About Music of India: Morning and Evening Rāgas
Music of India: Morning and Evening Rāgas is a 1956 studio album featuring sarod virtuoso Ali Akbar Khan and tabla accompanist Chatur Lal. The release captures two contrasting rāgas performed in traditional North Indian classical style. His Master’s Voice issued the recording as a 12\" vinyl LP with four tracks divided into morning and evening rāga presentations.
Ali Akbar Khan composed and performed the primary melodic material on sarod. Chatur Lal provided rhythmic support on tabla. The album opens with an untitled introduction leading into Morning Raga: Sind Bhairavi, a rāga traditionally associated with dawn and characterized by its meditative, ascending phrases. The second half begins with another brief introduction followed by Evening Raga: Piloo, a lighter rāga often performed at dusk, noted for its playful and ornamented melodic development.
The recording session date remains undocumented, but the label released the vinyl in 1956 under catalog number N33E 10001. His Master’s Voice marketed the album as part of its efforts to introduce Indian classical music to international audiences during the mid-20th century. The liner notes, where present, typically included minimal annotation, focusing on the rāga forms rather than technical performance details.
Ali Akbar Khan’s interpretation of Sind Bhairavi emphasizes slow, expansive ālāp sections before transitioning into structured gat compositions. Chatur Lal’s tabla accompaniment in Piloo incorporates intricate theka patterns that complement the rāga’s rhythmic flexibility. The album’s production reflects the era’s standard mono recording techniques, with balance prioritizing the sarod’s midrange tones.
Later reissues of this material appeared on compact disc and digital formats, though the original 1956 pressing remains the primary reference for collectors. The collaboration between Khan and Lal on this release preceded their subsequent recordings and international tours, which further established their roles in globalizing Hindustani classical music. No alternate takes or unreleased material from these sessions have been confirmed in public archives.
