Master of Afghani Lutes

Aziz Herawi, Mohammed Aziz | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 2, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arhoolie Records
• ASIN: B0000001J7
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #523,983 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #24 in Music > World Music > Middle East > Afghanistan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars sweet sounds Afghanistans past., January 24, 2002

By 

zack (Toronto Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Master of Afghani Lutes (Audio CD)

This is a great CD for all kinds of people, it is one of the best works of Aziz Herawi. It takes you deep into a relaxation state, where you are free of stress and worry. It represents Afghanistans tredational sounds, and culture.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Music from our friends in Afghanistan, February 20, 2002

By 

Susan Fensten (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Master of Afghani Lutes (Audio CD)

I love afghani music. All kinds. I highly recommend this cd.

11 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars If You're Only Going to Buy One Afghani CD ..., November 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Master of Afghani Lutes (Audio CD)

That Afghani classical music comes from the Hindustani tradition is obvious from numbers such as ragas Beiru (Bhairav), Pari and Pilu in Jhaptal, Dadra and Kaharwa talas. Some numbers feature a dutar - a kind of simpler sitar - and the drums are the well-known tabla.

However, the music itself is not up to par. The string instruments (dutar and rabab) have very short sustain, much like the Arabian oud and other simpler lutes, and so do not facilitate much bending of the notes (meend), a crucial ingredient in Indian classical music. Instead, the music is similar to the (in my opinion unbearable) diri-dari sarod traditions (Buddadev Das Gupta, Amjad Ali Khan etc) that trace their ancestry to Afghan rababiyas but Aziz Herawi's playing seems less melodicaly and rhythmically imaginative, presumably because his style is less cross-pollinated with other Hindustani gharanas. The disc also features folk music.

The album is not totally worthless; if you're curious about Afghani classical music, it showcases both rabab and dutar and may well be a better buy than a rabab-only CD. Nevertheless I am not as a Hindustani listener enthusiastic about the musical content at all.