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| A Decade Without Gopal Yonjan | ||
| Arhan Sthapit | Viewed: 173 | |
First published on The Rising Nepal on August 21, 2008
In a telling reminder of English poet P. B. Shelly's saying that sweetest songs are those that tell of the saddest thought, late Gopal Yonjan dished out such brilliant, heart-wrenching numbers as Timro jasto mutu and Birsera pheri that epitomised the pathetic music and technical superiority in Nepali music. On the other hand, his duet with Meera Rana in Mero pauma aaj koi pauju was a paragon of modern semi-classical rendering.
A truly versatile composer and singer, Yonjan is being remembered on his birth anniversary on forthcoming 26th day of August. A deacade has passed for the Nepali music world without this music wizard. He had breathed his last on 20 May 1997.
Gopal Yonjan has to his credit more than 1,000 compositions in almost every line of music. His renderings ranged from purely classical to folk, modern and music created specially for children. In all the variety, he could maintain his sensitivity and finesse in captivating and maintaining the Nepali touch.
He impressively cast a pathetic spell on Nepali music listeners in Aruna Lama's Chautari-ma, and Udit Narayan's semi-classical Afai royee de. His music had enough space for Udit to evince his prodigy of singing techniques, and for Aruna Lama to prove herself as the Tragedy Queen of Nepali music.
On the light music front too, peppy Chyangba hoi popularised Tamang-cello based folk songs, while Makhmali choli (Meera Rana) was remarkable for the blend of semi-classical music and Nepali folk flavour so inextricably intermingled within the track. Phoolko dali (Dawa Gyalmo-Daisy Baraili duet) is a sprightly romantic number, and Udit's Kahile-kahin (Darpan chhaya) is a romantic composition.
Towards the end of his life, he created Nishan 52 and Ritu Ranga which remained a musical kaleidoscope of late Yonjan. These works went beyond the oft-used theme of love, but became deliberate works that explored the newer depth of music and philosophy. Its music reflected the deep innate bond between Mother Nature and the power of music, a philosophy of ultimate truth. As a glaring example, his song goes thus:
Shanti bhanda para arko bhetnu parne Buddha Chhaina
(It's not beyond peace that is there to explore another Buddha).
Late Yonjan was not only a virtuoso music composer but also an outstanding singer. His sonorous voice stood him in good stead when it came to singing with a difference.
He didn't confine himself to any form or type: it's something truly awe-inspiring about his compositions. "He spent years researching and studying folk and traditional as well as Indian and Newari classical music," reminisced Renchin Yonjan, spouse of late Gopal, during a talk with this scribe last year.
Yonjan, music pundits say, is one of the music maestros who virtually shaped the broad contours of mainstream 'Modern Nepali Music.' In the Golden Era of Nepali music from the 1960s to the mid-1970s, Natikazi and Shiva Shanker—the natives of Kathmandu— had emerged as the key trend-setting composers in the Nepali soil, whereas Ambar Gurung, Gopal Yonjan and Sharan Pradhan did it from Darjeeling, India.
Born on August 26, 1943 in Darjeeling (India), he'd specialised as a flutist in local Darjeeling cultural troupes. His passion for flute prevailed over his subsequent compositions too. He composed music for such ballads as Danfe chari and Sangini, while ballets included Durga Bandana, Navaras and Ritu Rang. Music in operas like Shahidharu, The Golden Dawn, Jeevan Sambandha and Trust on Loan is also under his belt.
Yonjan's works prove how music transcends man-made barriers and boundaries. He's a man who was born across Nepal's eastern border and came back to his ancestors' land Nepal to make an unparallel contribution to Nepali music. He stood apart in class and versatility.
A BA degree holder in Indian Music, Yonjan is known for making discernible selection of quality lyrics in his songs. He also worked on a wide range of music drawn from folk and traditional music of different indigenous groups of Nepal. In particular, he put up efforts to promote music of Tamangs, the indigenous group he belonged to. He was one of the key figures in the Danfu Samuha Group promoted in the 1970s-80s.
Almost 11 years on, late Yonjan still adorably reigns in the hearts of the Nepalese. His music speaks.
more will follow....