• Raag Gaudgiri Malhar •

S-R-g-m-P-n-S


An engrossing raga of uncertain origin, Gaudgiri Malhar is most prominently associated with Mewati pioneer Pandit Jasraj – although Gwalior stalwart Haribhau Ghangrekar and others were performing it even before this. Also sung by Jasraj’s brother Pratap Narayan and disciple Hemang Mehta, as well as Kirana vocalist Moumita Mitra – who describes it as a combination of Gaud (SRGm, RGRmGmRS), Kafi (PDnDP, mgRS), and [Megh] Malhar (mR, RP, nP), suggesting nyas of Sa/ma/Pa and a vadi-samvadi of ma–Sa (and including flourishes of shuddha Ga and Dha in her rendition). Also refer to R.K. Das’ comments on Pratap Narayan’s rendition: “[I’ve] heard a pentatonic variety of Gaud Malhar from Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan of Kirana, most probably [this] is the root of [Narayan’s] recording…He does not use komal ga, but his brother does…the way Narayan sings is more akin to an amalgamation with Sarang”. Despite their similar nomenclature, the raga is distinct from Gaud Malhar (and the ultra-rare Gondgiri Malhar). Compare and contrast to the prakriti Suha and Nayaki Kanada – as well as to other ragas which draw from the Malhar, Sarang, and Kafi raganga families.


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राग गौडगिरि मल्हार
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Aroha: SRGmPnS
Avroh: SnPmgRS

Chalan: e.g. SRGmGmRS; mRP; mPDnP; mgRS; mPDnRSnDP; mgRS; PNSRSnDP; PnPmgRS; mR; RP; nP; SRGm; RGRmGmRS; PDnDP; mgRS (Mitra)

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—Pandit Jasraj (~1980s)—


[refrain, e.g. 0:56] m(R)R (S)n n(m), mmm P (PmP) m\g(mgm); m(RSnS)R R(S)n n(m), mmm P (PnP) m\g(mgm); RRR(Sn) n(m), mmm P…

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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
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
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
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

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• 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.

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• Prakriti: Palas, Suha Kanada, Nayaki Kanada
See all shadav ragas which omit Dha – and also compare to other members of the Malhar and Kafi ragangas (as well as to other forms which fuse elements of both)

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–Swara Geometries–

• Core form: S–R–g–m–P–n–S
• Reverse: SRmPDnS (=Gorakh Kalyan)
• Complement: SrGMdDNS
• Imperfect: 1 (Re)
• Detached: none
• Symmetries: mirror (Rg—dD)
• Murchanas: Shankara set

• Quirks: ‘self-shadowing‘ (negative form=core form) • ‘atritonal‘ (no available tritones)

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–Global Translations–

• Carnatic: ~Pushpalathika
S-R2-G2-M1-P-N2-S
• Jazz: Aeolian (no 6th)
1-2-b3-4-5-b7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-3-5-7-10-0
(2–1–2–2–3–2)

o • o o • o • o • • o • o


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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Gaudgiri Malhar, Gaud Giri Malhar, Gaur Gori Malhar (not the same as Gondgiri Malhar)
• Transliterations: Hindi (गौडगिरि मल्हार)

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—Hemang Mehta (2015)—

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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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