Author: Dr. Rupa Sinha & Manabendra Das
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/04060006
Abstract: Tabla solo performance occupies a central position in Hindustani music, serving as a medium through which rhythmic imagination, technical mastery, and artistic individuality are expressed. Among contemporary tabla exponents, Shubhankar Banerjee and Anandogopal Bandyopadhyaya have earned recognition for their distinctive approaches to solo presentation. While both artists are deeply rooted in the traditional framework of tabla performance, their interpretative methods, repertoire development, and aesthetic choices reveal significant differences. This study undertakes a comparative examination of their solo performances with special reference to tonal production, repertoire selection, layakari, improvisational strategies, and stage presentation. Employing qualitative and analytical methods based on recordings, published literature, and performance observations, the paper investigates how each artist negotiates the relationship between tradition and innovation. The findings indicate that Banerjee’s style emphasizes clarity, speed, and structural sophistication, whereas Bandyopadhyaya’s performances foreground depth, balance, and nuanced rhythmic expression. The study contributes to contemporary discourse on tabla aesthetics and highlights the diversity that exists within modern solo performance traditions.
Keywords: Tabla Solo, Performance Aesthetics, Layakari, Rhythm, Hindustani Music, Contemporary Tabla.
Page No: 57-61