INDIA – INDE Vilayat Khan – India’s Master of the Sitar – Raga Darbari Kanada – Capitol Records ST 10514

INDIA – INDE
Vilayat Khan – India’s Master of the Sitar – Raga Darbari Kanada – Capitol Records ST 10514, 1969 (LP)

Vilayat Khan (1928-2004), born into a prestigious musical family in Goripur, in present day Bangladesh, was one of the towering figures in North Indian music in the second half of the 20th century.

 

His father Prof. Enayat Khan (1894-1938) was one of the most brilliant and innovative sitar and surbahar player of his era. Although Khan Sr. died at an early age, his distinguished relatives – notably his brother Wahid Khan, his maternal grandfather Bande Hussain Khan and maternal uncle Zinda Hussain Khan – ensured that his sons Vilayat and Imrat (1935-2018) received the best possible training to brilliantly carry on the Imdadkhani Gharana-style family heritage. Vilayat Khan adopted and perfected a distinctive singing-sitar playing style (gayaki ang) influenced by great Hindustani vocalists, such as Ustad Faiyaz Khan. Khan's heated rivalry with fellow sitar maestro Ravi Shankar was legendary.

This formidable LP, featuring Shankar Gosh (1935-2016) on tabla, captures Khan’s flamboyant, imaginative and romantic virtuosity.

Vilayat Khan (1928-2004), né dans une famille musicale prestigieuse à Goripur dans l’actuel Bangladesh, fut l'une des figures majeures de la musique d'Inde du Nord de la seconde moitié du XXe siècle 

 

Son père Prof. Enayat Khan (1894-1938) fut l’un des joueurs de sitar et de surbahar les plus brillants et les plus novateurs de la première moitié du XXe siècle.  Bien qu'Enayat Khan soit décédé à peine agé de 43 ans, ses proches parents éminents – notamment son frère Wahid Khan, son grand-père maternel Bande Hussain Khan et son oncle maternel Zinda Hussain Khan – s'assurèrent que ses jeunes fils Vilayat (1928-2004) et Imrat (1935-2018) reçoivent la meilleure formation possible afin qu’ils perpétuent avec brio la tradition familiale du Imdadkhani Gharana. Vilayat Khan adopta et perfectionna un style de jeu de sitar très vocal (gayaki ang) influencé par le phrasé des grands chanteurs Hindustani comme Ustad Faiyaz Khan. Sa grand rivalité avec Ravi Shankar est légendaire.

Ce formidable album, avec Shankar Gosh (1935-2016) aux tablas, illustre parfaitement la virtuosité flamboyante, imaginative et romantique du maestro.

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Many thanks to Nuno for his help with the visuals.

Our other sitar music posts:

Vilayat Khan – HMV EALP 1259, 1961 here
Enayat Khan – Megaphone EJNG, 45 RPM, 1930s here

Imrat Khan – HMV EASD 1345, 1969 here

Nikhil Banerjee – HMV EASD 1342, 1969 here

Nikhil Banerjee – HMV EASD 1377, 1972 here

Nikhil Banerjee – HMV EASD 1378, 1973 here

Mohammad Sharif Khan Poonch Wala – Bärenreiter/Musicaphon BM 30 L 2029 here
Budhaditya Mukherjee – Melodiya C80-18043-4, 1979 here
The Great Tradition – Masters of Music – His Master's Voice – EALP 1453/1452, including Vilayat Khan and a Ravi Shankar–Ali Akbar Khan duet here

The photograph below is from the catalogue to the exhibition Rasa: Les Neufs Visages de l’Art Indien at the Grand Palais, March 13-June 16, 1986, Paris.

Lion, red sandstone, third century, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh:

Only the head is sculpted here, with a highly stylized mane, acutely angled eyebrows, opened mouth and tongue, powerful square legs, and the base supporting the lion, which indicates it may have initially been part of a very large throne. In Sanskrit the word to designate throne is Simhasana – meaning the seat of the lion. Simhasana is also the “lion pose,” a seated yoga posture that includes a specific form of Pranayama  breathwork, called lion's breath. In Buddhism, the lion symbolizes strength and is the protector of the Buddha, and in Hinduism, Goddess Durga is often depicted riding a lion serving as Maa Durga’s vehicle and embodying Her power. The lion has a presence that commands great respect and is the very essence of royal majesty.
*Partially condensed and paraphrased from the catalogue's caption.

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