Last week, we heard a few vocal compositions set to Jhaptaal, a cycle of 10 matras or time-units. This taal is also used for instrumental recitals, as is evident from some of the tracks featured here.
Well-known sitar player Kartick Kumar plays a short aalap in the raag Shyam Kalyan followed by a gat or instrumental composition set to Jhaptaal in the same raag. He is accompanied by tabla exponent Nizamuddin Khan.
Shivkumar Sharma, a name synonymous with the multi-stringed trapezoid santoor, plays a gat in Ahir Bhairav, a raag prescribed for the morning. He is joined by the renowned tabla player Zakir Hussain. Both artistes introduce intricate cross-rhythmic designs as they elaborate upon the theme.
Famous bansuri player Hariprasad Chaurasia plays a gat in Bairagi Bhairav, a raag prescribed for the morning.
Sitar exponent from the Maihar-Senia gharana Nikhil Banerjee plays a composition based on a traditional vocal composition in the raag Megh set to a medium-paced Jhaptaal.
The concluding track features the two maestros, Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, on the sitar and sarod respectively. They play Shree, a raag prescribed for dusk. After an introductory aalaap, jod, jhala, they present a gat set to a medium-paced Jhaptaal. They are accompanied by tabla wizard Alla Rakha.