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From Raga to Bollywood: Developments and Intercultural Crossings in Indian Music

From Raga to Bollywood: Developments and Intercultural Crossings in Indian Music. Chapter 8. Ravi Shankar. Ravi Shankar (1920-2012), accompanied in this video by his long-time musical partner, tabla drumming master Alla Rakha , is the focus of this chapter

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From Raga to Bollywood: Developments and Intercultural Crossings in Indian Music

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  1. From Raga to Bollywood: Developments and Intercultural Crossings in Indian Music Chapter 8

  2. Ravi Shankar • Ravi Shankar (1920-2012), accompanied in this video by his long-time musical partner, tabla drumming master AllaRakha, is the focus of this chapter • Master of the sitar, master performer of Hindustani raga, arguably the most central figure in the phenomenon of “world music” globally • Chapter centers on his career and legacy, both within the raga tradition and as a global pioneer and icon of world music broadly defined. • Trailer for the film Raga: Ravi Shankar

  3. Lineage of Ravi Shankar (Fig. 8.1, p. 124)

  4. Indian Music in Context • India • Diverse geographically, ecologically • Second most populous nation (after China), with over a billion people • More than 200 languages and 1600 dialects spoken • Home to ancient civilization dating back more than 5000 years • North India (Hindustani) vs. South India (Karnatak); distinction thought to date from ca. 1500 BCE • Religion • Hinduism • Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva) • Bhajan[PL 8-1] • Nada Brahma: “The Sound of God” (sacredness of sound, music as path toward communion with divine) • Islam • Significant in North India (Hindustani) but minimal in South (Karnatak) • Sufism • Devotional song [PL 8-2]; qawwali (NusratFateh Ali Khan) [PL 8-3] • Other: Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Christianity, etc.

  5. Musical Diversity • Thousands of folk, religious, devotional, popular, and film music genres. • Bollywood = Bombay (now Mumbai) + Hollywood • Bhangra – popular musical style from Punjab originally; often featured in Bollywood films, music videos • JasbirJassi • “KudiKudi” (Girl Girl) [PL 8-4] • “EkGedaGidheVichHorJassi”

  6. Two Great Classical Traditions (see also Table 8.1, p. 127)

  7. The Hindustani Raga of Northern India • “We turn now to a journey through the world of North Indian music from a vantage point specifically linked to the life, career, and influence of Ravi Shankar. In this section, we explore the unique sounds, rhythms, and instruments of Hindustani raga, using recordings that feature Shankar as our main guides. In the next section, we touch on Shankar’s encounters and associations with Western musicians, including the Beatles, and we explore a variety of examples that reflect the rich musical syncretism of such intercultural encounters along the way. The recordings by John Coltrane, John McLaughlin and Shakti, Bombay Dub Orchestra, and A. R. Rahman that we will examine are all reflective of such syncretism.” p. 129

  8. Ravi Shankar and the MaiharGharana • Shankar biography • Born 1920 • Brahmin caste (see I&P box, p. 130) • Child prodigy – toured Europe as dancer with brother Uday • Paris 1930s – Allaudin Khan (guru “Baba”), Yehudi Menuhin • Trained with Baba in Maihar (Maihargharana– see I&P box, p. 131) • 1950s – concerts and recordings in West with Menuhin popularized Indian music internationally • 1960s – John Coltrane, George Harrison/Beatles, Monterey Pop (1967) and Woodstock (1969), w. Alla Rakha

  9. Musical Guided Tour: “An Introduction to Indian Music” (Ravi Shankar) • Access at OLC: www. mhhe.com/bakan3e • Text transcript, p. 132 • Audio track only available as PL 8-11 • Terms introduced (to which we shall return) • Raga • Tala • Alap • Tintal • Theka • Sam • Instruments • Sitar (melody) [labeled diagram, Fig. 8.2, p. 133] • Tambura (drone) [photo, p. 134] • Tabla (rhythm/meter) [labeled diagram, Fig. 8.3, p. 134]

  10. Other Hindustani Instruments • Sarod • Ali Akbar Khan [PL 8-15] photo, p. 136 [PL 8-15]; sarod is also featured on “Monsoon Malabar” [PL 2-20, 4:46] • Violin • N. Rajam [PL 8-16] • Bansuri • Raghunath Seth [PL 8-17]; bansuri is also featured on “Monsoon Malabar” [PL 2-20, 4:20] • Shahnai • Bismillah Khan (cue video to 0:37) [PL 8-18] • Sarangi • Ram Narayan [PL 8-19] • Note: Photos of all of these instruments may be found on p. 136 of the text. In each case except for one (bansuri), the performers seen in the photos are the same as those featured on the recordings and in the videos. The bansuri player in the photo is Benjamin Koen rather than Raghunath Seth.

  11. Muslim Musicians in Hindustani Musical Society (I&P Box, p. 134) • “It may seem peculiar that the realm of Hindustani instrumental music, in which music is treated explicitly as a path toward spiritual enlightenment, is so heavily populated by followers of Islam, a religion that, in its familiar orthodox manifestations at least, views music as suspect where religious worship is concerned. As with other religions, though, Islam is highly diverse and takes many forms. The kind of Islam that developed in northern India (at least among denizens of the Hindustani music culture) shared with Hinduism a concept of music as a sacred, devotional art. Historically, this was partly the result of its absorption of Hindu influences, and, as was alluded to earlier, partly a product of the fact that Sufism was a major force in the spread of Islam to India.” p. 135 • Ravi Shankar (Hindu) and AllaRakha (Muslim) a celebrated “interfaith” musical partnership. • RS and AR performing together at Monterey Pop in 1967 [PL 8-12] • AllaRakha and his son, Zakir Hussain, in an amazing “dueling tablas” performance [PL 8-13] • Zakir Hussain and the Rhythm Experience, “Balinese Fantasy” (nod to a different Hindu culture; see Chapter 7) [PL 8-14]

  12. Raga Defined (pp. 137-38) • Each raga has a distinctive set of features that includes: • An identifying set of pitches, more or less a “scale,” which usually consists of seven ascending pitches and seven descending pitches per octave. • A unique repertoire of melodic ornaments and melodic motives, many incorporating microtones. • A system of rules and procedures for dealing with the various pitches, ornaments, and melodic motives of the raga in relation to one another. • A repertoire of set (precomposed) compositions that is unique to that particular raga. • A host of extramusical associations, which may link a given raga to a particular time of day (e.g., morning raga [PL 4-2] evening raga [PL 4-3]); season of the year, ceremonial event, or emotional state (rasa).

  13. Tala: Meter and Rhythm in Raga Performance • Standard features of a tala summarized (I&P box, p. 138): • Each tala has a specific number of beats (e.g., 16 beats for tintal, 10 beats for jhaptal); the number ranges from as few as 3 beats per cycle to more than 100 beats per cycle. • The metric cycle of the tala has a specific pattern of relatively stronger and weaker beats. • The basic, “skeletal” drumming pattern that defines the tala is called the theka. • The first beat of each talacycle—which simultaneously functions as the last beat of the preceding cycle—is called sam.

  14. Barhat: How a Raga “Grows” • Barhat: “the gradual, note-by-note expansion of a raga’s melodic range as it is being performed.” (p. 139) • Word derives from a Hindi verb meaning to increase, to multiply, or to grow. • Various metaphors are used to symbolize the musical growth process of barhat, from the growing of a seed to the act of making love • The raga is internalized not as some tangible music entity like a “piece of music” in the Western sense, but as a template for musical action that has been developed through many years of devoted study and practice. • George Ruckert characterizes a raga as “a map a musician follows in his or her creation of a musical performance: a catalog of melodic movements that the artist unfolds, details, and expands while following a traditional performance format that has been passed down orally from teacher to student,” generation after generation.

  15. Form in Raga Performance • Alap • Improvised by the melodic soloist (e.g., the sitar player) with only drone accompaniment • Exploratory journey through the raga’s melodic essence and range of possibility. No drumming, no meter, no set compositions • Jor • Intermediary section bridging alap and gat • More rhythmically active than alap, but still no drumming or metric cycle (tala) • Gat • Marked by entry of tabla and establishment of the tala • Performance becomes highly interactive between melodic soloist and drummer • Alternation between passages featuring set compositions and others featuring improvisation • General tendencies: increase in tempo, progressively longer and complex patterns and sections • Jhala • Typically the ending portion of a raga performance • Marked by sudden jump in tempo and intensity, then by further acceleration/intensification • Playing style on the melodic instrument (e.g., sitar) becomes almost percussive

  16. Keeping Tal with Ravi Shankar (pp. 141-43) • Marking the beats in a tala • Tali (x) = full beats – mark with a clap • Khali (o) = “empty” beats – mark with a silent wave • Matra (not in text) = regular beats – mark with finger counts (see Fig. 8.6, p. 142 • Sam (X) = first/last beat of cycle (strongest tali) – mark with loud clap • Tintal (16 beats): • Practice keeping tal with PL 8-11, 1:45-2:00 and then 2:58-3:30 (which is difficult because of the fast tempo and the closing tihai-- see p. 143)

  17. GLE: “Raga Sindhi-Bhairavi” [PL 8-21] • Ravi Shankar (sitar), Chatur Lal (tabla), plus tambura (N. C. Mullick) • Also from the Ravi Shankar album The Sounds of India • Raga Sindhi-Bhairavi • Belongs to Bhairavifamily of morning ragas (though often performed at night, i.e., late at night crossing over into morning, at end of concert) • Identified with the female form of Bhairavi: • “The great poets sing of Bhairavi, the consort of Lord Bhairava, worshipping her Lord seated on a carved crystal on the peak of Mount Kailasa with soft leaves of full blossomed lotus flowers. She holds cymbals in her hands, and her eyes sparkle with a yellowish glint.” • “Light classical” raga – penance, forgiveness, calm, appeasement (but Shankar’s performance more “aggressive”) • Aroha: Bb C Eb F G Eb F Ab Bb C • Avroha: C Bb A Bb Ab G F Eb G F Eb D Eb Db C • Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Da Ni = C Db Eb F G Ab Bb

  18. Guided Listening Quick Summary, Pt. 1: OPENING DEMONSTRATION OF RAGA AND TALA • 0:00–0:15 • Ravi Shankar introduces and demonstrates the different ascending (aroha) and descending (avroha) forms of the “basic” scale of Raga Sindhi-Bhairavi. • 0:16–0:26 • Shankar explains that the tala will be tintal, “a rhythmic cycle of 16 beats.” ALAP • 0:27–4:23 • Following the establishment of the tambura drone and a taruf (glissando) across the sitar’s sympathetic resonance strings, Shankar progressively explores the notes, contours, and other characteristics of the raga through a free-rhythm sitar improvisation that gradually builds in melodic range, rhythmic activity, and intensity. • 4:24–4:52 • Increasing rhythmic activity and regularity in this last portion of the alap foreshadow the changing rhythmic character of what is to come.

  19. Guided Listening Quick Summary, Pt. 2 JOR • 4:53–5:51 • Rhythmic strumming on the jhala strings, combined with near-perpetual rhythmic motion overall, characterizes this transitional section linking the preceding alap to the gat that follows. GAT • 5:52–7:03 • A tabla flourish and another taruf on the sitar (5:52–5:54) mark the arrival of the gat. • The 16-beat tintal metric cycle is established starting at 5:58, preceded by seven even-paced melodic notes played on the sitar with tabla accompaniment. • The form alternates between statements of the principal melodic motive (chalan) and brief improvised passages (toda) played by Shankar on the sitar. • 7:04–9:22 • Shankar moves away from the chalan-toda alternation format to perform a more extended improvisation, then returns to the chalan-toda format at 7:25; the section at 8:13 adds new levels of rhythmic complexity, including a shift from duple to triple subdivisions of the beat.

  20. Guided Listening Quick Summary, Pt. 3 (GAT, cont.) • 9:23–11:25 • The antara section, in which new melodic material is introduced, commences at 9:23; this is followed by a return to the chalan melody just over a minute later and by passages of improvisation that build the music’s intensity. • 11:26–12:35 • The gat concludes with a final section called drut gat (fast gat), which is marked by a sudden increase in tempo, extended passages of improvisation, and increasingly active drumming. JHALA • 12:36–end • Another jump in tempo and driving rhythms highlighting the jhala strings of the sitar signal the commencement of this closing section of the performance. • A series of exciting tempo accelerations and continually growing intensity drive toward the climactic, closing tihai at 14:49.

  21. Intercultural Crossings and Transformations • Ravi Shankar collaborated with Yehudi Menuhin beginning in the 1950s • Iconic recording: West Meets East(1967) [PL 8-22] • Shankar also recorded with major jazz musicians includingthe • “Fire Night,” from album Improvisations(1962), w. flutist Bud Shank, bassist Gary Peacock, drummer Louis Hayes [PL 8-23] • He heavily influenced the great jazz saxophonist John Coltrane as well • Coltrane, “India” [PL 8-24] • Coltrane studied briefly with Shankar in the winter of 1964-1965; plans for further, intensive studies never materialized due to his untimely death (1967)

  22. Ravi Shankar, the Beatles, and the “Great Sitar Explosion” • George Harrison • Legend has it he first came across a sitar on set of movie Help! • Played a sitar solo on “Norwegian Wood”(Beatles, Rubber Soul, 1965) [PL 8-25] • Lifelong studies with Ravi Shankar from 1966; deeper integration of sitar and Indian music elements reflected that same year in “Love You To” (Beatles, Revolver) [PL 8-26] • Ultimate foray into Indian music on “Within You, Without You” (Beatles, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967) [PL 8-27] • “Sitar rock” and “great sitar explosion” ensued • Drug use and “tripping out” to raga (disturbing to Shankar) • Shankar becomes unwitting pop superstar • Many bands used sitars, other Indian elements (though often superficially) • Rolling Stones, “Paint It, Black” [PL 8-28]

  23. A New Level: John McLaughlin and Shakti • John Mclaughlin • Virtuoso British jazz guitarist • Grew up also playing blues, flamenco, rock; also deeply into Western classical music as a youth • Moved to New York in 1969 and joined Miles Davis’s band • Formed Mahavishnu Orchestra, innovative jazz-rock fusion band, in 1971 • Mahavishnu Orchestra, “Birds of Fire”[PL 8-29] • Joined Zakir Hussain (tabla), L. Shankar (violin – Ravi’s nephew), and South Indian percussionists R. Raghavanand T. H. Vinayakaramto form the Indian/jazz fusion group Shaktiin 1976

  24. GLE: Shakti, “Joy” [PL 8-30] • 0:00–2:23 • Main melody (0:29–2:23) follows spoken introduction by McLaughlin (0:00–0:28). • Melody, mainly played in guitar-violin unison, is complex rhythmically but is anchored by a 16-beat tala. • Melody is accompanied by drone, tabla, and South Indian percussion. • 2:24–2:34 • Tabla solo by Zakir Hussain. • 2:35–5:04 • Improvised guitar solo by John McLaughlin. • 5:05–6:50 • Improvised violin solo by L. Shankar. • 6:51–17:17 • McLaughlin (guitar) and L. Shankar (violin) take turns soloing, going back and forth several times (with occasional unison passages in-between). • 17:18–end • Final, climactic reprise of main melody.

  25. Bollywood: A. R. Rahman • Leading Bollywood composer, music director, and singer • One of world’s top-selling musical artists of all time – 300 million-plus recordings sold • Classically trained in Hindustani and Karnatak music, also studied qawwali w. NusratFateh Ali Khan • Has performed and recordedwith many top Indian musicians, including as keyboardist with Zakir Hussain on album Colours [PL 8-31] • Oscar-winning composer for score/song (“Jai Ho”) of 2008 international hit film Slumdog Millionaire. • A. R. Rahman, “Jai Ho” [PL 8-32] • Time magazine included him on 2009 “Time 100” list of world’s most influential people; called him “the Mozart of Madras”

  26. GLE, A. R. Rahman, “Barso Re” [PL 8-33] • From the Bollywood film Guru, starring Aishwarya Rai in role of Sujata • In “Barso Re,” she celebrates coming of the rainy season in most dramatic fashion. • Rai appears to be singing the song, but it is voiced by Shreya Ghoshal, a leading Bollywood playback singer. • Though not a raga performance by any measure, barhat-like process of growth defines the performance overall.

  27. Guided Listening Quick Summary, “Barso Re,” Pt. 1 INTRODUCTION • 0:00–0:44 • A Brazilian berimbau (musical bow) sets the tone for the song with a drone-like rhythmic ostinato. • A simple motive on a single pitch is introduced by the singer, Shreya Ghoshal, at 0:04. • The opening motive is extended and developed melodically in call-and-response dialogue between the voice and a bansuri (flute) until 0:32. • The texture changes in the last part of the introduction (0:33–0:44): voice and berimbau drop out, drums enter, harmonized bansuri melody introduced, electronic groove established. FIRST VERSE (VERSE I) • 0:45–1:25 • First part of verse (0:45–1:00) extends the barhat-like development of the opening motive, but now with words. • Change to more tuneful melodic character at 1:01. Singing becomes coy and playful in last few seconds before the chorus (1:20–1:25).

  28. Guided Listening Quick Summary, “Barso Re,” Pt. 2 FIRST CHORUS (CHORUS I) • 1:26–1:43 • The chorus arrives dramatically with ascending, harmonized vocals and a bhangra-inspired electro-acoustic groove (with dhol drum). INTERLUDE I • 1:44–2:27 • An apparent second verse at 1:44 never materializes, instead giving way to new melodic sections featuring, first, a male vocalist, and second, harmonized bansuri. BRIEF REPRISE OF INTRODUCTION • 2:28–2:31 • Abrupt change in texture as the berimbau ostinato of the opening reappears in anticipation of the second verse.

  29. Guided Listening Quick Summary, “Barso Re,” Pt. 3 SECOND VERSE (VERSE II) • 2:32–3:24 • The second verse becomes an extended and developed variation on the first, with additional improvisation, ornamentation, textural variety, and other new features, as well as an overall increase in length (12 seconds longer). Exemplifies barhat process within the verse-chorus song form. SECOND CHORUS (CHORUS II) • 3:25–3:41 • Essentially the same as Chorus I. INTERLUDE II • 3:42–3:59 • Instrumental interlude introduces some new musical materials and links the preceding chorus to the verse to follow.

  30. Guided Listening Quick Summary, “Barso Re,” Pt. 4 THIRD VERSE (VERSE III) • 4:00–4:40 • This verse is the same length as Verse I (shorter than Verse II). THIRD CHORUS (CHORUS III) • 4:41–end • Starts off the same as the earlier choruses, but is extended and varied toward the end; at one point the instruments drop out, leaving just voices; last section (from 5:10) features exciting, Indian classical music–inspired vocal improvisation by Ghoshal.

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