Rag Desh

Question 1

Key Features

Answer 1

• Built up on three layers, A melodic line played by a solo instrument, a rhythmic pattern played on the drums and a drone played on a stringed instrument.
• Melody is based on a rag, this is a pattern of notes, like a scale.
• The rhythmic pattern played by the drums is based on a tal, this is a cycle of beats repeated and improvised and the first beat is called the sam.

Question 2

Key Features 2

Answer 2

• Performances of a rag are often in three parts, progressing from a slow to fast tempo.
• Alap- A slow introductory section, the notes and mood of the rag are introduced against a drone, there is no regular pulse
• Gat- A fixed composition that is improvised on by the solo instrument, the percussion enters, a clear pulse is introduced.
• Jhalla- A fast final section, the music becomes more virtuosic and decorative.

Question 3

Anoushka Shankar Instrumentation

Recorded live in 2001 at concert in New York

Answer 3

Sitar- A plucked string instrument with a very long neck, it has 7 main strings used to play the melody. Also 12 sympathetic strings, which aren’t plucked but resonate ‘in sympathy’ with other strings.
Tabla- A pair of drums. The right one is called the Dayan. It is smaller so higher pitched and made of wood. The left one is larger so lower pitched and made of metal.

Question 4

Rhythm (AS)

Answer 4

• Jhaptal- a 10-beat cycle (2+3+2+3)

- Tintal- a 16 beat cycle (4+4+4+4)

Question 5

Structure (AS)

Answer 5

-Alap- This section is for sitar only, it is slow and has no regular pulse, the sitar introduced the notes and mood of the rag and the melodic line is decorated with slides and pitch bends (meends)
Gat- The table enters after a few seconds, the sitar plays a fixed composition in a moderate tempo, the sitar and tabla improvise with the sitars improvisition based on the gat and the tablas on the tal and improvisations end with the tihai- a short melody played 3 times whichs on the sam, the tempo increased near the end of section.
Jhalla- Music is fast and sitar strings are strummed for rhythmic excitement.

Question 6

Chiranji Lal Tanwar Instrumentation

A hindu devotional song released in 2004.

Answer 6

-Sarod- A plucked string instrument
Sarangi- a bowed string instrument
Pakhawaj- a long drum with a head at each end
Tabla
A pair of small cymbals

Question 7

Rhythm (CLT)

Answer 7

This piece uses an 8-beat cycle called keherwa tal (2+2+2+2)

Question 8

Structure (CLT)

Answer 8

Alap- The sarangi and then the voice introduce the notes of the rag, the tempo is slow and there is no regular pulse.
Bhajan- The table joins in, playing a keherwa tal.
A Sung verse is followed by short solos for sarangi and sarod, pattern repeats a number of times. Tanwar decorates important words with melisamas and ornaments.

Question 9

Steve Gorn and Benjy Wertheimer Instrumentation

Comes from album they released in 2004.

Answer 9

Bansuri- A bamboo flute with holes instead of keys.
Esraj- a bowed string instrument.
Shruti Box- An electronic instrument that plays a drone.
Swarmandel- A plucked string instrument like a zither
Tabla

Question 10

Rhythm (sg+bw)

Answer 10

Uses two tals:
Rupak tal- a 7 beat cycle (3+2+2)
Ektal- a 12 beat cycle (2+2+2+2+2+2)

Question 11

Structure(sg+bw)

Answer 11

Alap- This starts with the drone on notes D and A.
The bansuri introduced the notes and mood of rag.
The esraj takes over, before instruments alternate improvised phrases.
The tempo is slow and there is no regular pulse.

Question 12

Structure 2(sg+bw)

Answer 12

Gat 1- This is a slow gat in rupak tal.
It begins with a bansuri solo.
The tabla enters after about 30 seconds.
The bansuri starts to play the composed gat shortly after.
The bansuri and tabla improvise around gat and tal.
End of section finishes with a tihai.
Gat 2- This is a fast gat in ektal.
Starts with a tabla solo.
The improvisation becomes more elaborate.
The bansuri plays tans (fast scales)
The piece ends with three tihais.