WMCh6

Chapter 6 : Chapter 6 Indian and South India


Madras : Madras in southern India on the east coast Chennai means “the city” in Tamil.


Brief History : Brief History 2500-1700 BCE—Indus Valley cities 3rd century BCE—countless kingdoms and emperors such as the Buddhist Asoka c. 1400-1800 CE—Moguls c. 1600-1947 CE—three centuries of British colonialism


Hinduism : Hinduism “the dominant religion of India.” Caste: “one of the hereditary social classes in Hinduism that restrict the occupation of their members and their association with the members of other castes.”


Islam : Islam Moslems “belief in Allah as the sole deity and in Muhammad as his prophet.” About 10%


Palimpsest : Palimpsest “a manuscript parchment written on again and again in which everything written before is never fully erased. Everything written before is somehow still there, visible and readable . . . ” Similarly in Indian culture old traditions persist and “coexist with the new and innovative . . .


History, Culture, Politics : History, Culture, Politics one billion people—a fifth of the world’s population an area one-third the size of the United States “The country hosts fifteen major languages “Its continuous history . . . stretches back five thousand years and beyond . . .”


Regions : Regions Hindustani -- North Moslem concentration Hindus Valley Carnatic -- South Hindu concentration Carnatic Plains


The Taj Mahal : The Taj Mahal


English Influence : English Influence railways democratic systems of government bureaucracy universities European musical instruments


European musical instruments : European musical instruments “While Indians adapted European musical instruments to their musical styles, they did not adopt European musical styles. “ violin clarinet piano saxophone Guitar Mandolin


Traditional literature : Traditional literature two Sanskrit epics between 400 B.C.E. and 400 C.E.” Ramayana Mahabharata In Carnatic music many song texts refer to events in these epics.


Important religious works : Important religious works The four Vedas Upanishads Puranas


Hindustani and Carnatic Music : Hindustani and Carnatic Music Similarities ragas talas Differences The Hindusthani north -- expansive improvisations Carnatic south -- pre-composed devotional songs


Raga : Raga “that which colors the mind and the heart a collection of notes, a scale, intonation, ornaments, pillar tones, a precise melody form sa ri ga ma pa da ni (sa)


Tala : Tala regularly recurring metric cycles consisting of groups of beats.


veena : veena plucked string instrument with seven strings three drone strings and four playing strings (for playing melodies).


Mridangam : Mridangam double-headed, barrel-shaped drum.


Sruti-box and tambura : Sruti-box and tambura


The Carnatic texture : The Carnatic texture Melody Layer vocalist(s)/instrumentalist (veena) Drone Layer sustained (continuously sounding) central tone tambura or sruti box Rhythm Layer (percussion) mridangam—multi-timbral, double-headed tala


Music of India : Music of India Pop music Devotional song Classical music


Cine Music : Cine Music Indian popular music A blend of East and West Music is reminiscent of early rock and roll


CD 2:20 “Our Wedding” : CD 2:20 “Our Wedding” 0:23 to 0:31—“retro”-sounding guitar solo language of lyrics (Tamil); “a love marriage,” more common in Indian movies than in real Indian life, 0:20, 0:22, 0:50, and 0:52—incongruous “whistle sound” sudden insertion of Woody Woodpecker theme (timbre)—flute, clarinet, “retro” guitar 1:15-1:41 and 2:13-2:35—unique percussion instruments playing heavy rhythmic accompaniments


bhajan : bhajan devotional song sung by a soloist with accompanying instruments or by a vocal group in a call-and–response manner


chinna melan : chinna melan “small band,” an ensemble of two or more A chinna melam is likely to be performed at any auspicious occasion, for example, at temple worship, weddings, the opening a new store, and so on.


Chinna Melam instruments : Chinna Melam instruments nagasvaram double-reed pipes, tavil drums and sruti-box drone


CD 2:21 “O Devi! with Fish-Shaped Eyes” : CD 2:21 “O Devi! with Fish-Shaped Eyes” Vocal solo mridangam (Indian drum) electronic drone


O Devi! : O Devi! 0:00–0:06—Drone (electronically-produced) 0:07—singer enters with raga-based solo glides/slides to and around the important notes of the melody Raga: a precise melody form


O Devi! : O Devi! The song text “praises Devi Meenakshi, a beautiful [Hindu] goddess . . . who is worshipped in . . . [a] great temple.” “O Devi! (“Goddess”) with fish-shaped eyes (that is, her eyes are always open) . . . protect me.” 0:35 to end— adi tala (an Indian metric cycle of 4 + 2 + 2 beats Tala: rhythm pattern


Karnataka Sangeeta : Karnataka Sangeeta Classical Music of South India in English simply Carnatic music. It is named after the Carnatic plateau


Transmission : Transmission oral tradition passed down by memory. The music is to nudge the memory. no definitive version of the music exists. musical renditions may become highly variable


Extra: Kriti by Tyagaraja : Extra: Kriti by Tyagaraja Banturiti Hamsanadam raga c e f# g b adi tala 4 + 2 + 2


Banturiti - Overview : Banturiti - Overview Drone srutibox alapana pallavi anupallavi pallavi Niraval vocal violin vocal svarakalpana returns to text pallavi


Banturiti : Banturiti 0:00 sruti -box drone 0:05 alapana singer explores raga violin minics SA range


Banturiti : Banturiti 0:43 pallavi listen for “Banturiti” violin is in unison 1:30 empty space 1:34 anupallavi begins on eduppu 2:14 pallavi returns - Banturiti 2:31 caranam begins


Banturiti : Banturiti 3:00 niraval vocal improvisation violin improvisation based on voice vocal improvisation 4:28 svarakalpana vocal improvisation on syllables 5:14 singer returns to words


Banturiti : Banturiti 5:25 pallavi returns listen for Banturiti


CD 3:1 “Sarasiruha” (“To the Goddess Saraswati”) : CD 3:1 “Sarasiruha” (“To the Goddess Saraswati”) Kriti in Natai raga and Adi tala. Performed by veena and mridangam.


Sarasiruha : Sarasiruha 0:00-3:15 Alapana  “free-flowing exposition and exploration of the raga absence of meter drone sustains tonal center and the tone a fifth above tonal center 3:20-8:15 Tanam “strong sense of beat.” improvised melody continues


Sarasiruha : Sarasiruha 8:25-15:45 Kriti “Sarasiruha” “centerpiece” of the performance Pallavi: “O Mother who loves the lotus seat,” Anupallavi: “Save me who have taken refuge in you!” Charanam: “Complete Being, who holds a book in her hand which bestows all dominion.”


Sarasiruha : Sarasiruha 15:45-18:05 Kalpana Svaras mridangam continues to accompany melody played on the veena 18:06-22:20 The Drum Solo: Tani Avartanam A long and complex improvised drum solo played on the mridangam accompanied only by the drone being played on the drone strings of the veena 22:04


Ravi Shankar : Ravi Shankar virtuoso sitar player 1960s concerts brought him superstar status in Europe, the United States and India.