Description
Live recording of singer Gangubai Hangal, accompanied by Sultan Khan on sarangi and Sheshgiri Hangal on tabla, from April 1974. It was recorded at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, India's premier cultural institution. Digitally mastered from the original source tapes.
Gangubai Hangal was born in 1913, she began her musical career aged 13, and along the way faced many disadvantages in the conservative, male dominated environment. However, her determination to succeed allowed her to overcome all barriers to go on and become one of India's foremost singers.
In raga Adana, she sings a raga that is not usually performed by artists from the Kirana Lineage. Her husky and powerful voice projects with full force and she touches a chord in the heart of the listener. She sings Raga Yaman with a deep sense of involvement and devotional fervor. Her exposition has tremendous emotive power with her alaps being as moving as they are soothing and her taans exploding like thunder. Raga Ahir Bhairav is a very popular morning raga but again rarely sung by artists from the Kirana lineage, you sense a feeling of tranquillity in her presentation which is captivating.
Personnel: Gangubai Hangal (vocals), Sultan Khan (sarangi), Sheshgiri Hangal (tabla)