gangAtarangiNi - Dikshitar

[SrinathK]

gangAtarangiNi is the 33rd asampUrNa rAgAnga rAgA. And for the first time, I find a case where the Ascent is linear, but not the descent (most of the vivAdi rAgAnga rAgAs go non-linear or skip a note on the ascent, but the descent is mostly straightforward, not this one).

Strictly speaking, the old school of rAgams go by the grAma mUrchana system, so an arOhanam avarOhanam might not cover everything possible on ascent and descent (what exactly is the difference I shall write about after asking musicologists).

Aro : S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S
Avaro : S N3 P D1 M1 M1 G3 M1 R3 S (That's out of the SSP)

The rAgAs of the 6th chakra all have nATa-ish characteristics, and this one even has a MGMR combination too. Other phrases include SMR-SNP (again nATa ish), SDPD, MGMPM-GMRS, SNPDMP, RMGR and more extreme ones like SMPMR. SNDP and SNPDP are both there as well. DPDM is also possible. PDMG is a key phrase that could do with more appearances.

The sole kriti of Muthuswami Dikshitar in gangAtarangiNi is varadarAja avAva - and Amritha Murali's version follows the SSP notation (of course, in a modern setting) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jEg8OWvWF0 - as I thought, the nATa DNA is strong in this one as well. But then the rAgA distinguishes itself with the D1

A search on sangeethapriya reveals another composition, sArasa nayana in gangAtarangiNi by Ramaswami Diskhitar (Muthuswami Dikshitar's father for who do not know, and a phenomenal composer who needs to be heard more) in this lec dem by BMK here (demonstrating both swara and sahityam, so it's your lesson of the day ) : http://www.sangeethamshare.org/sreeniva ... tion_1977/

The is actually a type of composition called a daru. It starts on a prominent swarAksharam and it seems like RD has used SNDP and SNPDP also, along with SRS-MGM - the Dikshitar style that runs in the family is distinctly seen here. This is the only available recording of it, so please save it.

[sr_iyer]

sArasa nayana in gangAtarangiNi by Ramaswami Diskhitar (Muthuswami Dikshitar's father for who do not know, and a phenomenal composer who needs to be heard more)

Every line of this composition is a palindrome, both melodically and sahityam-wise, except for the very last line. Its notation can be referred to from the anubandham/appendix of SSP

[sr_iyer]

And for the first time, I find a case where the Ascent is linear, but not the descent (most of the vivAdi rAgAnga rAgAs go non-linear or skip a note on the ascent, but the descent is mostly straightforward, not this one).

The typical trend can rather be summarized as follows, for s'uddha madhyama rAga-s with "vivAdi" notes, in this traditional paddhati

For rAga-s employing s'uddha gAndhAram G1 or s'uddha nishAdam N1, the vivAdi G1 and N1 note is skipped in ascent (SRM or PDS or sometimes as NDS). Typically G1 and N1 occur in the descent - eg M1 \G1 RS with a jAru \.

For rAga-s employing shaTs'ruti R3 or D3, the ascent actually features these typically (they are typically not skipped - exception is rAgAnga rAga #35). Talking of (linear) sampurNa ascents in cakra-6, apart from a linear sampurna ascent in rAgAnga rAga 33, we have #36 having a linear srgmpdns prescribed and allowed (with the facility of course to drop the d3 in ascent). R3 or/and D3, when in the ascent, are said to have been sounded traditionally with a nokku rather than in their sthAnam (the latter aspect can happen in modern practice, of course). In the descent wherever R3 or D3 they are brought in, they are sounded with a jAru and svasthAna kampitam. The traditional aesthetics followed by this paddhati does not use M1G3R3S does not occur but G3M1\R3S or PM1M1R3S.

We could summarize the aesthetics favoured in this traditional scheme with some simple observations -- We do not encounter a S R1 G1 M1 but instead a S R1 M1. We do not have a M1 G3 R3 S but rather a G3 M1 R3 S or P M1 (M1) R3 S. (Similar trends for uttarAnga.)