Bhaiyya Ganpatrao Explained

Bhaiyya Ganpatrao
Birth Date:1852
Death Date:1920
Origin:Gwalior
Genre:Hindustani classical music, Thumri, Dhrupad, Khayal
Occupation:Harmonium player, Singer

Bhaiyya Ganpatra, alias "Sughar-piya", (1852–1920) was a member of the Gwalior royal family and known for pioneering the harmonium as an accompanying instrument. He was a member of the Gwalior gharana school of classical music.

Background

Bhaiyya Ganpatrao was born to Jayajirao Scindia of the Gwalior princely family. He was the brother of Jiwajirao Scindia.[1]

Music training

He studied with Sadiq Ali Khan of Kirana Gharana and later with Bande Ali Khan and Inayat Hussain Khan, both students of Haddu Khan of Gwalior Gharana.[2]

Legacy

In the late-19th Century and early-20th Century, Ganpatrao was the "greatest name" associated with the harmonium.[3] He popularized the instrument and developed its Thumri-ang.[4]

Like Govindrao Tembe, Ganpatrao is credited with establishing harmonium as an instrument for Hindustani Classical music. Consequently, he had an enormous impact on many musicians whom he taught.[5]

Compositions

Ganpatrao was a prolific composer and used the mudra "Sughar-piya."[6]

Influence

Faiyaz Khan began singing thumris publicly because of Ganptrao's influence.[7] Bismillah Khan adopted some of Ganpatrao's techniques to his Shehnai-playing.[8]

Students

The sarod maestro Hafiz Ali Khan, father of Amjad Ali Khan, learned dhrupad and thumri from Ganpatrao.[9] He also taught Bashir Khan of Indore and Girija Shankar Chakrabarty.[10] [11]

He also taught Jaddanbai, the mother of Bollywood actress Nargis.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Afternoondc.in.
  2. Book: Sharma . Amal Das . Musicians of India Past and Present . 1993 . Pilgrims Publishing . 8185421188.
  3. Book: Kasliwal . Suneera . Classical musical instruments . 2004 . Rupa . 259–260.
  4. Book: Nadkarni . Mohan . Music to thy ears: great masters of Hindustani instrumental music . 2002 . Somaiya Publications . 25.
  5. Book: Deodhar . B. R. . Pillars of Hindustani music . 1993 . Popular Prakashan . 240.
  6. Web site: Artist - Bhaiyya Ganpatrao 'Sughar Piya' (Vocal), Gharana - None.
  7. Book: Mukhopādhyāẏa . Kumāraprasāda . The Lost World of Hindustani Music . 2006 . Penguin Books . India . 242.
  8. Web site: The Empire of Todi.
  9. Book: Thakur . Pradeep . Indian Music Masters of Our Times- i . 2010 . Pradeep Thakure & Sons . Punjab, India . 202.
  10. Book: Pradhan . Aneesh . Hindustani Music: Ways of Listening . 2016 . Aneesh Pradhan.
  11. https://www.itcsra.org/TributeMaestro.aspx?Tributeid=11
  12. Web site: Culcutta Living City. 18 April 2017. 19 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170419101528/http://cba1415.web.unc.edu/files/2014/04/20140512100459514.pdf. dead.