BSEH SS Music Vocal flashcards

35 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Alaap

Unmetered, improvised exposition of a raga, beginning with slow, sustained notes and gradually expanding range, without percussion.

Bandish

Fixed composition in a tala, with sthayi (first line) and antara (second line), sung with rhythmic accompaniment.

Vistaar

Melodic expansion of a bandish using bol-vistaar (text) or bebol-vistaar (sargam/aakar), developing phrases systematically.

Taan

Fast, rhythmic melodic passages; types include sapat (straight), vakra (zigzag), gamak (oscillating), and bol-taan (using words).

Tanpura

Drone instrument providing continuous tonic and fifth (or fourth), played throughout performance to maintain pitch and ambience.

Yaman

Evening raga with tivra Ma; aroha: Ni Re Ga Ma(tivra) Dha Ni Sa; vadi Ga, samvadi Ni; pakad: Ni Re Ga, Ma(tivra) Pa.

Bhairav

Morning raga with komal Re and Dha; aroha: Sa Re(k) Ga Ma Pa Dha(k) Ni Sa; vadi Dha(k), samvadi Re(k); pakad: Ga Ma Pa Dha, Pa Ma Ga Re Sa.

Bhairavi

Raga with all komal swaras; aroha: Sa Re(k) Ga Ma Pa Dha(k) Ni(k) Sa; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; performed at end of concert.

Malkauns

Late-night raga omitting Re and Pa; aroha: Sa Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; pakad: Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa, Ni Dha Ma Ga.

Bhoopali

Evening raga omitting Ma and Ni; aroha: Sa Re Ga Pa Dha Sa; vadi Ga, samvadi Dha; pakad: Ga Re Sa, Re Ga Pa, Dha Pa Ga.

Bageshri

Night raga; aroha: Sa Ga Ma Pa Ni Sa; avaroha: Sa Ni Dha Ma Pa Dha Ga Re Sa; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; pakad: Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa, Ga Re Sa.

Todi

Late-morning raga with komal Re, Ga, Dha and tivra Ma; vadi Dha, samvadi Re; pakad: Dha Ni Sa, Re Ga Re Sa.

Kafi

Night raga; aroha: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa; avaroha: Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa; vadi Pa, samvadi Re; pakad: Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa, Re Ga Ma.

Teental

16-matras tala in four vibhags of 4; tali on 1,5,13; khali on 9; theka: Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Tin Tin Ta | Ta Dhin Dhin Dha.

Ektaal

12-matras tala in six vibhags of 2; tali on 1,5,9,11; khali on 3,7; theka: Dhin Dhin | Dha Ge Tirakita | Tu Na | Kat Ta | Dha Ge Tirakita | Dhi Na.

Jhaptaal

10-matras tala in four vibhags (2-3-2-3); tali on 1,3,8; khali on 6; theka: Dhi Na | Dhi Dhi Na | Ti Na | Dhi Dhi Na.

Rupak

7-matras tala in three vibhags (3-2-2); khali on 1 (sam); tali on 4,6; theka: Tin Tin Na | Dhin Na | Dhin Na.

Dadra

6-matras tala in two vibhags of 3; tali on 1, khali on 4; theka: Dha Dhin Na | Dha Tin Na.

Keharwa

8-matras tala in two vibhags of 4; tali on 1, khali on 5; theka: Dha Ge Na Ti | Na Ka Dhi Na.

Layakari

Rhythmic variation by doubling (dugun), tripling (tigun), or quadrupling (chaugun) the tempo; e.g., in teental, dugun = 2 notes per matra.

Bhatkhande notation

Notation system using Devanagari; komal swaras underlined, tivra Ma with vertical line above; octave dots; tala divisions by vertical lines and matra numbers.

Paluskar notation

Notation system using Devanagari; komal swaras with horizontal line below, tivra Ma with line above; octave dots; tala symbols like | for tali, 0 for khali.

Nad

Sound; two types: ahata (perceived) and anahata (unstruck). Musical nad is ahata, produced by vibration.

Shruti

Microtonal intervals; 22 shrutis in an octave; theoretical basis for swara placement; mentioned in Bharata's Natyashastra.

Swara

Musical note; seven shuddha (natural): Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni; five komal (flattened): Re Ga Dha Ni, and tivra Ma (sharp).

Gram

Ancient scale system; three grams: shadja gram, madhyama gram, gandhara gram; used in Vedic chanting.

Murcchana

Modal shift of tonic; each murcchana of a gram produces a different scale; basis for raga evolution.

Raga-ragini classification

Medieval system of six ragas (male) and 36 raginis (female); e.g., Bhairav, Malkauns, Hindol, Deepak, Shri, Megh.

Gharana

Stylistic school; e.g., Gwalior (khayal), Kirana (smooth), Agra (robust), Jaipur-Atrauli (complex), Patiala (thumri).

Dhrupad

Oldest khayal form; four vanis; sung with rudra veena and pakhawaj; alaap in four parts: alap, jod, jhala, nom-tom; compositions in Chautal and Sooltal.

Dhamar

Dhrupad-style composition in Dhamar tala (14 matras); associated with Holi festival; playful text.

Khayal

Most prominent form; two types: bada khayal (slow, elaborate) and chhota khayal (fast, short); uses vistaar and taan; accompanied by tabla and harmonium.

Tarana

Fast-paced composition using syllables like 'na, ta, re, da, ni'; no meaningful text; often in teental or ektaal; displays rhythmic virtuosity.

Thumri

Romantic/light classical; texts of love (shringar); in dadra or keharwa; embellishments like meend, kan; associated with Banaras and Lucknow gharanas.

Bhajan

Devotional song; lyrics of saints (Kabir, Meera, Surdas); simple melodies; can be in any raga or folk tune; often in keharwa or dadra.