Classical Flute Music of India

Pandit Raghunath Seth - Classical Flute Music of India

Pandit Raghunath Seth - bansuri
Sri Balkrishnan Iyer - tabla

recorded May 21, 1993 at Holmberg Hall, University of Oklahoma; released in 1994

Pandit Raghunath Seth began his career as a staff artist for All India Radio in Lucknow in 1954. He took his early training from the eminent musicologist Dr. S. N. Ratanjekar, and credits the flute master Sri Pannalal Ghosh with helping to shape his art as a classical musician.
...
About 50 years ago, Pannalal Ghosh improved the design of the traditional bansuri by adding a seventh finger-hole played by the little finger of the right hand which made some of the complex ornaments and graces of the vocal styles easier to reproduce on the flute. Pt. Seth has taken this innovation even further and added a bamboo key to compensate for the difficulty of playing this hole. This has made it possible for Pt. Seth to develop an unparalleled technique which allows him to explore complex passages which could not be played without this key. The flute which Pt. Seth usually plays is a tenor instrument approximately 30 inches long made from a single section of long-jointed bamboo. The last piece on this recording, Rag Bhairavi, is performed on a smaller flute with a different fingering.
Pt. Seth's style is a unique blend of elements from both the instrumental and vocal traditions. His presentation here in the slow tintal section of Rag Yaman is very much in the style of the string instruments sitar and sarod, while Rag Hansadhwani is developed as a Chota Khyal, or short vocal piece. His synthesis of classical elements has allowed him to evolve a style noted for its virtuosity, clarity and feeling. In addition to his mastery of Indian musical forms, he has also explored musical collaborations with Western musicians, including Herbie Mann and Paul Horn, and has made efforts to combine jazz and Indian music resulting in several recordings of fusion music. (Jeff Whittier) 

Tracklisting:

1. Rag Yaman {28:50}

2. Rag Vijai Nagari {14:00}

3. Rag Hansadhwani {9:26}

4. Dadra {7:59}

5. Bhatiali {4:08}

6. Bhairavi {5:21}

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