RBSE SS Vocal Music flashcards

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

Aroha

The ascending order of swaras in a raga, from lower to higher register; it may be vakra (zig-zag) or omit a swara that appears in the descent.

Avaroha

The descending order of swaras in a raga, from higher to lower register; together with aroha it defines the raga's melodic shape and jati.

Pakad

A short identifying phrase built from a raga's characteristic movements and its vadi/samvadi; it distinguishes closely related ragas such as Bihag and Maru Bihag.

Vadi and Samvadi

Vadi is the most prominent amsa swara of a raga; samvadi is the second most important, usually a fourth or fifth away. Anuvadi are the rest, vivadi the dissonant.

Raga jati

The density classification of a raga: audava (5 swaras), shadava (6) or sampurna (7), stated separately for aroha and avaroha, e.g. audava–sampurna for Bhoopali.

Yaman lakshana

Sampurna–sampurna raga with teevra Ma, vadi Ga and samvadi Ni, sung in the first prahar of night; the characteristic phrase is Ni–Re–Ga–Ma(teevra)–Pa.

Bhairav lakshana

Sampurna raga with komal Re and komal Dha, vadi Dha and samvadi Re, performed in the first prahar of morning with andolan on the komal swaras.

Theka

The mnemonic tabla syllable pattern that marks each matra of a tala, such as dha dhin dhin dha in Teental; it identifies tali and khali positions.

Teental structure

Sixteen matras in four vibhags of four; tali falls on matras 1, 5 and 13, khali on matra 9. It is the most common khayal tala.

Jhaptal structure

Ten matras divided 2+3+2+3, with tali on matras 1, 3 and 8 and khali on matra 6; common for sadra and madhya-laya khayal.

Layakari

Rhythmic manipulation of a composition against the tala: barabar (1:1), dugun (2:1), tigun (3:1), chaugun (4:1), and fractional aad (3/2) or kuwaad (5/4).

Sam and khali

Sam is the first and most important matra of a tala, marked ×; khali is an 'empty' beat shown by a wave of the hand and marked 0.

Bhatkhande swaralipi

Notation system using S R G M P D N with komal and teevra marks, octave dots, bar lines for vibhags, × for sam and 0 for khali.

Bada khayal

Vilambit-laya khayal, usually in Teental or Ektal, with sthayi and antara; improvisation includes alap, bol-alap, bol-bant, taan and layakari.

Chhota khayal

A short khayal in madhya or drut laya with brief sthayi and antara; improvisation is limited to bol-alap, taan and tihai, often followed by a tarana.

Dhrupad structure

A four-section form - sthayi, antara, sanchari, abhog - sung in Chautal or Dhamar with nom-tom alap and pakhawaj accompaniment.

Dhamar

A dhrupad-family form set in Dhamar tala of fourteen matras (5+2+3+4), with a Holi or Krishna text, madhya laya and pakhawaj accompaniment.

Tarana

A drut-laya composition using meaningless syllables such as nom-tom, dir-dir and ya-la-li instead of text, usually in Teental or Ektal.

Sadra

A lighter vocal form between dhrupad and khayal, usually in Jhaptal or Chautal, with sthayi and antara and a simple devotional or romantic text.

Gwalior gharana

The oldest khayal gharana, with exponents Haddu Khan, Hassu Khan, Krishnarao Shankar Pandit and D. V. Paluskar; known for clear, straightforward raga presentation.

Agra gharana

Khayal gharana famed for deep vilambit laya, forceful voice and bol-bant; exponents include Faiyaz Khan, Vilayat Hussain Khan and Lalith Rao.

Kirana gharana

Gharana founded by Abdul Karim Khan and Abdul Wahid Khan, emphasising slow sustained swara and sur over tala; exponents include Sawai Gandharva and Bhimsen Joshi.

Jaipur-Atrauli gharana

Gharana founded by Alladiya Khan, noted for complex layakari and wide melodic leaps; exponents include Kesarbai Kerkar, Mogubai Kurdikar and Kishori Amonkar.

Sangita Ratnakara

The 13th-century treatise by Sarangadeva systematising raga, tala, prabandha and shruti; a standard reference text in university music syllabi.

Bhatkhande's treatises

Pt. V. N. Bhatkhande wrote Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati and Kramik Pustak Malika, standardised raga notation and organised the 1916 All-India Music Conference.

Sadarang and Adarang

Eighteenth-century Delhi court composers (Niamat Khan and Firoz Khan) who created many khayal bandishes still sung in the standard repertoire.

Meend and kan

Meend is a smooth glide from one swara to another; kan is a light grace note touched before the main swara. Both are written with curved lines or small notes.

Alap and bol-alap

Alap is unmetered melodic expansion of a raga; bol-alap improvises on the words of the bandish while keeping the tala, often exploring the text's meaning.

Tihai

A phrase repeated three times so that its final note lands exactly on sam; it is a standard closing device in khayal, tarana and instrumental gat.

Padhant

Recitation of tala theka syllables in correct laya, with claps for tali and a wave for khali; examined in barabar, dugun and chaugun.

Khayal presentation order

Alap, bada khayal sthayi–antara, bol-alap, bol-bant, taan and layakari, tihai on sam, then chhota khayal in drut laya, optionally a tarana.

Sight-reading swaralipi

Fix tala and laya first, locate the sam (×), then sing vibhag by vibhag while marking matra with the hand, observing komal/teevra marks and octave dots.