Brindabani Sarang: Alāp / Vilampit Teen Taal

Brindabani Sarang: Alāp / Vilampit Teen Taal is a khayal performance recorded by sitarist Imrat Khan, surbahar player Wajahat Khan, and tabla accompanist Shafaatullah Khan. The track appears as the second composition on the 1989 album Volume 2: Raga Megh/Brindabani Sarang/Shudh Sarang, released by Edelweiss Records in CD format. The performance spans 22 minutes and 40 seconds, structured as an ālāp followed by a composition in vilampit teen tāl, a slow 16-beat rhythmic cycle.

The album belongs to a series of recordings that document the Imdadkhani gharana tradition, a lineage of North Indian classical instrumentalists known for their sitar and surbahar repertoire. Imrat Khan, the elder statesman of the ensemble, leads the performance on sitar, while Wajahat Khan provides the lower-register melodic foundation on surbahar. Shafaatullah Khan accompanies on tabla, maintaining the rhythmic framework for the composition. The recording captures the intricate interplay between the two melodic instruments, a hallmark of the gharana’s collaborative style.

The release date of the album is confirmed as 1989, though specific recording sessions or locations remain undocumented in available sources. The label Edelweiss Records produced the album as part of a multi-volume collection, each volume dedicated to distinct ragas. This track focuses on Brindabani Sarang, a raga associated with the late afternoon or early evening and characterized by its use of komal re (flattened second) and komal dha (flattened sixth) in ascent and descent.

The composition adheres to the classical gayaki ang (vocal-style phrasing) typical of the Imdadkhani tradition, with extended ālāp sections that explore the raga’s melodic contours before transitioning into the metered vilampit teen tāl segment. The track exemplifies the gharana’s emphasis on tonal clarity, measured tempo, and the seamless integration of sitar and surbahar timbres. No additional details about alternate takes, live performances, or reissues of this recording are publicly verified.