About 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 recording showcases Sharma’s mastery of the santoor, a trapezoidal hammered dulcimer central to Hindustani classical music. The album comprises three tracks, each exploring distinct raags and rhythmic structures.
Sharma opens the album with Raag Mishra Shivranjani, presenting an alaap followed by compositions in vilambit laya (slow tempo) and madhya-drut laya (medium-to-fast tempo), both set to Teen Taal, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle. The second track continues in Mishra Shivranjani with intricate taans and melodic elaborations, maintaining the Teen Taal framework. The final track features a composition in Raag Pahadi, performed in Deep Chandi Taal, a 14-beat cycle known for its lyrical and folk-inspired phrasing.
The album emphasizes the santoor’s expressive range, blending meditative alaap segments with dynamic rhythmic interplay. Sharma’s performance highlights the instrument’s ability to render gamakas (ornamental oscillations) and rapid jhala passages, characteristics traditionally associated with stringed instruments like the sitar or sarod. The recording captures the acoustic resonance of the santoor without additional accompaniment, placing focus on Sharma’s solo artistry.
The release format and original label remain undocumented in available sources. The album stands as a representative work of Sharma’s contributions to popularizing the santoor as a solo concert instrument in the 20th century. His interpretations of Mishra Shivranjani and Pahadi reflect the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana’s influence on his stylistic approach, though he adapted these traditions to the santoor’s unique tonal qualities.