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Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisworkmaybereproducedortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise,withoutthepriorpermissionofthecopyrightowner/author.Theauthorassertsthemoralrighttobeidentifiedastheauthorofthiswork.Page

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INTERVIEWWITHPERCUSSIONISTPRATAPRATHBYDR.ANEESHPRADHAN

ThisinterviewwasoriginallyconductedbyDr.AneeshPradhaninMarathi,andisavailableathttp://underscorerecords.com/podcasts/Tomakethecontentsavailabletonon-Marathispeakingmusiclovers,ithasbeentranslatedtranscribedandeditedbyBharatiNayak.

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AneeshPradhan

:NamaskaarPratapji!WelcometothePodcastseriesofUnderscoreRecords.

PratapRath

:Namaskaar!

AneeshPradhan

:Pleasetellusaboutyourchildhoodandthemannerinwhichyoucameincontactwithmusic.

PratapRath

:Iwasbroughtupinamusicalenvironmentathome.Mypaternalaunt,VimalRath,adiscipleofUstadAbdulKarimKhansaheb,wasquiteagoodvocalist.Herhusband,Gade,whowasemployedintheIndianRailways,wasalsoanamateursinger.Mypaternalgrandfather,VishwanathRath,alsousedtosing.HewouldregularlysingfolkformsliketheBhoopali,normallysunginthemornings,atthetemplelocatedatMadhavBaug,Mumbai.Hewasprivilegedtohavebeenabletoofferhisservicesasasingerinthistemple,whereevenAbdulKarimKhansahebusedtosingoccasionally.Ihaveonlyheardofthis,sinceIcouldneveractuallyseemygrandparents.Noneofmyfamilymemberswereprofessionalmusicians,butIfeel,thismusicallegacymusthavepassedontome.Ihadaninherentlikingformusicsincechildhood.Especiallydrawntorhythm,Ioftenplayedpercussiveinstrumentswiththeaartis(invocatorysongssungbythecongregation)andsongssungduringtheGanapatifestival.But,itwasmycousinVijayGade,who,noticedmypenchantformusicandadvisedmyfathertosendmetoamusicschool.Followinghisadvice,IwassenttomusicclassesrunbySureshHaldankar,arenownedmusicianofthosetimes.Istartedlearningthetabla,undertheguidanceofKajrolkar,attheseclassessituatedbehindtheKohinoormillinDadar,Mumbai.IcontinuedmytrainingforaroundfouryearsduringwhichtimeIplayedininformalmusicalgatheringsattheclassandonoccasionssuchasgurupurnima.IalsoaccompaniedSureshHaldankarduringhispracticesessions.Ihadanopportunitytoaccompanyandplayforformslikethekhayal,whichHaldankarusedtopractice.Later,Ibeganattendingmehfils(informalmusicperformances)organizedonSundaysbyBhanudasCharankar.ThevenuewashisinstitutioninDadar.Iwasexposedtodiversestylesperformedbydifferentmusicians.IoftenaccompanythemonthetablaandgraduallytrieddevelopingmyskillsasanaccompanisttovariousformsofIndianmusiclikekhayal,bhajan,amongothers,byplayingdifferentthekastotherespectiveforms.

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IrecallanincidentwhentherenownedHindustaniclassicalvocalistWamanraoSadolikarwasinvitedtoperformattheGurupurnimacelebrationsatthisinstitution.HemayhavebeenaroundsixtythenandImayhavebeenaroundfourteen.WamanraoaskedCharankarwhowouldaccompanyhimontabla.WhenCharankarsuggestedmyname,WamanraowasskepticalwhetherCharankarhadmadethissuggestioninjestorhadmeantitasaninsult.Wamanraofeltthisallthemore,sinceIwasamereteenagerwearingshorts(notconformingtotheconventionaldresscodefollowedbymusiciansinIndianmusicconcerts).Gaugingthesituation,Charankarwarnedmethatthiswouldbeatestofmyability,andifIwassuccessfulIshouldconsidermyselffittoplaythetabla,elseIshouldnotpursuetheideainfuture.HefurtheraddedthatIshouldalwaysweartheconventionaldress(kurta-pyjama)whileparticipatinginsuchconcerts.IbowedinreverencetoWamanrao,askingforpermissiontoaccompany,asisthecustom.Idonotrecollectwhatraaghesangthen,butIdistinctlyrememberhimhavingstartedtheconcertbysingingakhayalinJhaptaal(aten-matrarhythmiccycle).Iaccompaniedhimforaroundanhourandahalf.Heappreciatedmyplayingandencouragedmeimmensely.Dr.Gotaskar,acancerspecialistandanexceptionalviolinist,wasaregularvisitoratthebaithaks.Istartedaccompanyinghimandothermusiciansfrequentlyinconcertsatdifferentvenues.Thus,Ihadanopportunitytoperforminmanyclassicalconcerts.WhenIreachedtheeighthorninthgradeinschool,IwassopassionateaboutmusicthatIalmostneglectedmyacademiceducation.Irememberhavingahugependulumclockatourhouse.Theoscillatorymovementandloudsoundofthependulumwouldfascinateme,andmyfingersandhandswouldtrytocontinuouslykeeppacewiththetempoofthependulum.SodrivenwasIbytheideathatIwouldsometimesgothroughsleeplessnightsandmyfatherwouldthenholdmyhandstorestrictmymovements.Inschool,theonlytimemyteacherswouldbehappywithmewaswhenIwouldregularlybagprizesatinter-schoolcompetitions.Myteachershadasoftcornerformeandtheywouldtrytoaccommodatemeduringtheexaminations,despitethefactthatIwasdisinterestedintheacademiccurriculumandwasunpreparedwithmyschoolwork.Asaresult,Ifailedincompletingmymatriculation.SoonthereafterIlostmyfather,whoworkedwiththeBurmaShellFireBrigade,leavingmeandmyfamilydepressedandfinanciallydistressed.Thetryingfinancialcircumstancesledtomymothercoaxingmefindajobinordertoearnadecentlivelihood.Mymotherevenrequestedoneofherfriends,arenownedlyricistandsinger,tofindmeajob.Sheexpectedthatherfriendwouldhelpmegetsomeworkrelatedtothemusicindustry,consideringthestatusandreputationthatshecommandedthere.Contrarytotheexpectations,herfriendsuggestedthatItakeupajobasasalesmaninoneofthesaristoresintheneighborhood.ThisleftmecompletelydejectedandmymotherwasconvincedthatIcoulddonothingbetterthanthat.Atthatpointoftime,mycousinNandakumarVadge,wasawell-knowneditorinthefilmindustry,andmusicdirectorsandotherpersonalitiesinthefilmindustryrespectedhim.Istartedpesteringhimtohelpmecomeoutofmyfinancialproblems,andaftermuchpersuasion,hecalledmetohiseditingroomduringarecordingprojectatfamousstudiowiththemusicdirectorduoLaxmikant-Pyarelal.HewasagoodfriendofLaxmikantji.Imetthemandtheycalledmetotheirbungalownamed"Parasmani"inVileParle.IhadnomoneytotraveltotheirresidencefrommyhouseatShivajiPark,Dadar.Ithereforewalkedallthewaytotheirbungalow,startingat8amandreachingataround11.30am.Onansweringthedoorbell,thekeeperofthehouse,Madhavtoldmetoreturnintheevening,

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www.UnderscoreRecords.com39-B, MIG Flats, Motia Khan, PaharganjNew Delhi 110055, INDIA Phone:+91.11.2353 6573Telfax:+91.11.2354 6802

sinceLaxmijiandPyarebhaiwereoutforarecording.Isomehowmanagedtospendtimeonthebeachandreturnedintheevening,butIwasnotsuccessfulinmeetingthem.Myfrustrationincreasedwhenthishappenedafewmoretimes.ButIoncefoundLaxmijistrollinginthecompoundandfinallygotanopportunitytomeethim.Laxmijiwasverygenerousandintroducedmetohismusicians.Ithenstartedplayinginhissessions(usuallycalled"sittings").Seventoeightpercussionistswouldbepresentandtherhythmpatternforaparticularsongwouldbeset.Pyarebhaialsousedtobepresentthen.Thesemusicdirectorshadtheinsighttodecidewhichinstrumentwouldsoundgoodifplayedbyaparticularmusicianandhowitwouldaddornamentationtoaparticularsong.Inaddition,theyearnedtremendousgoodwillbecauseoftheirkindheartedandopenapproachtowardstheirmusicians,whotheywouldfairlycompensatefortheirservices.Thiswasaroundtheyear1974.Icontinuedforaroundfourtofivemonthsthereandthenstartedplayingevenwithothercomposersaswell.OneamongthemwasAmarHaldipur,arenownedviolinistandarranger.IknewhiswifePadmawellandregardedherasmyeldersister.Shealsotookgoodcareofme.Amarjiadvisedmenottorestrictmyselftoplayingthetabla,buttoalsotrymyhandatplayingdifferentpercussiveinstruments.IcameincontactwithNirmalMukherjee,whowasmymentorinthisindustry.PrakashNarvekar,anotherproficientpercussionist,taughtmetoplayinstrumentsliketheconga,duff,khanjiri,matka,maracas,andothers,alongwiththedifferentstylesandrhythmpatternsthatwerespecificallyusedinthefilmworld.Igraduallylearnttoplaytheseinstrumentsandsavedsomemoneyandboughttheseacousticinstrumentsformyself.Iboughtaduff,whichcostsaroundRs.2,500/today,forameagreRs.45/-atthattime.Theduffsoundedmuchbetterthanthoseavailabletoday.Gradually,IboughtinstrumentsusedindifferentformsofIndianmusic,especiallyfolkmusic,inadditiontootherinstrumentsfromdifferentpartsoftheworld.Now,Ihaveinstrumentsthatwouldcosttentotwelvelakhrupees.IwouldbuytheseinstrumentsfromtheplacesIvisitedandwouldalsorequestmyfriendstoprocurethemformewhentheytravelled.Theywouldgladlyoblige,despitethefactthattheinstrumentswouldbeverytotransport.Today,thankstodealerslikeHaribhauVishwanath,Bhargava'sMusik,andothers,itiseasiertoprocureforeigninstrumentslegallyinourcountry.MypassionforcollectingtheseinstrumentsisstillverymuchaliveandItrytobuyalmostanyinstrumentthatfascinatesme.

AneeshPradhan

:Whatwasthedrivingforcebehindbuyingthesemusicalinstruments?Wasityourpassiontocollectdifferentinstrumentsorweretheyanecessaryfeatureofyourprofessionallife?

PratapRath

:Both.Infact,Ialwayswouldthinkofdoingsomethingnovel,somethingdifferent.Ienjoyproducingdifferentsoundsontheseinstruments,tryingtoplaytheminauniquestyle.Foratablaplayerlikemyself,itwasadifferentexperiencetoplayotherinstrumentsliketheduff,ortheNepaliinstrumentcalledmaadal,whichisdelicateandhasathinnerskin-top.Eachinstrumenthasitspeculiarities,whichneedtobeidentifiedbytheplayerplayingit.

AneeshPradhan

:Haveyoutaughtyourselfhowtoplayvariousinstruments,especiallytheforeignones,ordoyoulearntoplaythemfromsomeoneorobservesomeoneplayingthem?

PratapRath

:Itrytoplayinstrumentslikethedrums,tumba,djembe,darabukka,amongothers.Itrytoplaytheminthemannertheyareoriginallyplayed,apartfrominterpretingtheminmyownstyle.I