Music - theory exam

Sangitam

• samyak gitam iti sangitam

• Melodious and pleasant music

Touryatrikam

• “gitam vadyam tatha nrityam trayam sangeeta muchyate”

• confluence of gita (vocal music), nritya( dance music), and vadya(instrumental music)

Nada

• Any musical sound with a regular frequency

• “na karam praNa namanam dakaram analo viduhu “

• Nada = na(prana/life force) + da(agni/energy)

• “Nadatmakam jagat” - nada is all pervading and can we can become one with Brahman if we practice it correctly

Ati Sukshma

• nada from the naval part

• Very subtle

Sukshma

• nada from the heart

• Subtle

Pushta

• nada from the voice box

• Strong

Apushta

• nada from the head

• Soft

Kritrima

• nada from the nose

• Artificial

Ahata Nada

• nada which is struck

• Nada which is produced by human body or instruments

• Can be heard by the ear

Anahata Nada

• nada that is an inner divine feeling

• Cannot be heard through ears

Sariraja Nada

• produced in the human body

Nakhaja Nada

• produced using nails on stringed instruments

Dhanurja Nada

• produced through bowed instruments

Vayuja Nada

• produced through wind instruments

Charmaja Nada

• produced through percussion instruments

Lohaja Nada

• produced through metal instruments

Sruti

• “sruyanta iti sruti “

• minimum audible musical sound

• smallest difference of pitch

• 22 Srutis in one octave - Sage Bharata in “Natya Sastra”

• interwoven with swaras, not equally distributed like western style of music

Swara

• “Swato ranjayati srotru chittam su swara muchyate”

• musical note

Saptaswaras

• 7 swaras in one octave

• Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni

Sa

• Name: Shadjam

• explanation behind name: born out of six places of the mouth

• sound of a peacock

• Achala Swara(meaning it is a constant note)

Ri

• Full Name: Rishabham

• explanation: strong like a bull(vrishaba)

• sound of a cow

Ga

• Name: Gandharam

• Explanation: bliss and fineness

• sound of a goat

Ma

• Name: Madhyamam

• Explanation: middle note

• sound of a heron

Pa

• Name: Panchamam

• explanation: fifth note

• sound of a cuckoo

• Achala Swara(meaning it is a constant note)

Dha

• Name: Dhaivatam

• Explanation: valorous

• sound of a horse

Ni

• Name: Nishadam

• Explanation: Ultimate note

• sound of an elephant

Dwadasa Starantargata Sthanas

• instead of 7, we have 12 notes

• Shadjam, Suddha Rishabha(Ri 1), Chatushruti Rishaba(Ri 2), Sadharana Gandhara, Antara Gandhara, Suddha Madhyama, Prati Madhyama, Panchamam, Suddha Dhaivata, Chatushruti Dhaivata, Kaisiki Nishada, Kakali Nishada

• exaplanation: Sa and Pa are achala swaras(2); rest 5 notes have 2 varieties each(10); 10+2 = total 12 notes;

Shodasa Swaranamas - ASK TEACHER

• instead of 12, we now have 16 notes

• Shadjam, Suddha Rishabha(Ri 1), Chatushruti Rishaba(Ri 2), Suddha Gandhara, ShatSruti Rishabam(Ri3), Sadharana Gandhara, Antara Gandhara, Suddha Madhyama, Prati Madhyama, Panchamam, Suddha Dhaivatam, Suddha Nishada, ShatSruti Daivata, Chatushruti Dhaivata, Kaisiki Nishada, Kakali Nishada

• these 16 variations are used to makeany of the 72 melakartas

Arohana

• notes in ascending order

• SRGM PDNS

Avarohana

• notes in descending order

• SNDP MGRS

Sthayi

• octave

• types

  • 1.Anu Mandra(next lower)

    • written with 2 dots below note

  • 2. Mandra(lower)

    • written with 1 dot below the note

  • 3. Madhya(middle)

    • no dots; note only

  • 4. Tara(higher)

    • written with 1 dots above note

  • 5. Ati Tara(next higher)

    • written with 2 dots above note

Dhatu

• swaras in a composition

• “Vangmaturuchyate geyam dhaturityabhidheeyate”

Matu

• lyrics or words in a composition

• “Vangmaturuchyate geyam dhaturityabhidheeyate”

Tala

• time-scale to measure the melodic framework

• beats

• Suladi Sapta Talas: contemoprary 7 talas

  • with Jati variation, become 35

  • with Gati and Jati variation, become 175

• executed through divisions called Angas: (Laghu, Dhruta, Anudhruta, etc.)

  • subdivisions are called Kriyas

• “Takarasshankara prokto lakaro sshakti ruchyate”

  • Ta(from tandava) + La(from lasya) = tala

  • tandava and lasya represent dance of Shiva and Parvati

Avarta

• one cycle of a tala

• example: one avarta of Adi Tala is one Caturasa Jati laghu and two dhurtams

Akshara kala

• time taken to pronounce a single note or syllable

• changes in every speed

Prathama kala

• first speed

• 1 note/akshara per beat

Dwitiya Kala

• second speed

• 2 note/akshara per beat

Tritiya Kala - ASK TEACHER about symbolic representation(pg 12)

• third speed

• 4 notes/akshara per beat

Anudruta(U)

• one beat

Druta(O)

• one beat + wave hand; one beat on palm + one beat on back of hand

Laghu(|)

• : one beat + counting out fingers

Guru(8)

• counting two laghus with beat

Pluta(I)

• counting 3 laghus with beat

Kakapada(8+)

• counting 4 laghus without beat

Trisra Jati

• type of laghu

• 1 beat + 2 finger counts

• total kriyas: 3

Caturasra Jati

• 1 beat + 3 finger counts

• total kriyas: 4

Khanda Jati

• 1 beat + 4 finger counts

• total kriyas: 5

Misra Jati

• 1 beat + 6 finger counts

• total kriyas: 7

Sankirna Jati

• 1 beat + 8 finger counts

• total kriyas: 9

Suladi Sapta Talas

• eka tala, rupaka tala, triputa tala, mathya tala, jhampa tala, dhruva tala, ata tala

• named as such bc of Sri Purandara Dasu and Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya

  • composed songs called “Desi Suladis” in these seven talas

Eka Tala

• one Caturasa Jati laghu

• total kriyas: 4

Rupaka Tala

• one druta + one caturasa jati Laghu

• total kriyas: 6

Triputa Tala

• one trisra jati laghu + two dhruta

• total kriyas: 7

Mathya Tala

• one caturasa jati laghu + one dhruta + one caturasa jati laghu

• total kriyas: 10

Jhampa Tala

• one misra jati laghu + anudhruta + dhruta

• total kriyas: 10

Dhruva Tala

• one caturasa jati laghu + one dhruta + two caturasa jati laghu

• total kriyas: 14

Ata Tala

• two khanda jati laghus + two dhrutas

• total kriyas: 14

Sadharana Gitas

• gitas in praise of god

• also called Samanya, Lakshya, and Sancari Gitas

• example: Sri Gananadha

Ghana Raga Gitas

• gitas composed in Ghana Raga

• example: Re Re Sri Rama Chandra

Lakshana Gitas

• lakshana gitas describe characteristicas of a raga or some technical term

• example: Arere Jaya Jaya

  • describes Sriranjini raga,

    • its Arohana, Avarohana, melakarta number, etc.

Gita Composers

Sri Purandara Dasu and Pydala Gurumurty Sastry