Indian Music and 'Rag Desh'

Indian Music and 'Rag Desh'

1. Rag Desh

   • Indian classical music
     • North India
   • Improvised
   • Key Features
     • Three Layers
       • 1. Melodic line played on the solo instrument
         • 2. Rhythmic pattern played on the drums
           • 3. Drone played on the stringed instrument
     • Melody
       • Based on a rag
         • Pattern of notes (like a scale)
       • made up of pitches
         • Different on the way down
           • Assosiated with the late evening and the monsoon season
     • Rhythm
       • Played by drums
       • Based on a tal
         • Tal - cycle of beats that are repeated and improvised
         • First beat is called a sam
           • stressed by the musicians
     • Structure
       • Three parts
         • Progressing from a slow to fast tempo
         • 1. Alap
           • slow introductory section
             • Notes are introduced against a drone
             • No regular pulse and no percussion
           • 2. Gat
             • Fixed composition
               • Percussion enters
               • Clear pulse
             • 3. Jhalla
               • Fast final section
                 • Virtuosic
                 • Decorative

2. 'Rag Desh' performed by Anoushka Shankar

   • Instumentation
     • 1. Sitar
       • Plucked string instrument
       • seven main strings
         • Plays melody
       • 12 sympathetic strings
         • aren't plucked, but resonate - creates shimmering sound
     • 2. Tabla
       • Pair of drums
         • Right:Dayan
           • smaller (higher pitched)
             • made of wood
         • Left: Bayan
           • larger (lower pitched)
             • made of metal
       • Played with fingers
   • Rhythm
     • Two tals
       • 1. Jhaptal - 10 beat cycle
         • 2. Tintal - 16 beat cycle
   • Structure
     • 1. Alap
       • Sitar only
         • Slow no regular pulse
         • The sitar introduces notes and mood of the rag
         • Melodic line is decorated with slides and pitch bends (meends)
       • 2. Gat
         • Tabla enters
           • sitar plays fixed composition
             • Moderato tempo
           • Towards the end the tempo increases
         • 3. Jhalla
           • Fast
           • Sitar Strummed
             • Creates rhythmic exitment
         • Sitar and Tabla imrovise
           • Sitar based on the gat
           • Tabla based on the tal
           • Ends with a tihai - short melody played three times ends with a sam
   • Anoushka Shankar - plays the sitar
     • Daughter of famous indian musician Ravi Shankar
     • Recorded live in 2001 in New York

3. 'Mhara janam' maran performed by Chiranji Lal Tanwar

   • Instrumentation
     • Sarod - plucked string instrument
     • Sarangi - bowed string instrument
     • Pakhawaj - long drum
     • Tabla
     • A pair of Symbols
   • Rhythm
     • Uses 8 - beat cycle called keherwa tal
   • Structure
     • 1. Alap
       • The sarangi and the voice introduce the notes of the rag
       • tempo is slow
       • no regular pulse
     • 2. Bhajan
       • tabla joins in playing in keherwa tap
       • Tanwar decorates important words with melismas and ornaments
       • sung verse
         • hort solos for sarangi and sarod
   • Is in bhajan - Hindu dvotional song
     • Performed by indian singer Chiranji Lal Tanwar
     • Released 2004

4. 'Rag Desh performed by Steve Gorn and Benjy Wetheimer

   • Instrumentation
     • Bansuri - Bamboo flute
     • Esraj - bowed string instrument
     • Shruti box - electronic instrument
     • swarmandel - plucked string instrument
     • Tabla
   • Rhythm
     • Uses two Tals
       • 1. Repak tal - 7 beat cycle
       • Ektal - 12 beat cycle
   • Structure
     • 1. Alap
       • starts with drone on D + A
       • Bansuri introduces notes and mood
       • Esraj takes over from Basuri
       • Instruments alternate improvise phrases
       • Tempo is slow
       • No regular pulse
     • 2. Gat 1
       • 1 slow gat in rupak tal
       • 2 Bansuri solo
       • 3 tabla enters after 30 sec
       • 4 bansuri plays composed gat
       • 5 bansuri and tabla improvise
     • 3. Gat 2
       • fast gat in ektal
         • tabla solo
           • improvisation is elaborate
             • bansuri plays tans (fast scales)
               • Piece ends with three tihais
   • American musicians
     • released: 2004

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