Thursday, 29 March 2018

Rare Ram Narayan 1970 'Sarangi Recital'

Here is a rare 1970 Indian release of Ram Narayan. These solo Sarangi performances are unique in that the instrument has mainly been sidelined to accompanist status for Vocalists etc. - similar to Harmonium. I find the sound of Sarangi and Dilruba (Ram's father Pt. Nathuji Biawat was an accomplished Dilruba player) hauntingly beautiful. In fact I think I heard a dilruba in a soundtrack for a few minutes in a movie (along with Tabla) when I was a child - which I think was the seed to my interest in India / Indian Instruments much much later.

An interesting fact I was unaware of - Ram Narayan's brother was legendary Tabla maestro Chatur Lal. Chatur Lal was there at the beginning of the Indian Classical LP inception in the 50's accompanying the likes of Ali Akbar Khan. Some of you might be aware of Ali Akbar's first LP the 1955 'Music of India (Morning and Evening Ragas)'.

Back to this LP! On this album we have the evergreen Raga Yaman - a major sounding scale with a raised 4th. On side B we have Rishabh Asavari - an early morning melody creating a mood of pathos and separation.

Label: His Master's Voice ‎– EASD 1361

Tracks:
A1 - Raga Yaman (Teentaal)
A2 - Thumree (Raga Desh - Teentaal)
B1 - Raga Komal Rishabh Asavari (Jhaptaal)
B2 - Dhun (Rupak)


Digitised with: Project Essential II Turntable, Ortofon Red Stylus, recorded as WAV 16/48 in Audacity and saved unaltered as WAV 16/48 as SIDE ONE and SIDE TWO, and then separately edited with: Clickrepair (low settings) then slight reduction on surface noise + normalised to -1.5db in Audacity and exported with tag names and info as FLAC and MP3 320kbps.

15 comments:

  1. Another gem , thank you so much.

    I found a post for a Ali Akbar Khan and Dr.L.Subramaniam duet. Mp3 only but still well worth a listen.

    https://harmoniummusicblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/21/inter-india-fusion-dr-l-subramaniam-and-ustad-ali-akbar-khan/#comments

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    1. Thanks for this. Apparently I already added this in my Apple Music library but I don't remember getting around to listening to it... So thanks for the memory jog - I'm listening now. There is also another Duet with L.S and A.A.K (https://www.discogs.com/Ali-Akbar-Khan-L-Subramaniam-Duet/release/3720841) - I think this is also on Apple Music.

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  2. Great share Kirrin, thank you. The Indian sub-continent has been gifted with many great Sarangiyas - the best ones being Ut Abdul Majeed Khan (Jaipur Atrauli), Pt Gopal Misra (Benares), Pt Ram Narayan(in his younger days), Ut Abdul Lateef Khan, Sagiruddin Khan, Shakoor Khan (Kirana) to name a a few... The greatest Saragiya, however, was Ut. Nathoo Khan

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    1. Thanks for sharing all these names. I admit I haven't heard many of these musicians apart from Abdul Latif Khan.

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  3. What a gentle shower of divine music!! Great Blog. I am addicted to your blog haha!

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    1. Thanks for your compliments. I am planning to start going through the January posts again now and doing new transfers with the FLAC or WAV files. These Jan posts are transfers I did some time last year and didn't have a consolidated process for editing and transferring back then as I do now for the blog. I also have a separate CLick/Crackle repair program I think I would like to run them all through. Please keep the comments coming ! thanks, Kirrin

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    2. All the best Kirrin. we r eager to lap up the fruits of your labour!! Thank u

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  4. Fantastic share Kirrin !

    cheers,
    PS.

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  5. Hi Kirrin,

    Is there any way I can PM you?

    cheers,
    PS.

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    Replies
    1. Send me an email at kirrin@live.com

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    2. Pls check, have emailed you.

      cheers,
      PS.

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  6. Gracias por tremendo aporte :)

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  7. The link is not working. please help.

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