Durbar Square Durbar is coming from Persian: دربار - darbār is a Persian term meaning the kings reunion place. A meeting point for the Persian and the indian culture, and the persian and the indian music, bringing together two of the most appreciated instruments in the ethno music as Oud and Sarod. 

There’s a long story behind oud and sarod, starting for the first one, the oud is one of the world’s most ancient musical instruments, mentioned in writings as old as the 3rd century BC. It is a pear-shaped plucked string instrument, commonly used in Arabic, Turkish, Jewish and other musical traditions. As Islam spread to Europe, so did the oud, where it was called it ‘la oud’ – which in time evolved into the lute, and later on the guitar. Oud in Arabic means “wood,” and the instrument is made completely of wood. Its sound, too, deep and dry, sends deep roots, from which ancient dreams and modern sentiments can grow. 

To understand the story of the sarod, we have to know about the rubab, known in the middle east as "the lion of instruments" created in Afghanistan around the 7th century, is the ancestor of the indian sarod. The sarod is an instrument developed in India in the IX century, being able to follow the voice, keeping the oral tradition and the feeling of the indian classical music. Is having metal strings which brings a lot of bright sound, and it’s fretless so can imitate the way of singing by sliding the metal. This project was born in Israel on September 2015, by Gad Tidhar and Jordi Prats, two musicians with more than 10 years of studies who decided to approach two cultures based in modern therms of improvised music, and also keeping the tradition by using some old compositions learned from their masters. 

Considering the meaning of Durbar square, the idea of the band is to keep oud and sarod as the cornerstones of the project, and alternate the percussionist or other musicians to bring exclusivity to each concert. A chance to hear the magic connexion between two of the most valued instruments of the middle east and India. 

Bhiravi 7/4

Rahul Pophali -tabla

Recorded in March 2016 in Mahadev Studio Varanasi by Vipul Asthana.

Raag Simhendra Madhyam

K G Westman

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