Dadra in Mishra Khamaj, Murad Ali Khan

In this video from 2010, Murad Ali Khan plays a dadra in Mishra Khamaj - an enticing semi-classical composition that beams back several decades to the legacy that he carries.

Khan’s soul-piercing sound and dense tonal quality make his music special to sarangi fans all over the world. His diligent training under his reclusive grandfather Ustad Siddiqui Ahmad Khan (born 1914) in the gayaki-ang – a lyrical method patterned after the human voice - resulted in a deeply expressive, leisurely style that demonstrates long, breathy flow of tonal sentences, rotund oscillating notes activated by a unique brand of energy and soul.

Kousic Sen gives a spirited accompaniment to the recital, precipitating the energetic parts with rumbling solos and underpinning the subdued moments with poised companionship.

Khan’s lusty portrayal of this headily romantic piece is characterised by patient, unhurried expansion of the melodic components that soar and swoop in resonant leaps and bounds. The fast tonal sentences brimming with notes occasionally slow down to be punctuated with surprising modulations, transforming the lissome, tightly packed phrases into stocky, oscillating movements of individual notes.

“Dagar Beech Mag Roke Kanhaiya Bepeer,” which translates to “O Krishna, why occlude my path unhindered,” chronicles the playful romance between Lord Krishna and his consort Radha. The lyrics of this lilting piece translates into a plea where Radha also gently questions Krishna as to why he playfully obstructs her path in every day in broad daylight – a gesture considered outrageous in the age-old societies of India - on her way to fetch water from the river.

Musicians

Murad Ali Khan (sarangi)

Kousic Sen (tabla)

Priya Parkash (tanpura)

Dadra in Mishra Khamaj