Sourindra Mohun Tagore
Sourindra Mohun Tagore | |
---|---|
Born | 1840 Pathuriaghata, Bengal Presidency, British India |
Died | 5 June 1914 Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India |
Raja Sir Sourindra Mohun Tagore or Sourindro Mohun Tagore
Biography
Sourindro was the son of
Music and writings
In 1877 the declaration of Queen Victoria as Empress of India led to the creation of the national anthem of "God Save the Queen". In 1882 a National Anthem Committee was created at the suggestion of Francis Harford. In 1883 he wrote On the Good That May Result to England and India from the Establishment of "God Save the Queen" as a National Anthem in Her Majesty's Eastern Empire. A translation of the wording of the anthem was made by Mirza Mohammed Bakir Khan of Bishop's College, Calcutta into Arabic and Persian. These were then further translated into many other Indian languages. The problem of singing the anthem in a style that would suit Indian musical taste was however vexing and the committee chose the foremost authority on Indian music to help- "a letter will immediately be forwarded to Dr. Sourindro Mohan Tagore, of Calcutta, the principal authority upon Hindu music, requesting him to secure the services of the best native composer, and a melody which shall at once suit Oriental taste and the measure of the translated hymn." The idea was supported by others like Sir
Among Sourindra's published works was a translation of Kalidasa's Malavikagnimitra. He founded the Bengal Music School in 1871 and the Bengal Academy of Music in 1881. He was made Fellow of the University of Calcutta and a Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire in 1880 apart from being given the title of Raja. He was decorated Knight Commander of the Royal Order of the Crown of Italy and several other Royal recognitions from Sweden, Netherlands, Wurtemberg and Austria.[1]
In 1877, he made an initiative to renew musical ties with
In 1884, in order to promote the interest in and study of Indian music in other countries, he donated numerous collections of Indian instruments to institutions in North America and Europe including the Royal College of Music, London. Tagore worked to establish an annual award at the college, the Tagore Gold Medal, which is still given to "the most generally deserving pupil(s)".[6]
He was awarded a knighthood by Queen Victoria in 1884.[1]
References
- ^ a b Lethbridge, Roper (1893). The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled Or Decorated of the Indian Empire. London: Macmillan and Co. pp. 529–530.
- S2CID 161283112.
- JSTOR 851664.
- S2CID 145556468.
- ^ "Old friends, new challenges". Daily Pioneer. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
- ^ "Tagore Gold Medal". Royal College of Music Museum. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
External links
- Musica instruments donated to the Metropolitan Museum
- Bharatiya Natya Rahasya: Treatise on Indian Drama (1878)
- The Caste System of the Hindus (1884)
- Victoria-Giti-Mala; A brief history of England in Bengali Verses. (1877)
- Yantra Kosha or a Treasury of musical instruments of ancient and of modern India, and of various other countries (1875)
- English Verses set to Hindu Music in Honor of his Royal Highness The Prince of Wales (1875)
- Six principal rágas, with a brief view of Hindu music (1877)
- Hindu Music from Various Authors. 2nd edition (1882)
- A few lyrics of Owen Meredith (1877)
- The Orders of Knighthood, British and Foreign, with a brief review of the titles of rank and merit in Ancient Hindustan (1884)
- Mani-mala or A treatise on Gems. Part II. (1881)
- The Ten Principal Avataras Of The Hindus (1880)
- Fifty Tunes (1878) - dedicated to Ashley Eden.
- Hindu Loyalty: A presentation of the views and opinions of the Sanskrit authorities on the subject of loyalty (1883)
- Jātīya saṇgīta vīṣayaka prastāva (জাতীয় সঙ্গীত বিষয়ক প্রস্থাবা) (Discourse on National Music) (1870)