Lights Out - Raga Yaman
It is comforting to sleep with a raga unfolding in the dark*, and thanks to the number of night ragas at hand, things don't get much boring. So I chose Raga Yaman (Kalyani in Carnatic tradition) last night, another of those big, mainstreet Indian classical ragas. I don't have the requisite knowledge to discourse on it, so I will differ to this excellent article by Rajan Parrikar on its musicology, its variants, and not the least, its extensive use in Bollywood music (a quick example: the song Mausam hai aashiquana from good ol' Pakheeza**). Of the many great versions of Raga Yaman that can be had for listening***, I prefer this one by Ustad Amir Khan just because I am in love with his voice. He takes an infinite amount (ok, fifty minutes more like) of time to unfold the raga - this is the way sleep happens with its slow drift of thoughts, and then silence.
* Yes, even though this is not the attitude required to get at the rasa
** Why lord, why do they want to wreck what was once marginally good, and thus consumable in Bollywood by remaking it?
*** This is Bhimu's (i.e., Bhimsen Joshi's) version of Yaman
Music Posts
... link (no comments) ... comment
Morning Music
Last evening I went along to an AMIS event here, and got to see the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra* (again), perform selections from the cycle of performances they will give in the upcoming year. The most memorable part of their performance was Edvard Grieg's incidental music, which he had composed for a minor Ibsen's play "Peer Gynt". As Classical Notes puts it, in the play:
"Peer Gynt, a sort of Nordic Everyman-figure with a mischeivous streak, travels through his life encountering a range of allegorical adventures, until, after years of wandering he realises the sterile selfishness of his existence and finds peace in the arms of his beloved Solveig."
The most memorable parts of this music were the opening and closing movements, titled "Morning Mood" and "In the Hall of the Mountain King" respectively. Since I woke up this morning hearing echoes of this music, I thought I would make a note of it here so that you can listen to this music as well.
* Hundred odd talented youth in the 13-18 years age bracket; and for some odd reason, heavily Asian (approx 40%), especially in the strings section. This leads to two hypotheses: a) Asian American parents really dig classical music, and give their kids massive encouragement to pursue it or b) the kids are doing it to buff up their college applications for the Ivy League. While I have noticed an uptick in the number of unusual performers (read Asians etc) in the professional circuit, it is no where near 40%. This means that my money is on hypothesis (b).
While I do know that desi parents here push their kids, especially girls into Indian classical arts, such as music and dance (looks good on their marriage resume, I suppose - fair and homely girl, accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer etc etc), they need to step up, and send more kids into western classical music as well. We need more Zubin Mehtas, junta.
Music Posts
... link (no comments) ... comment
Holy Moly! Dylan On The Dial
Didja ever wonder what would (mostly) crap-astic and lobotomized radio sound like if Bob Dylan was the host?
I had read in an in-flight magazine few months (or was it a year?) ago that Dylan was supposed to get on XM Radio to do a show. He did*, and these folks have kindly put roughly twenty or so episodes of this show "Theme Time Radio Hour" online. Some of the themes that animate Dylan's mind: Jail, The Devil, Eyes, Bible, Map. Go download and enjoy!
*Read a blog post (or two) on how XM folks got Dylan to do this show.
Music Posts
... link (no comments) ... comment