VA – Indian Talking Machine Part Two: Instrumental Gems from the 78rpm Era (2026)

Robert Millis, recognized for his multifaceted contributions to Indian classical music as a filmmaker, author, musician, and academic, has unveiled a remarkable follow-up to his 2018 compilation. The new release, Indian Talking Machine Part Two, showcases an extensive collection of instrumental tracks drawn from 78rpm records dating between 1904 and 1959, capturing a pivotal era of South Asian musical heritage.

This double LP anthology brings together over 25 artists representing a broad spectrum of India's classical and folk traditions. The compilation traverses Hindustani and Carnatic styles and includes performances featuring a variety of instruments such as the jalatarang, dilruba, sarod, clarinet, pakhawaj, violin, been, kazoo, shehnai, tabla, sarangi, and vina. These recordings illustrate the rich instrumental diversity that flourished during the first half of the 20th century, a period marked by both cultural continuity and transformation.

Among the featured musicians are noteworthy pioneers and masters, including Imdad Khan, recognized as the earliest recorded sitar player, as well as Ahmedjan Thirkhawa, Bundu Khan, Amir Hussain, and Allauddin Khan, the latter renowned for mentoring the legendary Ravi Shankar. The collection brings to light artists who have been both celebrated and somewhat eclipsed by history, offering listeners a chance to engage with a wide array of virtuosos whose contributions were instrumental in shaping Indian classical music.

The instrumental traditions represented in this anthology reveal a deep and intricate relationship between music and the Indian cultural landscape. The various stringed instruments, particularly the sitar and sarangi, employ sympathetic strings that create resonant, reverberant soundscapes, evoking spiritual and atmospheric qualities unique to the tradition. Complementing these are wind instruments—horns, reeds, and flutes—that expand the melodic range and dynamic expression, often mirroring vocal styles.

Percussion also plays a vital role, with an assortment of drums and rhythm instruments like the pakhawaj and tabla providing complex rhythmic frameworks. These percussive elements range from intricate tala cycles to more flowing patterns, metaphorically reflective of natural elements such as the Ganges river’s currents. Together, the instruments and techniques coalesce into performances marked by both technical mastery and emotive depth.

The 78rpm era, spanning the late Raj period into the dawn of India's independence and early globalization, represents a significant chapter in Indian music history. This epoch witnessed classical music at a peak of refinement and public engagement, preserved through these fragile shellac discs. Millis’s curation highlights this height of classical instrumental music, capturing a snapshot of a vibrant and evolving musical culture.

Indian Talking Machine Part Two not only serves as a historical archive but also as a testament to the enduring artistry of Indian instrumental traditions. By revisiting these early recordings, contemporary audiences gain insight into the foundations upon which modern Indian classical music stands. The double LP release, supported by exystence.net’s reporting, underscores the importance of preserving and re-examining early sound recordings for their cultural and musical significance.

While details on the production and distribution of this release remain limited, the project continues the trajectory set by Millis’s initial Indian Talking Machine compilation, reinforcing his role in documenting and celebrating India’s rich musical heritage. This collection provides both scholars and enthusiasts a valuable resource to explore the nuanced sound worlds cultivated through decades of dedicated musicianship.

In sum, Indian Talking Machine Part Two is a curated journey through a transformative era in Indian music, illuminated by rare instrumental performances that reveal the depth and diversity of the subcontinent's classical and folk traditions during the early 20th century.