Kazi Sabyasachi elevated recitation into a modern and aesthetic art form and played a pioneering role in popularising Nazrul's poetry through his voice, speakers said at a seminar organised by Bangla Academy on Wednesday to mark Nazrul Year.
The seminar titled ‘Kazi Sabyasachi: The Pioneer of Modern Nazrul Recitation’ was held at the Kobi Shamsur Rahman Seminar Room of Bangla Academy at 4 pm.
Bangla Academy Secretary Dr Md Selim Reza delivered the welcome address, while recitation artiste and lawyer Nasim Ahmed presented the keynote paper. Musician and organiser Khilkhil Kazi and recitation researcher and vocal artiste Nimai Mondal took part in the discussion.
Bangla Academy Director General Professor Mohammad Azam chaired the programme, moderated by Deputy Director Kazi Rumana Ahmed Soma.
Selim Reza said Nazrul's poetry embodies rebellion, equality, humanity, love, secularism and the aspiration for freedom, while its rhythm, sound and word arrangement make it particularly suitable for recitation.
Presenting his paper, Nasim Ahmed said Kazi Sabyasachi, despite his relatively short life, elevated recitation and pronunciation into a modern and aesthetic art form.
He described Sabyasachi's voice as deep, masculine, resonant and melodious, and said he remains an exemplary figure in modern recitation.
"Not only his recitations of Nazrul's poetry, but also his renditions of poems by other poets were undoubtedly unmatched," Nasim said.
He also said Sabyasachi took recitation beyond conventional circles and brought it to middle-class homes and ordinary people, helping establish it as a widely accessible art form.
Khilkhil Kazi recalled memories of her grandfather Kazi Nazrul Islam and father Kazi Sabyasachi, saying Sabyasachi's popularity demonstrated how deeply a person could connect with people through a love for recitation.
She said Sabyasachi had shown that recitation could be pursued as a profession and that he won people's hearts through the art.
Bangla Academy Director General Professor Azam said Sabyasachi had internalised Nazrul's poetry from childhood and developed a creative connection between the poet's distinctive style and his own recitation.
The speakers said Sabyasachi's work had a lasting influence on recitation of artistes in Bangladesh.