Download Rag Desh

Where is this music from?
2. What instruments can you hear?
3. Does the music sound like it is in
a major or minor key?
4. Does the music change key?
1.
 To learn about Indian musical styles
 To understand the terms rag, raga
and rasa
Closely linked to
Hinduism (just
like Western
sacred music)
 The god Shiva is
associated with
music and dance


Two main types:
 Hindustani (North)
 Carnatic (South)

Rag Desh is from
the Hindustani
(northern)
tradition
Indian music is not written down
Like Skye Waulking Song and Yiri it is
taught by listening and playing by ear
 Often passed in families, e.g. father to
son
 This system is called gharana


A raga is a piece of
Indian music in several
contrasting sections
 The Western
equivalent is a
symphony
 It can be any length.
Some are quite short,
others very long
 Not to be confused
with the rag…(!)


A rag is similar to a scale or mode:

The melody of the raga is improvised using
the notes of the rag



There are more
than 200 different
rags
Every rag creates a
mood called a rasa
Rags are also
associated with
times of day and
occasions

Examples of rasas
include:
 Love
 Devotion
 Happiness
 Romance

Here are the notes of Rag Desh:

The notes of the scale have names like sol-fah
(do re mi, etc.) – this is called sargam.
Rag Desh is a night time rag associated with
the monsoon season
Its rasas are devotion, romance and longing


Gharana
2. Shiva
3. Raga
4. Rag
5. Rasa
1.





Most common Indian
instrument
Plucked string
instrument
Has frets like a guitar
Usually 7 strings, 2 of
which are drone notes
Several sympathetic
strings underneath