Transcript indian raga - Life Learning Cloud

Area of Study 4
Indian Raga!
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
 By
the end of the lesson you will be able to:
 Understand
 Explain
the key features in the music
 Understand
Raga’s
the structure of an Indian Raga
the rough analysis of the different
INDIAN RAGA
What you need to know about Indian Raga :
 RAGA
– Indian scale/melody

It is learnt through Oral Tradition
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A raga is in 4 sections – Alap, Jhor, Jhalla, Gat/
Bandish

There are 3 elements – Drone (played by
Tambura), Raga – (melody played by Sitar) and
the Tala – (rhythm played by Tabla)
RAGA SCALE - learn it!!!
THE PROGRESSION…
Section
Alap
Jhor
Tempo
Slow/ Medative
Steady/ Medium
Metre/ Rhythm
Free time
Sense of regular pulse is
set
Musical features
soloist ‘explores’ notes improvise


sets mood

accompanied by a drone
improvised music
becomes rhythmic

music is elaborated &
tempo increases

Jhalla
Gat/ Bandish
Fast/ Lively
Moderate/ Fast
Fast pulse with exciting
and complex rhythms

Tabla introduces the
rhythmic cycle ‘tala’

high point in the piece
virtuoso display, using
advanced playing
techniques

fixed composition
introduced
musical dialogue
between instrumentalist
and drummer

flourished improvisation
happens on a prepared
melodic line

THE THREE ELEMENTS
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The Melody:
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This is the set melody on which the music is improvised
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It is a cross between pitch and a scale – however the pitches often differ in each
direction

The notes in a Rag vary – some have 5 notes like a pentatonic scale whilst others
have 7 or 8 notes

There are over 200 different Rags!
The Drone:

The drone is a replacement for a real sense of harmony like Western Music

The notes are usually the Tonic and Dominant (I – V) of a chosen Rag
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It keeps a sense of tuning/ intonation as a reference point for the melodic parts

The sound adds
texture to the whole piece
Rhythm:

The Tabla drums gives repeated rhythmic cycles called Tala

The rhythm patterns (bols) are independent of the beat and can be inventive –
creating syncopation

They must however start and end precisely on the first beat of the cycle (called
Sam)
Analysis of the Rag Desh
 Rag

Gives the feeling of romance and devotion
 Rag
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Desh by Anoushka Shankar
It is made up of an ALAP and two different GATS
You can hear the different techniques Shankar uses in
the Alap:
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
Desh: The Rainy Season Raga, played at night
Strums
Plucks
Bends notes
The first Gat uses 10 beats tala - Jhaptal, at a medium
tempo: madhyalaya
The second Gat uses 16 beat tintal tala, faster tempo:
drut
 Rag
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Use of voice to sing the Raga
There is an ALAP and BANDISH section
Alap:
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Desh by Chiranji Lal Tanwar
The sitar improvises using note of the raga over a tamura
drone, joined by a sarangi
The singer uses a lot of vibrato
The tal used is the 8 beat Keherwa Tal
Bandish:


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Fixed composition
Vocals are more elaborate
Tempo increases, music becomes fast and exciting
 Rag
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More traditional raga structure - There is an ALAP and
two GATS
Alap:
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Improvise using the notes of the Rag Desh
Drone from Tambura Drone
The section is slow and flowing - no specific pulse
Gat 1:
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Desh by Steve Gorn & Benjy Wertheimer
Steady rhythm
Faster than the Alap
Gat 2:
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A lot faster
The Tabla plays fast complicated rhythms
Melody more structured
Exam type questions…
1.
All three pieces start with an alap section. Name
three characteristics of this opening section of a
raga
2.
What is the ‘fixed composition’ and where is it to
be found in the raga?
3.
Name two other sections of a full raga
performance
4.
Describe two features of the rhythm in all three
versions