S-r-G-M-P-D-N-S
Congruent with the seven swaras of Puriya Kalyan (and Marwa thaat), Shree Kalyan is an enchanting product of Kumar Gandharva’s prolific imagination (also see Madhusurja, Lagan Gandhar, Saheli Todi, Rati Bhairav, Bihad Bhairav, and Bhavmat Bhairav). The movements of his main rendition (Dekho Re Rut Phoolan Lagi) place Shree’s tritonal re–Pa sangati on stark display, with the bandish rendering Pa in curiously ‘clipped’ fashion (rSP), in contrast to the ornament-laden shuddha Dha above. Refer to renditions by Bhuvanesh Komkali, Madhup Mudgal, Abhirang (at a 2017 Gandharva memorial concert), and Ajay Dixit (dedicated to his guru Vijay Sadrdeshmukh) – as well as sitarists Balaram Pathak & Ashok Pathak. Also compare to other ‘Shree + Kalyan‘ compounds such as Jaitashree and Dhavalshree (said by some to be the ‘Maihar Shree Kalyan’). Also prakriti with Baradi.
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राग श्री कल्याण
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—Bhuvanesh Komkali (2016)—
[refrain, e.g. 5:04] rG r(S), SP, rG r(S), S(rS)P, PP D(ND) P(D) PG\r, rG r(S), SP…
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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: Marwa thaat, Puriya Kalyan, Purva, Baradi
Also compare to other members of the Kalyan raganga
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–r–G–M–P–D–N–S
• Reverse: SrgmMdNS
• Complement: SRgmdnS
• Imperfect: 2 (re, Pa)
• Detached: none
• Symmetries: none
• Murchanas: Deepavali (on Pa)
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: ~Gamanasrama (mela #53)
S-R1-G3-M2-P-D2-N3-S
• Jazz: Lydian b2
1-b2-3-#4-5-6-7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-1-4-6-7-9-11-0
(1–3–2–1–2–2–1)
o o • • o • o o • o • o o
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa
• Names: Shree Kalyan, Shri Kalyan
• Transliterations: Hindi (श्री कल्याण); Bengali (শ্রী কল্যাণ)
—Kumar Gandharva (1980s)—
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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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