Raga "Piloo" (Thumree)

"Raga 'Piloo' (Thumree)" is a classical Indian instrumental track performed by sitar maestro Vilayat Khan. The piece appears as track B3 on the 1962 album Music of India. The recording was released in a 12-inch vinyl format. The duration of the track is 6 minutes and 32 seconds.

Vilayat Khan recorded this thumree in Raga Piloo, a raga associated with the late evening or early night. The composition follows the traditional structure of a thumree, a semi-classical vocal and instrumental form that emphasizes emotional expression and improvisation. The performance showcases Khan’s signature sitar technique, characterized by intricate meend (glissando) and gamak (ornamentation) patterns.

The album Music of India was produced during a period when Vilayat Khan was actively expanding the expressive range of the sitar. The release date and label for the album are not specified in the available context. The track exemplifies the thumree’s lyrical and rhythmic flexibility, blending structured melodic phrases with spontaneous improvisation.

Vilayat Khan, born in 1928 in Gauripur, India, was a prominent exponent of the Imdadkhani gharana (school) of sitar playing. He contributed significantly to the development of the instrument’s modern repertoire and performance style. His interpretations of thumree and other semi-classical forms remain influential in Indian classical music.