Misra Kafi: gat in medium tintal (16 beats)

Misra Kafi: gat in medium tintal (16 beats) is a track recorded by sitarist Nikhil Banerjee. The composition spans 7 minutes and 45 seconds and appears as the third track on the album Misra Kafi 1982. Banerjee performs the piece in the Misra Kafi raga, set to a 16-beat tintal rhythmic cycle.

The album Misra Kafi 1982 was released in 1990 by Raga Records. The label issued the recording in CD format. The album title references the year of the original performance, though the exact recording date and location remain undocumented in available sources. The release focuses on Banerjee’s interpretation of the Misra Kafi raga, a blend of Kafi and Shuddha Sarang elements, characterized by its melodic flexibility and emotional depth.

Nikhil Banerjee (1931–1986) was a prominent exponent of the Maihar gharana, known for his precise technique and lyrical phrasing. His rendition of Misra Kafi exemplifies the gat-tod style, where the artist expands on the thematic material through improvisation while maintaining the rhythmic framework of tintal. The track captures Banerjee’s ability to balance structural discipline with spontaneous creativity, a hallmark of his performances.

The 1990 release by Raga Records forms part of a series of posthumous albums compiling Banerjee’s live and studio recordings. The label specialized in Indian classical music during the late 20th century, contributing to the global dissemination of the genre. Additional details about the accompanying artists, such as the tabla player, are not specified in the available documentation for this release.