Aficionados of Hindustani music would agree that vocalist Kesarbai Kerkar (1892-1977) was one of the most significant performers of the twentieth century. Kesarbai’s career began in the 1930s, and she soon rose to fame as a vocalist with a commanding presence on the musical firmament that lasted close to four decades.
Originally from Keri village in Goa, Kesarbai Kerkar belonged to the devadasi tradition. She grew up listening to bhajans and kirtans sung in local temples. She studied with several gurus before her long learning stint with Alladiya Khan (1855-1946), the founder of the Jaipur-Atrauli style. Among her earlier gurus were, Kirana gharana stalwart Abdul Karim Khan (1872-1938), Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze (1871-1945), Barkatullah Khan (c.1850/60-1928), an eminent sitar player, and Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale (1869-1922).
Kesarbai’s training was thus intermittent and interrupted until 1917, when she finally decided to learn from Alladiya Khan, as his style had impressed her during her earlier tutelage with him, and as he was respected for his knowledge and style by other senior vocalists.
Raga Lalit
Her renditions were marked by the sheer clarity and projection in her voice, the astuteness in negotiating even rare raags or melodic structures, and a phenomenal ability to unleash long taans or swift melodic passages that had unpredictable changes of sequential patterns.
This week’s column focuses on some of her 78 rpm recordings. On this recording, Kesarbai Kerkar sings a khayal composition in the morning raag Lalit set to medium tempo Teentaal, the popular taal or time-cycle with 16 matras or time-units. Listeners will notice her clear and open enunciation of the aakaar or the vowel "aa".
Raga Nand
The next recording features Kesarbai Kerkar’s rendition of the raag Nand. After the short elaboration of the composition set to medium tempo Teentaal, she launches into a series of forceful taans, some of which are boltaans or that use the words of the song-text and others that are sung in aakaar.
Raag Durga
The concluding recording this week is a rendition of raag Durga. The composition is set to Teentaal.
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Originally from Keri village in Goa, Kesarbai Kerkar belonged to the devadasi tradition. She grew up listening to bhajans and kirtans sung in local temples. She studied with several gurus before her long learning stint with Alladiya Khan (1855-1946), the founder of the Jaipur-Atrauli style. Among her earlier gurus were, Kirana gharana stalwart Abdul Karim Khan (1872-1938), Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze (1871-1945), Barkatullah Khan (c.1850/60-1928), an eminent sitar player, and Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale (1869-1922).
Kesarbai’s training was thus intermittent and interrupted until 1917, when she finally decided to learn from Alladiya Khan, as his style had impressed her during her earlier tutelage with him, and as he was respected for his knowledge and style by other senior vocalists.
Raga Lalit
Her renditions were marked by the sheer clarity and projection in her voice, the astuteness in negotiating even rare raags or melodic structures, and a phenomenal ability to unleash long taans or swift melodic passages that had unpredictable changes of sequential patterns.
This week’s column focuses on some of her 78 rpm recordings. On this recording, Kesarbai Kerkar sings a khayal composition in the morning raag Lalit set to medium tempo Teentaal, the popular taal or time-cycle with 16 matras or time-units. Listeners will notice her clear and open enunciation of the aakaar or the vowel "aa".
Raga Nand
The next recording features Kesarbai Kerkar’s rendition of the raag Nand. After the short elaboration of the composition set to medium tempo Teentaal, she launches into a series of forceful taans, some of which are boltaans or that use the words of the song-text and others that are sung in aakaar.
Raag Durga
The concluding recording this week is a rendition of raag Durga. The composition is set to Teentaal.
