Raga: Soheni - Teental

Raga Soheni, Raga Megh is a studio album by Indian classical sitarist Nikhil Banerjee, released in 1972 on the His Master’s Voice label. The recording appeared on a 12\" vinyl format and features two extended raga performances.

The album opens with Raga Soheni set to Teental, a 16-beat rhythmic cycle. Banerjee performs the raga in the vilambit (slow) and drut (fast) sections, accompanied by tabla. The composition adheres to the Etawah gharana stylistic framework, emphasizing intricate taans (melodic phrases) and layered improvisation. The recording captures Banerjee’s precise left-hand meend (glissando) technique and his use of the gandhar (third note) as a focal point in the raga’s development.

The second side of the vinyl presents Raga Megh, though specific rhythmic or structural details for this track remain undocumented in available sources. The album’s production reflects the engineering standards of His Master’s Voice during the early 1970s, with a focus on clarity in sitar tonality and tabla resonance.

Banerjee’s interpretation of Raga Soheni on this release is noted for its adherence to traditional dhrupad ang (style) while incorporating elements of the khayal gayaki (vocal) approach in instrumental phrasing. The tabla accompaniment, though uncredited in the original liner notes, follows the Benares gharana conventions typical of the period. No alternate takes or live versions of these recordings are confirmed in public archives.

The 1972 pressing of Raga Soheni, Raga Megh was distributed primarily in the Indian subcontinent, with later reissues in cassette and digital formats under varying labels. The original vinyl sleeve included minimal liner notes, omitting session dates or studio locations. The album forms part of Banerjee’s mid-career discography, bridging his earlier experimental phase with his later, more refined recordings of the 1980s.