Raga Jogiya : Tritaal

The Soul of Shahnai is a studio album by Indian classical shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. The label His Master’s Voice released the recording in 1979 on a 12\" vinyl LP. The album showcases Khan’s mastery of the shehnai in traditional North Indian classical raga performances.

The B-side of the vinyl features Raga Jogiya set to Tritaal, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle. This track occupies position B1 on the record. Khan’s interpretation of Raga Jogiya emphasizes the raga’s meditative and introspective character, with elaborate alaap and jod-alaap sections followed by structured gat compositions in Tritaal. The accompaniment details remain undocumented in available sources, but the recording adheres to the conventional ensemble format of shehnai supported by tabla and tanpura.

The album belongs to a period when Khan consolidated his reputation as the preeminent exponent of the shehnai in Hindustani classical music. His Master’s Voice, a subsidiary of EMI India, produced the release as part of its classical music catalog, targeting audiences of traditional Indian instrumental music. The vinyl format reflects the dominant medium for high-fidelity classical recordings in India during the late 1970s.

No additional metadata regarding session musicians, recording location, or alternate editions of The Soul of Shahnai is publicly verified. The album’s reception and commercial performance remain unrecorded in accessible archives, though Khan’s stature ensured its circulation among classical music connoisseurs. Later reissues or digital remasters of this specific recording are not confirmed.