About The Art Of The Indian Santoor
The Art of the Indian Santoor is a studio album by Indian classical musician Tarun Bhattacharya. Released on January 1, 2002, the album showcases Bhattacharya’s mastery of the santoor, a trapezoidal hammered dulcimer of Kashmiri origin. The recording presents four tracks that explore classical and light classical traditions of North Indian music.
Bhattacharya opens the album with a detailed rendition of Raag Yaman, structured in three sections: Alaap, Jod, and Jhala. The performance emphasizes the meditative and expansive qualities of the raga through gradual development. The second and third tracks feature Raag Hament, first in Jhaptaal (a 10-beat rhythmic cycle) and then in Teentaal (a 16-beat cycle). These compositions highlight Bhattacharya’s technical precision and improvisational skill within the framework of traditional khayal gayaki style adapted for the santoor.
The album concludes with a light classical piece based on Raag Misra Pahadi. This track departs from the rigorous structure of the preceding ragas, incorporating melodic fluidity and rhythmic flexibility characteristic of semi-classical forms. The piece demonstrates Bhattacharya’s ability to blend formal discipline with expressive freedom.
The release format is a single CD. The label information is not documented in available sources. The album serves as a representative example of Bhattacharya’s contributions to popularizing the santoor as a solo instrument in Hindustani classical music during the early 2000s.