Surprise is everywhere in khayal music- we really don’t know what is coming next! Some examples of what he means would be helpful.

Footnotes would have been beneficial to help the reader understand many things not fully explained or to provide more information. For example he says that “Kesarbai was the last Jaipur-Atrauli vocalist to use the ultra-convex gamaka…” I would like to know what that is!  On page 73 the author says that “they (Haddu Khan line of Gwalior , Krisharao Shankar Pandit etc.) ” tend to make less frequent use of the dynamic expressions than the other stream of Gwalior vocalism”, without any further explanation.   Elsewhere he states that Ameer Khan’s music “exhibited a choreographic vivacity”. What is that?  On page 39 he says….”This view is supported by the more compliant formalism of later, but otherwise orthodox, Agra vocalists such as Khadim Hussain and Latafat Hussain.”  It is difficult to understand what the author means. He also writes on page 39 in speaking about the faster tempo of the dhammars of Faiyaz Khan….”At this tempo, the reluctant rhythmicality of the tala does not appear to get justice.”  How does a faster tempo result in this, and what is “reluctant rhythmicality”? These are just some examples of where with more elaboration the author’s views could be better understood.

The author excels in discussing Jaipur gharana with which he is most intimately connected. I felt more passion in the analysis here and would love to read more from him on this and other music that he obviously loves. Comparative study of the music of Mogubai Kurdikar, Mallikarjun Mansur and Shruti Sadolikar (in neo-Jaipur) would be fascinating. I would have liked more from the author about what he describes as a lack of clarity on the issue of chota khayal in this gharana, more thoughts on the enigma of the gharana having almost exclusively female vocalists in the present day, as well as some thoughts on some well-known figures from this gharana, Gulabhai Jasdanwala, Mohunrao Palekar and Mallikarjun Mansur, conspicuous by their omission in this book. The author states that “neo-Jaipur-Atrauli…has a superficial following amongst the thousands of Kishori xeroxes” (p.107).  If this is true I don’t know where or who they could be.

Some of the author’s assertions on the other gharanas I cannot agree with. For example he states that Kirana singers prefer tilwada and jhumra thekas because they are most suited for the very slow tempi of that gharana’s vilamabit khayals (p.182). My listening and learning experience indicates that Kirana prefers ektaal in vilambit laya (Amir Khan excepted), and usually jhumra and tilwada are speedier taals favored in Gwalior gharana. The author believes that Faiyaz Khan performed dhammar at a slower tempo in concert than he did on his various dhammar radio program recordings but available recordings of dhammar of Vilayet Hussain Khan and Ata Hussain are also at a similar tempo.

Bade Ghulam Ali Khan is the dominant figure in Patiala gharana and Fateh Ali Khan has been chosen for the cd liner note project. Missing is the enormous influence of Ashiq Ali Khan and the intense rivalry between Nazakat Ali/Salamat Ali and Amanat Ali/Fateh Ali. Beyond gharana affiliation the dynamism of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and before him Ashiq Ali Khan resulted in a Punjabi mono-style, sidelining Pakistani singers from other gharanas not part of that aesthetic. The author’s speculation on the development of classical Hindustani music and the socio/political context in Pakistan reflects common India-centric views but without a deeper exposition of these ideas the analysis is difficult to accept (p.253).  Although the development of classical music in Pakistan proceeded differently post independence, to reduce this to a result of “military dictatorships”, “the interference of retrogressive clergy”, resulting in a “confused cultural environment”, is clichéd and un-informed.

Among the author’s many astute observations, one that stands out is his look at the influence of sarengi on khayal.  His view that mirkhand chain-link style elaboration and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan’s impeccable intonation came from the sarengi tradition is original and convincing. Also the author has engagingly discussed the phenomenon of so many important singers coming from the northern districts of Karnataka state.

The author concludes (p.279) “the thumri is all but extinct….”  This seems odd to say when master thumri singers are performing regularly- Birju Maharaj, Girja Devi, Channulal Mishra, Savita Devi, Shubha Joshi, Parveen Sultana, Shubha Mudgal, Afroze Banu, Ajoy Chakravorty, and others. He goes on to say “the distinctiveness of the khayal is sustained almost entirely by its architecture”.  This is a confusing conclusion that seems disconnected from the author’s sanguine analysis of individual vocalists. Not mentioned is the repertoire itself, still today dominated by the compositions of Sadarang (early 18^th century). Khayal is composition based music and his bandishes feature in almost every recital by vocalists, despite thousands of other composers and compositions. In his recent book on this great composer, Shailendra Kumar Goswami has ably shown how some of the most popular compositions remain relatively standard over time and across gharana lines.

Since the readership of this book is likely to only consist of those already well familiar with the subject (anyone else would soon be lost) I feel that many of the basic definitions and descriptions available elsewhere, could have been dispensed with. The annexure at the end of the book, “An introduction to khayal” could have been incorporated in the author’s introductory chapters and instead perhaps a conclusion apropos the contents of the previous chapters would have been more enlightening.

I found the author’s system of transliteration of Hindi/Sanskrit words odd and distracting. Why not thumri instead of thumari (in italics), desh instead of desha, kirana instead of kairana, etc.?

What I enjoyed most in this book was the interviews with the artists. The author has been able to extract revealing comments that give unusual personal insights. Despite some reservations I enjoyed this book, admire the work that has gone into it, and have immense respect for the author’s scholarship.