1926

This is the gramophone age: thumri, dadra and ghazal compressed into three minutes of wax, recording sessions in Calcutta and Bombay, and the tawaif tradition's voices made immortal on disc. Film is still silent — music reaches homes by record and stage. Electrical recording reaches Indian studios: wider frequency range, the fine grain of breath and ornament now on disc. The era's voices are re-cut in the new clarity. Our archive holds 5 songs of this year — each page growing toward the most comprehensive account of its subject. Essential records: Ghazal Sides Akhtari Bai Early.