S-R-G-P-D-N-S
Kesari Kalyan is formed by removing Kalyan’s most characteristic swara – tivra Ma – leaving a curious shadav scale (prakriti with Shankara). Legendary Gwalior vocalist and educator Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’ appears to have created the raga: hear his own rendition, and also listen to him discuss it in the context of “two key ideas attending the evolution of raga: chalan bheda and uccharana bheda” [changes in movement path, and changes in swara punctuation]. Abhirang, building on Ramrang’s bandish, interprets it as “a blend of Hansadhwani and Bhupali”, offering wide-jumping descent lines including SNPGR; RGPDPR. Also see Ramrang’s handwritten transcription of his own original composition – as well his other ragas (Bhankari & Anjani Kalyan), and brief bio article (“To think of Ramrang is to think of his fanatical love of learning, the unusual depth and width of his knowledge, his high standards of excellence, his remarkable ingenuity, and above all, the passion and joie de vivre with which he disburses the fruits of his endeavours…For 60 years he has culled melodic objects of lasting value…[making] our world more beautiful and meaningful”).
• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग केसरी कल्याण
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• Hindustani Raga Index •
Aroha: SRGPDNS
Avroh: SNDPGRS
Chalan: e.g. SRG; PNS; SNPGR; RGPDPRG; RS (Abhirang)
—Abhirang (2020)—
[bandish, e.g. 2:55] S S(GRGRSR)G, (GRG)RS S(RG), G(RSR)S N(DP), N(DND)S, PN SR(GRSRGRS) S(RGR), G(PGPG)PP, PN S(GRGRSNS)S, N(P)P/S(NS)P PG, G(PGP)R, SS(RGPDP)D, P(DPDPGRSR) G(PG), S(GRGRSR)G, RS S(RG), G(RSR)S N(DP), N(DS)…
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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: Shankara
See all shadav ragas which omit Ma – and also compare to other members of the Kalyan raganga
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–R–G–P–D–N–S
• Reverse: SrgmdnS
• Complement: SrgmMdnS (=Meladalan)
• Imperfect: 1 (Ni)
• Detached: none
• Symmetries: mirror (mM—NS)
• Murchanas: Shankara set
• Quirks: ‘self-shadowing‘ (negative form=core form) • ‘atritonal‘ (no available tritones)
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: ~Shankaramohana
S-R2-G3-P-D2-N3-S
• Jazz: Major/Ionian (no 5th)
1-2-3-5-6-7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-4-7-9-11-0
(2–2–3–2–2–1)
o • o • o • • o • o • o o
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Kesari Kalyan, Kesara Kalyana (but not the Carnatic ‘Kalyanakesari‘)
• Transliterations: Hindi (केसरी कल्याण)
—Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’ (2000s)—
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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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