Lalmani Misra
{{Short description|Indian classical musician (1924–1979)}}
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{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Laimani Misra
| birth_date = 11 August 1924{{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| death_date = 17 July 1979{{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| genre = Indian classical music
| instrument = Sitar, vichitra veena
}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
Lalmani Misra (11 August 1924 – 17 July 1979) was an Indian musician and scholar of musicology in Hindustani classical music. Misra played the sitar and the vicitra vīṇā (vichitra veena).{{Request citation|date=May 2025}}
Misra's contributions to Indian classical music include the preservation and development of vichitra veena techniques, as well as new musical notation systems.{{Request citation|date=May 2025}}
Early career
Misra was born in Kanpur, India. [https://folkways.si.edu/india-vicitra-vina-the-music-of-pandit-lalmani-misra/world/music/album/smithsonian?utm_source=chatgpt.com] He received training in Dhrupad and Dhamar under Shankar Bhatt and Munshi Bhrigunath Lal.{{Cite web |last=Vyas |first=Suneera Kasliwal |date=29 January 2025 |title=Indian Aesthetics and Fine Arts: Instrumentalists and Scholars of North India-1 |url=https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/epgpdata/uploads/epgp_content/S000829IC/P001482/M015579/ET/1462790070et30.pdf |publisher=INFLIBNET CENTRE}}{{Better source needed|reason=Url leads to '403 Forbidden' page|date=May 2025}} He also studied Khayal singing with Ustad Mehndi Hussain Khan, a disciple of Ustad Vazir Khan of the Rampur Seni Gharana. In addition to these vocal styles, Misra trained on various instruments, studying sitar under Shri Shukdev Roy and tabla under Swami Pramodanand.{{Cite journal |date=1996 |title=The music of pandit Lalmani Misra |url=https://folkways-media.si.edu/docs/folkways/artwork/UNES08267.pdf |journal=INDIA: Vicitra Vina}}
At the age of 12, Misra was appointed assistant music director at Shehanshahi Recording Company in Calcutta. He remained there for two years.{{Cite web |title=India: Vicitra Vina: The Music of Pandit Lalmani Misra |url=https://folkways.si.edu/india-vicitra-vina-the-music-of-pandit-lalmani-misra/world/music/album/smithsonian |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Smithsonian Folkways Recordings |language=en-US}}
Adult career
Misra returned to Kanpur in 1940, following his father's death. In Kanpur, he founded music schools for children, known as "Bal Sangeet Vidyalaya." He also founded the institution "Bharatiya Sangeet Parishad," and a music college, "Gandhi Sangeet Mahavidyalaya."Sangeetendu Pandit Lalmani Ji Misra: Ek Pratibhavan Sangeetagya. Tewari, Laxmi Ganesh. California: Sangeetendu Pandit Lalmani Ji Misra: Ek Pratibhavan Sangeetagya, Tewari, Laxmi Ganesh. Swar Sadhana, California. 1996. He adapted syllabi for students in both academic and informal settings. Around this time, he also founded an orchestra society.
Creating Ragas
Dr. Pushpa Basu documented the following Ragas in her book:Raga Rupanjali. Basu, Dr Pushpa. Varanasi: Ratna Publications, 2007,
- Madhu Bhairava: Hexatonic Raga of Bhairava Ang performed in the early morning.
- Shyam Bihag: Penta-heptatonic Raga of Kalyan Thaat and Ang, performed in the late evening.
- Madhukali: Penta-heptatonic Raga blending Madhuvanti, Multani and Ramkali, played in the early evening.
- Sameshwari: Penta-heptatonic Raga blending Rageshri and Kalavati, played in the early evening.
- Baleshwari: Hexa-hexatonic Raga blending Bageshwari and Bilaskhani Todi, played before noon.
- Jog Todi: Hexa-heptatonic Raga blending Jog and Todi, played any time due to its light nature.
- Anand Bhairavai: Revived through research; a type of Bhairavi called Madhyam-Pradhan (subdominant centric), which shuns Rishabh (supertonic).
Sources and links
- Nada Rupa, Sharma, Dr. (Miss) Premlata, Ed. College of Fine Arts, B.H.U., Varanasi: 1961. Special Issue with Supplement, Vol I, No. 1, January 1961.
- Sangeetendu Pandit Lalmani Ji Misra: Ek Pratibhavan Sangeetagya, [http://janhaag.com/MUtewari.html Tewari, Laxmi Ganesh]. Swar Sadhana, California, 1996.
- Shruti Aur Smriti: Mahan Sangeetagya Pandit Lalmani Misra, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928192146/http://opchourasiya.com/ Chourasiya, Omprakash], Ed. Madhukali Prakashan, Bhopal, August 1999.
- Sangeetendu Acharya Lalmani Misra. [http://omenad.net/articles/tribute_premlata.html Vidushi Premlata Sharma]
- Ethnomusicologist [http://www.kinar.com/sangeet/ Dr. Laxmi Ganesh Tewari]
- Sindura on Vichitra Veena, a short movie clip on [http://omenad.net Online Music Education]
- Celestial Music of Pandit Lalmani Misra. DVD. Santa Rosa, California: Svar Sadhana, 2007.
- Raga-Rupanjali. Ratna Publications: Varanasi. 2007. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928022543/http://www.omenad.net/articles/bjack_ragrup.htm A collection of Compositions of Sangeetendu Dr. Lalmani Misra by Dr. Pushpa Basu.]
- Raga Vibodh: Misrabani. Dr. Ragini Trivedi. Hindi Madhyam Karyanvaya Nideshalaya: Delhi. 2010.
- Sitar Compositions in Ome Swarlipi. [http://omenad.net/articles/omeswarlipi.htm Dr. Ragini Trivedi.] 2010.
- [http://www.omenad.net/refer/tracks.htm Links to musical pieces]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090718030303/http://madhukali.com/ Madhukali – Organization in memory of Sangeetendu Dr. Lalmani Misra]
References
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Category:Academic staff of Banaras Hindu University
Category:Hindustani instrumentalists
Category:William Penn University faculty
Category:Vichitra veena players
Category:Musicians from Varanasi