Indian Classical Music

[Traverso]

Ustad Vilayat Khan

[Traverso]

This is a recording of classical music from southern India, a musical style called "Carnatic) that differs from that usually associated with music from India, so-called Hindustani or music from northern India.
It is a bit more difficult for untrained ears and may be less accessible.
The distinct differences between Hindustani and Carnatic music lie in their origins, languages, styles, rhythms, and instruments. While Hindustani music emphasizes improvisation and melodic exploration within the framework of ragas, Carnatic music follows a structured approach with fixed compositions.

[Harry]

This is a recording of classical music from southern India, a musical style called "Carnatic) that differs from that usually associated with music from India, so-called Hindustani or music from northern India.
It is a bit more difficult for untrained ears and may be less accessible.
The distinct differences between Hindustani and Carnatic music lie in their origins, languages, styles, rhythms, and instruments. While Hindustani music emphasizes improvisation and melodic exploration within the framework of ragas, Carnatic music follows a structured approach with fixed compositions.

I thought that I had an extensive collection of music from that region, but you surprise me time and time again with CD's of which I had no knowledge. I have close to 300 recordings, but you must have much more, or simply recordings I missed totally.

[Traverso]

I thought that I had an extensive collection of music from that region, but you surprise me time and time again with CD's of which I had no knowledge. I have close to 300 recordings, but you must have much more, or simply recordings I missed totally.

I have no 300 CD's with Classical Indian Music....

[Harry]

I have no 300 CD's with Classical Indian Music....

Well you bought items I missed then. I had a friend living in Bombay, now deceased, when he traveled to Europe he always took a bundle of CD's with him, but non of them you post, so please put me in your testament, and may you live long!               

[Traverso]

Girija Devi is one of those female vocalists who immediately find their way to my heart

[Ian]

This is a recording of classical music from southern India, a musical style called "Carnatic) that differs from that usually associated with music from India, so-called Hindustani or music from northern India.
It is a bit more difficult for untrained ears and may be less accessible.
The distinct differences between Hindustani and Carnatic music lie in their origins, languages, styles, rhythms, and instruments. While Hindustani music emphasizes improvisation and melodic exploration within the framework of ragas, Carnatic music follows a structured approach with fixed compositions.

The vichitra veena, one of the most expressive instruments I've ever heard. I have a few CDs with vichitra veena masters, I should dig them out.

[AnotherSpin]

This is a recording of classical music from southern India, a musical style called "Carnatic) that differs from that usually associated with music from India, so-called Hindustani or music from northern India.
It is a bit more difficult for untrained ears and may be less accessible.
The distinct differences between Hindustani and Carnatic music lie in their origins, languages, styles, rhythms, and instruments. While Hindustani music emphasizes improvisation and melodic exploration within the framework of ragas, Carnatic music follows a structured approach with fixed compositions.

I don't think Carnatic music is more difficult than North Indian music. Rather the opposite. There are many examples of combining the Carnatic tradition with Western music. A well-known example is John McLaughlin's band Shakti. Shakti featured the famous violinist L.Shankar, who has also recorded with Peter Gabriel and on ECM albums. Just a few names from long list of notable musicians in the Carnatic tradition: vocalists M.S.Subbulakshmi, Aruna Sairam, Sudha Ragunathan; instrumentalists L.Subramaniam, Kadri Gopalnath, Lalgudi Jayaraman. The early demised U.Srinivas, who played electric mandolin, recorded notably on Gabriel's Real World label.

[Traverso]

I don't think Carnatic music is more difficult than North Indian music. Rather the opposite. There are many examples of combining the Carnatic tradition with Western music. A well-known example is John McLaughlin's band Shakti. Shakti featured the famous violinist L.Shankar, who has also recorded with Peter Gabriel and on ECM albums. Just a few names from long list of notable musicians in the Carnatic tradition: vocalists M.S.Subbulakshmi, Aruna Sairam, Sudha Ragunathan; instrumentalists L.Subramaniam, Kadri Gopalnath, Lalgudi Jayaraman. The early demised U.Srinivas, who played electric mandolin, recorded notably on Gabriel's Real World label.

Subramaniam is of course a great violinist with a breathtaking technique and an inspiringly high artistic quality. I don't listen to crossover music, so I can't say anything meaningful about that.  The more melodic character of the Persian-influenced Hindustani style makes it an easier entrance for me.

[AnotherSpin]

Subramaniam is of course a great violinist with a breathtaking technique and an inspiringly high artistic quality. I don't listen to crossover music, so I can't say anything meaningful about that.  The more melodic character of the Persian-influenced Hindustani style makes it an easier entrance for me.

I have named a few very famous South Indian performers whom I like, and whom I would recommend. And, additionally, crossover examples like Shakti which demonstrate that Carnatic music may be not difficult at all.

Of course, I like North Indian music as well, in many different formats too, from complex lengthy ragas to Dhrupad, or Ghazal, or Qawwali, or baul music.

While a couple decades ago I used to listen more often to sitar and other instruments, now I am more often attracted to vocalists, from both North and South.

[JBS]

Question to the moderators;
There's a good deal of substantive information in these posts on Indian music; it would be a shame to lose them in the general flow of this thread.
Is there a dedicated Indian music thread they can be transferred to? Or use them to open a dedicated thread if one does not currently exist?

[Traverso]

I have named a few very famous South Indian performers whom I like, and whom I would recommend. And, additionally, crossover examples like Shakti which demonstrate that Carnatic music may be not difficult at all.

Of course, I like North Indian music as well, in many different formats too, from complex lengthy ragas to Dhrupad, or Ghazal, or Qawwali, or baul music.

While a couple decades ago I used to listen more often to sitar and other instruments, now I am more often attracted to vocalists, from both North and South.

This is one of my first LP's,I still have it,are you familiar with this recording?
He would be 100 years now

[Mapman]

Question to the moderators;
There's a good deal of substantive information in these posts on Indian music; it would be a shame to lose them in the general flow of this thread.
Is there a dedicated Indian music thread they can be transferred to? Or use them to open a dedicated thread if one does not currently exist?

I made this topics with the posts I could easily find from the past couple days. It's a manual process, so I may have missed some.

[AnotherSpin]

This is one of my first LP's,I still have it,are you familiar with this recording?
He would be 100 years now

No, I haven't listened to that album. My familiarity with Kumar Gandharva is minimal, I'll pay more attention - thanks for the mention! His voice is magical.

[AnotherSpin]

[aukhawk]

Ustad Vilayat Khan

Great to have an Indian Music topic here.

In London in the '70s I saw Imrat Khan perform a couple of times.  Once I was in the 2nd row of the audience, wow, what a sense of connection.  Imrat Khan was (I think) the son of Vilayat Khan and like him was a sitarist, but he also often performed on the surbahar, which is a larger instrument with a deeper tone and slower action, most suited to the Alap.


Imrat Khan, surbahar - Rag Marwa

[Traverso]

No, I haven't listened to that album. My familiarity with Kumar Gandharva is minimal, I'll pay more attention - thanks for the mention! His voice is magical.

Yesterday I found a copy of this LP from a seller from India and they ask more than 200 euros for it.In fact all what is available is expensive so what left is YouTube.It is as you say,his voice is magical and he was popular from a very young age.

[Traverso]

I would like to bring this LP to your attention, which is part of my early introduction to this enchanting music.

https://archive.org/details/classicalmusicofindia

[Traverso]

One of those artists from India, in this case from South India, who immediately overwhelms you at the first encounter is L Subramaniam. Not the usual Sarangi is played here, but a Western violin that is held in a different way with the neck. down. A beautiful soothing sound and astonishing ingenuity. Subramaniam has a son who has followed in his father's footsteps and also perform together on occasion.
How wonderful to communicate with your father in this way.
This Nimbus recording is an absolute must for all those who care about this music.
Many CDs from the past are not for sale or are very expensive, one of the reasons is that the CD market has collapsed.

[AnotherSpin]

Yesterday I found a copy of this LP from a seller from India and they ask more than 200 euros for it.In fact all what is available is expensive so what left is YouTube.It is as you say,his voice is magical and he was popular from a very young age.

I can't imagine how much an LP from India could cost. Several times I have seen huge piles of old dusty LPs in Kolkata that were sold for next to nothing. This is probably due to the fact that Kolkata is where Indian LPs were produced first of all. CDs are cheap compared to prices in the West. The peculiarity is that the sales of music on media in India is very scarce. There is very little information and you have to dig it out from under the ground. There is no marketing as such. In my years of travelling in India I have seen a few relatively extensive CD shops in Varanasi, and that was more of an exception. In big cities like Mumbai or Chennai or New Delhi I've never seen a serious CDs shop, let alone a LPs shop. Could be it just didn't happen. With all that said, the 200 euro price seems strange at least. Kumar Gandharva's recordings are well represented on Qobuz, though far from being complete.