Echoes of India: The Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan
Through the soul-stirring melodies of the sarod, maestro Amjad Ali Khan beautifully shows that music transcends all boundaries — be it of race, religion, or culture.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★☆
Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan is the sixth generation of the illustrious Bangash musical lineage. Image courtesy of Suvo Das.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Have you ever come across a musical instrument whose sound is so rich and introspective that it feels like it’s releasing the unspoken emotions buried deep within you? Well, I have.
For decades, I’ve been in love with the erhu, the Chinese fiddle. The erhu is renowned for its ability to evoke a wide range of human emotions through its versatile sound. Its rich and resonant tones can convey melancholy and sorrow, reminiscent of the sound of a person weeping, making it a powerful instrument for expressing themes of loss and longing. Its ability to produce sliding notes and vibrato also evokes a sense of nostalgia and yearning, transporting listeners to distant memories or bygone eras.
It was only recently that I encountered the sarod, an Indian stringed instrument celebrated for its rich tones and evocative melodies. For the first time, I discovered a musical instrument that, like the erhu, speaks to human emotions.
I was fortunate to be introduced to the sarod through a live performance by Amjad Ali Khan, a maestro sarod player from India. As the sixth generation of the Bangash musical lineage, his family claims to have invented the instrument.
Before I go further, let’s take a look at what sets sarod apart as a musical instrument.
The term “sarod” was introduced from Persian during the Mughal Empire, originating from “sorūd”, meaning “song,” “melody,” or “hymn.”
Played with a delicate balance of fingerpicking and sliding techniques, the sarod produces an eerily soul-stirring sound that captivates listeners’ attention. The first time I heard a sarod being played, I couldn't help but liken its sound to dancing tiptoeing on a feather, an imaginary feather whose elasticity carries a mesmerising quality.
The sarod is believed to have descended from the Afghan rubab, a similar instrument originating in Central Asia and Afghanistan.
With origins dating back centuries, the sarod is distinguished by its unique design, featuring a skin-covered soundboard, a metal fingerboard polished to a mirror-like surface that reflects its surroundings (including you and me), and sympathetic strings that enhance its depth and resonance.
In contrast to the twangy sound of the sitar, another popular stringed instrument from the Indian subcontinent, the sarod produces a deeper and weightier tone. Being fretless, sarod players can execute continuous slides between notes, a technique known as “meend” (Hindi: मीण्ड), or glissando, a fundamental aspect of classical Indian music.
While the sarod is less commonly encountered outside of India, I had the fortunate opportunity to attend the recital Echoes of India at the National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan this spring. The performance featured the renowned sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, along with his two sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash.
Amjad Ali Khan with his two sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. Image courtesy of Suvo Das.
The recital opened with a performance by Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, representing the seventh generation of the Senia Bangash lineage. Both brothers were trained from a young age and have developed distinctive musical voices.
The sarod duet presented Desh, a beautiful and romantic night raga ( melodic mode in Indian classical music). When describing their perception of the sarod, the brothers liken this versatile instrument to fireworks, which allows for a constant display of virtuosity. This outward expression contrasts with their father’s perspective on the sarod, which he sees as something that leads inward, guiding us “through a maze.”
The second part of the recital featured Amjad Ali Khan, who performed Ganesh Kalyan, a raga that debuted at the annual Ganesh Festival in Pune, Maharashtra, in 1992. This was followed by Zila Kafi, a traditional raga associated with India’s Holi festival.
The maestro then presented a Bengali folk song in the Bhatyali raga. Composed by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1905, this piece encouraged the audience to continue their life journey despite lack of support.
My favorite piece was the Tarana that Amjad Ali Khan performed in Bahar raga. Tarana is a form of composition in Indian classical vocal music developed by Amir Khusrau in the 13th century. As the maestro explained, it was considered a breakthrough at the time, marking a transition from meaningful lyrics to pure instrumental music.
In Tarana, Amjad Ali Khan sang syllables like “dere, naa, deem, tana,” which act as a musical language enabling musicians to transcend the limitations of textual language. His voice was just as soul-stirring as the sarod he plays, akin to the masala spices that gave Indian food and drinks their unique flavour.
The maestro explained to us that when we saw him filing his nails during the performance, it wasn’t out of vanity. By playing with only the tip of the nail, it imparts emotion and life to the sound of the sarod, whereas playing with the nails produces a muted and dull tone. On the other hand, he added, a plastic plectrum produces a softer sound; essentially, the softer the material, the softer the tone.
Amjad Ali Khan’s solo performance concluded with Miyan Ki Malhar, a raga said to have been created by Miyan Tansen, the court musician during the reign of the Great Mughal Emperor Akbar (1556-1605).
As the recital came to a close, the trio (the maestro and his two sons) performed together onstage. They presented Kirwani, a raga particularly well-suited for instrumental music.
By the end of the recital, the musicians have made it clear that the sarod is a versatile instrument capable of serving both as a solo instrument and as an accompaniment to vocalists. In solo performances, in particular, sarod players can explore and develop ragas through improvisation and intricate rhythmic patterns, lending it a jazzy touch.
Its rich textures, brought forth by various techniques like gamak (slides) and meend (glissando) add emotional depth to the music.
It was back in 2009 when Amjad Ali Khan first performed in Taiwan, presenting his sarod concerto Samagam with the Taipei Chinese Orchestra (TCO). More than a decade has passed since then, but the echoes of India still resonate — through the soulful sound of the sarod — in Taipei city.
Amjad Ali Khan graced the stage of Taipei’s National Concert Hall on April 12, 2024, for Echoes of India, a unique recital featured as part of the 2024 Taiwan International Festival of Arts.