About The Pioneer Of Santoor
Shivkumar Sharma released The Pioneer of Santoor on January 1, 1991. The album features Sharma as the sole performer on the santoor, a hammered dulcimer adapted for Indian classical music. The release format remains unspecified but aligns with commercial audio recordings of the period, likely issued on cassette and compact disc. No label information is documented in available sources.
The album comprises three tracks centered on Raga Puriya Dhanashri, a late-evening raga in the Kafi thaat. Sharma opens with Raga Puriya Dhanashri – Alap, Jod & Jhala, a 28-minute exploration of the raga’s melodic framework through the traditional stages of alap (slow elaboration), jod (rhythmic development), and jhala (fast percussive strokes). The second track, Raga Puriya Dhanashri – Gats in Rupaktal & Teental, spans 22 minutes and introduces composed melodic phrases (gats) set to rupak tal (7-beat cycle) and teen tal (16-beat cycle), accompanied by tabla. The closing piece, Dhun, departs from rigorous classical structure with a lighter folk-inspired melody, though exact duration and instrumental accompaniment remain undocumented.
Sharma’s adaptation of the santoor for Hindustani classical music established the instrument as a concert staple by the late 20th century. This release exemplifies his technique of modifying the santoor’s bridge and strings to enhance sustain and tonal range, enabling intricate meend (glissando) and gamak (ornamentation) characteristic of vocal music. The recording captures his use of a custom 100-string instrument, though specific tuning details for this session are not preserved.
Critical reception and commercial performance data for The Pioneer of Santoor are not archived in public records. The album’s historical significance derives from Sharma’s role in legitimizing the santoor within the classical canon, previously dominated by the sitar, sarod, and veena. Later reissues or remasters, if any, lack verified documentation.