Download The Bansuri a Western Flutists Beginning Guide to Performing Hindustani Ragas PDF

Page 1

The Bansuri:
A Western Flutist’s Beginning Guide to Performing

Hindustani Ragas
by

Kelly Mullins

Graduate Project: Handbook
MUS 554

Professor Mark Levy
June 13, 2012

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Content Index

Content Index...................................................................................................................................2
Fingering Charts.........................................................................................................................9-11
Hand Position...............................................................................................................................6-7
Making of the Bansuri.....................................................................................................................4
Ornamentations.........................................................................................................................12-14
Playing Position...............................................................................................................................5
Playing the Bansuri..........................................................................................................................8
Practice Techniques........................................................................................................................16
Renowned Performers of the Bansuri............................................................................................20
Renowned Recordings of the Bansuri......................................................................................21-23
The Bansuri Flute.............................................................................................................................3
Tala of Raga Yaman.......................................................................................................................19
The North Indian Raga...................................................................................................................15
The Raga Yaman.......................................................................................................................17-18

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Ornamentations

There are many different types of ornamentations used in Hindustani music, and many of the
instrumental ornamentations are based on vocal genres

Pitches can ornamented by physically moving the bansuri up and down and with side to side
motions to effect the embouchure placement

Mind (or meend)
• Produced by slowly rolling the finger in a circular motion to gradually open and close the hole.

Kana
• Produced by sliding the fingers over or off the hole after blowing

Gamaka
• Produced by approaching each pitch from above

• Use the kana technique in combination with embouchure movement and air movement.
• Gamak is an oscillation between two notes (usually a diatonic step apart)
• Like a Western tradition tremolo.

Taan
• Improvised variations including rapid variation in accordance with the raga.

Below is a chart of simple Taans in Raga Yaman from Lyon Leifer’s How to Play the Bansuri.

Mullins, 12

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Renowned Recordings of the Bansuri

Online videos:

1. Dhun in Raga Shivranjani
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QuDEx3_Ygo>
Prasad Bhandarkar (Bansuri)
Sudarshan Siddhaye (Tabla)
Raga Shivranjani on Bansuri

Raga Shivranjani Description:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKXdY7saCYA?>

2. Raga Yaman: Performer unknown
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6bPE_6XcH0>
Raga Yaman is an evening traditional Raga. This piece has some free form improvisation
and a composition based on a 9 beat rhythmic cycle.

3. Raga Bairagi Bhairav
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpXffkbNOTA?>
Flute: Venugopal S Hegde
On Tabla: Allamprabhu Kadkol
Flute Accompaniment: Vaibhav Bhat
“Bansuri Raga Bairagi Bhairav”

Mullins, 22

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QuDEx3_Ygo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QuDEx3_Ygo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKXdY7saCYA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKXdY7saCYA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6bPE_6XcH0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6bPE_6XcH0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpXffkbNOTA?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpXffkbNOTA?

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Renowned Recordings of the Bansuri

Recordings (audio only):

1. Hariprasad Chaurasia: Raag Hamsadhwani

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VloVAPloX8>

2. Hariprasad Chaurasia--Pahadi thumri

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkXTJaUYIoI>

3. Prasad Bhandarkar (Bansuri): Dhun - Vaishnav Jan To (Raga Mishra Khamaj)

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAbFVtIRnMU&feature=watch_response_rev>

4. Pandit Raghunath Seth Bansuri (Flute)
with Ustad Shaik Dawood Tabla accompaniment
Raag Ahir Bhairav
1970

“Pt. RAGHUNATH SETH-FLUTE with Ustad SHAIK DAWOOD-TABLA-AHIR
BHAIRAV”

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr8k8401naA&feature=related>

5. Pandit Pannalal Ghosh (Flute)... Raag Deepavali

<http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=FtEdAUfoW2o&feature=related>

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VloVAPloX8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VloVAPloX8
http://www.youtube.com/artist/Hariprasad_Chaurasia?feature=watch_video_title
http://www.youtube.com/artist/Hariprasad_Chaurasia?feature=watch_video_title
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkXTJaUYIoI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkXTJaUYIoI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAbFVtIRnMU&feature=watch_response_rev
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAbFVtIRnMU&feature=watch_response_rev
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr8k8401naA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr8k8401naA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtEdAUfoW2o&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtEdAUfoW2o&feature=related