Indian MusicChapter 8

Ravi Shankar (1920-2012)Focal figure of this chapter Master of the sitar, master performer of Hindustani ragaPassed away shortly after the textbook was publishedChapter centers on his “global gharana” – lens through

which to explore “Indian music” both locally and globally.

Lineage of Ravi Shankar“Baba” Allaudin Khan

Founder of Maihar Gharana

Shankar’s guruAlla Rakha

Tabla (drum) accompanistFather of tabla master

Zakir HussainYehudi Menuhin

Great Western classical violinist

John ColtraneLegendary jazz saxophonist

George Harrison Sitar protégé of ShankarBeatles lead guitarist

John McLaughlinVirtuoso jazz guitarist;

leader of Shakti (w. Zakir Hussain)

A. R. RahmanLeading film music

composer in Bollywood Anoushka Shankar, Norah

Jones (his musician daughters)

Indian Music in Context Geography200 languages, 1600 dialectsCivilization 5000+ yearsNorth India (Hindustani) vs. South India (Karnatak) – ca. 1500 BCEReligion

Hinduism Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva) Bhajan (CD 2-19)

Islam North India (Hindustani) but minimal in South (Karnatak) Sufism, Sufi music

Qawwali – Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLxMLA8oJb0 (cue to 5:15)

Sufi song (qawwali-ish) CD 2-20 (Shafqat Ali Khan) Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Christianity, etc.

Musical DiversityThousands of folk, religious, devotional, popular,

and film music genres. Bollywood = Bombay (now Mumbai) + HollywoodBhangra – popular musical style from Punjab

originally; often featured in Bollywood films, music videos (CD 1-22 Jasbir Jassi “Kudi Kudi”)Jasbir Jassi “"Ek Geda Gidhe Vich Hor Jassi"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rY6n78UFw8A. R .Rahman – composer; Shah Rukh Khan -- actor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-v6Qdj5XEs

Two Great Classical TraditionsKarnatak (Carnatic) Hindustani S0uth IndiaRaga and talaSangita (music, dance,

drama)Singing tops by farHindu-based; little Islamic

influenceLess known internationallyVina (veena), [tambura,]

mrdangam (CD 1-24) https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIV4mzHf8WQ

North IndiaRaga and tala (but distinct

names and types) Sangita (music, dance, drama)Singing tops (though not quite

as much) Hindu-based, but with

considerable Islamic influenceBetter known internationally

(Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan [sarod])

Sitar, tambura, tabla

Hindustani Music / Ravi ShankarRavi Shankar born 1920 (Brahmin caste – p. 125)Child prodigy – toured Europe as dancer with brother UdayParis 1930s – Allaudin Khan (guru “Baba”), Yehudi Menuhin Trained with Baba in Maihar (Maihar gharana)1950s – concerts and recordings in West with Menuhin

popularized Indian music internationally1960s – John Coltrane, George Harrison/Beatles, Monterey

Pop (1967), Woodstock (1969) w. Alla Rakha, tablahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEXVVq0h7Ak&spfreload=1

(Shankar/Rakha at Woodstock) Note: Shankar/Rakha = Hindu/Muslim collaboration (discuss)

Musical Guided Tour: “An Introduction to Indian Music” (Ravi Shankar)CD 2-21 (Source recording: The Sounds of India - 1957)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLB_mRyA4bY&list=PL4BZ9aNaMmDjy8-Gx4qblk569BhQAtxwv

Follow text transcript on pp. 127-28Terms: Raga, tala, alap, tintal, theka, sam (we’ll return to

these) Sitar (Shankar), tambura (drone), tabla (drums)

Figures 8.2, 8.3 (sitar, tabla) and tambura photo (pp. 128-29)

Other Hindustani InstrumentsSarod (Ali Akbar Khan)Shahnai (Bismillah Khan)Sarangi (Ram Narayan)Violin (N. Rajam) Bansuri (Hariprasad Chaurasia)

“Raga Sindhi-Bhairavi” (CD 2-23)Ravi Shankar (sitar), Chatur Lal (tabla), plus

tamburaAlso from RS album The Sounds of India

Features of a raga (p. 132)Identifying set of pitchesUnique repertoire of melodic ornaments and

motivesRules and procedures re: melodic developmentRepertoire of set (precomposed compositions)Extramusical associations

Overall process of barhat (lit., growth) defines the way a rage unfolds and develops in the context of performance, which combines elements of improvisation and fixed composition.

Raga Sindhi-BhairaviBelongs to Bhairavi family of ragasMorning raga (though often played through past midnight)Associated with the female form of Bhairavi, who holds “cymbals

in her hands, and her eyes sparkle with a yellowish glint.” “light classical” raga – penance, forgiveness, calm, appeasement

(but Shankar’s performance more “aggressive”) Aroha: Bb C Eb F G Eb F Ab Bb CAvroha: C Bb A Bb Ab G F Eb G F Eb D Eb Db C Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Da Ni = C Db Eb F G Ab BbForm

Alap – non-metric improvised opening of soloist Jor – transition (“link”) to the gat – more rhythmic Gat – main composition; tala estab w. entry of tabla Jhala – faster, builds to exciting climax, tihai ending

Tala

Rhythmic framework of a raga performance, especially as defined by its metric cycle.

Tala of RS’s recording of Raga Sindhi-Bhairavi is the most common one of all: tintal.

Each tala has a specific number of beats (matra) and pattern of relatively stronger and weaker beats: Tintal – 16; jhaptal – 10; rupak tal - 7

Theka—skeletal rhythmic pattern of a tala “Keeping tal” involves marking out theka with claps (tali), waves

(khali), and finger counts Tintal (16 beats): X . . . x . . . o . . . x . . .

X = strong clap, x = clap, o = silent wave, . = finger count (pp. 136-38) Tihai—Rhythmic cadence (ending pattern)

Syncopated and repeated three times, ending on sam (“downbeat” of the cycle)

Listening: “Raga Sindhi-Bhairavi” Read GLE discussion, pp. 138-41 and follow along with GLQS,

pp. 141-42

Alap (0:27-4:52) – improvised exploration of the notes contours, and other characteristics of Raga S-B

Jor (4:53-5:51) – rhythmic strumming of jhala strings, active rhythmic motion

Gat (5:52-12:35) – announced by entry of tabla; tala (tintal established), alt. of chalan (main melodic motive) and toda (improv passages); antara (new melodic material) and drut gat (“fast gat”) sections conclude the gat, transitioning to…

Jhala (12:36-end) – sudden jump in tempo, rhythmic playing on jhala strings, growing intensity and tempo to end, marked by a climactic tihai.

Intercultural Crossings and TransformationsShankar-Menuhin collaborations starting 1950s

Iconic recording: West Meets East (1967) Shankar projects with, influences on jazz musicians

Improvisations (1961), w. flautist Bud Shank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqO_DxrqX4c

Coltrane – “modal jazz” style (1960s), “India” (CD 3-1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIgP6-HqKhs Briefly studied with Shankar 1964-65

John McLaughlin Shakti (w. Zakir Hussain, L. Shankar, plus two S. Indian

percussionists) “Joy,” from Shakti, with John McLaughlin (CD 3-2; GLE 147-48)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGW4nrsZJ3o (live rec. at Montreux Jazz Festival, 1976)

Ravi Shankar, George Harrison, and the Beatles Harrison – sitar on set of film Help! “Norwegian Wood” (1965) – sitar solo 1966—Harrison studies sitar with RS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxf9CT_P264 (GH lesson with RS in California – from film Raga: Ravi Shankar)

same year Revolver released, with heavily Indianized Harrison composition “Love You To” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8tkCT9gQHs

1967—Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, with “Within You, Without You” (Harrison) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljnv3KGtcyI

Due to Beatles influence, “great sitar explosion” (Byrds, Yardbirds, Rolling Stones, etc.) and “sitar rock” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BcJaUYE5Jw (Rolling Stones, “Paint It

Black”) Drug use, etc. distressed Shankar

Bollywood: A. R. Rahman Leading Bollywood composer, music director, and singerOne of world’s top-selling musical artists of all time – 300

million-plus recordings soldClassically trained in Hindustani and Karnatak music, also

studied qawwali w. Nusrat Fateh Ali KhanHas performed, recorded, and toured with Zakir Hussain,

many other Indian music luminariesOscar-winning composer for score/song (“Jai Ho”) of 2008

international hit film Slumdog MillionaireTime magazine listed him in 2009 “Time 100” list of world’s

most influential people, called him “the Mozart of Madras”

A. R. Rahman “Barso Re” CD 3-3, GLE pp. 150-152, GLQS 152-54From the Bollywood film Guru, starring Aishwarya Rai in

role of SujataIn “Barso Re,” she celebrates coming of the rainy season

in most dramatic fashion. Rai appears to be singing the song, but it is voiced by

Shreya Ghoshal, a leading Bollywood playback singer. Though not a raga performance by any measure, barhat-

like process of growth defines the performance overall. Film performance on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0otYr7H6xo&list=RDK0otYr7H6xo