Raga Madhmat-Sarang

Raga Madhmat-Sarang is a khayal-based raga performance recorded by Ustad Bismillah Khan on the shehnai. The track appears as the second composition on the 1963 album Shehnai Recital: Ragas Lalit and Madhmat-Sarang, released by Odeon on a 12\" vinyl format. The recording spans 18 minutes and 43 seconds.

The album captures Khan’s interpretation of two ragas, with Raga Madhmat-Sarang following Raga Lalit in the sequence. The performance adheres to the traditional structure of alap, jor, and jhala, followed by a gat in teental (16-beat cycle). Khan accompanies himself on the shehnai, with tabla support provided by an unnamed artist. The recording session details, including the exact location and additional personnel, remain undocumented in available sources.

Shehnai Recital: Ragas Lalit and Madhmat-Sarang marks one of Khan’s early commercial vinyl releases under the Odeon label, a subsidiary of EMI at the time. The album contributed to the dissemination of Hindustani classical instrumental music in the mid-20th century, particularly through the shehnai, an instrument Khan popularized beyond its traditional ceremonial role. No reissues or digital remasters of this specific recording have been officially confirmed in public records.

The raga Madhmat-Sarang belongs to the Kafi thaat and is traditionally performed during the late evening. Khan’s rendition emphasizes the raga’s characteristic phrases, including the use of komal re (flattened second) and shuddha ma (natural fourth) in ascent, while descending phrases often incorporate komal ni (flattened seventh). The composition reflects the gayaki ang (vocal-style phrasing) for which Khan’s shehnai playing was widely recognized.