Nirmala Devi & Lakshmi Shankar-Thumri

This was $4 and came from my favorite place for international records, the Half Price Books in Sugar Land.  I obviously got it for the international flare.  On that note, I was approached via the internet by two international folks last week.  One fellow, from the Netherlands, wanted some information on an exercise record as his wife collects 1980’s fitness memorabilia. Another person, a music journalist from Serbia asked me for some tracks from a bassoon album featuring a prominent Serbian musician on backup guitar.  Quite honestly, I was really hoping never to listen to either album.  But being the good host that I am, I complied with their requests.  On that note, I do love hearing from people, especially from different parts of the world than me and I do encourage folks to reach out.

Back to this album, it was released by the Gramophone Company of India Limited, a subsidiary of EMI.  It came out in 1968.  Nimrala Devi, born in Benares (now Varanasi) in 1927, was a Hindustani-classically trained vocalist.  She also acted in film before her death in 1996. Lakshmi Shankar, born in 1926, started life as a dancer before turning to the same vocal style.  She trained under Ravi Shankar, who was also her brother and law.  Lakshmi died in 2013 in California.

The dominate musical style on this album is the thumri.  It is a classical Indian form of music that highlights dance, dramatic gestures, romantic prose, and folk staples.  An important staple of North India music, it’s origins began in the 15th century with the genre as it is known evolving in the 19th.

So here is this album with four songs of the thumri style.  Musical direction, I believe, was provided by Khan Saheb Abdul Rehman Khan, the three Octave singing master who mentored Devi.  Nizamuddin Khan also accompanies the singers on Tabla. Two solo pieces and two duets. Overall, it is a good album.  Real interesting stuff that diverts from the normal stuff I post.

For a sample, I was torn as I thought all tracks were good.  But I must choose so here is this track, “Chain Kahan Se Paoon” which features both women singing.

Good album. Satisfactory.