Rag Shankara, Rag Mala in Jogia

Last updated
Rag Shankara, Rag Mala in Jogia
Gujjari Ragini.jpg
album cover art
Studio album by
Released1990
Recorded15 and 16 November 1989
Genre Hindustani classical music
Length71:01
Label Nimbus

Rag Shankara, Rag Mala in Jogia is a studio album by Indian classical musician Ram Narayan, released in 1990. Recorded on 15 and 16 November 1989 in Wyastone Leys near Monmouth, Wales, the album features a sarangi performance of the solemn night raga Shankara and a ragamala ("garland of ragas") based on the introspective early morning raga Jogiya (or Jogia). On both tracks, Narayan performs a long non-metrical introduction to unfold the raga, during which he adds a pulse, until he is joined by the tabla (percussion) player to perform a composition.

Contents

Origin

The album consists of performances of the ragas Shankara and Jogiya (also called Jogia); Jogiya is performed in raga mala form. [1]

Shankara is considered a solemn and dignified raga that is difficult to master. [2] It has been described by Vamanrao Deshpande as representing the "heroic mood". [3] Luiz Martinez José argued that the raga was named for a gentle and guarding incarnation of the Hindu deity Shiva. [4] Shankara is performed in the late night and distinguished by an emphasis on the third (Ga) and seventh (Ni) notes, the upper tetrachord, and several characteristic phrases and slow glides in descend. [2] It has similarities to the South Indian raga Hansadhvani . [2]

Jogiya is considered an introspective raga named for the yogi practice, and is often performed in devotional music and the light classical genre thumri . [5] Peter Manuel described it as the most important raga of the Bhairav that (raga class based on the Bhairav scale type). [6] Jogiya is performed at daybreak and emphasizes the tonic (Sa) and the fifth (Pa). [5] It has several characteristic phrases and, like Shankara, is suited for the upper tetrachord. [6] Joep Bor argued that the raga appears to be related to raga Asavari . [5] Jogiya is one of Narayan's favorite ragas. [1]

A raga mala ("garland of ragas") allows for the introduction of other ragas, which can be from any time of the day. [7] [8] The change from Jogiya into another raga and back must be smooth as there is no break in the music, making a raga mala difficult to perform. [8]

Recording and artwork

Rag Shankara, Rag Mala in Jogia was recorded on 15 and 16 November 1989 in Wyastone Leys near Monmouth, Wales. [1] Narayan begins the performances by playing a long alap (non-metrical introduction) and jor (performance with pulse). [1] The tabla player then joins Narayan in performing a composition, repeating the rhythmic cycle on which the composition is based and playing occasional improvisations. [1]

The album cover features a painting made ca. 1760 in Murshidabad in the provincial Mughal style of Bengal. [9] It depicts a young woman sitting next to a lake, playing on a rudra veena to a parakeet, which symbolizes her absent lover. [9] A picture of Narayan with his sarangi, taken by Joseph Stieger, is on the back of the album. [1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
New Straits Times (favorable) [11]

Allmusic critic Ken Hunt described Narayan's performance of "Rag Shankara" as "ideal for the night hours" [10] and R. S. Murthi of the New Straits Times argued that the album showcased the "delicate tone" of the sarangi and its capacity for "seductive lyricism". [11]

Track listing

  1. "Rāg Shankara" – 39:11
  2. "Rāg Mala in Jogia" – 31:50

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian classical music</span> Classical music from the Indian subcontinent

Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It is generally described using terms like Marg Sangeet and Shastriya Sangeet. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as Hindustani and the South Indian expression known as Carnatic. These traditions were not distinct until about the 15th century. During the period of Mughal rule of the Indian subcontinent, the traditions separated and evolved into distinct forms. Hindustani music emphasizes improvisation and exploration of all aspects of a raga, while Carnatic performances tend to be short composition-based. However, the two systems continue to have more common features than differences. Another unique classical music tradition from Eastern part of India, i. e. Odissi music has evolved since two thousand years ago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarangi</span> Bowed, short-necked string instrument from South Asia

The sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument played in traditional music from South Asia – Punjabi folk music, Rajasthani folk music, and Boro folk music – in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It is said to most resemble the sound of the human voice through its ability to imitate vocal ornaments such as gamaks (shakes) and meends. The sarangi (Nepali) is a different instrument, traditional to Nepal.

Shankara can refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amir Khan (singer)</span> Indian singer

Ustad Amir Khan was one of the greatest and most influential Indian vocalists in the Hindustani classical tradition. He was the founder of the Indore gharana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basant (raga)</span> Hindustani raga

Basant or Vasant is a Hindustani classical raga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhairav (raga)</span> Hindustani raga

Bhairav is a Hindustani classical raga of Bhairav thaat. It is a sampurna raga that is traditionally performed in the morning and also as the beginning piece in concerts. It is the defining raga of its own Thaat.

Khamaj is a Hindustani classical Music raga within the Khamaj thaat which is named after it.

Ahir Bhairav is a Hindustani classical raga. It is a mixture of Bhairav and the ancient, rare raga Ahiri or Abhiri, or perhaps a mixture of Bhairav and Kafi.

Bahar is a Hindustani classical raga. This raga is very similar to raga Malhar. This raga is from the Kafi Thaat.

Pilu or Peelu is a raga of Hindustani classical music. It is mostly used in light-classical forms, like thumris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purvi</span> Raga in Hindustani classical music

Purvi or Poorvi is a raga in Hindustani classical music that exemplifies its own thaat, the Poorvi thaat. Purvi has a deeply serious, quiet and somewhat mystical character. It is uncommon in performances nowadays.

Adana is an Indian raag. It is also called Adana Kanada. It is often sung or played in drut laya after a vilambit composition in raga Darbari Kanada, as Adana is straighter than Darbari in its chalan, thus allowing faster passages. The flow of this raga is similar to a mix of Madhumad Sarang / Megh and Darbari. Another common vivadi some artists use sparingly is shuddha nishad which enhances the Saranga mood of the raga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ram Narayan</span> Classical sarangi player from India

Ram Narayan, often referred to with the title Pandit, is an Indian musician who popularised the bowed instrument sarangi as a solo concert instrument in Hindustani classical music and became the first internationally successful sarangi player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ram Narayan discography</span>

Ram Narayan began to record music when he played on three solo 78 rpm gramophone records for the British HMV Group in 1950 and recorded an early 10 inch LP album in Mumbai in 1951. Over the following decades Narayan had numerous solo recordings published.

<i>Rag Lalit</i> 1989 studio album by Ram Narayan

Rāg Lalit is a studio album by Indian classical musician Ram Narayan, released in 1989. Recorded December 3, 1987, in Wyastone Leys near Monmouth, Wales, the album features a performance of the serene dawn raga Lalit on sarangi. Narayan performs a long non-metrical introduction to unfold the raga, during which he adds a pulse, until he is joined by tabla to perform a composition.

Brij Narayan is an Indian classical musician who plays the string instrument sarod. Narayan was born in the Indian state Rajasthan and began to study sarod from a young age under his father Ram Narayan and other teachers. He won the All India Radio instrumentalist competition in 1967 and accompanied his father on a tour to Afghanistan in 1969. Narayan graduated from the University of Mumbai in 1972 and has since worked on movies and toured Africa, Europe, and America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anindo Chatterjee</span> Musical artist

Pandit Anindo Chatterjee is an Indian tabla player of the Farukhabad gharana school. He was born into a musical family. Chatterjee is a disciple of Pandit Jnan Prakash Ghosh.

<i>Ravi Shankars Festival from India</i> 1968 studio album by Ravi Shankar

Ravi Shankar's Festival from India is a double album by Indian musician and composer Ravi Shankar, released on World Pacific Records in December 1968. It contains studio recordings made by a large ensemble of performers, many of whom Shankar had brought to the United States from India. Among the musicians were Shivkumar Sharma, Jitendra Abhisheki, Palghat Raghu, Lakshmi Shankar, Aashish Khan and Alla Rakha. The project presented Indian classical music in an orchestral setting, so recalling Shankar's work as musical director of All India Radio in the years before he achieved international fame as a soloist during the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milind Chittal</span> Indian singer

Milind Chittal is an Indian classical vocalist. Chittal is the son of Kannada writer Yashwant Chittal. He trained under Firoz Dastur of the Kirana Gharana. He is also a qualified chartered accountant.

Bhairav is one of the ten basic thaats of Hindustani music from the Indian subcontinent. It is also the name of a raga within this thaat. But there is no connection in the similarity between in the names of the thaat and the raga.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bor, Joep (1990). Rag Shankara, Rag Mala in Jogia (CD booklet). Ram Narayan. England: Nimbus Records. NI 5245.
  2. 1 2 3 Bor, Joep; Rao, Suvarnalata; Van der Meer, Wim; Harvey, Jane (1999). The Raga Guide. Nimbus Records. p. 144. ISBN   0-9543976-0-6.
  3. Deshapande, Vamanrao H. (1989). Between two tanpuras. Popular Prakashan. p. 132. ISBN   0-86132-226-6.
  4. Martinez, José Luiz (2001) [1997]. Semiosis in Hindustani music. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 283. ISBN   81-208-1801-6.
  5. 1 2 3 Bor 1999, p. 92
  6. 1 2 Manuel, Peter (1989). Ṭhumrī in historical and stylistic perspectives. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 205. ISBN   81-208-0673-5.
  7. Bor 1999, p. 181
  8. 1 2 Sorrell, Neil; Narayan, Ram (1980). Indian Music in Performance: a practical introduction. Manchester University Press. pp. 100, 114. ISBN   0-7190-0756-9.
  9. 1 2 "Gujari Ragini". Victoria and Albert Museum . Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  10. 1 2 Hunt, Ken. "Ræg Shankara/Ræg Mala in Jogia". Allmusic . Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  11. 1 2 Murthi, R. S. (7 June 1992). "Rhythm of the universe". New Straits Times. p. 11.