Lalmani Misra
Encyclopedia
Lalmani Misra M.A., Ph.D., D. Mus. (Veena), M.Mus. (Vocal), B.Mus. (Sitar, Tabla), (Sahitya Ratna) Dean & Head, Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, Banaras Hindu University
, Varanasi, was an eminent Indian classical musician known as much for his art as for his scholarship.
) Dhamar
in the tradition of Pt. Shankar Bhatt and Munshi Bhrigunath Lal. He learnt Khayal singing with Ustad Mehndi Hussain Khan, a disciple of Ustad Vazir Khan of Rampur Seni Gharana. He received training in Dhruvpad, Bhajan and Tabla
from Swami Pramodanand; in sitar
from Shri Shukdev Roy. Under the tutelage of Ustad Amir Ali Khan he perfected several other musical instruments.
Lalmani was appointed on the post of assistant music director in Shehanshahi Recording Company, Calcutta at the age of twelve. He worked in several films for the next two years. His interaction with these two, kindled an interest for orchestration in Lalmani.
He returned to Kanpur in 1940 after his father’s death. A musical prodigy himself, he experimented with ways of imparting musical training to children, at a time and place where learning of music was shunned by the chaste and noble. He opened several “Bal Sangeet Vidyalaya” – music schools for children; modified the syllabus according to the need of learner, both formal and informal; started an orchestra society. He established the reputed institution of the region, “Bharatiya Sangeet Parishad”, and a music college – “Gandhi Sangeet Mahavidyalaya”. Excited by all things musical he persisted in experimenting and soon his innovations in technique, style, and orchestration brought him repute and regard.
offered him the position of music director in his troupe. Lalmani Misra traveled with the troupe composing scores for the innovative dance presentations and ballets on mythological and contemporary themes. The troupe covered several major towns and cities of India and covered Ceylone, France, England, Belgium, America and Canada between 1951 and 1955. Not only was he adept at playing several types of musical instruments, he also had a knack for orchestration that served the needs of an innovative Dance troupe.
The experience with the troupe made him try his hand on stage as well. He created Meera opera that was staged in 1956 at Kanpur. The audience were amazed by sudden disappearance of Meera from stage, appaerently merging into the idol of Lord Krishna
Meanwhile, the College of Music and Fine Arts had been established under the Principal-ship of Gurudev Pt. Omkarnath Thakur at Banaras Hindu University
, Varanasi
in 1950. By 1955-56 its teething troubles were over and department was ready for expansion. A scheme for its re-organization was prepared with inspiration and encouragement provided by the then Vice Chancellor, Dr. Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar. On the insistence of Pt. Omkarnath Thakur, Lalmani Misra consented to his appointment as Reader in the college and left his native Kanpur a third time for Varanasi in 1957.
and Dr. B.R. Deodhar, Dr. Lalmani Misra stood up to the challenge of taking a burgeoning university institution to its proposed glory. Under his able helmsman-ship, the college went from strength to strength in imparting the best education in Indian Classical music. A rigorous hands-on course in performance and composition culminating in doctoral degree (D.Mus.) was started which has earned faculty positions for almost all its students around the globe. He was visiting Professor to music faculty at Penn University, Philadelphia from 1969 to 1978. Many students came to learn intricacies of music with him. Pt. Uday Shankar
sent his son Ananda Shankar
to Dr. Misra who taught him the art of orchestration.
after having heard a performance by Abdul Aziz Khan of Patiyala, had carried out research on history and development of Indian musical instruments. His thesis published by Bharatiya Jnanpith, New Delhi in 1973 (second edition 2002, reprinted 2004) under the title Bharatiya Sangeet Vadya
dispelled the existing myths about the origin of Indian instruments and serves to this day as the primary reference work for identification, authentication and classification of Indian musical instruments. He wrote several other books. The first part of four-part treatise on techniques of strings was published as Tantri Nad. After his death in 1979 his son Dr. Gopal Shankar Misra
, internationally renowned Vichitra Veena artiste and Professor, Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, B.H.U.
, Varanasi was working on the remaining volumes, aided by hand-written notes by Lalmani Misra when on 13 August 1999 he succumbed to heart-attack at a five day function organised in memory of his father at Bhopal. A book on essays written by Dr. Misra -- Sangeet Aur Samaj (Music and Society) were edited by his daughter Dr. Ragini Trivedi and published by Madhukali Prakashan, Bhopal in 2000. His biographical sketches and writings have been printed in several books and journals. Dr. Ragini Trivedi is working on books planned by Dr. Misra which could not be published during his lifetime and first of such collection of his compositions has been published as Rag Vibodh: Misrabani by Hindi Madhyam Karyanvaya Nideshalaya, Delhi. Another set of compositions has been presented in a symbol-based notation system, Ome Swarlipi.
, the genre of Vedic literature) to be distinctly heard on a single Veena. The invention and key to its function has been explained in “Shruti Veena” published on 11-02-1964 by Vikram Singh, Narendra Printing Works, Varanasi.
He had created several other Raga-s like Shyam Bihag, Jog Todi, Madhukali, Madhu-Bhairav, Baleshwari etc., all in strict adherence with rigid classical norms for creation of new Raga-s. Unesco released a compact disc of his Vichitra Veena entitled The Music of Pandit Lalmani Misra in 1996.
True inventions are seldom noticeable. Early on, Dr. Misra found use of Teen Tal in slow and medium compositions ubiquitous. He realized that it was the possibility of Chhand-s that made this Tal a favorite of most instrumentalists. He experimented and created equally alluring Chhand-s in other Tal-s. Legendary percussionists were enamored by his compositions because of their complex, oblique rhythm pattern and called it 'Koot ki Taan'. Later this style came to be known as Misrabani.
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
, Varanasi, was an eminent Indian classical musician known as much for his art as for his scholarship.
Initiation into music
Lalmani learnt Dhruvapada (DhrupadDhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
) Dhamar
Dhamar (music)
A dhrupad set to the 14-beat time signature dhamar tal is called a dhamar. It is seen as a light musical form, and associated with the Holi Spring Festival of colours....
in the tradition of Pt. Shankar Bhatt and Munshi Bhrigunath Lal. He learnt Khayal singing with Ustad Mehndi Hussain Khan, a disciple of Ustad Vazir Khan of Rampur Seni Gharana. He received training in Dhruvpad, Bhajan and Tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
from Swami Pramodanand; in sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
from Shri Shukdev Roy. Under the tutelage of Ustad Amir Ali Khan he perfected several other musical instruments.
Lalmani was appointed on the post of assistant music director in Shehanshahi Recording Company, Calcutta at the age of twelve. He worked in several films for the next two years. His interaction with these two, kindled an interest for orchestration in Lalmani.
Making music work
Globe-trotter
The renowned dance maestro Pt. Uday ShankarUday Shankar
Uday Shankar , the pioneer of modern dance in India, and a world renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, was most known for adapting Western theatrical techniques to traditional Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, thus laying the roots of...
offered him the position of music director in his troupe. Lalmani Misra traveled with the troupe composing scores for the innovative dance presentations and ballets on mythological and contemporary themes. The troupe covered several major towns and cities of India and covered Ceylone, France, England, Belgium, America and Canada between 1951 and 1955. Not only was he adept at playing several types of musical instruments, he also had a knack for orchestration that served the needs of an innovative Dance troupe.
The experience with the troupe made him try his hand on stage as well. He created Meera opera that was staged in 1956 at Kanpur. The audience were amazed by sudden disappearance of Meera from stage, appaerently merging into the idol of Lord Krishna
Music educationist
On his return Lalmani Misra was appointed as the Registrar of “Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mandal Mahavidyalaya, Bombay” – the prestigious most body for Indian Classical Music education. On the pressing invitation of citizens and city officials, he resigned to join the college (Gandhi Sangeet Mahavidyalaya) he had founded in his hometown Kanpur, as its Principal in 1956.Meanwhile, the College of Music and Fine Arts had been established under the Principal-ship of Gurudev Pt. Omkarnath Thakur at Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
, Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
in 1950. By 1955-56 its teething troubles were over and department was ready for expansion. A scheme for its re-organization was prepared with inspiration and encouragement provided by the then Vice Chancellor, Dr. Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar. On the insistence of Pt. Omkarnath Thakur, Lalmani Misra consented to his appointment as Reader in the college and left his native Kanpur a third time for Varanasi in 1957.
Shaping higher education
With such stalwart predecessors like Omkarnath ThakurOmkarnath Thakur
Omkarnath Thakur was an Indian educator, musicologist, and Hindustani classical singer. He is famously known as "Pranav Rang", his pen-name.Thakur was born 1897 in a village in the Princely State of Baroda into a poor military family...
and Dr. B.R. Deodhar, Dr. Lalmani Misra stood up to the challenge of taking a burgeoning university institution to its proposed glory. Under his able helmsman-ship, the college went from strength to strength in imparting the best education in Indian Classical music. A rigorous hands-on course in performance and composition culminating in doctoral degree (D.Mus.) was started which has earned faculty positions for almost all its students around the globe. He was visiting Professor to music faculty at Penn University, Philadelphia from 1969 to 1978. Many students came to learn intricacies of music with him. Pt. Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar , the pioneer of modern dance in India, and a world renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, was most known for adapting Western theatrical techniques to traditional Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, thus laying the roots of...
sent his son Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar was a Bengali musician best known for fusing Western and Eastern musical styles. He was married to Tanusree Shankar.-Early life:...
to Dr. Misra who taught him the art of orchestration.
Writing music
Multi-faceted Dr. Misra, apart from secretly perfecting the technique of Vichitra VeenaVichitra veena
The vichitra veena is a plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music. It is similar to the Carnatic gottuvadhyam . It has no frets and is played with a slide.-The structure:...
after having heard a performance by Abdul Aziz Khan of Patiyala, had carried out research on history and development of Indian musical instruments. His thesis published by Bharatiya Jnanpith, New Delhi in 1973 (second edition 2002, reprinted 2004) under the title Bharatiya Sangeet Vadya
Bharatiya Sangeet Vadya
Bharatiya Sangeet Vadya is a book written by Dr. Lalmani Misra. It was published under the Lokodya Granthmala series of Bharatiya Jnanpith, New Delhi. The first edition was published in 1973, the second in 2002...
dispelled the existing myths about the origin of Indian instruments and serves to this day as the primary reference work for identification, authentication and classification of Indian musical instruments. He wrote several other books. The first part of four-part treatise on techniques of strings was published as Tantri Nad. After his death in 1979 his son Dr. Gopal Shankar Misra
Gopal Shankar Misra
Gopal Shankar Misra was an Indian musician and music teacher, who played the vichitra veena.-Inheriting music:...
, internationally renowned Vichitra Veena artiste and Professor, Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, B.H.U.
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
, Varanasi was working on the remaining volumes, aided by hand-written notes by Lalmani Misra when on 13 August 1999 he succumbed to heart-attack at a five day function organised in memory of his father at Bhopal. A book on essays written by Dr. Misra -- Sangeet Aur Samaj (Music and Society) were edited by his daughter Dr. Ragini Trivedi and published by Madhukali Prakashan, Bhopal in 2000. His biographical sketches and writings have been printed in several books and journals. Dr. Ragini Trivedi is working on books planned by Dr. Misra which could not be published during his lifetime and first of such collection of his compositions has been published as Rag Vibodh: Misrabani by Hindi Madhyam Karyanvaya Nideshalaya, Delhi. Another set of compositions has been presented in a symbol-based notation system, Ome Swarlipi.
Researcher and inventor
Carrying out research in the music of Vedic age, he unraveled the mystery of Samic scale. To re-establish the lost notes of that period he created a Raga Sameshwari. Dr. Misra also first made it possible in history of mankind, the twenty two Shruti-s (not to be confused with śrutiSruti
' , often spelled shruti or shruthi, is a term that describes the sacred texts comprising the central canon of Hinduism and is one of the three main sources of dharma and therefore is also influential within Hindu Law...
, the genre of Vedic literature) to be distinctly heard on a single Veena. The invention and key to its function has been explained in “Shruti Veena” published on 11-02-1964 by Vikram Singh, Narendra Printing Works, Varanasi.
He had created several other Raga-s like Shyam Bihag, Jog Todi, Madhukali, Madhu-Bhairav, Baleshwari etc., all in strict adherence with rigid classical norms for creation of new Raga-s. Unesco released a compact disc of his Vichitra Veena entitled The Music of Pandit Lalmani Misra in 1996.
True inventions are seldom noticeable. Early on, Dr. Misra found use of Teen Tal in slow and medium compositions ubiquitous. He realized that it was the possibility of Chhand-s that made this Tal a favorite of most instrumentalists. He experimented and created equally alluring Chhand-s in other Tal-s. Legendary percussionists were enamored by his compositions because of their complex, oblique rhythm pattern and called it 'Koot ki Taan'. Later this style came to be known as Misrabani.
Sources and links
- .Nada Rupa, Sharma, Dr. (Miss) Premlata, Ed. College of Fine Arts, B.H.U., Varanasi: 1961. Special Issue with Supplement, Vol I, No. 1, January 1961
- . Sangeetendu Pandit Lalmani Ji Misra: Ek Pratibhavan Sangeetagya, Tewari, Laxmi Ganesh. Swar Sadhana, California, 1996.
- . Shruti Aur Smriti:Mahan Sangeetagya Pandit Lalmani Misra, Chourasiya, Omprakash, Ed. Madhukali Prakashan, Bhopal, August 1999.
- . Sangeetendu Acharya Lalmani Misra. Vidushi Premlata Sharma
- . Ethnomusicologist http://www.kinar.com/sangeet/Dr. Laxmi Ganesh TewariLaxmi Ganesh TewariPandit Laxmi Ganesh Tewari is a renowned Hindustani vocalist from India. He is an exponent of the Gwalior gharana of vocal music. After studying with Dr. Lalmani Misra at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, he pursued education and teaching opportunities in America...
] - . Sindura on Vichitra Veena, a short movie clip on Online Music Education
- . Celestial Music of Pandit Lalmani Misra. DVD. Santa Rosa, California: Svar Sadhana, 2007.
- . Raga-Rupanjali. Ratna Publications: Varanasi. 2007. A collection of Compositions of Sangeetendu Dr. Lalmani Misra by Dr. Pushpa Basu.
- . Raga Vibodh: Misrabani. Dr. Ragini Trivedi. Hindi Madhyam Karyanvaya Nideshalaya: Delhi. 2010.
- . Sitar Compositions in Ome Swarlipi. Dr. Ragini Trivedi. 2010.
- . Links to musical pieces
- . Madhukali -- Organization in memory of Sangeetendu Dr. Lalmani Misra