Overview for Tabla for Advanced Students
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.
Sadanand Naimpalli (Author)
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.'
Bagchee
