Raga Appeal and Rasika Personality type-Any Correlations?

[minisantu]

Is there any research that correlates the appeal of a particular raga with a rasika's personality type?
Knowingly or unknowingly, we perk up when we hear certain tunes..Is there a science behind this aesthetic appeal?

For example, ragas like Reetigowlai, Tilang, Sindhubhairavi, Lalitha, Hamsanandi, Madhuvanti/Darmavati stand out as favorites (for me) with consistent appeal; other rasikas may have other choices.

Is this by sheer chance, familiarity or acquired preference? I do understand that some ragas/raginis appeal to certain moods (that are transient), but I am interested to know about more long lasting appeal.

I look forward to your inputs.

[sureshvv]

Interesting topic. May be we should take a personality test (like https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test), list the top 5 long term favorite ragas and see if there is a correlation!

[Nick H]

sureshvv might be able to tell me what my favourite ragas are!

I know that, when I have asked, about something I liked very much, the answer has been Todi. Otherwise, I know that I like what I call minor-key ragas. What I mean by this is that the intervals are smaller, like the western minor third: it gives the raga a more serious, more meditative feel than what might be called wide-open-space ragas which lend themselves to more sprightly melodies.

[minisantu]

Interesting topic. May be we should take a personality test (like https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test), list the top 5 long term favorite ragas and see if there is a correlation!

I took the suggested personality test...Did it have to be so long <grin>?
It categorizes me as a Campaigner (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Prospecting, Assertive)

And my favorite 5 ragas are:
1)Reetigowlai
2) Madhuvanti
3) Sindhu Bhairavi
4) Lalitha
5) Hamsanandi

[sureshvv]

May be we should just design a test along the lines of:

1. Kalyani or Shankarabharanam?
2. Simhendramadhyaman or Dharmavathi?
3. Sri or Madhyamavathi?
4. Pantuvarali or Latangi?
5. Thyagaraja, Dikshitar or Shyama Sastry?
6. Misra Chapu ot Khanda chapu?

And we can derive the personality types It may even be much shorter than the Myers/Brigg test.

[varsha]

According to the author, musician’s own personality reflects through his art as he relates to his music according to his saatwik (pristine pure), raajasik (passionate) or taamasik (impure) mindset. Saatwik chooses to treat the raga as the Almighty. Raajasik follows the commonly accepted form of raga to win mass approval. Taamasik remains oblivious to raga’s soul; only entertainment becomes his goal to earn money. Any one or all can influence an artiste’s psyche.

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 476356.ece

[sankark]

May be we should just design a test along the lines of:

3. Sri or Madhyamavathi?

And we can derive the personality types It may even be much shorter than the Myers/Brigg test.

Like both equally

[sureshvv]

3. Sri or Madhyamavathi?

Like both equally

Indicates serious split personality. Consult a trained professional immediately

[narayan]

The openly exuberant TVSankaranarayanan prefers Darbar to Nayaki, Arabhi to Devagandhari, Bhairavi to Mukhari or Huseni, Madhyamavati to Sri-ragam, Kharaharapriya to Sriranjani and to a lesser extent, Saranga to Hamir Kalyani. In a less marked manner, this was probably true of Madurai Mani Iyer as well?

[shankarank]

And he opens the concert with a re-tuned kShEmam kuru gOpAlA of nArAyNa tIrthA in Darbar - which used to be sung in mOhanam in the paddhati ! Any personality traits there?

[shankarank]

Tried to Don a TMK persona , slowed down , streched a bit and hummed kshEmam kuru gOpAlA in nAyaki - stealing phrases from pAlayamAm Sri pankaja nAbha daya sudha nidE ( a Ramnad relish and TNS also had sung that in a cassette release) and it came out good! Some ascents were tricky - but then darbhAr illAda nAyakiyA?

[VK RAMAN]

When lyrics of any composer is open for any raga, singer tunes it based on the emotions that lyrics create on the singer.

[sureshvv]

The openly exuberant TVSankaranarayanan prefers Darbar to Nayaki, Arabhi to Devagandhari, Bhairavi to Mukhari or Huseni, Madhyamavati to Sri-ragam, Kharaharapriya to Sriranjani and to a lesser extent, Saranga to Hamir Kalyani. In a less marked manner, this was probably true of Madurai Mani Iyer as well?

Not sure if it is a good idea for performers to show such an obvious bias. Makes them become predictable and type cast,

[minisantu]

Thanks for your inputs. Most of you have commented on the artist's raga preferences (when there are similar choices).
My query was leaning more towards rasikas' choices. Enjoyed the discussion.

[vasanthakokilam]

sureshvv might be able to tell me what my favourite ragas are!

I know that, when I have asked, about something I liked very much, the answer has been Todi. Otherwise, I know that I like what I call minor-key ragas. What I mean by this is that the intervals are smaller, like the western minor third: it gives the raga a more serious, more meditative feel than what might be called wide-open-space ragas which lend themselves to more sprightly melodies.

Nick, I see what you are getting at. Definitely Minor scale does induce that serious and meditative feel while major scale based ones are more sprightly. I used to think it is about the intervals ( distance between notes, half step, whole step or 1 1/2 steps ) rather than notes ( scale degree to be precise ). The intervals have their own aesthetics alright but the meditative feel seems to be influenced by the 'smaller Ga' ( flat third degree ) and 'smaler Ds' ( flat sixth degree ). Both of them are true of the minor scale.

Your favorite raga Todi, on the other hand, takes it to another level by making the second degree also flat ( smaller Ri ).

But in so doing, it achieves another important aesthetic principle. it restores the Lower Tetrachord - Upper tetrachord symmetry ( the Sa to Ma and Pa to Sa symmety ) which was lost in the natural minor scale. Major scale has that symmetry as well.

Scales/ragas with such symmetry have been quite pleasing to the ear.( shankarabharanam, Todi, Mayamalagowla etc. )

For some reason, it is the smaller G that is given disproportionately more significance. Meaning, the smaller G seems to be the one that makes a big difference between the universe of Major and Minor. That may be due to our bias that we form immediate impressions based on the lower tetrachord and ascent ( and not patient enough to wait for the upper tetrachord and descent ). This is my own idle and wild speculation.

But something interesting happens with Harmonic Minor (kIravANi). You take the 7th degree of Minor Scale and make it sharper. That results in the sensual, exotic and earthly vibe of the Middle eastern and Latin music. The meditativeness and somberness disappear somewhat. But CM does a 180 on that using its own tricks and techniques and convert that back to a deeply meditative raga kIravANi.

(CM, given its exhaustive use of all intervals, take such considerations to many orders of magnitude more complex and delightful.)

But let us grant that'the Small Ga' ( flat 3rd degree ) is the chief note of the Minor World (i.e contributor of the change in aesthetics of the minor world)

It is also commonly felt that (higher Ma - Sharper fourth degree ) adds a bit of seriousness to the music. At least a different aesthetic introduced predominantly by that one note.

One way to think about all this is that, the High G- Small G and Small M - High M are two different broad axes on which we can try to categorize the aesthetics. ( again, at a 100000 foot level ). At least, pictorially, we can have a simpler chart with just four quadrants.
( unlike the complete but complex melakarta chart )

low G - low M ( the whole Thodi and Karaharapriya Complex )
high G - low M (Shankarabharanam complex )
low G - high M ( purvikalyani, pantuvarali type vibe )
high G - high M ( Kalyani vibe )

May be the personality types can be assessed based on the attraction to one or more of the quadrants. Just an idea

[shankar vaidyanathan]

vk:

You have explained it beautifully. Is it possible for you to extend your Ga-Dha axis supposition with another swaram (perhaps on the higher side?) I'm thinking that there may be a (3) basis that may correlate even more? Would like to know from our medical professionals whether (Antara) Gandharam may also have the ability to synchronize with our heartbeat so that we may be feeling a better connection perhaps?

As to my favorite Ragas, it will be Thodi, Varali, Kamboji, Panthuvarali, Kharaharapriya, Shanmukapriya, Bhairavi, Kamas, MMG, Malayamarutham, Sri, Sindhubhairavi,...

I do not subscribe to the personality type test.

Another correlation for Rasikas and Ragas may be which favorite artist you wish to hear when you think of your favorite Raga? It just helps to correlate better. I find that this year I have exclusively migrated to Sanjay and TMK.