Sitar

Amarnath Mishra's Sitar contains three raga pieces; "Vachaspati" is the main one. It develops nicely all the way through, and the tanpura offers a haunting repeated figure. Unlike most of the music in the India Archive series, this raga originated in the Carnatic or South Indian tradition and was "imported" (by Ravi Shankar) into the Hindustani or North Indian tradition. The two other, shorter pieces come from the semi-classical tradition of song, dance, and poetry. "The Holi Dhun in Mishra Khamaj" is not particularly interesting except for the drum work. The raga "Bhairavi" has a beguiling fast movement. J. Massey provides percussive support on the tabla, and Mishra plays the shimmering tanpura. Recommended for the collector, not the beginner.