Rag Desh

Indian Music

Rag Desh

A Rag Desh is...

• A scale from the North Indian classical music system.

The Rag Desh originates from...

• India

India

Language Spoken

• Hindi (mainly).• Overal there are 22

official languages spoken.

• English is gradually being phased out.

Official Religion

Hinduism

More about the Rag (Indian Scale)• Rags have roots from ancient times (may date as far

back as 200BC).

• They are deeply linked to the Hindu religion.

• Rags were used in folk, classical & now popular Indian music.

• Today, Indian classical music is used in Hindi films, Bollywood films, Hindu worship, concerts & we often associate this type of music with yoga.

Two classical music traditions evolved in India

Hindustani Carnatic

Rag means...

• ‘Colouring the mind with a mood’.

• A rag is a scale which is used to create a mood & a picture of the time of day, season or occasion.

• There are parent rags, that (Hindustani) & mela (Carnatic). The other 200+ rags come from these.

The Rag Desh

• This rag is a Hindustani rag.

• It is a late night rag & also a monsoon rag.

• It’s mood creates romance, longing & devotion.

Raga Structure

Four Sections• Alap

• Jhor

• Jhala

• Gat

Slow, improvised, ornamented, free time opening sectionFollowed by a rage scale.Melodic stringed/wind instruments only with a drone.

Fairly slow with a regular pulse, more interesting melodies,improvised.Melodic stringed/wind instruments only with a drone.

Virtuosic, fast, regular pulse, complex & exciting rhythms.

This last section is pre-composed with some improvisation toDecorate the melody. Sometimes this section is a song.The percussion is add in this section & plays the rhythmic part(the tala).