Vilambit Ektaal Composition (Part 1)

Touching Air (live at the Saptak Festival) is a live album by Indian violinist Kala Ramnath. The recording captures a performance from the Saptak Festival, a prominent annual event dedicated to Indian classical music. The album released in 2002 under the label Sense World Music in CD format.

The album features Ramnath’s interpretation of classical Hindustani raga structures, emphasizing the meend (glissando) and gamak (ornamentation) techniques characteristic of the Mewati gharana. The second track, titled Vilambit Ektaal Composition (Part 1), spans 18 minutes and 8 seconds. This composition exemplifies the slow-tempo (vilambit) exploration of a raga in a 12-beat rhythmic cycle (ektaal).

Kala Ramnath trained under the violinist and vocalist N. Rajam and later refined her style under the guidance of sitarist Jasraj, integrating vocalistic phrasing into her instrumental approach. The Saptak Festival performance showcases her command over sustained notes and intricate melodic development, hallmarks of her artistic identity. Additional details about the specific raga performed or accompanying artists remain undocumented in available sources.

The album’s production aligns with Sense World Music’s focus on traditional and contemporary Indian classical recordings. The live setting preserves the improvisational spontaneity central to Hindustani music, with Ramnath’s violin accompanied by traditional percussion, though the exact instrumental lineup for this track is not specified. Touching Air contributes to the discography of female instrumentalists in a genre historically dominated by male performers.