Raga Chandrakauns (Teentaal)

Raga Chandrakauns (Teentaal) is a classical Hindustani instrumental composition performed by flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia. The track appears as side B, track 1 (B1) on the 1970 album Flute Recital, released under the His Master’s Voice label. The recording employs the bansuri (North Indian bamboo flute) as the primary instrument, accompanied by traditional tanpura drone and tabla percussion in teentaal, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle.

The album was issued as a 12\" vinyl LP, a standard format for Indian classical music releases of the era. Chaurasia’s interpretation of Raga Chandrakauns adheres to the raga’s structural framework, characterized by its shaadava-sampoorna scale (omitting the sixth note in ascent) and meditative, late-night (ratri raga) aesthetic. The performance follows the conventional alaap-jor-jhala progression before transitioning into the composed gat in teentaal.

Limited documentation exists regarding the session musicians or recording location. The album cover and original liner notes credit Chaurasia as the sole featured artist, with no explicit mention of accompanying tabla or tanpura players. Flute Recital marked an early commercial release in Chaurasia’s discography, predating his wider international recognition in the 1980s. The 1970 pressing by His Master’s Voice, a subsidiary of EMI India, targeted domestic audiences and remains a reference for his formative style.

The track duration is not specified in available sources. The vinyl’s side B likely accommodated 15–20 minutes of music, typical for raga expositions of the period. No reissues or digital remasters of this exact recording have been officially confirmed, though Chaurasia revisited Raga Chandrakauns in later live performances and studio albums.