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Born on 27 Th. March 1929 at Nagpur, Maharashtra, India, in a family of
musical learnings. Pt.Chimote had an earlier tutelage under the renowned
maestro Pt.Bhishmadev Vedi, one of the most versatile artists of Hindustani
Classical music, who tutored him in the art of playing harmonium. Innovative
genius that he is, Panditji with his rare propensity to explore the
rapturous melodies in various Ragas of Indian classical music sought to
invest in the Playing of harmonium, which was much maligned and banished
from the national network of All India Radio (AIR). He brought Harmonium to
the level of solo concert instrument and changed the traditional harmonium
into Samvadini (his innovation - and he renamed it!) from being a mere
secondary accompanying one, speaks volumes of his musical perspicacity.
Rhythmic intellect and adaptive acumen what has been achieved are nothing
short of miracle.
As a solo instrument, Harmonium is a highly prejudiced and underestimated.
In fact, it has more critics than friends. It is argued that harmonium is a
Western instrument; it's tuning and keyboard are incapable of producing
micro tones which make the Indian music so lively and everlasting.
Pt. Chimote's reply to these charges is his fifty years of unbroken devotion
and endeavour to prove that it is the artist and not the instrument that
matters; that the instrument after all is what the artist makes it to be.
Pt. Chimote has made certain modifications in the body of the harmonium.
Some of them are:
Redesigning of key-board
Changing the tempered scale tuning system of western music to
Gandhar tuning of Indian music.
Setting the strings (Swar-Mandal) near the sound box to sustain the tone
(aasa) to add the resonance effect.
To balance the air pressure to enable the focusing at any particular note
wherever required. (On the same lines as in vocal music) Further, he
entirely changed the style and technique of playing the instrument by
introducing:
Adaptation of sitar anga gat presentation, jod-zala, and dhrupad styles.
Introducing continuity in two distinct notes.
Variating tonal quality with special finger pressure techniques.
Panditji's Achievements
He recited in many concerts in India. He has given many a programs and
various classical singers and newspapers have given fine reporting about his
programs.
At Calcutta I.T.C. Academy his concert is recorded where he played evening
melodies and was accompanied on tabla by Shri Anand Gopal Bandopadhyay.
In the Annual Conference at Mumbai Sureshbabu - Hirabai Smriti Samaroh" in
1994 held by Dr. Prabhatai Atre "samvadini solo of Pt.Manohar Chimote" was
one of the record events where Pt. Anendo Chaterji accompanied him on tabla.
In 1975 he was recorded and interviewed by Dr. Ahok Rande for Mumbai
Television (Dur-Darshan) in a program "Pratibha Ani Pratima" and again in
1995 he was recorded and interviewed by Dur-Darshan in a special program
"Aaswad" regarding his specially designed Samvadini and unique style of
presenting it.
In 1982 Pandit Chimote Felicitation Committee was formed to honour Pandit
Manohar Chimote. Pt. Shivkumar Sharma and the great dance artist pandita
Sitaradevi were the great speakers to appreciate the works of Pt. Chimote
for his Samvadini style.
Many music circles also arrange his lectures and demonstrations.
In 1995 Spic Mike and Gandharv Sangeet Mahavidyalay jointly arranged his
recital at Pune and there Pt.Chimote had been awarded with "Adarsh Sangeet
Shikshak Puraskar-1995" of Gandharv Sangeet Mahavidyalay.
Inspired by Panditji's idea and motivation some of his well wishers and
deciples formed the "Samvadini Foundation", a registered public charitable
trusts to popularise Samvadini and " Swarashree Arts" to popularise Indian
Classical Music.
Editor's Note: Capt. Sanjay Gahlot is Pt. Manohar Chimote's pupil.
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