Raga Shuddh Kalyan: Khyal in Drut Teental

Raga Shuddh Kalyan: Khyal in Drut Teental is a recorded performance of the khyal genre in Hindustani classical music by vocalist Kishori Amonkar. The track features a composition set in Raga Shuddh Kalyan, a melodic framework associated with the late evening or early night raag tradition. Amonkar renders the piece in drut teental, a fast-paced 16-beat rhythmic cycle.

Amonkar’s interpretation emphasizes the gayaki (vocal style) of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, characterized by intricate taan patterns, nuanced phrasing and a balance of technical precision with emotional depth. The recording captures her signature approach to badhat (development) and layakari (rhythmic play), with improvisations that explore the upper and lower octaves of the raga’s scale. The composition’s text, where audible, adheres to the poetic conventions of khyal, though specific lyrical content remains undocumented in available sources.

The performance spans a duration of 6 minutes and 43 seconds. The recording format, release date and label remain unverified in public records, though the track circulates in digital archives and compilations dedicated to Amonkar’s work. No accompanying instrumentalists or tabla players are credited in the metadata for this specific rendition. The piece serves as an example of Amonkar’s later career output, where she refined her exploration of Shuddh Kalyan and its variants.

Notable aspects of the track include Amonkar’s use of meend (glissando) to transition between notes and her deployment of sargam (solfège) in faster passages. The recording omits an extended alaap, focusing instead on the bandish (fixed composition) and its elaboration. Comparative analysis with her other Shuddh Kalyan performances reveals variations in tempo and ornamental detail, though this version stands out for its concise structure.

Contextual details such as the live or studio origin of the recording, the exact year of production and the identity of the tabla accompanist (if any) are not confirmed. The track’s preservation relies on informal distributions among classical music repositories, with no official album or commercial release explicitly tied to this performance.