S-G-P-S
Often said to comprise only three swaras (a SGP Major triad), Malashree pushes the bounds of raga definition. Arguably, this challenge is its defining purpose, calling on performers to find expressive freedom within an ultra-limited framework. In practice, this often leads artists to push the raga’s own bounds instead, via including tivra Ma and shuddha Ni as grace notes to support Pa and Sa from below – although Ali Akbar Khan’s rendition stays mostly faithful to the basic triangular concept. Counterintuitively, Malashree’s intervallic simplicity makes it harder to play on single-string instruments such as the sitar: permitting only wide-spaced jumps and bends between swaras. Allows (or, probably, requires) space for imaginative tabla accompaniment.
• Raga Megalist (365+) •
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• Hindustani Raga Index •
—Ali Akbar Khan (1982)—
[gat, e.g. 16:36] S SS, PGPG, SGG, PPS…
• 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
Double: rR | gG | mM | dD | nN
Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact
Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra
Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row
Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.
Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2
Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night
Murchana: Bhup. | Bihag | Bilaw. | Charu.
Raganga: Bhairav | Malhar | Kan. | Todi
Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball
Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern
Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang
Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S-G-P-S
• Reverse: SmdS (=none)
• Inverse: Ni; SRgGMPDnNS (=none)
• Imperfect: 2 (Ga, Pa)
• Detached: 1 (Ga)
• Symmetries: none
• Murchanas: none
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: (~Suddha Saveri)
S-G3-P-S
• Jazz: Major Triad
1-3-5-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-4-7-0
(4–3–5)
o • • • o • • o • • • • o
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ga)
• Names: Malashree, Malashri, Malasri, Malavasri (historic)
—Rajan & Sajan Mishra (~1990s)—
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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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