Lalith Rao - Raga Bihag, Raga Kedar, Thumri - LP published in India in 1985

We will publish here three LPs by great female voices of the Agra Gharana. We start with the only LP by Lalith Rao (born in 1942). More recent recordings are available on several CDs.

Download flac
Download mp3

About the Agra Gharana, a particularly masculine style, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agra_gharana
http://sahapedia.org/the-agra-gharana-of-hindustani-music/
http://www.nadsadhna.com/Pages/IndianMusic/Gharanas.asp?About=Agra
https://agragharana.wordpress.com/

About Lalith Rao see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalith_J._Rao

Recently this wonderful box was published in India
(can be ordered from info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com):

Khadim Hussain Khan, Lalith J. Rao a.o. - Agra Gharana – Ek Vatavriksh – The Legacy Continues – An Agra Gharana Heritage Collection, Set of 4 CDs in box, CD 1: Khadim Hussain Khan (Vocal) – Rare Live Concert Recordings: Raga Bhim: Alap & Rupak Tal (1979) (26:58), Raga Bihag: Alap & Dhamar, Vilambit Ektal & Drut Teental (1978) (39:24), Raga Bhairavi: Keherwa (1976) (8:16), CD 2: Lalith J. Rao (Vocal), Purushottam Walawalkar (Harmonium) & Deppak Nerurkar (Tabla) – Volume 1: Raga Shree: Vilambit Teental, Madhyalaya Jhaptal & Drut Teental (1987) (65:32), CD 3: Lalith J. Rao (Vocal), Purushottam Walawalkar (Harmonium) & Deppak Nerurkar (Tabla) – Volume 2: Raga Dhanashri: Vilambit Ektal & Drut Teental (1987) (28:25), Raga Barwa: Alap & Drut Teental (1987) (38:30), CD 4 (MP3): Khadim Hussain Khan (Vocal) – Raga Maluha Kedar (30:33), Raga Darbari Kanhada (10:11), Raga Sajan Sohini (6:13), Lalith J. Rao (Vocal) – Raga Gorakh Kalyan (53:04), Raga Basant – Tarana (19:22), Torch Bearers of the Agra Gharana – Bharathi Prathap (Vocal) – Raga Bageshree Bahar (35:50), Pilu Thumri (11:17), Deepa Karnad (Vocal) – Raga Shuddh Sarang (37:31), Kailash Kulkarni (Vocal) – Raga Malkauns (45:28), Meera Sahasrabudhe (Vocal) – Raga Jog (30:52), Nishant Panicker (Vocal) - Raga Kedar (31:25), Pratima Ganesh (Vocal) - Raga Jaunpuri (35:07), Susheela Mehta (Vocal) - Raga Miyan ki Todi (27:47), Raga Khem Kalyan (11:08), Tara Kini (Vocal) - Raga Bahaduri Todi (36:46), PRAGNYA

Excellent product with wonderful recordings. The prodigiously learned Ustad Khadim Hussain Khan Saheb (1907-1993) was considered to be one of the foremost Agra gayaki singers of his time. Born in Atrauli (in Uttar Pradesh) in 1907, he studied music from his father Altaf Hussain Khan and then went on to receive the rich and varied repertoire of the Agra Gharana from his grand uncle Kallan Khan, both celebrities of their time and court musicians of Jaipur. Young Khadim`s studentship with the latter who was the younger son of Ghagge Khuda Baksh, the gharana`s pioneer was long and arduous: it lasted for 12 hours everyday for over 12 years. 

He was far more widely known as an ideal teacher than as a concert performer. Moreover, his proficiency in Layakari was beyond the comprehension of the uninitiated listener. The number of Khadim Hussain’s pupils is legion and includes well-known artistes of the past and present. Ustad Latafat Hussain (his younger brother) and Lalith Rao were among his disciples who made a name in the field. 

Lalith Rao (born 1942) is an outstanding singer of the Agra Gharna, one of the very rare singers today who still keep alive the magnificient style of the Agra Gharana in all it’s facets. 

Excellent recordings with good sound quality. The MP3-CD (7 hours long) contains next to recordings by the two masters a number of beautiful new studio recordings by students of Lalith Rao, all accompanied on Tabla by Shashibhushan Gurjar or Gurunandan Kallianpur and on Harmonium by Vyasmurti Katti.