Nikhil Banerjee

Nikhil Banerjee ( Bengali: নিখিল ব্যানার্জী, Nikhil Byānārjī; born 14 October 1931 in Kolkata, † January 27, 1986 ) was an Indian sitar player.

At age five he began to play the sitar. As a nine- year-old he won the All- Bengal Sitar Competition. He then became the youngest employee of the radio station All India Radio, for which he recorded the next five years concerts.

From 1947 Banerjee took lessons with the Sarod players Allauddin Khan in Maihar until his death in 1972. Was followed by another five years teaching at his son Ali Akbar Khan, who also played sarod. While Banerjee is like Ravi Shankar joined by his training with the style of the Maihar Gharana, but developed his own and very personal style, from that of his more famous colleagues clearly different.

The first performances outside of India found in 1955 in Poland, the USSR, China and in 1967 the first time in the United States. At the University of Berkeley in California Banerjee lectured regularly and gave concerts. 1968 awarded him the Indian government the civilian award Padma Shri. In the same year his Sangeet Academy Nagat granted the title of Outstanding musician of the year.

Nikhil Banerjee is one of the most virtuosic and style- sitar player whose music has a high emotional depth and melodic complexity. His variations ( Tan ) can be compared with baroque coloratura.

He leaves behind numerous recordings, many are recordings of live concerts in which his clear, powerful development of a raga best shows.

Quote: "My approach to music is very deep. I do not compromise. Indian music is based on spiritualism and what practiced and learned to know the Supreme Truth. A musician must lift up the souls of the listeners and take them towards Space. This is the history of Indian music. "

Discography (detail)

  • Afternoon Ragas. 1970
  • Live: Misra Kafi. 1982
  • The Hundred Minute Raga: Purabi Kalyan (live). 1982
  • Immortal Sitar of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, Ragas: Purabi Kalyan, Zila - Kafi, Kirwa. Tabla: Anindo Chatterjee, Chanda Dhara, Stuttgart, 1986, 8886 SNCD
  • Nikhil Banerjee. Sitar recital. The Gramophone Company of India, Calcutta, 1989, EMI CD PSLP 5072
  • Raga Piloo. Tabla: Anindo Chatterjee, AudioRec Limited, London, 1989, ARCD 2005
  • Nikhil Banerjee Live. Tabla Swapan Chaudhuri, (Berkeley, October 23, 1982) Raga Records, New York, 1990, RAGA -204
  • Lyrical Sitar. 1991
  • The KPFA Tapes: Berkeley in 1968 as a CD in 1995.
  • Rag Hemant. 1995
  • Le Sitar Pandit you. As CD 1996
  • Raga Patdeep. As CD 1996
  • Live in Amsterdam 1984. As CD 1997
  • Genius of Pandit Nikhil (live). As CD 1998
  • Berkeley in 1968. As CD 1998
  • Live Concert, Vol 2: India's Maestro of Melody. As CD 1999
  • Pandit Nikhil Banerjee (live). As CD 1999
  • Total absorption. As CD 2000
  • Banerjee Live in Munich 1980. As CD 2000
  • Morning Ragas: Bombay Complete Concert 1965 ( live). As CD 2000
  • Musician's Musician. As CD 2001
  • India's Maestro of Melody: Live Concert, Vol 5 As CD 2002
  • Alltime Classic, Vol 1: Raag Bageshree (live). As CD 2004
October 14 Akashvani (radio broadcaster) Integrated Authority File
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