Sārang (सारंग) is a bright luminous rāga associated with midday. It has a clear and open feel, evoking daylight and expansive natural environments.
The short timeframe of a 78 rpm record does not allow for the full thematic development of the rāga – so what we get is a tightly compressed summarized form. When Ravi Shankar recorded on LP starting in 1957 with “Music of India”, he would be able to expand these ragas to their natural length, and it was common for a single rāga to take an entire side of an LP.
I am not confident of this recording year – but it was in the mid 1950s to be sure.
Interestingly, Ravi Shankar’s debut recording was not as a virtuoso sitar player, but as a member of an Indian ensemble led by his brother, Uday. They recorded in NYC in 1937. Shankar (going by his full first name Ravindra) was a dancer in the group and played esraj.
Released as His Master’s Voice N.87538
Matrix OJE. 8537
Credits:
Ravi Shankar – sitar
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan – sarod
Kanai Dutta – tabla
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