The ragasINDIA PART 1

Defi ne these terms:

Raga: literally rag color or atmosphere denotes a tonal system for the simultaneous composition and performance of music

Sitar: A fretted, long-necked lute

Tanpura: the 4-6 stringed unfretted lute used to provide drone accompaniment

Tabla: The set of two drums, or just the right hand wooden drum which is tuned.

Bayan: the left hand drum in the table—it is larger, metal and not tuned.

BELLWORK

Go over handouts together

1st part due: Thesis Statement

ETHNOMUSICOLOGY PROJECT

RO# 7 is due one week from today Tuesday, October 27th

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TANPURA

SITAR-VIDEO

TABLA-VIDEO 8:24

Name a city in India

What characterizes Indian food?

Are the costumes for Indian dance colorful?

Is India a poor or wealthy country?

What is the population of India—guess.

What is the major religion?

PRE-KNOWLEDGE

Immigrants from the northwest brought Islam to India.

Historically, the profession of music had been hereditary, dominated by Muslim families whose knowledge of the art was a jealously guarded secret sanctified by similar traditions of caste specialization in other communities.

Then in Maharashtra and Bengal, later in other regions, high-caste Hindus, usually Brahmans, apprenticed themselves to Muslim masters in their own right, eventually performing in public at musical conferences.

GUIDED NOTES

Countries: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, ChinaCities: Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow

MAP IDENTIFICATION

This was a world where musicians practiced unceasingly until practice itself became a form of worship and its own objective,

where listeners were a rare and delicate species, having the leisure to cultivate an art from early youth, to mature with age into true connoisseurs; a world, in short,

where musicians of excellence flourished, being, as they were, measured only by listeners of excellence.

THE OLD WORLD OF INDIAN MUSIC

Indian music is old and large and hot.

Essentials to being a performer:1. will or discipline2. A teacher or perhaps—more properly—a guide.3. Spiritual status or divine intercession or grace.

Gharana: a stylistic musical school

Music itself is the supreme mystery of the science of man, in this way it shares aspects of the divine.

GUIDED NOTES

Riaz: (from the Arabic) connotes abstinence, devotion, discipline and hard labor.

The Indian musician will do not so much in terms of musical accomplishments, but in terms of practice habits.

Music is focused on one’s inner development.

The Musical system is a code for behavior.

Hard work (riaz) is symbolically equivalent to the high quality of the music that would inevitably result

RIAZ

Proper atmosphereDeep concentrationYou have to keep your mind concentrated on one

place.

In India, especially in urban areas, a quiet environment is not easily accessible; hence, practicing during the night is highly valued.

Solitude, which is usually impossible during the day, allows one totally to immerse oneself in Riaz.

 Allow yourself to make mistakes with impunity.

ELEMENTS OF RIAZ

Think back to this past year.

Name an event that was a great obstacle to you. This could be a school project, a personal confl ict or an unlucky circumstance.

How did you overcome this obstacle?

What characteristics did you exhibit (ie self-discipline, courage, patience. Etc.) to overcome it?

CFU: RIAZ IS GRIT

What Chinese instrument uses similar string techniques as used by the sitar?

How many instruments do you hear?

Describe the sound in terms of timbre and Circle one: Heavy or lightThin or DenseSmooth or jagged

ACTIVE LISTENING EXAMPLE #1: ALAP MALKANS

Alap: The long introductory section of a musical performance. It is characterized by slow, free rhythm.

The alap is serious and profound.

Mir: a portamento glide, made by sliding from one tone to another.

Jinn: a genie; capricious spirit.

The Rag Malkauns attracts jinns if played around 2-3am. Some musicians don’t play it out of fear.

JUST THE FACTS: LISTENING EXAMPLE #1

ALAP MALKANS

A rag must be played perfectly in order to achieve its desired eff ect.

Rasa: The aff ective state generated by an aesthetic performance. In classical theory each rag (sometimes each tone) is thought to characterize, embody and generate particular emotional states ie love, anger, heroism.

Ragas are sometimes represented pictorially as individual human beings in miniature paintings called ragamalas.

MAGICAL RAGAS

RAGALASA EXAMPLES

Scale drawing:

RAG MAULKAN

Raga mian-ki-malhar which is associated with rain; and indeed, during the monsoon season, one commonly hears is performed, is said to have the power to bring rain.

Raga dipak is known more for its power to produce heat

Raga kedar could melt the prison bars and stone

Raga Maulkans attracts jinns

Healing: Any raga played correctly has the power to reduce fever.

RAGAS AND THEIR POWERS

In groups of 2-3 scholars, go to a piano.

Think of a magic power or mood you wish you could achieve by simply listening to a song.

Write a scale which sounds like that characteristic.You may write the scale in letter names, you do not

need to use staff paper.

Use accidentals for flavor!

CFU: WRITE YOUR OWN RAGA

Is the jor more active than the alap?

Name the solo instrument:

What qualities does this music have which would attract a jinn?

Challenge: Draw a ragamala on your white board: (Ragas are sometimes represented pictorially as individual human beings in these miniature paintings)

ACTIVE LISTENING EXAMPLE #2: JOR MALKAUNS

The tambura simply plucks the four pitches successively throughout the raga, like aural incense.

In other words, the tambura is a drone which plays: I high V high V low V.

Jor: the second part of the instrumental alap, characterized by an increase in tempo and a rhythmic pulse.

The beat becomes steadier as the raga progresses.

JUST THE FACTS, JI: LISTENING EXAMPLE #2: JOR

MALKAUNS

Write down the word that corresponds with the definition:

literally rag color or atmosphere; denotes a tonal system for the simultaneous composition and performance of music

CFU: WHITE BOARDS

simply plucks the four pitches successively throughout the raga, like aural incense

Q2

This raga is known more for its power to produce heat

Q3

A fretted, long-necked lute

Q4

This connotes abstinence, devotion, discipline and hard labor.

Q5

1. What is a tabla?

2. Name three elements of Riaz.

3. Which raga has the power to bring rain?

4. Define Ras:

5. What religious group immigrated to India and inspired the creation of the raga?

EXIT TICKET