Somjit Dasgupta plays a 300 year old Rabab

[GasLiquidSolid]

very beautiful, Maestro, and a haunting inlay design under the fretboard. You can even hear the Words of the songs you are playing in Gurmukh. Thank you

[ksghai]

Just Beautiful.

[antarsitar]

Simply fascinating! How did the artist approach the music and performance practice since since there were no recording devices 300 years ago and whatever notation exists contains nomenclature which has changed. Sounds like modern Raag Zilla Kafi. Thanks for posting!

[antarsitar]

This is amazingly interesting! I have heard of the Indian rabab and depictions of it in paintings of Guru Nanak ans some ragamala paintings. It is also mentioned in "Sitar and Sarod in the 18th and 19th centuries" Dr Miner, Allyn as being important to development of sitar and sarod and exogenous to India (but not from Kabul.) Probably Persia.

Vedic era veena was probably a type of lyre. Lute type chordphone exogenous. Modern sarod seems developed from this and sursringar and Afghai rabab.

[Gomagomes]

wonderful instrument, wish i could learn to play, but in my country it's very very hard to find these

[DEUTSCHLANDDUDE]

fantastic! This rare and exqusitie instrument sooths the soul and puts the mind to rest! How many strings does it have and how many for the chikari? I suppose the Kabuli variety lacks the chikari? Is he the last of the Indian classical Rabab players today?

[bhaibaldeep]

It is a six- stringed dhrupadi rabab with no chikari.

I wouldn't say the last but the only one with a 'living' rabab that I could find years ago who remembered some of this instruments' repertoire.

My elder son is 13 and learning to play from Somjit Dasgupta in addition to receiving guidance from me.

In recent years there has been a lot of interest generated regarding this instrument and I see many enthusiasts only that there are no luthiers (apart from me) who know how to make this instrument.

[bhaibaldeep]

Sadly, these students are playing newer interpretations of this instrument with no connection, whatsoever, to the legacy this unique instrument beholds.

Hopefully, in the immediate future some clarity would prevail.

[mrtyoob]

Great Rabab Maestro. Indeed this Rabab sounds old and gold. Thanks for sharing it. Mashallah

[bhaibaldeep]

The Kabuli and Kashmiri rabab is the folk one - this one being played is the Hindustani or Dhrupadi Rabab, which is played in the Classical music.

Regarding India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, I do not think a mere political boundary can split the one family we all are - aesthetically, culturally and spiritually.

[mrtyoob]

Rabab is one of the old and original Persian instruments. Persian poetry records Rabab as far back as it goes. The origin of Persian language is Balkh, Afghanistan and thats why Rabab is considered a national musical instrument there.

[leonmanleonman]

rubab has always had the same shape. And is almost 1300 years old, and the only instrument that origins from afghanistan

[bhaibaldeep]

There are many forms of Rabab, not one. For example, the one that Somjit plays here is not the Kabuli or Kashmiri Rabab.

I would be grateful if you have and are able to share any more information about the subject.

[k4ndarai]

not the ONLY instrument from Afghanistan.

i guess u dunno much about Afghan instruments - lotsa instruments r from Afghanistan which unfortunately have been called to be from somewhere else..

very sad..

[MayaDhari]

Synthetic [ not gut ] strings? From Harp or Oud? BTW, out of pure curiosity, what's his beard got to do with music?

[anadfoundation]

Well these are gut srings. These are custom made for us by one of the finest gut string maker in Europe.

You have got us wondering - we never thought about the beard-music connection...

[Ariush222]

It sounds more like Arabic Oud than Rubab.

[ks143505]

It is not Raab

Singh

[bsingh01]

he looks cool in a turban :)

[majbising]

There seems an evident mix of Sarod and Rabab playing styles.

[anadfoundation]

But of course, sarod is an offshoot of the dhrupadi rabab, so any semblance is natural.

[tripmonk0]

Is this guy a sarod player??

Nick

[anadfoundation]

Yes, he is. But he has had a rare chance to study Dhrupadi rabab, sur-sringar and a few others designed by his mentor and music guru, Radhika Mohan Moitra, who is one of the finest legends of Indian classical music.

[anadfoundation]

He has the only sur-rabab in his collection too.

[anadfoundation]

You may visit the anadrecords site for more information on Somjit.