S-R-G-m-P-D-n-S
An intriguing experiment in drawing direct inspiration from the distant past, Sameshwari is a creation of musicologist and vichtra veena maestro Lalmani Misra, inspired by his study of ancient Vedic chant practices. As explained by his daughter Ragini Trivedi, “Sameshwari is an attempt to preserve the notes used in Sāmgana [Vedic hymn singing]…Sāmik chanters [originally] used three notes, but singers explored further and discovered more, with mGRSD [as] the basic set”. This sequence is then mirrored in uttarang as SnDPG, producing a Khamaj-congruent scale of SRGmPDnS – with Trivedi listing a Pa–Sa vadi–samvadi (“you will come across greater thaharav [stability] on Pancham, and you will enjoy staying on it”), and recommending that Re and ma are treated as “passing notes, which should be touched without staying, they are not to be used while ascending”. Compare to Kalavati (which matches the SGPDnS aroha) and Rageshri (which similarly uses DnSGmRS as a conclusion phrase) – and to learn more about the life and music of Lalmani Misra, read a brief bio from Omenad (“His creative works were in several directions: one can only marvel at his orchestral compositions, and in 1961 he composed and presented an opera about Meera Bai…It was his keen interest and visionary attitude that has made B.H.U. a center for the study of ancient Samic studies…”).
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राग सामेश्वरी
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Aroha: SGP, GPDnD, DnS
Avroh: SnDnDP, GPDGP, GmRnS
Chalan: signatures – e.g. SGP, GPDnD, DnPDP, GPSnDnDP, GGP, PDGP, GmRnS [Trivedi]
—Ragini Trivedi (2018)—
[jor, e.g. 9:24] SGP, PPGGR, GGRSn DnDPG, G(P), GPGPDn(SnD), PD PnS, S; SGPD(nD) D(nDP) D(nD)P GP(DnDPG), G(m)RS n(D)S…
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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: Khamaj thaat, Khamaj, Jhinjhoti, Kambhoji, Khambavati, Sakh, Gaoti
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–R–G–m–P–D–n–S
• Reverse: SRgmPdnS (=Darbari)
• Complement: SrgMdNS (=Gujiri Todi)
• Imperfect: 1 (Ga)
• Detached: none
• Symmetries: mirror (r—P)
• Murchanas: Bilawal set
• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: ~Harikhamboji
S-R2-G3-M1-P-D2-N2-S
• Jazz: Mixolydian
1-2-3-4-5-6-b7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-4-5-7-9-10-0
(2–2–1–2–2–1–2)
o • o • o o • o • o o • o
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Sameshwari
• Transliterations: Hindi (सामेश्वरी)
—Ragini Trivedi (2018)—
“Despite pain and debility, [Lalmani Misra’s] mind always retained its lucidity. Talking to his disciples Laxmi Ganesh Tewari & Om Prakash Chourasiya, son Gopal Shankar, daughter Ragini and others, he spoke at length on why he created Sameshwari. The Hindi lecture is almost 40 minutes long. An abstract of the transcript is given here…” (Omenand)
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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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