1. Roles of the Performers Veena (south) or Sitar (north) – leader/soloist Tambura – drone (primary pitches) Tabla (north) or Mridangam (south) – rhythm and secondary soloist Other secondary soloists (Sarod, etc.) may be added

2. Indian Classical Performance Improvisation (not pre-composed) Pitch – based on Raga (scales, but more) Rhythm – based on Tala (meters, but more) Process of “unfolding” the Raga - movement from low to high - rhythmic movement from slow to fast

3. Organization of the Improvisation Alap – opening section, free rhythm (no drums), establishes the Raga Jor (Jod) – drums enter, regular rhythm (Tala) established Jahla – fast, virtuosic concluding section Gat – fixed (pre-composed) tune featured in last section

4. Some Concert Performances YouTube - Ravi Shankar on the Dick Cavett Show (4:46)YouTube - Ravi Shankar on the Dick Cavett Show YouTube - Ustad Shahid Parvez (6:03)YouTube - Ustad Shahid Parvez Recital de Sitar, India. Rara Avis 2011, parte 1 – YouTube (10:01)Recital de Sitar, India. Rara Avis 2011, parte 1 – YouTube YouTube - Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Vol 2- Live At Pune (47:02) – SarodYouTube - Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Vol 2- Live At Pune

5. Pitch Emphasis on the melodic (single notes in time) Asthagi – emphasis on “home” Antara – moving upward Abhog – “home” again Octave divides into 22 steps (West uses 12)

6. RAGA Like a (western) scale, but….MORE Not just pitch, but HOW one moves through them May include specific melodic patterns May ascend and descend in different ways Usually 5-7 notes, ordered hierarchically

7. Raga (cont’d) SA = home (Vadi = “King”) [drone] MA (4 th ) or PA (5 th ) = second level (Samvadi = “Minister”)[drone] Anuvadi Svaras = third level (“Servants” – define the raga) Vivadi svaras = foreign notes (“Enemies” – not to be used)

8. Classification of Ragas Over 120,000 ragas (claimed) Better described as a few hundred families Most performers know only a few dozen Associated and controlled by externals - season of year - time of day - mood evoked Examples and information on one Raga: Bhimpalasi Inc » Rajan Parrikar Music Archive Bhimpalasi Inc » Rajan Parrikar Music Archive

9. RHYTHM Based on Rhythmic cycles (similar to Meter…but much MORE) Division of time by regular beats (MATRA) 1 st beat of cycle [most important] (SAM) One group of beats [measure] (VIBHAG), [not all cycles of equal weight] Complete cycle (AVARTAN) Each cycle a unique pattern (TAL or TALA)

10. SOME DIFFERENT TALA Teental = 16 (4 + 4 + 4 + 4) [most common] Adachautal = 14 (2+4+4+4) Adi Tal = 8 (4+2+2) Dadra tal = 6 (3 + 3) Ektal = 12 (2+2+2+2+2+2) Jhaptal = 10 (2+3+2+3) Rupak Tal = 7 (3+2+2) Sultal = 10 (2+3+2+3)

11. Assignments & an Alert Study Chapter 1 and slides Know Indian instruments Understand pitch organization (Begin to) understand basics of tal Listen to textbook CD examples NO CLASS MEETING ON FRIDAY (7 February 2014) We resume on Monday (10 February 2014)