Rag DeshWALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

WILF – good understanding of what each key feature is about i.e. structure, instrumentation.

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TIB – You will need to be able to compare and contrast the three versions in the exam.

Version 1• Performed by Anoushka

Shankar. Sitar player, born in India, lives in the USA. Half-sister of Norah Jones, daughter of famous sitar playing Ravi Shankar who worked with The Beatles.

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

Instruments used are

Sitar and Tabla.

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Version 1

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

• The Structure has 3 movements:

–Alap–Gat 1–Gat 2

There are two Tals used in Version 1.They are:

Jhaptal (10 beats): (2 + 3 + 2 + 3)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Clap Clap Wave Clap

Tintal (16 beats): (4 + 4 + 4 + 4) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16X X W X

Keywords: Tal: A type of beat pattern.Sam: The first beat of the pattern.

Version 1 - Alap

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

• 0.00 – 0.55 Alap –– This section is slow and has

no pulse. The sitar plays on its own and explores the notes of the rag. Rhythms are fluid and free and sound like they are improvised. There is some decoration to the melody line.

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Listen Now!

Version 1 – Gat 1

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

• 0.55 – 9:27 Gat 1 – The sitar plays a fixed

pattern (thought out beforehand rather than improvised). Decoration is added to this pattern. The tempo is a medium speed. The tabla enters playing the Jhaptal Tala.

Keyword: Tihai – A short rhythm played three times to signal a change to another section of music.

Listen Now!

Version 1 – Gat 1

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

0.58 Sitar and Tabla improvise to each other. Tihai ends this at 3.01.

3:11 Tihai.

3:27 Tihai.

3:40 Tihai.

3:55 Sitar starts to improvise in triplets (this is called chand). Tihai.

5.02 Improvisations with four notes per beat. Sitar and tabla alternate again. Tihai used to make end of solos.

Keyword: Chand – The use of triplets …(three notes grouped together!).

Listen Now!

Version 1 – Gat 2

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

• 9:27 – end, Gat 2– This is faster than the

first gat and uses tintal. – 10:10 in this final part of

the rag the drone strings are strummed to create a rhythmic effect called jhalla.– Piece ends with a Tihai.

Keyword: Jhalla– Rhythmic effect created by strumming the drone strings on the sitar.

Listen Now!

Keyword: Tihai – A rhythmic cadence used to mark the end of a piece.

Quiz – What do you know?Hands up – speed round!

Who performed Version 1 of the Rag Desh?

What are the 3 sections in the piece called?

What is a Tihai?

What are the two instruments used in Version 1 of the Rag Desh?

What are the names of the two Tals used in Version 1?

What is the word that describes using Triplets?

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WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

Anagrams Round - Starter

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

Unscramble the keywords about Indian music we learned last week.

P L A AH A L L J AS T A I R

N A C D HT H A I I

T A GL A B T A

A L A PJ H A L L AS I T A R

C H A N DT I H A I

G A TT A B L A

Version 2

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

• Mhara Janam Maran performed by Chiranji Lal Tanwar (voice).

Instruments Used:

VoiceSarangiSarod

PakhawajCymbals

Tabla

Fretless bowed instrument

held in the lap. 3 main strings and up to 36 sympathetic

strings.

Fretless plucked

instrument. Shorter than

the sitar. Played with a big wooden plectrum.

Large double headed drum. You know what

these are…What am I?!

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Version 2

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

Structure: 2 sections

• Alap• Bhajan (song)

The lyrics of the song translate to:

You are my companion through life and death and I cannot forget you night and day. My heart pines for you and I feel totally restless when I am not able to see you.

The song is a Hindu devotional song from Rajasthan and is known as bhajan. The song tells of tender waiting in longing anticipation of the arrival of Lord Krishana in the morning.

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Version 2

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

Tal (Rhythm) Used

Keherwa Tal (8 beat)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8X X W X

Alap – 0.00 – 0.50

Opens with a short introduction where the sarod player and then voice vocalises the melody, exploring the notes of the rag. In free time. Taj Mahal in India is a gift of love.

Alap

Version 2

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

0.50 Bhajan. This is a fixed composition (learnt by Master-Student tradition). The tabla joins in at 0.50. 1.10 Short Sarod solo.

1.22 Sarangai solo. Then the dynamics and tempo increase and the music becomes fast and exciting. A pattern is establised as follows:-

1.32 Verse, First line as Chorus, Sarod and Sarangai

3.04 Verse, First line as Chorus, Sarod and Sarangai

4.50 Verse, First line as Chorus, Sarod and Sarangai

Piece ends with a short tihai.

• No Gat or G

at 2!

Version 3

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

• Performed by: Steve Gorn, and Benjy Wertheimer.

Instruments Used:

BansuriEsraj

TamburaTabla

Bansuri is a bamboo flute with no keys.

Esraj is a bowed string instrument

played sitting on the floor

like the sarangi, but with frets

like a sitar has a number

of sympathetic and drone

strings

A simple instrument

with only four strings and a resonator. It is used to provide the

drone.

Me again!

Version 3

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

• The Structure has 3 movements:

–Alap–Gat 1 (slow)–Gat 2 (fast)

Tals Used:

Rupak Tal (7 beats): (3 + 2 + 2)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7W X X

Ektel Tal (12 beats): (2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2)2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12X X W X W X

Version 3 - Alap

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

00.00 – 8.35

A slow and unmeasured section. The tambura plays a drone using the notes Sa (C – tonic) and Pa (G – Dominant). The bansuri then comes in, Exploring notes from the rag itself. Develops fragments into a more developed melodic part.

Version 3 – Gat 1 & Gat 2

WALT – to identify the key musical features of three different recordings of the Rag Desh.

00.00 Gat 1. This is at a slow tempo. A lyrical unaccompanied melody for the bansuri.

0.31 Tabla enters.

0.43 Fixed composition starts. Improvisation starts and music becomes agitated. Bansuri plays gat and Tabla improvises.

3.32 They then swap over. Tihai’s are heard to mark out section ends.

4.41 Last Tihai leads into……..

Gat 2 (Part 3) 4.41 – End Gat 2 – A fast tempo (drut) in ektal Tala.