DE – Raga CDs des Monats (02/2013): Alankaras – 10 Typen der Ragaornamentik (Teil 1 u. 2)

IMC OnAir’s monatliche Sendung im Februar @ radio multicult.fm (Berlin) befasst sich mit den zehn wesentlichen Alankar-s. Die Alankara-s können in ihrem Charakter in vier Haupttypen (m. 10 Charakteren) gruppiert werden.

Der indische Begriff Alankar oder Alankara stammt aus dem Sanskrit, der alten Wisschenschaftssprache Indiens. Die  Bedeutung ist vielfältig: Schmuck (jewelry),literarische Ausschmückung oder Dekoration. Als Sabda-Alankara wird die Ornamentierung durch Klang, der dekorative Gebrauch von Klang oder von schmückenden Wörtern bezeichnet. Die letzte vor ca. 100-150 Jahren geordnete Klassifizierung in der indischen Klassik war auch als Shabdalankar bekannt.

S e n d e t e r m i n e …

17. Februar 2013 – 15:00-17:00 Uhr CET (09:00 am EST) @ radio multicult.fm (DE)
(Premiere: 17. August/21. Sept. 2009 – 22:00 Uhr @ TIDE Radio)
broadcasting plan | streaming (Internet Radio & Mobile Radio) | podCast

Im Vergleich zu der früheren Klassifizierung Shabdalankar, in der die indischen Musikschulen, die Gharana-s erhebliche Unterschiede aufwiesen, reduziert sich die in unserer heutigen Zeit gebräuchliche Clusterung (10 Charaktere) auf die Behandlung der Noten, der swara-s. Es sind:

1. Asthai Alankar – die Rückkehr zur Anfangsnote,
2. Arohi Alankar – eine Notensequenz in der aufsteigenden Skala,
3. Amrohi Alankar – eine Notensequenz in der absteigenden Skala und
4. Sanchari Alankar als eine Kombination der Typen 1-3.

In der barocken Zeit der westlichen Klassik diente die Ornamentik zur Ausschmückung der Melodielinien. Der Gesangsinterpret improvisierte mit der Ornamentierung, wie wir es noch heute in der irischen Musiktradition wiederfinden. Die indischen Noten sind “nicht statisch”; kürzer gespielte Staccato-Noten (im Italienischen bedeutet staccare “abreißen”) oder einzelne für sich gespielte Noten sind nicht hörbar.

4 examples of Alankara-s (Source: Sitar Technique in Nibaddh Forms (written by Stephen Slawek, 1987))

Die Swara-s stehen in ständiger Verbindung zueinander. Jede Note ist verknüpft mit der Vorherigen und Nachfolgenden. Solche Vorschlagsnoten (“grace notes“) – Kan-Swara-s – sind die Grundlage für jede Form der Ornamentik, den Alankara-s. Die Alankara-s sind der Kern für die Entfaltung und Schönheit eines Ragas.

Der früheste Bezug zu diesem Begriff findet sich mit 33 Alankars in dem Natyashastra, ein Grundlagenwerk des Weisen “Bharata” zu den darstellenden Künsten des antiken Indiens. Die Schrift wird zwischen 200 vor Christus und etwas 100 nach Christi Geburt datiert. Weitere bedeutende Abhandlungen zur Klassifizierung der Alankars sind das Sangeet Ratnakar von Sharangdev im 13. Jahrhundert und das Sangeet Parijat von Ahobal im 17. Jahrhundert, in denen 63 bzw. 68 Typen von Alankars beschrieben werden.

• s.a. IMC OnAir’s Sendung aus Juni 2012 (Erstsendetermin: November 2008):
  Mikrotöne im Hindustani Sangeet. – Die mikrotonale Struktur indischer Ragas.

Alankars Technique for the Sitar (video tutorial @ eHow)
by Amelia Maciszewski (Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology) – www.sangeetmillennium.org.com

Kan-Sawra-s in a Classic Raag Bhairavi
by violinist Milind Raikar – www.violinmilind.com

DE – Raga Cds of the Months (02/2013): Alankaras – 10 types of Raga Ornaments (part 1 & 2)

IMC OnAir’s monthly radio show being broadcasted in Berlin @ radio multicult.fm and worldwide as webradio – are concerning the Alankar-s. They can be grouped in four main types (with 10 different characters).

The Indian term Alankar or Alankara originates from Sanskrit, the old science language of India. The meaning is various: decoration (jewelry), literary embellishment or decoration. As Sabda Alankara it designates  as ornaments by sound, decorative use of sound or use of decorating words. The last classification in Indian Classics before approx. 100-150 years was known also as Shabdalankar.

dates of broadcasting…

17th Febr 2013 – 9:00-11:00 am EST (3:00-5:00 pm CET) @ radio multicult (DE)
(premiere: 17th August/21st Sept 2009 (10:00 pm CET) @ TIDE Radio)
broadcasting plan | streaming (Internet Radio & Mobile Radio) | podCast

Compared with the earlier classification Shabdalankar, in that the Indian schools of music (Gharana-s) exhibited substantial differences. In our current times it is reduced as common clustering to the treatment of the Indian notes, the swara-s. There is:

1. Asthai Alankar – the return to the initial note,
2. Arohi Alankar – a note sequence in the ascending scale,
3. Amrohi Alankar – a note sequence in the descending scale and
4. Sanchari Alankar as a combination of type 1-3.

In the baroque area of Western classics the ornaments served mainly for the decoration of melody lines. Vocalists improvised with the ornaments like we  know it till this day from the Irish music tradition. Indian notes are “not static”, here briefly played Staccato notes (in Italian staccare means “tears off”) or single notes played “stand alone” are not audible.

4 examples of Alankara-s (Source: Sitar Technique in Nibaddh Forms (written by Stephen Slawek, 1987))

The Swara-s are located in constant connection to each other. Each note is linked with the previous one and following. Such ”grace notes“ –  Kan-Swara-s – are the basis for each form of ornaments, the Alankara-s. They are the core for the development and beauty of Ragas.

The earliest reference to this term can be found in the Natyashastra with 33 Alankars, an elementar work to the visual arts of acient India written by the sage “Bharata”. It is dated between 200 BC and 200 AC. Further important treatises for the classification of the Alankars are the Sangeet Ratnakar of Sharangdev in 13th century and the Sangeet Parijat of Ahobal in 17th Century, in which 63 and 68 types of Alankars are described.

• see IMC OnAir’s show of June 2012 (premiere: November 2008):
  Microtones in Hindustani Sangeet – the Microtonal Structure of Indian Ragas.

Alankars Technique for the Sitar (video tutorial @ eHow)
by Amelia Maciszewski (Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology) – www.sangeetmillennium.org.com

Kan-Sawra-s in a Classic Raag Bhairavi
by violinist Milind Raikar – www.violinmilind.com

Pandit Jasraj: Young Generation is turning to Indian classical music…

First Published: 10:06 IST(15/2/2013)
Last Updated: 00:03 IST(16/2/2013)

MASTER IN CONVERSATION by SD Sharma

February 15, 2013

English: Pandit Jasraj (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Very few Indian classical music maestros have elicited the kind of adulation, love and affection in both India and abroad that Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj has. The celebrated exponent of Hindustani music is a doyen of Mewati gharana remains modest at 83 years of age, being in control of his voice, with music vibrating in the veins and nerves of his mind and soul.

 In Chandigarh recently to perform at Tagore Theatre during a concert organised by the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi, Pandit Jasraj offered his comments on music. Belonging to the fourth generation of an illustrious music family, Pandit Jasraj was initiated into the field by his father, Pandit Motiram. He then underwent intensive tutelage under his elder brother, Pandit Maniram.

Married to former director Madhura, daughter of Bollywood director V Shantaram, Pandit’s children Shaarangdev and Durga Jasraj and their cousins Sulkshna Pandit and Jatin-Lalit are all accomplished in various fields.

Recipient of numerous awards, the legendary maestro says, “With its depths of tradition in primitive and folk regional genres, Indian classical music is both ancient and modern. For instance, many softening influences had been incorporated to complex genres such as Dhrupad gayaki, thereby paving a way for a more acceptable khayal gayaki.” The vocalist adds that Indian music, which comes from Hindustani and Carnatic schools, is scientific in structure and sublime in character.

The master performer, who is heads Pandit Jasraj Institute of Music, with seven centres in the US and two in Canada, discloses that there are more takers for instrumental music as against vocals from amongst 2,000 students. On the current trends, Pandit Jasraj comments that an increasing number of youngsters are turning to Indian classical music after facing disappointment in TV reality shows.

Belonging to Hissar in Haryana, Pandit Jasraj says he feels upbeat about the popularity of Punjabi music, especially in the Hindi film industry, with many songs inspired form the state’s folk music.

Before signing off, Pandit Jasraj remembers the loss that was dealt to the music world by the passing away of legends including Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Jagjit Singh, Pandit Ravi Shankar and Mehdi Hasan. However, he feels that bemoaning the tragedies alone will not help. “We must imbibe the best of their traits, ideals and spirit, which I feel will be the best and eternal tribute to those legends,” says Pandit Jasraj.

(Source: 02/2013 – Hinustani Times | Punjab – chandigarh)