About Desi Todi / Madhuvanti
Desi Todi / Madhuvanti is a studio album by Indian classical shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. Released in 1975 under the His Master’s Voice label, the recording features two extended raga performances captured on a 12\" vinyl format. The album represents Khan’s interpretation of North Indian classical music through the shehnai, an instrument he popularized in concert settings.
The release contains two tracks. Raga Desi Todi opens the album with an alap-jor-jhala progression characteristic of the Todi thaat, followed by a vilambit and drut composition in Teental. The second track, Raga Madhuvanti, explores the Carnatic-influenced raga with Khan’s signature phrasing and embellishments, accompanied by tabla and tanpura. Both performances adhere to the gayaki ang (vocal-style) approach Khan developed for the shehnai.
The 1975 vinyl pressing marked one of several collaborations between Khan and His Master’s Voice during the 1960s and 1970s. The recording session details, including accompanying artists and exact location, remain undocumented in available sources. The album cover design and liner notes, if included, followed the label’s standard format for classical releases of the period.
Khan’s renditions on this release exemplify his control over meend (glissando) and gamak (ornamentation) techniques, hallmarks of his style. The album received distribution across India and among diaspora communities, contributing to the global recognition of the shehnai as a solo concert instrument. Later reissues or digital remasters of this recording are not confirmed in public records.