A – Raga CDs of the Months (03/2023): Pentatonic Ragas… 5 Tone Scales (part 2 of 2: Raga Malkauns – King of Raags)

review of part 1 (date of broadcasting: 26th February 2023)…

The pentatonical ragas (scale of notes with five tones) are far common in India, equally in North Indian Classic (Hindustani) as in South Indian Music (Carnatic). The pentatonical ragas create a multi layered spectrum, a musical taste which can be regognized easily by the listeners. A magical power is being attributed to these ragas …

The material of notes originally was used for religious ceremonies and rites in many cultures all over the world… first it had consisted of only two tones, was developed to three tone scales and progressed in the antique Greece to a scale of four tones (tetra chord system).

A more differentiated scaling form of the five tone music (so called pentatonic) was formed particularly in East and South Asia, in front in China, Japan and India. Also in Blues and Afro American music the 5 tone scheme is in practice.

preview of  part 2…

Raga mAlkauns (or Malkosh) is in North Indian Classical music (Hindustani) very popular with the audience and musicians. In the South of India Malkauns is well known as Ragam hindOLam (Carnatic Music). It is a 5 tone Raga with a 300 to 400 years old history and multivarious development.

dates of broadcasting…

12th March 2023 – 05:00-05:58 p.m. EST (11:00-11:58 p.m. CET) @ Radio FRO (A)
(premiere: 5th February 2008 @ Tide Radio 96.0)
broadcasting plan | streaming (Internet Radio & Mobile Radio) | podCast

Contrary to our western music culture the Indian Classical Music and the raga-s aim at an atmospheric sound picture by instrumental or vocal improvisation to connect with certain feelings, tendencyfully paintings conveying a special atmosphere and with emotional expressions.

The 5 tone raga Malkauns for example reflects a portrait of the dark, secret one and is helping to a menthal stabilization. The Raga Durga carries the names of the ambivalent, semi terrible hindustic goddess Durga. The penthatonic raga Bhupali is awarded a healing, positive effect, which shifts the listener into an easy, joyfully and relaxed tension.

Malkauns is played to the late evening hour as midnight raga. The tendency of this majestic Raga is meditative and introverted, it’s modality is unique.

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ascending and descending scales of Raga mAlkauns (Bhairavi Thaat):

audav-audav | ‘n S g m d n S’ – S’ n d n d m g m g S ‘n S

Ragam hindOLam (Melakartha system No. 20: naTabhairavi): S G2 M1 D1 N2 S – S N2 D1 M1 G2 S
..

Indian music maestros award to this Raga supernatural forces. By Malkauns even bad spirit can be driven out. The Indian Author V. Murthy who is living in Bangalore calls mAlkauns “king of the Ragas“.