27 February 2013

Raga Season continues. I will be live-tweeting track titles and interesting musical moments @vonwichert.

Set #1 - 8:30am - 10:00am

1. Raga Marwa (rec. 1997)
Vilayat Khan - sitar, Anindo Chatterjee - tabla
Navras Records, NRCD 0101
65:07
(Scale: C Db E F# A B. Emphasized notes: Db and A. Weak note: C. Entirely missing note: G. Many commentators talk about the disorientation inherent in this tonal regime. Wikipedia says: "For western listeners the tone material may feel strange. As the sixth is emphasised while the tonica is omitted it may feel like playing in A Major, while the base tone is C (not C sharp). If the musician turns back to Sa [C] at the end of a phrase it always comes like a surprise note." Playtime: Sunset, "the transition from light to dark, when the mind and body are in a state of unrest." It's always twilight somewhere in the world.)

Set #2 - 10:00am - 11:00am

2. Vallabha Nayaka et al.
55:42
(In four "movements", alternating between 7- and 8-beat time cycles. Each of the percussion instruments plays several solos before joining together for the finale.)

3. Visvesvara
15:10
(In 7, but maybe 6.)

Tracks 2-3
Karaikudi R. Mani's Sruthi Laya Carnatic Talavadya Ensemble: Karaikudi R. Mani - mrdangam [double-sided drum], C. N. Chandrashekar - violin, G. R. Harishankar - kanjira [tambourine], T. V. Vasan - ghatam [clay water jug], Srirangam S. Kannan - mursing [jaw harp]
Layapriya
Audiorec Classics, 766032 1028-2
(No tabla here; this is South Indian.)

20 February 2013

I will be live-tweeting track titles and interesting musical moments @vonwichert.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:00am

1. Raga Charukeshi
Rash Behari Datta - sitar, Mustafa Raza - vina, Sarvar Sabri - tabla
Raga Charu-Keshi for Sitar & Veena
ARC Music, EUCD 2197
64:09
(Jugalbandi, or duet, one idea realized through two pairs of hands. The scale is the Mixolydian mode with a flat 6th. C D E F G Ab Bb. "The raga displays a mood of love and separation.")

Set #2 - 9:00am - 9:45am

2. Raga Kalavati
20:45
(The scale is: C E G A Bb. Like the boogie-woogie bass line. Important notes are G and C. Playtime: Midnight.)

3. Raga Mishra Shivranjani
10:08
(Dorian pentatonic. C D Eb G A.)

Tracks 2-3 (rec. 2005)
Deepak Ram - bansuri flute, Anindo Chatterjee - tabla, Michel Lewis - tanpura
One Breath: North Indian Classical Music
Golden Horn Records, GHP 030-2

Set #3 - 9:45am - 11:00am

4. Raga Bihag
30:21
(Ascending: C E F G B. Descending: C B A G F# E F-natural E D C. Major/Lydian mixed. Important notes are E and B. Playtime: Late night.)

5. Raga Kalavati
29:15

6. Raga Chandrakauns
10:05
(C Eb F Ab B. Important notes are F and C. Playtime: Late night.)

Tracks 4-6
G. S. Sachdev - bansuri flute, Zakir Hussain - tabla
Spirit
Audiorec Classics, 766032 1029-2

06 February 2013

I will be live-tweeting track titles @vonwichert.

Set #1 - 8:00am - 9:30am

1. Steve Reich: Violin Phase (1967)
Shem Guibbory - violin
15:09

2. Steve Reich: Music for a Large Ensemble (1978)
Steve Reich & Musicians
15:28

3. Steve Reich: Octet (1979)
Steve Reich & Musicians
17:29

Tracks 1-3
ECM Records, ECM 1168

4. Steve Reich: Pendulum Music (I) (1968, rec. 1998)
4:38

5. Steve Reich: Pendulum Music (II) (1968, rec. 1998)
5:01

6. Steve Reich: Pendulum Music (III) (1968, rec. 1998)
4:38

Tracks 4-6
Ensemble Avantgarde: Steffen Schleiermacher & Martin Demmler - electronics
Wergo, WER 6630-2

7. Steve Reich: Clapping Music (1972)
Pierre-Laurent Aimard - clapping
3:27

8. Steve Reich: Music for Pieces of Wood (1973)
Pierre-Laurent Aimard - piano
7:58

Tracks 7-8
African Rhythms
Teldec, 8573 86584-2

Set #2 - 9:30am - 11:00am

9. Steve Reich: Drumming (1970-71)
Steve Reich & Musicians
Deutsche Grammophon, 474 323-2
85'