Review: Pt. Mukul Shivputra Concert, 15 March 2015, Pune

As many other music lovers do, I also keep on waiting for some good concerts. A long time entry in my wish list was a concert by Pt. Mukuls Shivputra.

In the last week of Feb, I was in Ahmedabad for some official purpose. I had been there for a conference. While going to the conference venue from our guest house, I passed by CEPT.  I have a collection of around 6 recordings of Pt. Mukul Shivputra performing at CEPT. All of them are high quality audio recordings and Mukulji has sung many Ragas like Malkauns, Puriya Dhanashree, Jog, Chhayanat etc. and also has given a demonstrative talk.

While passing by, I asked my wife this many times repeated question- “When would he sing again?”

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Pt. Mukul Shivputra after the concert

As clueless as I was, she was unable to answer. Just after reaching the venue, I got an alert from Facebook about Pt. Mukul Shivputra performing in Pune on 15th March 2015.

Though both of us were quite busy with the launch of our book, we marked the date. The occasion was Mukulji completing 60 years. The concert was to be followed by dinner.

Many music lovers and fans of Pt. Mukul Shivputra were already present, waiting for him to arrive on the stage. We could coincidentally meet renowned Tabla Player Shree Anand Badamikar during the concert.

He arrived and after some formalities, the concert began. In spite of having some issues and trouble with the sound system, Mukulji sang. Unfortunately, the concert was arranged in open lawns and another classical concert was going on in the immediately next place. In spite of all these hurdles, Mukulji took audience to a different plane.

As a policy, I avoid writing elaborately on what Ragas were sung in a concert, which Bandishes, which Talas etc. The purpose is go beyond all that and taste the environment which the artist builds in his concert. It is a precaution to ensure that reviews are not intellectual.

Pt. Mukul Shivputra opened the concert with Multani, very stirdy yet delicate. The chain went on ending with Bageshree and then Bhairavee. The music was enriching, sensitive. One of the biggest problem I see with musicians is their insensitivity. They take all the efforts to make their music wide, entertaining, intellectually compelling. All these things can be added with practice, sensitivity cannot. Pt. Mukul Shivputra won the audience and made a mark because of his sensitivity and delicacy.


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3 responses to “Review: Pt. Mukul Shivputra Concert, 15 March 2015, Pune”

  1. saiganesh Avatar
    saiganesh

    Hi, I am a novice as Hindustani listener but have been hooked to Carnatic since childhood. Recently a friend of mine made me listen to to this genius. I have been searching for his recordings everywhere downloading as much as I get …can you guide me in this regard?

    1. Mandar Karanjkar Avatar

      Hello Sai!

      There is a facebook page for Pt. Mukul Shivputra from where you can get links to many of his downloads. Give it a try. If you dont get it, do let me know.

      Regards,
      Mandar

  2. Luqman Avatar
    Luqman

    Dear Mandar

    I have recently discovered the music of Mukul-ji and have been enchanted. I think he may be among the best, if not the best, classical vocalist alive today. One of the few people who not only has the creative skill and taleem but takes the music completely seriously. Classical music is supposed to be music for its own sake, not music for simple pleasures (which is also important); something which it seems it is being reduced to. I noticed that you have replied many times regarding a link on facebook for Mukul-jis live recordings but I am unable to find anything. Outside of youtube all I was able to find was one commercial CD with Todi and Tilak Kamod. If there is any chance you would be able to share live recordings I would be grateful beyond measure. I feel he is not getting the attention he deserves and part of it is how difficult it is to obtain good, representative recordings. Perhaps Pandit-ji would be interested in his own youtube channel, soundcloud channel etc.? I think it would be great if he himself controlled access to his music.

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