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.)

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