Masterworks from the NCPA Archives

The Carnatic singer Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi was born into a musical family and began training as a singer while still a small child. This recording from 1978 (remastered for digital release from the original master tapes — it sounds amazing) finds her at the peak of her powers, performing sixteen ragas with the astounding vocal nimbleness and richness of tone that were the hallmarks of her style. She is accompanied on some tracks by by a violinist and a mridingam player, and on others by what sounds like a sarangi. This is a magnificent album overall.