Stillness of the Lake

Stillness of the Lake is an Indian classical instrumental recording by santoor maestro Shivkumar Sharma. The track appears on the album Call of the Valley, released in 1967. The composition features the santoor, a hammered dulcimer originating from the Kashmir region, as the primary instrument. Shivkumar Sharma performs the piece with accompaniment from flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia and guitarist Brij Bhushan Kabra. The recording spans 7 minutes and 19 seconds.

The work exemplifies the raga-based structure of Indian classical music. Stillness of the Lake is set in Raga Pahadi, a melodic framework associated with the mountainous regions of northern India. The track progresses through alap, jor, and jhala sections, characteristic of Hindustani classical performance. Shivkumar Sharma employs meend (glissando) and gamak (ornamentation) techniques to articulate the raga’s emotional contours.

The album Call of the Valley was produced under the HMV label, later reissued by Saregama India Ltd. The collaboration between Shivkumar Sharma, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Brij Bhushan Kabra marked a significant moment in the popularization of Indian classical music during the 1960s. The recording’s production quality and instrumental interplay contributed to its enduring appeal among audiences and critics.

No specific release date beyond the year 1967 is documented for Stillness of the Lake. The track remains a notable example of Shivkumar Sharma’s contributions to the santoor’s evolution as a solo instrument in Hindustani classical music.