Debu Chaudhuri
Pandit Devabrata (Debu) Chaudhuri | |
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![]() Debu Chaudhuri (left) | |
Born | Devabrata Chaudhuri 30 May 1935 |
Died | 1 May 2021 (aged 85) |
Education | Senia Gharana |
Known for | Music sitar |
Notable work | Published 6 Books, Composed 8 ragas |
Spouse | Manjushree Chaudhuri |
Awards | Padmabhushan, Padmashree |
Patron(s) | Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan |
Website | www |
Pandit Devabrata (Debu) Chaudhuri((Bengali:পণ্ডিত দেবব্রত চৌধুরী); 30 May 1935[1]– 1 May 2021) was an Indiansitaristand teacher. He was conferred thePadmabhushanandPadma Shriawards. He was the writer of six books, composer of eight newragasand numerous musical compositions. From 1963 he has appeared in numerous radio broadcasts, and he was a disciple ofMushtaq Ali Khan.[2]He is considered a leadingsitaristof Post War era.[3]He is regarded as one of the leading proponents of Senia Style (or Gharana).[4]He was the former Dean and Head, Faculty of Music,University of Delhi.[5]His music is noted for its sweet singing ringing tone.[6]He lived with his son, daughter-in law and niece at Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi.
Birth
[edit]Pt. Chaudhuri was born in 1935 inMymensingh(now inBangladesh).[7]He started playing thesitarfrom four years of age. His first broadcast was at the age of eighteen at theAll India Radioin 1953.
Death
[edit]Pt. Debu Chaudhuri died as a result ofCOVID-19inDelhi,India,on 1 May 2021. He was admitted withCOVID-19along withdementiacomplications. He suffered amyocardial infarction (heart attack)around midnight and could not be revived.[8][9][10]A few days after his death, his sonPrateek Chaudhuri,a renowned sitar player, also died due toCOVID-related complications.[11]
Training
[edit]He received his education in theUniversity of Calcutta.He joinedDelhi Universityas a reader from 1971 to 1982 and was the Dean and Head of Music Department from 1985 to 1988. He has served as a visiting professor at Maharishi International University (now calledMaharishi University of Management), Iowa from 1991 to 1994.[12]He received his training in sitar under late Panchu Gopal Datta and Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan.[13]
Music
[edit]He started playing the sitar from four years of age. His first broadcast was at the age of eighteen at the All India Radio in 1953.[14]He created 8 new Ragas viz. Bisweswari, Palas-Sarang, Anuranjani, Ashiqui Lalit, Swanandeswari, Kalyani Bilawal, Shivamanjari and Prabhati Manjari (in memory of his wife Manju). He has authored three books on Indian Music namely ‘Sitar and It's Techniques’, ‘Music of India’ and ‘On Indian Music’. He has recorded 24 CDs for 24 hours of the day in the United States.[15]
Style
[edit]He is considered a leading proponent of playing the repeated articulation of thepedal tone(also called the ‘’’Jod’’’) with the tonic pitch of the second string (also called the ‘’’Jodi’’’) string, by pulling the string across the fret that is allowed to die out before the basic alternation stroking is continued. He is considered one of the greatest sitar players of the era withUstad Vilayat Khan,Ravi ShankarandNikhil Banerjee.[3]He is also unique in using the 17 fret sitar while most musicians use the 19 fret sitar.[16]
Contributions
[edit]UMAK
[edit]In April 2010 he started the UMAK (Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan) Center for culture in memory of his ‘’guru’’ Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan.[17]
References
[edit]- ^"Reference India: A-F".2003.
- ^India today.Thomson Living Media India Ltd. 2008. p. 78.Retrieved17 March2012.
- ^abJames McConnachie; Rough Guides (Firm) (2000).World music: the rough guide.Rough Guides. p. 72.ISBN978-1-85828-636-5.Retrieved17 March2012.
- ^John Shepherd (27 February 2003).Continuum encyclopedia of popular music of the world: VolumeII: Performance and production.Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 446.ISBN978-0-8264-6322-7.Retrieved17 March2012.
- ^Dilip Ranjan Barthakur (2003).The music and musical instruments of North Eastern India.Mittal Publications. p. 5.ISBN978-81-7099-881-5.Retrieved17 March2012.
- ^The beat.Bongo Productions. 1992. p. 53.Retrieved17 March2012.
- ^Sruti.P.N. Sundaresan. 1 January 1998. p. 17.Retrieved17 March2012.
- ^"Sitar maestro Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri dies of Covid-19 complications".The Indian Express.1 May 2021.Retrieved1 May2021.
- ^"पद्मभूषण से सम्मानित मशहूर सितारवादक पंडित देबू चौधरी का हार्ट अटैक से निधन".Hindustan(in Hindi).Retrieved1 May2021.
- ^"Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri dies of Covid-19 complications – Celebrity Land International".Archived fromthe originalon 1 May 2021.Retrieved1 May2021.
- ^"Prateek Chaudhuri passes away due to Covid: Remembering the renowned sitar player".The Indian Express.8 May 2021.Retrieved14 May2021.
- ^Ravi Bhushan (2003).Reference India: A-F.Rifacimento International. p. 256.Retrieved17 March2012.
- ^Link.United India Periodicals. 1979. p. 82.Retrieved17 March2012.
- ^Subhra Mazumdar (2010)."Tied to His Strings".The Open Magazine.Retrieved19 March2012.
- ^Abhay (2008)."Pandit Debu Chaudhuri".Retrieved19 March2012.
- ^RANEE KUMAR (2005)."Classicist to the core".The Hindu.Archived fromthe originalon 11 February 2005.Retrieved19 March2012.
- ^MANJARI SINHA (23 April 2010)."His master's voice".The Hindu.Retrieved19 March2012.