The Glory of Strings: Santoor

The Glory of Strings: Santoor is a studio album by Indian classical musician Shivkumar Sharma, released on January 1, 1991. The album showcases Sharma’s mastery of the santoor, a trapezoidal hammered dulcimer of Kashmiri origin, through three extended compositions rooted in the Hindustani classical tradition.

Sharma performs all tracks solo, accompanied by the rhythmic support of the tabla. The album features three primary works: a two-part exploration of Raag Mishra Shivranjani and a composition in Raag Pahadi. The first track presents an alaap (unmetered improvisation) followed by a rachna (composition) in vilambit laya (slow tempo) set to Teen Taal, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle. The second track continues in Raag Mishra Shivranjani with compositions in madhya laya (medium tempo) and drut laya (fast tempo), also in Teen Taal. The final track renders a rachna in Raag Pahadi using Deep Chandi Taal, a 14-beat cycle.

The album emphasizes the expressive range of the santoor, blending intricate melodic phrasing with percussive clarity. Sharma’s interpretations adhere to the gayaki ang (vocal-style phrasing) characteristic of his playing. The recording format and label details remain undocumented in available sources. The work stands as a representative example of Sharma’s mid-career output, consolidating his influence in popularizing the santoor as a solo concert instrument in Hindustani classical music.