Dhrupad

A short beautiful piece someone uploaded on YouTube, of Dhrupad, my favorite form of Indian classical music.

Bhawalkar is one of the greatest musicians in this genre. It is an absolutely spiritual experience listening to him live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob4H1d9pse8

"Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" (fixed) and "pada" (words)."

Each piece has three parts, the slow reflective aalap, the jod where the pakhawaj(the drum) comes in with its energy, and then the exuberant uplifting dhamaar.

My other favorite is the Gundecha Brothers. Their sheer power and range is awe-inspiring. A live performance makes your hair stand on end. Here's one of their great pieces:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5DOy3qkeDU