Nikhil Banerjee-BBC performance

[mrao86616]

INDIAN CLASSICAL IS PURELY DIVINE PERSONALLY FEEL TO BE WOKEN UP EARLY MORNING BY THE DRONE OF OUR VTANPURA JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR A MOMENT YOU WILLBE TAKEN TO THE DIVINE ,HEAR SINCERELY I PROMISE U WILL REACH DIVINITY IN ITS PUREST FORM WITH PANDIT NIKHIL BANERJEES RECITALS

[shaftedofadown]

did that crowd even realize they were witnessing such a special moment?

[Iluvtogekiss]

Does he have any recorded work? If so could someone recomend some? Im really starting to love the sitar.

[thomascperez]

@Iluvtogekiss

Unfortunately there is not a lot of recorded works available by Nikhil da... However there are a few albums available on itunes, and if you're really interested theres a good many records of his playing that were never converted to cd/mp3 that show up on ebay/antique stores every once in a while. Sitar is a beautiful instrument, and he is by far my favorite player :)

[cubo714]

another great master of music...what a wonderful world w re living in...

[12347771]

Now this is his famous 8 main string instrument that combines the qualities of kharaj pancham of his gharana with the Ghandar pancham of the Vilhyat Khan style. But Panditji is said to have eventually removed the added 8th drone string.

[anidon007]

my guruji's guruji.,,,he was just awesome....and this is raag nat bhairav...

[MarcS4R]

you can just see he is sooo into his music, seems like his soul is connected to the sitar.

amazing recording...

[thinedoor2]

@MarcS4R Well, in any case, his fingers are.

I agree that this is an affecting performance.

[DeepZKarz]

He is a Legend and a Perfectionist in sitar. I doubt a sitarist like him is yet to come. What intrigue details he has done!

[CLSJful]

what is this raag called?

[SpittinGlitter]

@CLSJful This is Nat Bhairav. There is an brilliant recording of this on Banerjee's "Lyrical Sitar" album on iTunes (listed as Raga Nat Bhairav: Gat In Medium Teen Taal). Truly one of the most perfect specimens of sitar colour: Banerjee's capacity to get a robust, elegant tarb resonance is mesmerizing!

[ornleifs]

Wow this is a treat, been listening to his CD's for years but never seen him before, Great master.

[ericsrightboot]

why so short. could have listened all night. beautiful

[saikp]

wow! is that pt. anindo chatterjee on tabla?!

[mskhansitar]

Hey ALLAH blessed him. Excelent

[Southernmetalhippie]

I love listening to sitar. As an instrument, I rather dislike the fact that it is so strictly geared around C or C# (I play it in C cause I'm a n00b), but it has such a rich and powerful tone that one really has to stop caring.

[MrBassxtrm]

@Southernmetalhippie

As a matter of fact, my friend, what you say about the gearing of the sitar is not that much true...

If you listen to Pt Nikhil Banerjee, for instance, he tunes slighty above D; Ravi Shankar uses many tunings (from B to E...yes E!) and some player from the imdadkhani Gharana tune their sitars to E, such as ustad Shahid Parvez...

As you see, not so strictly around C or C# (and in the cases it IS, it's due to the physycal charecteristics of the instrument).

Cheers!

[Southernmetalhippie]

@MrBassxtrm Thanks. That will really help me with learning it.

[MrBassxtrm]

@Southernmetalhippie Don't mention it! =)

I'm happy I can help. Look for those musicians and try to catch the differences... is great for learning and also shows how much of a difference the tuning can make.

^_^

[ManiDProductions]

@MrBassxtrm Actually shahid parvez tunes to D (or a bit lower)

most tune to C/C#/D 

the sitar isn't designed to be tuned higher/lower than this

[himu90]

Music is like Indian cooking; hours in preparation, moments in consumption.

[ceadachrua]

@himu90 But both are surely worth it!

[marcelitoss]

I Tempi Indiani sono molto, ma molto più lunghi in termini di tempo.Diciamo che si trattta di un adattamento occidentale temporale...Tuttavia, molte grazie e grazie...con Ravi Shankar, Baba Bannerjee e pochi altri rappresentano ancora il vero 'Sentimento' Indiano!!!

All the Best

[Thelettery1]

Beautiful.

[takeitupthesitar]

If Nat Bhairav is played in a certain way you can imply a diminished harmony. Nikhil certainly knew how to manipulate a Rag to imply many different Rasa's & diatonic progressions. A true genius.

[KillinDaWelfareMCs]

possibly the most handsome woman ever on the tanpura?

damn she looks like a man.

[sitarnut]

Bless you for posting this nectar from the Master.

[shenoymanur]

Nat Bhairav is a rag borrowed from South Indian music, where the raga goes by the name nata bhairavi. May be Ravi Shankar popularized it like so many other south indian ragas.

[MrSuperJoshi]

is that anindo playing tabla? wow, dude was real ugly but his tabla is brilliant

[hsumanta]

u great sir.

[manjit1966]

beautiful dexterous hand movements

amazing meends too

[HARDROCKR4U]

you should check out ustad alla rakha. very enjoyable to watch on tabla

[troyeeb]

Raga NatBhairav is a creation of Ravishankar ... it is not a product of many hands

[clemalford]

According to Raga Nidhi there is no mention of this being a creation of Pt Ravi Shankar. Is has a couple of vocal bandish and this would indicate its existance independent of Pt. Ravi Shankar. Ravi Shankar may have 'popularised' it. Raga Nidhi claims it is not a popular Raga.

[anandvyasorg]

Not true

[Fliedy]

i love nikhil!!!

[Aena104]

Fliedy!!! i love him as well!

I looked it up, right after arrived :D

Schirmenitzer LPs rock!

xD

[troyeeb]

whoever says raviji can never touch nikhil's playing , can go straight to the assylum, classical music is not meant for all types of public

[fightlikeafarmer]

mins 4:00-4:25..............Amazing­!

[aniroe]

yes... isn't it so soul stirring... there is a rare combination of clarity and complexity all at once... especially how he goes from straight and simple rhythms to slightly syncopated to densely rhythmic ones... in a progression that is both superbly logical and yet so free. And the upper-dha bend (in the tar saptak)... as someone pointed out... is truly one of the high points. Also, his physical composure and grace while playing is remarkable. Sheer poetry!

[GrayAndCyan]

uhh, ok...

[ManiDProductions]

@aniroe well said

[phvalue323]

Love this, east is Beast of musical awsomeness. Check out Ustad Nusrat Ali Kahn; Its not sitar, but its got the same spiritual aspect, but with a group singing instead.

[Avrille2008]

great performance!! a magic sound give of God..

[subshrub]

why discuss who wrote this, doubtlessly this is a product of many years and many hands. the music is universal...

[Carter439]

why is it sad that the raga was composed by ravi shankar. Anyway it is a combination of Raga Nat and Raga Bhairav. Composing Ragas is not a big thing because so so many exisist that there is very little scope for new ones although They do come about from time to time. Baba Allaudin Khan composed some beautiful ones.. Hemant, Madula Kalyan, Ravi Shankar has Jogeshwari, Nat Bhairav and Bariagi as highlights

[omstrat]

One of the greatest musicians who ever lived. He get to the heart of Raga .

[Mcmotherfuckingrory]

A rare TV performance and demonstration by the master of Sitar.

Ravi wouldn't like that.

Great sitar player, nice performance

[shadebard]

Ravi would almost certainly not like that. Evidence is piling up though that the raga Nikhil Banerjee is playing was composed by that old fox Ravi. Sad but true.

[JonNellen]

It doesnt matter if Ravi composed that rag, he could never touch Nikhiljees playing....

and Anindoji is also a true master,

[shadebard]

What matters or doesn't is really a rather subjective issue. Nikhil or Ravi Shankar each had their prime period. To say, however, that Ravi Shankar could never touch Nikhil Banerjee' s playing is going overboard. Ravi Shankar's antics with the Beatles do not oveshadow the austerity and grandeur of his musicianship. Were Nikhil Banerjee alive today, he would have been the first to acknowledge it.

What are these 'jees' after the names of the musicians? Just curious.

[aardvarkalot]

Nikhil is truly superb, pure, true to every note, depthful, inspired. He is an instrument for divine music, a devotee of music who shines transparently to the perfection of the true

[farrukhismail]

You are right, he is a perfect sitar player, a Master. I have the honoured to watch other ustads in my country playing sitar live at my residence. We cannot compare a ustad to others. Every one has his own style. Ustad Nikkhil's fingers playing magic on his sitar. God bless all the sitar players.

[narby54]

I saw him in concert in Calcutta in the early 1970s - an open air concert with a great violinist and it was fantastic!

[davidinfo13]

I'm not familiar with too many sitar artists, but so far Nikhil Banerjee is my favorite

[pumas123in]

truly appreciate for posting this.

[BassxtrmCBA]

Beautiful, Beautiful rendition of Nat Bhairav. The soul in Nikhilji's music is unparalleled... No sitarist ever neither has nor will compare to him. (if we were to compare, of course).

Whomever likes this, I highly reccomend listening to panditji playing Bilaskhani Todi.-

[subhajit0]

I am a fan of Nikhil Banerjee & always love

to hear him. But this particular rendition of Nat Bhairav is truly beautiful & even divine!

It really touches one's heart & soul.

Subhajit Sen

[hacknothing]

Does anyone know if there's lefty sitars available?

[himu90]

Which raag is this? It's lovely

[chintu6936]

Nat Bhairav

[URDKO]

so nice and calm.......

[LorDHyPNoS900]

this dude has got some wicked talent

[arev1977]

jUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW i ABSOLUTELY LOVED YOUR COMMENT.:))

[MandyJams]

wow beautfiul, I cant wait until i learn t play one of these badboys. I WILL

[aardvarkalot]

Praise to Nikhil, truly a powerful force, truly an inspirational musician, a sacred artist

[pavoloco]

Does anyone know what those hand drums are called?

[chazdrumzalot]

the tabla.

[TheSleepingVillage]

lol

[chintu6936]

Tabla

[pavoloco]

I'd love to learn how to play sitar, but I wouldn't even be able to tune the damn thing :(

[pritpalc]

In the Beginig was the word.

And the words was God.

The word was the Shabad,

the Shabad was written in Raag in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Wahe Guru Ji.

[bethells86]

Raga Charukeshi Ain't it?

[torontostablaguy]

sounds like raag nat bharav, which is very close to charukeshi

[chintu6936]

Nat Bhairav

[VISHUDDHATMA]

It never ceases to amaze me how Nikhil ji's palying instantly engages the soul, the emotion and the heart and the deep limbic areas of the brain in the first 2 minutes of his playing

The Greatest Ever in the history of Sitar.

Love

shuddha of dadashri

[cheesecaketomek]

oh my god that upper dha bend at 4:06 is SO haunting. what a beauty.

[TheFabFour1964]

@cheesecaketomek i agree it is very haunting but it is very good

[Tripmonk01]

Thank you for posting my original recording from 1980s Brit TV. Although it would be nice to be credited with the original google upload.

Nick aka Trippy Monkey (UK

[sahanasingh]

Do you have any more recordings of Nikhilda? These are simply heavenly and we will be blessed to see more of them.

[tennisitar]

we will miss nikhilda he graced us fo a short time Gods wanted him for his rare talant. He was a sitar prodigy at age 9.

[SHIVA108PARVATI]

Nikhil-ji is stunning, arguably the greatest sitar player that India has ever produced. I was fortunate enough to see him perform three times in the early 70's in Berkeley. He had the whole audience in tears during two of these performances - the music was that emotive! Enjoy!!! And thank you for posting this lovely video of Nikhil (with Anindo-ji on tabla).

[drutgat]

Is that Anindo Chatterjee on tabla?

And is this Nat Bhairav?

Thanks for posting this.

[SHIVA108PARVATI]

Yes, that is Anindo-ji.

[9546688]

lol mny n

ames Nikhil

[valentin80]

Sublim !!!

[princessjesus]

i really like thatgat for nat-bhaiarav

its cute

:(

[daz199md]

godly..

[ramhelder]

the best Sitar player of Wold..

[carlosmangela]

eclectic...introspective...med­itative!

[shirish8858]

Nikhil belongs to some other world !

[gvseshagiri]

What a stress relieving raga...

[vsekhawat]

what can be said really. words fail to do this justice.

[Tripmonk01]

Was this originally from me and are you Paul from Canada?

Nick AKA Trippy Monkey

[chakshuh]

I m fortunate to have attended his live concernt way back in 1975 at Indore...thanks for posting this clip....

[dbertels]

Anyone knows the time-signature(s) used here? Great to have a clear view of the playing technique - and a reasonable sound quality!

[BanglaOcean]

Ustad Nikhil Banerjee remains a Bengali jewel. Thank you for posting the video SITARPYAR.

[drofla135drofla]

Ekdum dada. A product of that musical time.

[sofalover]

I have a few of his CD's and it's nice to see the genius at work.

[sunshine59]

all i can say is wow....absolutely beautiful!

[darbarfestival]

Simply awesome...one of the greatest Sitar players India has produced. Soul touching sitar at its best.

[Tazp007]

Wow, i've never really listened to sitar before, but this just speaks to you.

[andreaferigo]

Great!!! Thank you...the greatest sitar player! Raga Nata Bhairava... scale: SRGMPdN, belongs to the Bhairava anga but with R suddha. Morning Raga

[valentin80]

One of the most subtle sitar players that I ever heard.

[tanmoymukerji]

Thanx "sitarpyar" for posting this rare video from the Master.

"chrisitar" this is rag Nat-Bhairav.

[chrisitar]

thanks, i thought it was charukeshi but the Ni is pure

[tanmoymukerji]

Thanx "sitarpyar" for posting this rare video from the master ... and "chrisitar" this is Raga Nat-Bhairav.

[chrisitar]

never heard of this raga before, only gha is komal, anyone know what it is?

[ragamalaproductions]

Yes tanmoymukerji, indeed it is Nat-Bhairav. And its not gha but dha that is komal. What a rare and incredible performance!

[chrisitar]

your correct, i got my tones confused:?

[shakattack64]

he is always the best! and will stay in everyones heart if people like music..

[Rajvirdee]

Brilliant - thanks you for posting

[drofla135drofla]

The greatest Sitarist.