About Instrumental Music of India
Instrumental Music of India is a studio album by Indian classical sitarist Budhaditya Mukherjee. The release features three tracks centered on North Indian classical (Hindustani) traditions, emphasizing raga-based improvisation and rhythmic exploration. The album format and release date remain undocumented in available sources.
Mukherjee performs all compositions on the sitar. The opening track, Improvisation Is the Style of Classical Music Based on Raga Puriakalian, develops the evening raga Puriakalian through alap, jor, and jhala sections. The second piece, Improvisation Is the Style of Classical Music Based on Raga Basant Mukhari, interprets the morning raga Basant Mukhari with a focus on melodic elaboration. The final track, Metrorythmical Piece in Tintal, presents a fixed-meter composition in the 16-beat tintal cycle, showcasing Mukherjee’s rhythmic interplay with accompanying percussion.
The recording captures Mukherjee’s adherence to the Senia-Maihar gharana, a school of sitar playing founded by Allauddin Khan. Accompaniment details, including tabla or tanpura artists, are not specified in existing references. The album’s production label, if any, is also unconfirmed. Track durations and additional session musicians remain unverified.
Mukherjee’s approach on this release aligns with the khayal-influenced gayaki ang style, where instrumental phrasing mimics vocal inflections. The album serves as a representative example of mid-to-late 20th-century Hindustani instrumental music, though precise contextual placement requires further documentation.