Musicians have always worked closely with craftsmen to enhance the capabilities of established musical instruments and to develop new instruments. These conversations have involved experiments with different raw materials that go on to give each instrument a characteristic timbre and texture.
There have also been occasions when musicians have taken on the role of the craftsmen. In recent times, the sundari, a lesser-known cousin of the northern Indian shehnai, was developed by the Jadhav family from Maharashtra. Though smaller and shriller than the shehnai, the sundari has been incorporated into the ever-increasing family of Indian instruments.
Presently, Bhimanna Jadhav is perhaps the best-known sundari player in the country. He talks about the sundari in this short film.
The taar shehnai is a deviation from the esraj, an instrument that combines features of the sitar and the dilruba. The esraj has a fret-board similar to that of the sitar and a sound-box resonator like that of the dilruba. As with the esraj, the taar shehnai is also a bowed instrument, but it has a horn that rests on the bridge giving the instrument its typical thin and sharp tonal quality. This horn is similar to the one used in a shehnai, which is how the instrument derives its name.
This clip features taar shehnai player Piara Singh speaking about his instrument and playing a folk tune in raag Pahadi.
We welcome your comments at
[email protected].
There have also been occasions when musicians have taken on the role of the craftsmen. In recent times, the sundari, a lesser-known cousin of the northern Indian shehnai, was developed by the Jadhav family from Maharashtra. Though smaller and shriller than the shehnai, the sundari has been incorporated into the ever-increasing family of Indian instruments.
Presently, Bhimanna Jadhav is perhaps the best-known sundari player in the country. He talks about the sundari in this short film.
The taar shehnai is a deviation from the esraj, an instrument that combines features of the sitar and the dilruba. The esraj has a fret-board similar to that of the sitar and a sound-box resonator like that of the dilruba. As with the esraj, the taar shehnai is also a bowed instrument, but it has a horn that rests on the bridge giving the instrument its typical thin and sharp tonal quality. This horn is similar to the one used in a shehnai, which is how the instrument derives its name.
This clip features taar shehnai player Piara Singh speaking about his instrument and playing a folk tune in raag Pahadi.