Raga switching

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 20 Apr 2006, 15:12

I attended a lecture demonstration at the Music Academy in December given by Sri MS Anantaraman. The general theme was on the Parur style of violin playing but he also touched on practice techniques.

On these techniques was playing varnams with changed swaras. For example, Mohanam could be played in Bhupalam or Vasanti. I tried of these and found using Ratipatipriya for the Hamsadhawani varnam (Jalajaksha) sounds quite interesting. Even when sung it sounds pleasant.

Sure this wasn't the intention of the composer and it won't work in all cases sinces certain phrases are peculiar to certain ragas, but it is an interesting experiment. Playing the Sankarabharanam varnam (Sami Ninne) in Kiravani, for example, did not suit at all.

It is particularly useful for intrumentalists as it gets the fingers familiar with different notes and ragas.

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 20 Apr 2006, 15:25

Mohan. This practise of changing the rAgas and singing them is time-tested. But the application has not been to varNas but to saraLe varase, jaNTi varase and alankAras(as swaras, akAra, ukAra, amkAra). This is how my mother taught me and this is how she advised taught by her guru. In this case, the composer`s intentions will not be compromised. ANd all patterns (both laya as well as swara) are seen in these lesons. So it is a excellent exercise.

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 20 Apr 2006, 15:43

Of course singing sarali varasai and alankaras, etc, should be done in various ragas but doing it in varnams gives them a totally new feeling. My students have also found it quite challenging for them. One youngster commented "wow that sounds cool!"

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 20 Apr 2006, 16:51

I have heard a varNa, originally set in mayamalavagaula in sarasAngi. The singer is Yesudas and it is availabe on musicindiaonline.

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 20 Apr 2006, 16:55

Yes that varna starts with the words "Sarasangi" so it is the obvious choice of raga.

I have heard the Sri Raga (slightly modified) played in concert in Brindavana Saranga.

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 20 Apr 2006, 17:01

Singing/Playing in a different rAga for practice is one thing. But doing that in a concert is not innovation. It is a crass insensitivity and disrespect to the composer and shows disinterest/lethargy in learning new pieces in a different rAga.

"cakkani rAjamArgamu uNDaga, sandula dUranEla"

arunk · Post by **arunk** » 20 Apr 2006, 19:38

I have tried something like this on my own and found the results interesting. I think it could possibly educational (i agree with dr.s on not extending it beyond it).

I learn vocal and just for kicks e.g i take the kalyani (i.e. a melakarta) varnam's swaras and simply try it with other melas (e.g. do it for kiravani by singing G2 for G3, M1 for M2 and D1 for D2). It was mainly to see Iif i can nail the swarasthanas and also handle the swara-transitions for these "new combos" (new to me as i am pretty early in my learning stage - only a handful of varnams).

I didnt try to sing the varnam sahityam - so you could say this was similar to doing sarali/jhanta/alankaras in different melas (which i must admit i should do, but dont!).

You obviously cannot stick to the same gamakas as kalyani in the approp places. You have to change it according to the new mela and new combo. Some places could sound odd because of lakshana differences. I am pretty sure i didnt get all the necessary gamakas right (i dare not sing it to my teacher or anyone knowledgeable!!). But i did "adjust" them as i went along based on my feel of the new mela from my listening experience.

But I am not sure this is not as useful than learning varnams in those melas! That should be the first step. And once you do that, this maybe is moot? I was trying because i was impatient and wanted to "sing something" (from memory) in these new melas and see how they will sound, and also find out whether i will produce cacophony or something reasonable!

Arun

kaapi · Post by **kaapi** » 21 Apr 2006, 21:00

Playing varnams to differant raga can be a good practice methodology for an accomplished instrumentalist.
However it may be counter productive for the CM student. Since varnams are the pieces that provide the first glimpses of a raga swaroopa to a CM student. Even after the student progresses varnam is useful in the sense the ettugada pallavi is a model for swara singing and the madhyama kalam is a model for the neraval. Hence by changing the raga ,and in the bargain losing the bhava , there cannot be any lasting benefit to the singer / student.

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 22 Apr 2006, 23:16

"Hence by changing the raga ,and in the bargain losing the bhava , there cannot be any lasting benefit to the singer / student. "

I don't agree with kaapi here entirely, regarding the technique of rAgA changing. If the student knows the varnam inside out and has advanced enough, I believe he/she will have a deeper insight into the concept of rAgAs using this technique. Some of these insights can only be grasped by experience, and i doubt these can simply be "taught and learnt" by any musician - famous or less-renowned.

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 22 Apr 2006, 23:32

...I don't agree with kaapi here entirely, regarding the technique of rAgA changing. If the student knows the varnam inside out and has advanced enough, I believe he/she will have a deeper insight into the concept of rAgAs using this technique. Some of these insights can only be grasped by experience, and i doubt these can simply be "taught and learnt" by any musician - famous or less-renowned.

You dont necessarily have to agree. Knowing a varNa inside out is no indication of proficiency or insight. Even a beginner can learn it by rote and faithfully sing one varNa. Changing a rAga needs a fairly advanced level of proficiency with knowledge of gamaks in the particular rAga as kaapi has succintly pointed out.

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 22 Apr 2006, 23:37

"Singing/Playing in a different rAga for practice is one thing. But doing that in a concert is not innovation. It is a crass insensitivity and disrespect to the composer and shows disinterest/lethargy in learning new pieces in a different rAga.

"cakkani rAjamArgamu uNDaga, sandula dUranEla" "

This is an extremely limited view Doc!

Subramania Bharathiyar had set some pieces in certain rAgAs, yet we see so many differences on the concert platform! Below are a couple of examples using his poetic compositions.

"cinnam shirukkiLiyE kaNNammA" was originally set in bhairavi. We often hear it in rAgamAlikA! Does this signal an artist's or guru's disrespect for Bharathi?

"murugA murugA" was originally set in nAttaikurinji. Yet, we have heard this piece in kAraharapriyA, dEsh, mukhAri and so many other rAgAs. Does this signal insensitivity towards the composer?

Some of the above examples have been tuned in a rAgA entirely differently by someone else. Using your thinking, that could mean that the person who retunes the piece shows insensitivity and disrespect towards the composer and his/her original tune. If the person who retunes the piece is the artist.....ouch! Do you get what I'm saying?

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 22 Apr 2006, 23:41

I just read your post. Please note; i used the word 'entirely' to indicate I did agree for some of the part. Also, a beginner who learns a varnam by rote would fall under the category of not having "advanced enough"

"Changing a rAga needs a fairly advanced level of proficiency with knowledge of gamaks in the particular rAga."

Do you think the student would need to be aware what gamakas of a rAgA are etc.? What would you say in the case a student knew the rAgA (and perhaps knew the gamakas unconsciously)? Do you really think that level would be too low?

kiransurya · Post by **kiransurya** » 23 Apr 2006, 02:16

DRS
I think I would agree with you in this matter. Raaga switching for compostions in my opinion is a disrespect to the composer. That too, doing it deliberately...
Practising is acceptable. Doing it in a concert I think is a defnitie no no for me..
Once I heard an audio where Chembai Vaidyanaatha Bhagavathar sang Mahishaasuramardhani in Bilahari. However, all the references say that the original piece is in Narayani. Chembai of all the people singing such a well known Dikshitar krithi in different raaga? I was flabbergasted.......

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 23 Apr 2006, 02:31

There are two kinds of switches: Scale switch and raga switch.

Scale switching of a Varnam in a concert stage is not going to be work musically. Unless the scale switch is accompanied by a raga switch thus changing it to a different varnam.

Raga switching of a composition is a different matter. That is relatively rare though there are several well known instances as has been described here already. And there are cases where the original raga of the composition itself is debatable. e.g. vazhi maraithirukkudhe of GKB. To me, if it is sung in anything other than Nattai Kurinji it will sound odd but then there is a school of thought that is a result of a raga switch.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 23 Apr 2006, 04:19

To me, if it is sung in anything other than Nattai Kurinji it will sound odd but then there is a school of thought that is a result of a raga switch

.

The original raga set by GKB for vazhimaRaiththu was 'dEshika thODi'!

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 23 Apr 2006, 07:33

Dikshithar's composition "Vira Hanumate" is supposedly in karnAtakA kApi, but is sung by many artists in kAnAdA! There are so many such cases which involve the concert platform. To say artists are deliberately disrespecting the composers by these rAgA changes, I believe is simply extreme.

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 23 Apr 2006, 15:51

VC - scale switching of a varnam can work for certain ragas. I started off this thread talking about changing Hamsadhwani to Ratipatipriya. I do feel it sounds good!

Usually I wouldn't condone switching a the raga of a krithi, however there have been some famous examples where this has been done. Bhavayami Raghuramam was set entirely in Saveri by Swati Tirunal (or one of his court musicians!) but was retuned in ragamalika by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.

Seetamma mayamma was composed in Lalitha. How did it get changed to Vasanta?

There are many other similar examples.