I met Tarkeswar Mishrain April 1997 at the Bhatkhande Music College in Lucknow where he was employed as an accompanist. He was a rustic sarangiya from Azamghar in Bihar. His style was sweet and pleasant purab ang. His name literally means "string of notes", incorporating both the word for sarangi strings and that for musical notes.
May 2024: I've finally got around to digitising his Hi8 video recordings, editing , converting and uploading them. I ask his forgiveness for the delay!
First we have a solid rendition of rag Todi:
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Now he sings for me the bandishes that he had played in Todi:
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And now a thumri in Bhairavi. The sensuality of his Purab ang style is filling the room.
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Finally a Chaiti, a beautiful semi-classical song, associated with the month of Chait—Springtime. He begins by singing me the song. His delicious sarangi follows. Pleasure suffuses his face:
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Our final offering is a thumri in Mishra Tilang. After I say how blissful it's been listening to him, he tells me he hasn't practised in ages because he broke his foot and was in the hospital for three months. Then begins a lovely thumri rendition— tore naina jadu bhare (your eyes are filled with magic):
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