Our first track today is by the sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. He is one of the biggest names in India, a living legend when it comes to the sarod. Most of his work goes towards making classical music more accessible to the general public, and he is said to be quite the entertainer during his live shows. This track is called Raag Maru Bihag.
Our second track has a history unlike any track that we have played so far. Let me start from the very beginning - there exists a vocal tradition called Dhrupad which is said to be one of the oldest surviving forms of classical music in India. It is said to be a form of music used in temples and courts, very strongly associated with worship. Dhrupad vocalists flourished under the reign of the Mughals and the Rajputs in medieval India, but the art began to fade away when the British took over. Around the turn of the 20th century, there were very few such singers left. The descendants of these singers formed the Dagar family, and are responsible for keeping the tradition alive till today. Now that you know the story behind it, the second track is called Raag Kambojhi, performed by N Zahiruddin Dagar and his nephew Wasifuddin Dagar, and it is definitely one of the most interesting vocal performances I have ever heard!
1. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan - Raag Maru Bihag (24:24)
2. Zahiruddin Dagar and Wasifuddin Dagar (29:46)
Avinash Sastry
Gharana Music
WREK Atlanta, 91.1 FM
Mondays, 8-9 p.m.
www.wrek.org
(+1) 404-894-2468
Email: gharanamusicatlanta@gmail.com
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