Nasir Moinuddin Dagar (c. 1921–1966) was a Hindustani classical dhrupad singer from India, part of the Dagar gharana. He and his younger brother Nasir Aminuddin Dagar performed together, and are best known as the Senior Dagar Brothers.[1][2]
Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1919 Alwar, Rajasthan, British India |
| Died | 24 May 1966 |
| Genres | Hindustani classical, Dhrupad |
| Occupation | vocalist |
| Instrument | singing |
| Member of | Senior Dagar Brothers |
Early life and training
editMoinuddin Dagar was born in Alwar, Rajasthan, the eldest son of musician Nasiruddin Khan of the Dagar lineage. Contemporary sources listed his birth date as 1919, while the Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India listed it as 12 May 1921.[2][3][4]
He was initiated into dhrupad singing by his father, who provided strict and rigorous training.[5] He was seventeen when his father died. He supported his mother and five younger siblings by working as a teacher, while receiving training in Jaipur from his uncle Riazuddin Khan.[5] He would go on to train younger brothers Nasir Aminuddin, Nasir Zahiruddin, and Nasir Faiyazuddin, as well as disciples Ritwik Sanyal and Lakshman Bhatta Tailanga.[4][6]
He left Udaipur after his training, and moved to Bombay in 1947, where he and Nasir Aminuddin started performing.[6] The two brothers had an exceptionally close relationship, with Aminuddin formally accepting him as his musical guru.[5] They first performed for the radio in 1942, and were well regarded as live performers.[5]
Career and later life
editMoinuddin Dagar performed primarily with his brother Aminuddin Dagar as the "Dagar Brother" duo, known for jugalbandi. Together, they helped popularize dhrupad for new audiences.[7]
They toured Europe in the 1960s with Nasir Aminuddin Dagar, participating in music events in countries like France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, and Japan.[2][3][7] Their November 1964 tour included a stop in Paris, which was recorded and released by UNESCO.[8] Moinuddin Dagar suffered a heart attack while on tour in Europe, and complications would eventually lead to his death.[4][5][8]
In 1955, Moinuddin and Aminuddin founded the Bharatiya Sangeet Vidyalay in Benares, and subsequently moved to Delhi to take up jobs at the Bharatiya Kala Kendra in New Delhi. He was, for many years, head of the Bharatiya Kala Kendra's music department.[3][5]
In 1966, the two moved from Delhi to Bombay, where they founded and taught at the Bharat Sangeet Vidya Bhavan.[5]
Moinuddin died in Bombay on 24 May 1966.[3][8] The Times of India described his death in middle age as a "severe blow to the 'dhrupad' tradition."[6] He left behind his wife Suraiya, a son, and two daughters.[3][7]
In 1975, after his death, Aminuddin Dagar founded the Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar Dhrupad Sangeet Ashram in Calcutta in his elder brother's name.[9][10][11][12]
Style and impact
editThe Times of India described him as "one of the finest exponents of his style."[6]
Vivek Datta described how Moinuddin "not only preserved the values and tradition of the family by sustaining the purity of Dhrupad singing, but also gave it a dynamic impetus which necessarily needs the power of an inspired genius."[13]
Dhrupad.info described him as a "charismatic performer," who "had amazing mastery over the use of the three different kinds of head resonance…which he used with much flair and artistry on the higher notes like ni and sa."[2]
M.R. Gautam described how Moinuddin and Aminuddin Dagar always performed together, how Moinuddin had a "higher pitched voice," and "was endowed with a fertile, artistic imagination and feeling."[14]
Discography
edit- Dagar Brothers (1965)[15][16]
- A Musical Anthology of the Orient: India III (1960s?)[17][18][19]
- Raga Darbari Kanada: Alapa ; Dhamar — Raga Adana (1982)
- Raga Todi in Concert • Calcutta 1957 (1999)[20][21]
- Bihag Kamboji Malkosh • Calcutta 1955 (2000)[22][23]
- Dhrupad : Puriya, Pilu Thumri (2002)[24]
- Dhrupad: Bageshree (2002)
- Ragas Bhupali, Shankara: Dhrupad (2004)[25]
- Dhrupad (Megh, Kafi Ki Hori) (2002, 2009)[26][27]
- Raga Kambhoji: Dhrupad (2004)[28][29]
- Bageshree Dhrupad (2008)[30]
- Miya Ki Malhar Dhrupad (2009)[31]
- Raga: Puriya, Pilu Thumri (2009)[32]
References
edit- ^ Khan, Sadakat Aman (19 January 2022). "Dagar Gharana". Gharanas of Indian Music. Notion Press. ISBN 979-8-88569-411-7.
- ^ a b c d "Moinuddin Khan". dhrupad.info. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Elder Dagar Brother Dead". The Times of India. 25 May 1966. p. 1. ProQuest 750785750 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b c The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India: h–o. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. 2011. p. 733. ISBN 978-0195650983. OCLC 768121066.
- ^ a b c d e f g Owens, Naomi (Spring–Summer 1987). "The Dagar Gharānā". Asian Music. 18: 158–195. JSTOR 833942 – via JSTOR.
- ^ a b c d "Current Topics: Moinuddin Dagar". The Times of India. 26 May 1966. p. 8.
- ^ a b c Hyder, Qurratulain (5 March 1972). "The Dagars: At Home and Abroad" (PDF). The Illustrated Weekly of India: 50–51.
- ^ a b c Lavezzoli, Peter (24 April 2006). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. Continuum Books. pp. 26–27. ISBN 978-0-8264-1815-9.
- ^ "Aminuddin Dagar". RaagParichay.in. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ "About Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar Dhrupad Sangeet Ashram". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ "Dhrupad Sangeet Ashram: History". 21 April 2011. Archived from the original on 21 April 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ Chatterjee, Samarpita; Sarkhel, Sabyasachi (2020). "An Introduction to Dhrupad Performance Platforms of India". Etnomüzikoloji Dergisi. 3 (2): 268.
- ^ Datta, Vivek (1967). "Record Reviews". The World of Music. 9 (1): 50. JSTOR 24318764 – via JSTOR.
- ^ Gautam, M.R. (1980). The Musical Heritage of India. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. p. 115. OCLC 8335366.
- ^ Dagar Brothers - Dagar Brothers, retrieved 5 February 2023
- ^ "Dagar Brothers | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ Dagar Brothers - India III, retrieved 5 February 2023
- ^ walter (18 February 2017). "Musical Anthology of the Orient - India". Alain Daniélou official site. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ Tawfiq (8 January 2018). "Moinuddin & Aminuddin Dagar - Dhrupads - The Music of India III". Oriental Traditional Music from LPs & Cassettes. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ The Senior Dagar Brothers = Mohinuddin And Aminuddin Dagar - Rag Todi in Concert • Calcutta 1957, retrieved 5 February 2023
- ^ "Rag todi : Calcutta 1957 | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ Dagar Brothers - Bihag Kamboji Malkosh - Calcutta 1955, retrieved 5 February 2023
- ^ "The Senior Dagar Brothers : CD] : Bihag Kamboji Malkosh, Calcutta 1955 | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ "Dhrupad : Puriya, Pilu Thumri | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar & Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar - Ragas Bhupali, Shankara: Dhrupad, retrieved 5 February 2023
- ^ Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar, Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar - Dhrupad (Megh, Kafi Ki Hori), retrieved 5 February 2023
- ^ "Dhrupad : Megh, Kafi Ki Hori | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar, Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar - Raga Kambhoji: Dhrupad, retrieved 5 February 2023
- ^ "Dhrupad : raga Kambhoji | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar & Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar - Bageshree Dhrupad, retrieved 5 February 2023
- ^ Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar, Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar - Miya Ki Malhar Dhrupad, retrieved 5 February 2023
- ^ Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar, Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar - Raga: Puriya, Pilu Thumri, retrieved 5 February 2023