Area of Study 4

Indian MusicHas a long history of over 2,000 yearsClosely linked to Hinduism and religious

philosophy.Hindu Gods are worshipped through performances

of Raga, both vocal and instrumental.The God Shiva is linked with music and dance.Divided into 2 categories:1) Northern India (the Hindustani tradition)2) South ( the Carnatic tradition)This set work is taken from Northern India.

The oral traditionIndian music is not written down, it is taught

through listening and playing by ear – The oral tradition.

Indian families have a system of master-pupil teaching known as a ‘gharana’.

Father teaches son and the son would pass this on to the next generation.

Playing styles change as new techniques are added by generations and so the process is a dual one of consolidation and evolution of playing skills.

Elements of Raga3 most common elements of Indian music are:

1) The Melody – made up of improvised notes from a particular rag. Sung by voice or played on an instrument such as the ‘Sitar’ or ‘Sarod’.

2) The Drone – a supporting ‘drone’ of usually one or two notes provided by the ‘Tambura’.

3) The Rhythm – a repetitive, cyclic rhythmic pattern plated by the ‘Tabla Drums’.

The Melody – the RagIs the set melody on which the music is

improvised. Like a scale a ‘rag’ ascends and descends but the

pitches differ in either direction.Unlike western classical music scales, the

number of notes in a rag will vary considerably. Some rags have just 5 notes, like the pentatonic scale.

Other rags have 7/8 notes.

Examples are: Vibhas Rag and the Kalyan Rag

Melody – The Rag (ctd.)There are over 200 rags and each has a

particular mood (called a rasa) associated with it.

Not only are there morning and night rags, but also celebration rags, seasonal rags and some associated with certain feelings and emotions.

There is virtually a rag for every occasion.

The DroneNo sense of harmony in Indian raga music –

emphasis is placed purely on the melody.However as soon as the piece begins you will

hear a supportive drone usually based on the tonic and dominant notes of the chosen rag.

This is played by the tambura.Its function is to add a sense of

tuning/intonation.Its ever-present sound also adds texture to

the music as a whole.

Rhythm – The TalaProvided by small tabla drums.Most common tala is the ‘teental’ (or tintal),

which is a 16-beat pattern (each beat called a matras), organised in 4 bars as 4+4+4+4.

Some other talas are based on 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 beats per cycle.

Complex rhythms called ‘bols’ are played over this and go against the main beat creating exciting syncopations.

Rhythm – The TalaThese rhythms must start and end together

precisely on the first beat of the cycle, called ‘sam’.

During performances the instrumentalist and drummer can try to copy and ‘out-do’ each other whilst still keeping within the cycle of beats, leading to some very exciting performances

Structure of a raga performanceAlap – Opening - unmetred and improvised.Jhor – second section of a raga – medium tempo

with improvisation.Jhalla – the third section of a raga – the lively

tempo and virutoso display of improvisatory skills.

Gat – the final section of a raga – a fixed composition with some improvised embellishments.

Bandish – also the final section if the piece is vocal.

InstrumentsThe VoiceThe SitarThe SarangiThe SarodThe TamburaTablaFlute (bansuri)Oboe (shehnai)

GeneralThe rag is traditionally played at night.Rag Desh (country) is also known as a rainy

season or monsoon raga.Primary moods (rasa) expressed are devotion,

romance and longing, with origins in courtly love songs called ‘thumri’.

The notes used in Rag Desh are based on the indian system known as ‘sargam’ in which the notes are called:

Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa (tonic note C – Sa)

Notes in Rag Desh are:Sa – C Ni - Bb Re – D Dha - AMa – F Pa - GPa – G Ma - FNi - B Ga - ESa - C Re - D

Sa - C

3 Versions of Rag DeshVersion 1 – Anoushka Shankar (sitar)

Version 2 – Mhara janam maran performed by Chiranji Lal Tanwar (voice)

Version 3 – Benjy Wertheimer (esraj and tabla) and Steve Gorn (bansuri)

Anoushka Shankar (Sitar)Instruments: Sitar and TableStructure: 3 mvts – Alap, Gat 1 and Gat 20.00 – 0.55 – Alap(slow and unmetered. Sitar unaccompanied

and explores the notes of the rag.)0.55 – 9.27 – Gat 1(Sitar plays fixed composition, added

decoration and tempo is medium speed (madhyalaya)). Tabla enters at 0.58 seconds and plays the 10 beat jhaptal tala.

Jhaptal (10 beats): (2+3+2+3) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10Clap clap wave clapTabla player adds decoration to this basic

pattern. Also flourishes and ornaments in the sitar part.

Comprises complex patterns of scalic passages including dialogue with the tabla in short melodic and rhythmic improvisations

The tihai is played to indicate the end of these improvisations (research tihai).

Version 1 (ctd.)3.55 – Sitar starts to improvise in triplets (chand).5.02 – Improvisations with 4 notes per beat – sitar

followed by table alternating.Tihai is used to mark the end of these solo sections.9.27 – Gat 2 – This is faster than the 1st Gat and uses

the common teental (tintal) 16-beat tala. This is grouped in 4, 4-beat units (4+4+4+4).

10.10 – In this final part of the rag, drone strings are used on the sitar in strumming fashion providing striking rhythmic effect (jhalla). Ends with a tihai.

Version 2: Mhara janam maranInstruments: voice, sarangi, sarod, pakhawaj,

cymbals and tabla.Pakhawaj is a large double headed drum.This song is a Hindu devotional song from

Rajasthan and is known as a bhajan.Song tells of tender waiting in longing

anticipation of the arrival of Lord Krishna in the morning.

Translation – You are my companion through life and death and I cannot forget you night and day. My heart pines for you and I feel totally restless when I am not able to see you.

Version 2 (ctd.)Structure: 2 mvts. – Alap, Bhajan (song)The Tal used in this piece is the 8-beat

Keherwa Tal (2+2+2+2)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Clap clap wave clap

0.00-0.50 – Alap –short intro as the sarod player , then singer, vocalises a melody in free time based on the notes of the rag. This is a version of the chorus.

Version 2 (end)0.50- end – Bhajan - This is the fixed

composition, in this case a song in verse form.0.50 – Tabla joins in1.10 – Short sarod solo1.22 – SarangiDynamics and tempo increase and the music

becomes fast and exciting.The pattern is established as a verse

(1.32/3.04/4.50) followed by the first line used as a refrain (chorus), followed by more solos for the sarod and sarangi.

Version 3: Benjy Wertheimer and Steve GornInstruments: Bansuri, esraj, tambura and tabla.Esraj – a fretted stringed instrument played

sitting on the floor.0.00-8.35 – (part 1) – Alap – a slow

unmeasured section, Drone established by the table from the outset on Sa (C) and Pa (G).

The Bansuri (flute) comes in using notes from the rag itself.

This develops from trying out various pitches in short fragments to a more developed melodic part.

Version 3 (ctd.)0.00 – 4.41 – (part 2) – Gat 1 – This is at a

slow tempo. There is a lyrical unaccompanied melody for the bansuri and the tabla comes in at 0.31 playing the 7-beat rupak tala.

Rupak Tala: (7 beats: 3+2+2)1 2 3 4 5 6 7Wave clap clap

Version 3 (ctd.)0.43 – Fixed composition begins. After this the

music becomes more agitated and dramatic as improvisation takes over around the gat, while table played also embellishes upon the original tala pattern.

Bansuri then plays the Gat repeatedly whilst the tala played improvises around the tala cycle.

3.32 – The two instruments swap function, so that the bansuri improvises while the table accompanies.

Several tihais are heard to mark out section ends. The last of these leads into the second gat at 4.41

Version 3 (end)4.41 – end (part 3) Gat 3 – A fast tempo (drut)

in ektal tala.Ektal tal (12 beats: 2+2+2+2+2+2)1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 Clap clap wave clap wave

clap

This is a 12-beat ektal tala. The table sets a fast tempo and the bansuri plays an elaborate gat containing wide ranges of pitch, scalic runs and slides. These fast scale passages are called tans. Several tihais are heard as the music draws to a close.

Homework:1) All 3 pieces start with an alap section. Name 3

characteristics of this opening section of the raga.

2) Name 2 common playing techniques employed by the sitar plated in the music.

3) What is the fixed composition and where is it to be found in the raga?

4) Describe the role played by the tabla player.5) Which musical skill is featured in the

performance of Indian raga?6) Indian raga music is described as linear in

concept. What does this mean?

Homework (ctd.):7) What is the role and function of the tambura in the

music?8) Each rag has its own particular rasa associated with

it. What does this mean?9) Name the two other sections of a full raga

performance.10) Describe two features of the rhythm in all 3

versions.11) How is Indian raga learnt and then performed?

All homeworks should be submitted during next weeks lesson