About Sitar Recital (Raga Behag, Raga Bhatiyar)
Sitar Recital (Raga Behag, Raga Bhatiyar) is a studio album by Indian classical sitarist Nishat Khan. Released in 1991 on CD by EMI, the recording showcases Khan’s interpretation of two principal ragas alongside a light classical composition and a traditional dhun.
The album opens with Raga Behag, performed in Vilambat Teentaal (16 beats) with a khayal ang (vocal style) approach. Khan employs the sitar to emulate the phrasing and ornamentation characteristic of Hindustani vocal music. The second track presents Raga Bhatiyar in Drut Teentaal, emphasizing faster tempos and intricate taans (melodic runs).
The third piece, titled Dhun, adopts a lighter, semi-classical structure without adherence to a specific raga framework. The album concludes with Sohni, a composition set to Drut Ektaal (12 beats), blending folk melodic elements with classical improvisation. The total runtime spans four tracks.
Nishat Khan accompanied himself on the sitar, with tabla support provided by an unnamed artist. The recording session details, including studio location and production personnel, remain undocumented in available sources. The album contributed to Khan’s reputation as a leading exponent of the Imdadkhani gharana (Ettawa gharana), known for its emphasis on vocalistic sitar techniques.
The 1991 release marked one of Khan’s early commercial recordings under EMI’s classical music catalog. Later reissues or alternate formats of the album are not confirmed in public records. The liner notes, where present, likely included technical descriptions of the ragas and taals, though specific textual content is unverified.