Bilaskhani Todi (From Hills Of Snow)
Michael Robinson
About this work:
From Hills of Snow was inspired by a recording of raga Bilaskhani Todi by sitarist Rais Khan and Sultan Khan, the sarangi artist. This elegiac raga was composed in the sixteenth century for the funeral of Tansen, one of the greatest figures in the history of Hindustani music, by his son, Bilas Khan. Tansen had disapproved of his son's marriage, and they had not spoken for years. Upon completion of its first performance, this profoundly moving raga miraculously caused Tansen's arm to move with a gesture of forgiveness. I have chosen a piano timbre with an Indian tuning for this composition.
- Michael Robinson, January 1999, Beverly Hills
© 1999 by Michael Robinson All rights reserved
Year composed: 1997
Duration: 00:21:27
Ensemble type: Electronic Instruments and Sound Sources:Live Electronic Sound Sources
Instrumentation: ,1 Computer/Laptop soloist(s), ,1 Sampler (Keyboard/Other) soloist(s)
Instrumentation notes: A computer and sound module are programmed to perform the fully notated composition in real time. From Hills of Snow (Bilaskhani Todi) is voiced with samples of the following acoustical timbres using Indian tunings: piano, Indian percussion and two tanpuras.