Nasir Moinuddin Dagar
{{Short description|Indian classical singer (1919–1966)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| honorific_prefix = Ustad
| background = person
| birth_date = {{circa|1919}}
| birth_place = Alwar, Rajasthan, British India
| death_date = {{Death date|df=yes|1966|05|24|1921|05|12}}
| genre = Hindustani classical, Dhrupad
| occupation = vocalist
| instrument = singing
| current_member_of = Senior Dagar Brothers
}}
Nasir Moinuddin Dagar ({{circa|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.{{Cite book |last=Khan |first=Sadakat Aman |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AOVZEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA39 |title=Gharanas of Indian Music |year=2022|publisher=Notion Press |isbn=979-8-88569-411-7 |language=en |chapter=Dagar Gharana}}{{Cite web |title=Moinuddin Khan |url=http://www.dhrupad.info/moinuddin.htm |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=dhrupad.info}}
Early life and training
Moinuddin 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.{{Cite news |date=25 May 1966 |title=Elder Dagar Brother Dead |pages=1 |work=The Times of India |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/750785750 |id={{ProQuest|750785750}} }}{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordencyclopae0002unse/page/733 |title=The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India: h–o |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0195650983 |location=New Delhi |pages=733 |oclc=768121066}}
He was initiated into dhrupad singing by his father, who provided strict and rigorous training.{{Cite journal |last=Owens |first=Naomi |date=Spring–Summer 1987 |title=The Dagar Gharānā |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/833942 |journal=Asian Music |volume=18 |pages=158–195 |jstor=833942 }} 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. 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.{{Cite news |date=26 May 1966 |title=Current Topics: Moinuddin Dagar |pages=8 |work=The Times of India}}
He left Udaipur after his training, and moved to Bombay in 1947, where he and Nasir Aminuddin started performing. The two brothers had an exceptionally close relationship, with Aminuddin formally accepting him as his musical guru. They first performed for the radio in 1942, and were well regarded as live performers.
Career and later life
Moinuddin Dagar performed primarily with his brother Aminuddin Dagar as the "Dagar Brother" duo, known for jugalbandi. Together, they helped popularize dhrupad for new audiences.
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.{{Cite journal |last=Hyder |first=Qurratulain |date=5 March 1972 |title=The Dagars: At Home and Abroad |url=http://hindiurduflagship.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/dagar.pdf |journal=The Illustrated Weekly of India |pages=50–51}} Their November 1964 tour included a stop in Paris, which was recorded and released by UNESCO.{{Cite book |last=Lavezzoli |first=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OSZKCXtx-wEC&pg=PA26 |title=The Dawn of Indian Music in the West |date=2006 |publisher=Continuum Books |isbn=978-0-8264-1815-9 |pages=26–27 |language=en}} Moinuddin Dagar suffered a heart attack while on tour in Europe, and complications would eventually lead to his death.
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.
In 1966, the two moved from Delhi to Bombay, where they founded and taught at the Bharat Sangeet Vidya Bhavan.
Moinuddin died in Bombay on 24 May 1966. The Times of India described his death in middle age as a "severe blow to the 'dhrupad' tradition." He left behind his wife Suraiya, a son, and two daughters.
In 1975, after his death, Aminuddin Dagar founded the Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar Dhrupad Sangeet Ashram in Calcutta in his elder brother's name.{{Cite web |first= |date=23 July 2021 |title=Aminuddin Dagar |url=https://raagparichay.in/en/aminuddin-dagar |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=RaagParichay.in}}{{Cite web |title=About Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar Dhrupad Sangeet Ashram |url=https://www.facebook.com/dhrupadsangeetashram/about_details |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2011-04-21 |title=Dhrupad Sangeet Ashram: History |url=http://www.dhrupadsangeetashram.com/dagarsangeetashram.html |access-date=2023-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110421030811/http://www.dhrupadsangeetashram.com/dagarsangeetashram.html |archive-date=2011-04-21 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Chatterjee |first1=Samarpita |last2=Sarkhel |first2=Sabyasachi |date=2020 |title=An Introduction to Dhrupad Performance Platforms of India |url=https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/etnomuzikoloji/issue/57697/817841 |journal=Etnomüzikoloji Dergisi |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=268}}
Style and impact
The Times of India described him as "one of the finest exponents of his style."
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."{{Cite journal |last=Datta |first=Vivek |date=1967 |title=Record Reviews |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24318764 |journal=The World of Music |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=50 |jstor=24318764 }}
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."
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."{{Cite book |last=Gautam |first=M.R. |url=https://archive.org/details/musicalheritageo0000mrga/page/115 |title=The Musical Heritage of India |publisher=Abhinav Publications |year=1980 |location=New Delhi |pages=115 |language=en |oclc=8335366 |archive-url=}}
Discography
- Dagar Brothers (1965){{Citation |title=Dagar Brothers - Dagar Brothers |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1001467-Dagar-Brothers-Dagar-Brothers |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}{{Cite web |title=Dagar Brothers {{!}} WorldCat.org |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/21072797 |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=www.worldcat.org |language=en}}
- A Musical Anthology of the Orient: India III (1960s?){{Citation |title=Dagar Brothers – India III |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1346979-Dagar-Brothers-India-III |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}{{Cite web |last=walter |date=2017-02-18 |title=Musical Anthology of the Orient – India |url=https://www.alaindanielou.org/discs/india-discs/musical-anthology-of-the-orient-india/ |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=Alain Daniélou official site |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tawfiq |date=2018-01-08 |title=Moinuddin & Aminuddin Dagar – Dhrupads – The Music of India III |url=https://oriental-traditional-music.blogspot.com/2018/01/moinuddin-aminuddin-dagar-dhrupads.html |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=Oriental Traditional Music from LPs & Cassettes}}
- Raga Darbari Kanada: Alapa; Dhamar — Raga Adana (1982)
- Raga Todi in Concert • Calcutta 1957 (1999){{Citation |title=The Senior Dagar Brothers = Mohinuddin And Aminuddin Dagar – Rag Todi in Concert • Calcutta 1957 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6415807-The-Senior-Dagar-Brothers-Mohinuddin-And-Aminuddin-Dagar-Rag-Todi-in-Concert-Calcutta-1957 |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}{{Cite web |title=Rag todi : Calcutta 1957 {{!}} WorldCat.org |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/44801205 |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=www.worldcat.org |language=en}}
- Bihag Kamboji Malkosh • Calcutta 1955 (2000){{Citation |title=Dagar Brothers – Bihag Kamboji Malkosh – Calcutta 1955 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/11250208-Dagar-Brothers-Bihag-Kamboji-Malkosh-Calcutta-1955 |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}{{Cite web |title=The Senior Dagar Brothers : CD] : Bihag Kamboji Malkosh, Calcutta 1955 {{!}} WorldCat.org |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/225138816 |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=www.worldcat.org |language=en}}
- Dhrupad : Puriya, Pilu Thumri (2002){{Cite web |title=Dhrupad : Puriya, Pilu Thumri {{!}} WorldCat.org |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/54844358 |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=www.worldcat.org |language=en}}
- Dhrupad: Bageshree (2002)
- Ragas Bhupali, Shankara: Dhrupad (2004){{Citation |title=Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar & Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar – Ragas Bhupali, Shankara: Dhrupad |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/10722913-Dagar-Brothers-2-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Moinuddin-Dagar-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Aminuddin-D |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}
- Dhrupad (Megh, Kafi Ki Hori) (2002, 2009){{Citation |title=Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar, Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar – Dhrupad (Megh, Kafi Ki Hori) |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/11250388-Dagar-Brothers-2-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Moinuddin-Dagar-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Aminuddin-D |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}{{Cite web |title=Dhrupad : Megh, Kafi Ki Hori {{!}} WorldCat.org |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/54844490 |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=www.worldcat.org |language=en}}
- Raga Kambhoji: Dhrupad (2004){{Citation |title=Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar, Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar – Raga Kambhoji: Dhrupad |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/10722862-Dagar-Brothers-2-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Moinuddin-Dagar-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Aminuddin-D |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}{{Cite web |title=Dhrupad : raga Kambhoji {{!}} WorldCat.org |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/62999666 |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=www.worldcat.org |language=en}}
- Bageshree Dhrupad (2008){{Citation |title=Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar & Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar – Bageshree Dhrupad |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/11250255-Dagar-Brothers-2-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Moinuddin-Dagar-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Aminuddin-D |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}
- Miya Ki Malhar Dhrupad (2009){{Citation |title=Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar, Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar – Miya Ki Malhar Dhrupad |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/11250315-Dagar-Brothers-2-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Moinuddin-Dagar-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Moinuddin-D |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}
- Raga: Puriya, Pilu Thumri (2009){{Citation |title=Dagar Brothers = Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Dagar, Late Khan Sahib Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar – Raga: Puriya, Pilu Thumri |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/11250419-Dagar-Brothers-2-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Moinuddin-Dagar-Late-Khan-Sahib-Ustad-Nasir-Aminuddin-D |language=en |access-date=2023-02-05}}