In this recording, one of the very first in the santur master's extensive discography, Shivkumar Sharma already shows the full extent of his talent: a remarkable inspiration made up of melodic subtlety and rhythmic liveliness.

Shivkumar Sharma (1938-2022) is largely responsible for introducing the santur – a musical instrument for folk music widely used in Kashmir – into classical music. He received dual musical training in tabla and santur from his father, and his development as a virtuoso was extraordinarily fast.

This new edition of a disc released over half a century ago is a tribute to this musician, who recently passed away, and who, following in the footsteps of a generation of artists such as Vilayat Khan, Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shankar, brilliantly exposed another facet of North Indian classical music. The tabla accompaniment is provided by Kashinath Mishra (1937), a pupil of the late Pandit Anokhelal Mishra from Benares.