S-R-g-m-P-D-n-S
Desi (not to be confused with Desh) is a diffuse raga lineage, spanning several intertwined variants. Generally prakriti with Kafi, it may also follow the komal dha swara set of Asavari, as well as arriving in double-Dha form (Parrikar also discusses a rare double-Re variant known as ‘Utari Desi / Komal Desi’, likely connected to a lost Todi-ang). Generally focusing on madhya-taar saptak, the raga favours vakra motions such as SPDmP, RgSRnS – with Re and Pa rendered emphatically, and ma often employed ornamentally. While popular amongst khayal vocalists, it remains rare on the instrumental stage, although Ravi Shankar’s interpretations are effective. Also see the related Barwa, Bahaduri Todi, & Lanka Dahan Sarang – as well as an intriguing set of Picasso’s animal sketches, seemingly captioned by one of the Dagar Brothers with: “When every swara is tamed in Dhrupad like Picasso did with his bulls…this Desi emerges” (listen to their rendition).
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राग देसी
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• Hindustani Raga Index •
Aroha: SRmPDmPnS
Avroh: SPDPDmP, RgSRnS
Chalan: e.g. S(g)RgRSR(n)S; (m)RmP; DPDmP(m)gR; RmPDmPS; RgSRnS; RnSP; DPmP; DmPRmP(m)g; Rg(R)SR(S)nS (Bor/Sadolikar)
—Aditya Modak (2020)—
[refrain, e.g. 1:41] R(SRSnS)R, (m)RP (gRg)Rg R(SR)S, (RS)R (g)S\n S(n)SS, RPmP(mP), D(n)PmP (P)mP, (m)Rg (RS)R S(n)S; mm(nP), mP(Sn)S\nP P(m)P, D(n)mP (m)Rg (RS)R S(n)S, RP (gRg)Rg R(SR)S, (RS)R…
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Multi-step meend in Raag Bageshri: some riyaz improv in one of my all-time favourite ragas
#raga #jazzguitar #indianmusic #icm #londonmusic
Sep 30
E8 Boogie (Squarepusher): @sqpusher did I get them right? Tried to work out guitar voicings for this curious chord sequence in E8 Boogie (…originally at the request of a student!)
Original: Squarepusher/Tom Jenkinson (from 1997’s Hard Normal Daddy)
#jungle #jazzguitar #warprecords #idm #dnb @warprecords
Sep 27
Raag Jaiwanti Todi (SrgmPDnS): An Ahiri-prakriti raga introduced by Maharaja Jaiwant Singh Waghela (1904-1980): the hereditary ruler of Sanand who gained wide renown as a spiritual teacher, vocal educator, and generous patron of the nascent Mewati gharana (also the creator of Gyankali and other ragas). Sung here by his student Pandit Jasraj – a bandish I’ve always loved, especially the ferocious taan and colourful harmonium accompaniment…
—Original: Pandit Jasraj (khayal); Appa Jalgaonkar (harmonium); Nizamuddin Khan? (tabla)
#raga #khayal #indianmusic #worldmusic #icm
Sep 22
Raag Prabhateshwari (SrgmPDnS): A mysterious raga created by Hariprasad Chaurasia, played here by his nephew Rakesh – resembling a blend of the morning Ahir Bhairav and the late night Bageshri. I was inspired to learn the raga when researching Maa Annapurna Devi’s time teaching Hariprasad (many thanks to my crack team of experts including Rupak Kulkarni, Alam Khan, George Ruckert, Suresh Vyas, Anindya Banerjee, and Gopi Shanker, who all gave valuable assistance in illuminating the raga’s origins)
—Original: Rakesh Chaurasia (bansuri), live at Darbar 2008 @chaurasia_rakesh @darbarfestival
#raga #darbarfestival #indianmusic #bansuri #worldmusic
Sep 15
• Classifiers •
Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List):
Swaras: -4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+
Sapta: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Poorvang: SRGM | SRG | SRM | SGM
Uttarang: PDNS | PDS | PNS | DNS
Varjit: Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni
Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact
Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra
Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row
Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2
Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night
Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball
Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern
Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang
Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.
• Prakriti: Kafi thaat, Kafi, Bageshri, Bhimpalasi, Shahana, Dhanashree, Hussaini Kanada, Mudriki Kanada, Raisa Kanada
Also compare to other members of the Kafi raganga
–Proximate Forms–
Khamaj = ‘Desi shuddha Ga‘
Patdeep = ‘Desi shuddha Ni‘
Ahiri = ‘Desi komal re‘
Darbari = ‘Desi komal dha‘
Sindhura = ‘Desi double Ni‘
(n.b. these are just ‘scalar similarities’, with nothing particular implied about phraseological overlap)
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–R–g–m–P–D–n–S
• Reverse: SRgmPDnS (=itself)
• Complement: SrGMdNS (=Din ki Puriya)
• Imperfect: 1 (Dha)
• Detached: none
• Symmetries: mirror (S—M)
• Murchanas: Bilawal set
• Quirks: ‘palindromic‘ (same intervals forwards & backwards) • ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’) • ‘Pa-repeating‘ (poorvang and uttarang take the same ‘semitone shape’)
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: ~Kharaharapriya (mela #22)
S-R2-G2-M1-P-D2-N2-S
• Jazz: Dorian
1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-3-5-7-9-10-0
(2–1–2–2–2–1–2)
o • o o • o • o • o o • o
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Pa)
• Names: Desi, Deshi, Des, Desi Todi (not Desh)
• Transliterations: Hindi (देसी)
—Moinuddin & Aminuddin Dagar (1965)—
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George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher (guitars, sitar, tabla, & santoor). Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the voices, cultures, and passions behind them. See Homepage for more, and hit me up for Lessons!
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