Rāga as Scale 42nd Annual Conference of the Society for Music Theory November 7, 2019 Columbus OH USA Sam Mukherji University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (
[email protected]) 2 Example 1. Two theorists of North Indian classical music Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (1860–1936) Omkarnath Thakur (1897–1967) 3 phrases (1 and 3 performed by Amjad Ali Khan, 2 and 4 performed by Buddhadev Das Gupta) Ali2 and by Khan, (1 and Amjad 4 performed 3 performed phrases rāga Example 2. Four Example 2. Four 4 Example 3. Bhatkhande’s list of ten tḥāṭs, from his Hindustānī Sangīta Paddhatī (1909-32) Tḥāṭ Scale structure (centered on C) Western equivalent Pūrvī C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Mārvā C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Kalyān Lydian C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Bilāval Major, or Ionian C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Khamāj Mixolydian C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Kāfi Dorian C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Āsāvari Natural minor, or Aeolian C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Bhairavī Phrygian C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Bhairav C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Tōdī C Db Eb F# G Ab Bb C Example 4. Thakur’s list of six pedagogical rāgas, from his Sangītānjalī (1938-62) Name Rāga scale (centered on C) Forbidden scale degrees Bhoop C D E F G A B C 4 and 7 Hamsadhvanī C D E F G A B C 4 and 6 Durgā C D E F G A B C 3 and 7 Sārang C D E F G A B C 3 and 6 Tilang C D E F G A B C 2 and 6 Bhinna-shadạj C D E F G A B C 2 and 5 5 Example 5.