Saluting The Gramophone Era
MUMBAI, March 10, 2016- Asia Society India Centre, in a performance supported by Ms. Sophie Ahmed was glad to welcome Vidya Shah, Musician and Vocalist who paid an ode to some famous and some not so famous singers from the gramophone era.
'Women on Record' is a performance and presentation by Vidya Shah which highlights women who have no records of their melodies and tunes in the gramophone era. The songs were sung in wax horns to capture them appropriately. Since the technology was crude singers were trained to sing in high pitches. The challenge of the Gramophone was to capture languid music.
The Gramophone soon became a fad in India, a commercial enterprise Gramophone and Typewriter Co. also became popular in the country. Very soon it started spreading its wings to western countries like Germany. It became a subject of curiosity and pride in the society. Where people could not afford to buy Gramophones, communal gramophones came into existence where people gathered at a spot to enjoy the music.
The Women were more celebrated singers of this era since men didn't welcome this technology as much. She sang songs by singers like Vidhyadhari Bai, Gauhar Jaan who is famous as the first lady of the Gramophone era, Mehboob Jaan, Angoorbala, Miss Dulaari, Jankibai, Begum Akhtar and Saraswati Devi. Vidya Shah shared interesting anecdotes about the lives of these women like Jankibai was called Jankibai Chappan Choori as she was infamous for her long string of admirers and Dulaari was called Miss Dulaari as she was famous amongst the Anglo Saxon community.
The gramophone era has given us some very interesting tales and much more interesting music for the coming generations to remember.
Reported by Karishma Talwar, Programme Officer, Asia Society India Centre.
This programme is part of Asia Society India Centre’s Women of Asia Series, which brings eminent women from the fields of Asian business, arts, culture and policy, and provides a senior level platform for discussion on issues of current interest affecting Asia and the world. This series promotes the collaboration and leadership of accomplished women through a range of informative and network building forums that facilitate the sharing of best practices, critical issues and personal experiences.
Supported By: Ms. Sophie Ahmed
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