About Berlin 1964 - The Lost Studio Recording
Berlin 1964 – The Lost Studio Recording is an archival release featuring a previously unreleased studio session by the Dagar brothers, Nasir Moinuddin Dagar and Nasir Aminuddin Dagar. The recording captures a 1964 session in Berlin, Germany, and was officially issued on March 1, 2024 by the Australian label Black Truffle in digital media format.
The release comprises two extended tracks showcasing the Dagar brothers’ renditions of classical dhrupad, a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music. The first track presents Raga Malkauns set to the sultal rhythmic cycle, a 10-beat tala associated with the genre. The second track features Raga Jaijaivanti in dhamar, a 14-beat cycle traditionally linked to devotional and seasonal themes in dhrupad. Both performances adhere to the brothers’ signature style, emphasizing sustained vocal phrasing, microtonal intonation, and the layered interplay of tanpura drones.
The recording session’s origins remain partially undocumented. Available information confirms the session occurred in Berlin during the brothers’ European tour in the mid-1960s, a period when they introduced dhrupad to Western audiences. The tapes surfaced decades later, with Black Truffle overseeing restoration and mastering for the 2024 release. No additional session musicians or accompanying instrumentalists are credited in the published materials.
As members of the Dagarvani tradition, Nasir Moinuddin Dagar and Nasir Aminuddin Dagar were central to the 20th-century revival of dhrupad. Their collaborations, including this session, exemplify the genre’s emphasis on meditative expansion of raga structures. The 2024 release marks the first official publication of this material, supplementing their documented discography from the 1950s to the 1980s.
The album’s liner notes, where available, provide contextual essays on the Dagar brothers’ influence and the historical significance of dhrupad in global music circles. No alternate takes, rehearsal material, or additional sessions from the 1964 Berlin visit are confirmed as part of this release.