Royal Touch on Sitar

Vilayat Khan released the Indian classical album Royal Touch on Sitar in 1990. The album features three sitar tracks, including an alap in Raga Vilayat Khan Kanada, a raga he created.

Royal Touch on Sitar is an Indian classical music album by sitar maestro Vilayat Khan. The album was released on January 1, 1990. It features three instrumental tracks performed on the sitar. The primary format of the release is an audio recording, though specific label details are not available from the provided context.

Vilayat Khan performs the first track, "Vilayat Khan Kanada Alap." This piece showcases an alap in Raga Vilayat Khan Kanada, a raga attributed to the artist. The alap is an introductory section in Indian classical music that explores the raga's melodic framework without rhythmic accompaniment.

The second track, "Raga Vilayat Khan Kanada Gat: Vilambit & Madhyalay Teentaal," consists of two gats in Raga Vilayat Khan Kanada. Vilayat Khan performs the vilambit gat, a slow composition set to Teentaal, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle. He follows this with the madhyalay gat, a medium-tempo composition also in Teentaal.

The third track, "Punjabi Dhun," is a light classical piece. Vilayat Khan performs this dhun, a melodic composition often derived from folk or regional music, in the style associated with Punjab.

Vilayat Khan, born in 1928 and deceased in 2004, was a prominent exponent of the Imdadkhani gharana, a school of sitar playing. He contributed significantly to the development of the sitar's technique and repertoire. The album reflects his distinctive style, characterized by intricate melodic phrasing and emotional depth.