Raga Durga (Alap & Gat - Jhaptal)

Raga Durga (Alap & Gat - Jhaptal) is a live instrumental recording of the Hindustani classical raga Durga. Ali Akbar Khan performs on the sarod, Ravi Shankar plays the sitar, and Alla Rakha accompanies on the tabla. The performance captures the traditional structure of a Hindustani classical piece, beginning with an alap and progressing to a gat set in Jhaptal, a 10-beat rhythmic cycle.

The recording was released in 1964. The primary format is an audio recording, though specific label details are not available in the provided context. The alap section features a slow, meditative exploration of the raga’s melodic framework without rhythmic accompaniment. Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shankar introduce the raga’s characteristic notes—Sa, Re, Ma, Pa, Dha—emphasizing the komal Re (flat second) and shuddha Dha (natural sixth), which define Durga’s distinct sound.

The gat section transitions into Jhaptal, where Alla Rakha establishes the rhythmic foundation. The gat comprises composed phrases interspersed with improvisations (tans and jhala) by the sarod and sitar. The artists employ meend (glissando), gamak (ornamentation), and other embellishments to articulate the raga’s emotional depth. The performance concludes with a jhala, accelerating the tempo and intensifying the interplay between melody and rhythm.

The duration of the recording is 28 minutes and 21 seconds. The MusicBrainz Identifier (MBID) for this release is 96c3aadd-ce8e-454b-9a5f-0cb6b046d1c2. Additional details about the recording’s venue, exact release date, or label are not provided in the available context.