City Research Online City, University of London Institutional Repository Citation: McIntosh, S.M. (1993). Gamaka and Alamkara : concepts of vocal ornamentation with reference to Bara Khayal. (Unpublished Doctoral thesis, City University London) This is the accepted version of the paper. This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link: https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/8265/ Link to published version: Copyright: City Research Online aims to make research outputs of City, University of London available to a wider audience. Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the author(s) and/or copyright holders. URLs from City Research Online may be freely distributed and linked to. Reuse: Copies of full items can be used for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge. 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City Research Online: http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/ [email protected] GAMAKA AND ALAMKARA CONCEPTS OF VOCAL ORNAMENTATION WITH REFERENCE TO BAA KHAYAL by Solveig Mary McIntosh City University Ph.D. September 1993 Department of Music London —1- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Tables 5 List of Musical Examples 5 List of Figures 5 Recorded examples on accompanying cassette 5 Acknowledgements 6 Declaration 8 Abstract 9 Explanation of Diacritical Marks 10 Key to Pronunciation 11 INTRODUCT ION 12 CHAPTER I : KHAYAL 18 Introduction 18 Origins of Khayl 19 Gharãnás 30 The relationship of khayl to dhrupada and humrr 36 CHAPTER II : COMPONENTS OF RAGA - Part I 44 Sruti 44 Svara 50 Phrase 53 Raga 60 Summary 65 CHAPTER III : COMPONENTS OF RAGA - Part II 69 Al aikir a 69 —2- Gamaka 75 Sthãyas 85 Uc c Ira 91 Ornaments 94 Tables 1-12: Khatk and MurkT demonstrations 113 Summary 126 CHAPTER IV : TRANSCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS 129 TRANSCRIPTION - Discussion and Methodology 129 ANALYSIS: Introduction and Methodology 140 Analysis of three-level demonstration - DarbirT KIna 146 Summary 192 Transcription - Demonstrations 1, 2 and 3 195 CHAPTER V : FORM AND CONTENT 206 Gamaka as morphological process 206 Form and Content - Kã'naç! Miga G N R S 209 Form and Content - Miy kT Malhira 222 Gamaka and Motif 231 Summary 234 CHAPTER VI : ALAPA 237 Klpa in khay1 - origin and definitions 237 A1pa in khayT1 performance 243 Rasa and Bhiva 256 Introductory ã1pa in rIga DarbfT KIna 262 -- CHAPTER VII : ATTITUDES AFFECTING KHAYAL 279 Gharnis and Tradition 279 Some factors influencing change 284 Audiences 292 Aesthetics 296 SU?tMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 301 BIBLIOGRAPHY 304 GLOSSARY OF TERMS 311 —4- LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1 Sargama notation by Ritwik Sanyal 141 Figure 2 : Sargama notation + rga structure 142 Figure 3 Model for Analysis 145 LIST OF EXAMPLES Examples 1-16 : G M R S in DarbErT Knai 211-212 Examples 17-26 : G M R S in Miy kT Maihira 223-224 LIST OF TABLES Tables 1-11 : Khaki and murkT 113-125 Tables 12-16 : Oscillated komala Ga 163-167 Tables 17-20 : Oscillated komala Dha 174-177 Recorded examples on cassette: Ra Darbãfl KãñaçIE: Demonstration 1 (3.04 mins) Demonstration 2 (2.55 mins) Demonstration 3 (7.50 inins) Introductory äipa Rga Darbifi KEnaç1i Amir Khan (1.4 mins) Bade Ghulam Au Khan (42 secs) Pandit Jasraj (1.24 mins) Bhimsen Joshi (1.3 mins) Mohammed Sayid Khan (2.11 mins) -5- ACKNOWLKDGEMENTS In a study of this kind it is first of all most important to thank all those vocalists and musicologists in India without whose co- operation such research would not be possible. Their hospitality and willingness to answer questions and demonstrate the finer points of vocal rendition made each interview a delight. They are too numerous to be thanked individually but I list their names as follows: Dr. A. Ranade, Professor V.R. Athawale, Dr. K.G. Ginde, Sharad Sathe, Pandit Jasraj, Sruti Sadholikar Katkar, Ajay Pohankar, Hemang Mehta, Asha Khadilkar, Dr. Karnal Ketkar, Mrs. Sumati Mutatkar, Rajan Nisra, Lalitha Rao, Mohendra Sharma, Mani Prasa, Sri. Vinay Chandra Moudgalya, Madhup Nudgal, Dr. Prem Lata Sharma, Dr. Ritwik Sanyal, Pandit Balwantrai Bhatt, Dr. P. Dixit, Dr. C. Jyotishi, Balchandra Patekar, Salamat All Khan. From Sharad Sathe, who taught in London during 1986 and 1987, I was able to learn something of the finer points of svara intonation. Many conversations with him at that time inspired further interest in the subject of vocal ornamentation. His assistance during a trip to Bombay in 1991 is greatly appreciated. An additional dimension to this interest was provided by Dr. Ritwik Sanyal who visited London in the autumn of 1987. His subsequent help in both Banaras and London in 1992 has been invaluable. Special thanks are due to Dr. Steve Stanton of City University Music Department, for his positive response to my interest in vocal ornamentation in North Indian classical music and for his suggestion that I should undertake a Ph.D. I am grateful too for his time and enthusiasm in assisting its completion. I am also grateful to Dr. Richard Widdess of the School of Oriental and African Studies Music Department, for his expertise and guidance at different times during the course of this research and for stimulating further enquiry into particular aspects of this study. While in Delhi in 1991 the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology of the American Institute of Indian Studies greatly -6- assisted in making available material which might support this research. The loan of recording equipment by City Unviversity Music Department made available by Bob Ames, Studio Manager, facilitated both fieldwork and subsequent analysis of musical data. —7- I grant powers of discretion to the University Librarian to allow this thesis to be copied in whole or in part without further reference to me. This permission covers only single copies made for study purposes, subject to normal conditions of acknowledgement. —8- ABSTRACT This research explores questions relating to ornamentation in North Indian classical vocal music with particular reference to ba1 khayil. At a technical level it addresses the question, "What is 'ornamentation' in khayal.?" and subsequently approaches the question, "How does ornamentation transform simple melodic ideas into aesthetic experiences?" The study re-examines the possible origins and evolution of khayl as a context for subsequent examination and analysis of ornamentation in performance practice. The study examines the components of rga structure in two stages; Chapter II discusses the tripartite structure of ruti, svara and phrase with reference to the sastraic tradition as well as to twentieth century sources. The components are found to represent different levels of melodic activity. The discussion is continued in Chapter III where additional components of rga are introduced. 'Ornamentation' proves to be inadequate as a term to describe the many aspects of melodic movement which take place in performance. Consequently this term has to be redefined in the context of khayil and the problem of terminology addressed. The study shows the presence of an accumulative process whereby components of rãga, including gamaka and alaipkra, work at different levels. Their combination expands simple melodic ideas thus creating the melodic texture of performance. Transcription and analysis of a three-level demonstration of ãipa illustrates this process. Additional aspects of gamaka in relation to phrasal structures are subsequently discussed. The last two chapters expand the frame of reference for the discussion relating to amaka and alaqikira. Chapter VI relates the findings of the foregoing chapters to the musical context of lãpa while Chapter VII discusses gamaka within a wider cultural context. -9- EXPLANATION OF DIACRITICAL MARKS , , I and i elongation of the vowel C, 5, cerebral sound , S palatal sound guttural nasal n palatal nasal n cerebral nasal in labial nasal h aspirated sound - 10 - KEY TO PROI1JNCIATION (This key has been taken from Monier-Williams' A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p.xxxvi) k as in kill d as in th in this kh as in inkhorn dh as in adhere g as in gun n as in nut gh as in loghut p as in put n as in sing ph as in uphill c as in dolce (musical term) b as in bear ch as in churchhill bh as in abhor j as in jet m as in map jh as in hedgehog y as in loyal Ii as in singe r as in red t as in true 1 as in lull th as in anthill v as in ivy d as in drum as in sure dh as in redhaired s as in shun n as in none s as in saint t as in water h as in hear th as in nuthook Consonants are generally similar to those of English with some exceptions which have been indicated above. The distinction between aspirated and unaspirated sounds, represented by stops, is essential. Aspirated consonants should be pronounced as found at syllabic junctions as shown above. For example, th as in nuthook but not th as in think. Dental sounds, t, th, d dh are distinct from retroflex sounds t, th, d, dh, n. - ia - INTRODUCTION Aim The purpose of this research is to explore questions relating to the part played by 'ornamentation' in North Indian classical vocal music, the original hypothesis being that ornamentation transforms simple melodic ideas into aesthetic experiences. Vocal music in Indian musical tradition, as expounded in historical treatises, has been considered to be an important basis for all music. Therefore, khayl, the most popular classical vocal style today, has been chosen. Within this style, ba;ã khayl has been selected as an area for investigation, as, at this slow speed aesthetics revealed through the use of 'ornamentation' can be most clearly identified.