Indian classical music is mostly leant through the Guru-Shishva parampara, which is also known as "Gurumukhi Vidya". It is oral tradition where one has to learn directly from the Guru, without taking down any notes or any help from compositions. As a result, we rarely come across an authentic book on Indian classical music, be it vocal or instrumental. Still more rare are such books which have been written by performing musicians who have had their training according to this Guru-Shishya parampara.
"Tabla for Advanced Students", a book written by Pt. Sadanand Naimpalli, provides much needed material for students f Tabla, and young musicians in general. He has brought out an exhaustive study of Tabla which draws from his long experience in learning and performing. The book starts with the Introuction, explaining the Guru-Shisya relationship which is only found in the Indian classical music tradition. Then Pt. Naimpalli goes on to give a detailed system of playing-Peshkaar, Kaida, Tihai, Rela, Gat, Paran and various other elements of different Gharanas of Tabla playing. Besides that, there are also some very rare taals with useful guidelines of playing solo Tabla.
I can very well appreciate how much dedication, research work and commitment is there behind this effort. This could be a very useful reference book for students of Tabla and musicians in general.
I wish Pt. Sadanand Naimpalli all the best and an confident that his book will its place in all the best Institutes in India and abroad. It will also guide Table players who are looking for traditional authentic knowledge of Tabla playing.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sadanand Naimpalli
Pandit Sadanand Naimpalli, one of the outstanding Table and Pakhawaj players of India, is a Metallurgical Engineer by training. He was initiated into the art of Tabla playing by the legendary Guru and Tabla and Pakhawaj Maestro, Pandit Taranathji. After an extensive taalim extending to six years, he won the President's award for standing First at the All India Radio Competitions in 1963. Sadanandji is today a top grade artist of Akashvani and Doordarshan and has participated with distinction in several music conferences and festivals in Indian and abroad. He is a winner of several national awards. His workshops and lecture demonstrations have made him one of the great educators of table today. Besides being an famous soloist creating new compositions in diverse taals, Sadanandiji has accompanied most of the top vocalists and instrumentalists of India. He has also participated and conduced "Taal Vadya Kacheri" Concerts involving leading percussionists of Carnatic, Hindustani traditions and Western drummers. Sadanandji has also taught hundreds of aspiring young Table players, many of whom are now themselves teaching and performing creditably. Sadanandji's first book Theory and Practice of Tabla, with a foreword by Ustad Zakir Hussain, has become a best-seller in its genre.'
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shiv Kumar Sharma
Dr. Shiv Kumar Sharma, has done M.A. in History of Art and Ph.D. from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. He secured First Class First Position and was awarded the University Gold Medal. He also passed Post-Graduate Diploma in art & Architecture from the same University and Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology & Museums from Varanasys Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi securing First Class First in both the Courses. He availed Greek Government Scholarship for another Ph.D. and studied at Athens University Greece in the department of Archaeology and History of Art. During his studies in Greece, he also obtained one year’s diploma in Modern Greek language from the Athens University. On his return from Greece, he was selected as Pool Officer by the U.P.S.C., sponsored by the C.S.I.R. He served Crafts Museum (Govt. of India), New Delhi as Assistant Director and National Museum, New Delhi as Pool Officer. Thereafter, he joined Allahabad Museum, another National Museum of the country, as Education Officer in 1988. Dr. Sharma has honour of several awards like B.H.U. Scholarship, Sr. Fellowship of the I.C.H.R., Research Associateship of the U.G.C., etc. In 1992, ‘Small Study and Research Grant’ was awarded by the ‘Nehru Trust for the Indian Collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum. He has organized a large number of art exhibitions of national and international repute in India and abroad. Besides exhibitions at Allahabad Museum, he has organized a number of educational activities, short-term courses on Indian and European art, lectures, seminars and symposiums. Among noteworthy contributions, Dr. Sharma catalogued the huge collection of miniature paintings preserved at Ram Nagar Fort, Varanasi in the collection of Maharaja Banaras under the supervision of Prof. R. Das Gupta. He was also assigned to catalogue a private Indian art collection while studying in Greece. In 1992, Dr. Sharma was called upon by the Hon. High Court Allahabad to organize a prestigious exhibition on the occation of its Post-Centenary Silver Jublee Celebrations. There he displayed photographs, rare documents and precious objects. In the words of the Hon’ble Justice Mr. S.K. Dhawan, the convener of the exhibition committee, ’Dr. Sharma has shown tremendous organizing capacity’ which made him an outstanding display expert. The author has published considerable number of research articles in different research journals of India as well as abroad.
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