S-R-mM-P-D-nN-S
Despite the prachalit status of both its parents, the Saraswati + Sarang compound remains relatively rare. The best longform performance is that of vichitra veena maestro Gopal Krishnan (which revolves around an ear-catching nD MPDS pakad), who – as per a direct message from his grandson Akshat Sharma – created the raga (along with Tilak Malhar). Sharma also confirmed my suspicions that his grandfather’s invention has significant overlap with Ambika Sarang (aside from being prakriti, the term ‘Ambika’ is closely tied to the goddess Saraswati), as well as highlighting renditions by Rupak Kulkarni, Dinkar Panshikar, Tushar Dutta, Abhirang, and Ramprapanna Bhattacharya. Learn more about Krishnan in the album’s liner notes (“His father, himself a noted surbahar player, was his first guru…later, he became a foremost disciple of Ravi Shankar…He is also a good vocalist, and plays instruments such as jaltarang, tabla, guitar, and ektara [one-string folk-lute]…in the classical style”). Also discover the unique sounds of his vichitra veena (‘curious string instrument’), a seldom-seen 22-string creation which is pitch-controlled with a glass ball. Also see the prakriti Rang Malhar, as well as other Sarang variants.
• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •
राग सरस्वती सारंग
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• Hindustani Raga Index •
—Gopal Krishnan (~1980s)—
[refrain, e.g. 9:14] RM(PD) P(MP), mRm R, SS, (S)nD MPDS, S, S, S\DS R, m\RR M, P M(D)P mRm, R, S, RM(P)DP mRm RS, nD MPDS…
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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: Ambika Sarang, Rang Malhar
See all shadav ragas which omit Ga – and also compare to other members of the Sarang raganga
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–R–mM–P–D–nN–S
• Reverse: SrRgmMPnS
• Complement: SrgGdS
• Imperfect: 2 (Ma, Dha)
• Detached: none
• Symmetries: none
• Murchanas: Lachari Kanada set
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: ~Saranga Malhar
S-R2-M1-M2-P-D2-N2-N3-S
• Jazz: Aeoliogyllic
1-2-4-#4-5-6-b7-7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-5-6-7-9-10-11-0
(2–3–1–1–2–1–1–1)
o • o • • o o o • o o o o
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Saraswati Sarang, Sarasvatee Sarang, (overlaps with some incarnations of Ambika Sarang)
• Transliterations: Hindi (सरस्वती सारंग); Bengali (সরস্বতী সারঙ্গ)
—Dinkar Panshikar (2019)—
(also see the overlapping Ambika Sarang)
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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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