Download Rag Desh - Cotham School Music

GCSE Music Revision 2014
Area of Study 4:
Rag Desh
Indian Music: Context & Background
 A long history lasting over 2000
years
 Close links with Hinduism & Indian
philosophy
 Many Hindu gods are worshiped
through performance of raga (Indian
melody)
 The god Shiva is associated with
music & dance
 This set work is taken from the
Indian Classical Tradition of
Northern India
Rag Desh: The Oral Tradition
Indian music is not written down – music is
learnt through listening & playing by ear
Skills are passed on through generations of a
family through a system known as gharana
Indian music is always learnt via a master –
pupil system
Rag Desh: Elements of a raga
Melody – improvised from notes of a
particular rag. Sung by a voice or played by
instrument
Drone – a supporting “drone” usually of one or
two notes provided by the tambura
Rhythm – a repetitive, cyclic rhythm pattern
played by the tabla drums
Rag Desh: The Rag
The rag is the set melody on which the music
is improvised (think of it as a cross between a
selection of pitches and a scale)
There are over 200 different rags in existence,
each has a particular mood
The chosen rag will be used as the musical
material in a full raga performance
Rag Desh: Rhythm & Drone accompaniment
 The rag melody is always supported by a supportive
drone – usually the tonic & dominant notes
 The drone adds to the texture
 The rhythm is provided by small tabla drums (below
 Rhythmic cycles are known as the tala, the most
common is called the teental, made up of 16 matras
(beats)
 The first beat of a cycle is known as sam
Rag Desh: The Sitar
Seven principal strings
Two strings used as drone notes
Sympathetic strings are loose fretted strings
which vibrate when the top strings are plucked
Meend – the technique of sliding between
notes or interval
Tan – playing rapid scale like melodies
Rag Desh: Structure
Section
Tempo
Rhythm
Musical Elements
Slow & Meditative
No sense of metre
•Soloists explores the notes of the
rag, setting the mood
•Music is improvised
•Lack of regular pulse, rhythmically
free
Steady (medium
tempo)
A real sense of pulse
•Improvised music becomes more
rhythmic
•Music becomes more elaborate as
tempo increases
Fast & Lively
Fast pulse with exciting
and complex rhythms
•High point in piece
•Virtuoso display using advanced
playing techniques
Moderate - fast
Tabla introduces the
tala
•Prepared solo is introduced
•Dialogue between drummer &
instrumentalist
Alap
Jhor
Jhalla
Gat/Bandish