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A distinctive double-reed instrument derived from the same lineage as the Western oboe, elevated to classical raga by Bismillah Khan
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—Bismillah Khan (Puriya)—
“The name ‘shehnai’ comes from the Persian ‘shah’ (king) and ‘nai/ney’ (wind-blown instrument). In other words, it is either ‘the king of flutes’ or ‘a flute fit for kings’…A double-reed instrument, the shehnai has 7 to 9 holes, with the last two often left open and used for tuning. It is very difficult to play, requiring tremendous breath control, particularly for long sustained melodic passages which can be incredibly fast. The shehnai is usually accompanied by percussion – but there is no tanpura, as the drone is provided by a second shehnai. It has very strong associations with weddings (until around the early 20th century, musicians playing shehnai non-stop on a flat rooftop was a public announcement of an impending wedding or other festivities). During the 20th century, the shehnai came into its own under the command of the legendary maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan (1916-2006), who successfully took it from its folk roots to immense popularity in filmi as well as classical music. Khan’s association with the holy city of Benares, on the banks of the Ganges, gave to the shehnai a unique flavour: with much of the repertoire drawn from the region’s dhun as well as the immensely lyrical thumri style native to this region. (from Jameela Siddiqi’s Shehnai Overview for Darbar)
—More Info—
- Notable performers: S. Ballesh (1958-), Rajendra Prasanna (1956-), Daya Shankar (?-2025), Ali Ahmed Hussain Khan (1939-2016), Anant Lal (1927-2011), Bismillah Khan (1916-2006), Raghunath Prasanna (1913-1999)
- Sa pitch: Bismillah Khan, like most others, usually remains in the C#/D range – although the great master sometimes pushes up to D# [see my Survey of Sa Tunings for more].
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–Survey of Sa tunings–
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An open-ended project seeking to bring North Indian raga closer to all who approach with open ears. Combines direct input from dozens of leading Hindustani artists with in-depth insights from music history, global theory, performance practice, cognitive science, and much more besides!
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George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher (guitars, sitar, tabla, & santoor). Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the voices, cultures, and passions behind them. See Homepage for more, and hit me up for Lessons!
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