Album: Songs of Nazrul | Feroza Begum
Lyrics & Music: Kazi Nazrul Islam
Sound Recordist: Samir Majumdar
Album Cover Design
& Photography: Bimal Majumdar
Release Year: 1973
Album Code: EASD 1394
Album Type: Long Play 33 1/3 R.P.M. Record
Record Label: HMV, Kolkata, India
Copyright: The Gramophone Company of India Ltd., Kolkata, India
Collection: www.ferozabegum.com
One of the most distinguished exponents of Kazi Nazrul Islam's music today in the sub-continent of Indo-Bangladesh is Feroza Begum - an artiste of rare calibre. Born in 1935 in Faridpur, Bangladesh in an enlightened Muslim family, Feroza showed signs of extraordinary musical talent when she was not even seven years old. Her father encouraged Feroza in her musical ventures, albeit surreptitously because of the social prejudice still strong in those days against a Muslim girl learning to sing.
She was, however, lucky to meet Sri Chitta Roy, and the latter was persuaded to teach her Nazrul songs which had already begun to exert a great influence on her. When she was barely twelve, Feroza recorded her first song under the direction of Sri Roy. Within a short time she collected and learnt scores of Nazrul songs, unerringly detecting her forte.
Then she met the well-known music director Sri Kamal Das Gupta. Feroza’s contact with Sri Das Gupta (whom the poet Kazi Nazrul Islam had permitted to set tunes to his words), proved most fruitful. Feroza quickly matured, developed her unique personal style, and learnt to embellish the thematic contents of Nazrul's songs with an exquisite grace . The richness of her tone and the depth of her feelings enabled her to capture successfully the complex nuances of Nazrul's songs, which are so varied thematically and musically, comprising tender love lyrics, sad and sweet ghazals, devotional hymns, revolutionary as well as light, farcical and satirical songs. Today Feroza Begum is widely rcognized as a skilful and authentic interpreter of Nazrul's songs. But even now the perfectionist that she is, she rigorously practises, especially the songs or thumri genre. I am glad to know that The Gramophone Company has already issued two of her LP records in Pakistan. These contain Ghazals and Geets and are the first releases in Pakistan of a Bengalee artiste's records. One of these two LPs (of Nazrul songs) has also been issued in India with tremendous appreciation.
Now her third LP record of Nazrul songs is being issued. It is a delectable fare, rich and varied, at once hauntingly sweet and enthralling. I have no doubt that the current album will re-establish her great versatility and ability to make a cameo out of each song.
The Feroza Begum Archive: 241C1I19MQ121973
For listening pleasure only. No intention to infringe copyright.
