On Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 10:21:08 PM UTC-5, Vivekanand P V wrote:
> > What source are you referring to here?
> There is an interview with Azizuddin Khan by his disciple Shruti
> Sadolikar, in which she recounted this (that Alladiya outright denied
> recording his music citing he is too old and cannot portray his best).
> Azizuddin did not nudge while she was narrating. Many years later (in
> 2009) when I had a chance to ask her in NCPA, she said that
> recollection of her was indeed gathered from many sources, including
> Azizuddin Khan and other senior disciples of the dynasty.
>
> Curiously enough, she said among those who approached Alladiya, were
> the chaps from HMV and Manji Khan! That makes one wonder why Manji
> Khan was not recorded even though he could take the delegation to his
> father. Was MK not recorded because the father denied recording his?
> > Yes indeed, that's what I meant. What is the name of the chapter you
> > are referring to?
> I said it is 'The Fear of Recording'.
> > And what exactly does it say there?
> A broad spectrum essay it is. Insightful, I should say. It starts with
> the analysis of Western music vis-à-vis Indian music. The author says
> that for Indian music, there is no 'certain final product' to be
> achieved (as they do in WCM, supposedly). So, a recording of a raga by
> an artiste is, at best, an example of the artiste's perception towards
> that raga 'in that' instance of time. Essentially, that recording is
> neither the perfect depiction of that raga, nor that of the artistry
> of the artiste. The essay signifies the intimacy with the music and
> with the ariste to be able to appreciate both in a right manner. Then
> it dwells on the anecdotes of early season of recording in India.
> While many musicians felt that a recording or two would immortalise
> their music, some have believed that the electronic machinery would
> drain the goodness of their voice. Incidentally, many were more
> concerned about their art now being susceptible to stealth. The author
> extols the recordings saying they mark the outline of a past era, by
> which she knows Abdul Karim Khan et al. The essay concludes explaining
> the transformation of influence on musicians. At the end she remembers
> Mallikarjun Manasoor's Jaunpuri, wherein Manasoor used to interrupt
> himself to explain that the Antara he was going to sing was in the
> characteristic style of Manji Khan, who in turn, had got it from
> Rahimat Khan. She says, the sense of identifying oneself with what has
> gone before is not only a part of culture, but a value unto itself in
> our music.
>
> V
I may be late to the thread, but I believe i have read somewhere that Manji Khan was set to record but then passed away unexpectedly.