GCSE Music Analysis - Rag Desh - Performed by Steve Gorn and Benjy Wertheimer

Author:
Emily
Updated date:
Jun 16, 2015

General Points

Steve Gorn and Benjy Wertheimer are two American musicians.
This version of Rag Desh is from an album that they released in 2004.
Gorn plays the Bansuri, while Wertheimer plays the Esraj and the Tabla.

Instrumentation

This version of Rag Desh has the 5 following instruments:

Shruti Box: an electronic instrument that plays a drone (a sustained note).
Swarmandel: a Plucked string instrument.
Esraj: a bowed string instrument.
Bansuri: a Bamboo flute that has holes instead of keys.
Tabla: a pair of drums.

Rhythm

This version of Rag Desh uses two tals (cycle of beats). The:

Rupak Tal which is a 7 beat cycle (3 + 2 + 2)
Ektal which is a 12 beat cycle (2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2)

Structure

Alap:

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The Alap starts with a drone on the notes D and A.
The Bansuri then introduces the mood and the notes of the rag.
The Erraj then takes over.
The tempo is slow, and there is no regular beat or pulse.

Gat:

The Gat begins with a Bansuri solo.
About 30 seconds after the beginning of the Gat, the Tabla enters.
The Bansuri starts to play the composed Gat shortly after the Tabla enters.
The Bansuri an Tabla both improvise things around the Gat and the Tal.
The section ends on a final Tihal (repetition of a rhythmic pattern).

Gat 2:

This is a fast Gat in Ektal (12-beat cycle of 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2).
This section starts with a Tabla solo.
The improvisations become more elaborate and virtuosic.
The Bansuri plays Tans (fast scales).
The piece ends with 3 Tihais.

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