The classical music lovers of the city witnessed a mild evening with the ragas sung by one of the most renowned classical singer Kishori Amonkar. Notably, Kishori Amnokar presented her solo performance at Antrang Hall, under the programme ‘Mahima’ organised by Anhad Bharat Bhavan here on Friday.
The Indian classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar is, recognised as one of the foremost singers in the Hindustani tradition and as an innovative exponent of the Jaipur gharana.
While learning the finer points and techniques of the Jaipur gharana from her mother, Amonkar also developed her own personal style, which reflects the influence of other gharanas and has generally been regarded as an individual variant of the Jaipur tradition.
The supreme qualities of her Hindustani classical singing were clearly seen as she began her performance with Raga Bhopali. Under this performance she performed a classical song, Pratham Sur Sadhu that grabbed much applauses of the audience.
Notably, Amonkar cultivated a deep understanding of her art, largely through extensive study of the ancient texts on music, and her repertoire was grand in its sweep. Although she was known primarily for her skillful singing of classical khayal songs set in the traditional ragas of Hindustani music, she also performed the lighter classical thumri repertoire, bhajan devotional songs, and film music. Regardless of musical genre, her performances were marked by vitality and grace.
Throughout her career, however, Amonkar was both criticised and praised for her bending of the Jaipur tradition. As she prioritised the expression of emotion in her music, she frequently departed from the gharana’s conventions of rhythm, ornamentation, and broader musical structure in order to intensify the music’s impact. Ultimately, she aimed to infuse the emotional appeal of the more popular styles into the comparatively rigid classical tradition.
Her melodious singing adorned the evening with the enchanting ragas she presented and the classical music lovers enjoyed it to the fullest.