The Forty Minute Raga

Ustad Ali Akbar Khan - The Forty Minute Raga

Performers:

Ustad Ali Akbar Khan - sarod

Mahapurush Misra - tabla

Rag Marwa is a late evening and nighttime raga. It's essentially heroic in character but elements of devotion and pathos weave throughout its texture.

Marwa is an old, very great and strictly classical raga which predates the latest developments of the sarod. It was not intended originally to be played on the sarod because the performance on the old sarod would have been virtually impossible in a purely technical sense.

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It is somewhat like a reversal of the famous story of Paganini finishing a virtuoso performance on one violin string. Since Mr. Khan must play the entire melodic line of Marwa for 42 minutes with restricted use of 2 of his left-hand fingers, it is a feat comparable to Paganini particularly in view of the great emotional range of this raga.

Because of the above mentioned difficulties, Rag Marwa is infrequently performed in public and performances on records encompassing the full scope of emotions inherent in such a raga are rare indeed. The time limitations imposed by LP records have frequently necessitated the avoidance of certain powerful Indian ragas whose mood and development cannot be completely explored and consummated in the twenty-odd minutes of a long-playing side, but now, for the first time on records anywhere, the full mood and intensity of this raga is unfolded without regard to time limitations. This performance is over 40 minutes long and occupies the entire record with the Alap on side one and the Gat on side two.

Ali Akbar Khan has expressed the opinion that this performance of Marwa is perhaps the fullest expression of his art ever recorded. (E. Alan Silver)

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Raga Marwa (Part One), Alap {20:57}

Side 2

1. Raga Marwa (Part Two), Gat {20:56}

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