Benefits of Moorchana - Part 2

- Pt. Vijay Bakshi

In addition to the previous two, let us look at a couple more benefits of Moorchana.

3) Swar Couplings - it takes two to tango:
In Indian classical music the swar(note) has prime importance. Usually, every swar has it's own importance. If an vocalist renders the Ga(Gandhaar) swar, then the accompanist also plays the same swar, whether on keyboard or string instrument. Incidently, in western music the accompaniment may play an appropriate variant to the main vocalist. These are known as chords. This is very common in main-stream/non-classical music. It goes without saying that in the use of chords, there is a certain relation in the notes that are played, else it would not be melodious.

Audio 3.1 - Cover of "Haal kaisa hai janaab ka". Vocals: Shruti Vaze and Pt.Vijay Bakshi

Audio 3.2 Cover of "Sagara praan". Vocals: Shruti Vaze and Pt.Vijay Bakshi

Light music is based on lyrics, and chords are used to augment the emotion or meaning of the words - which is the real skill of the music composer. 

Indian classical music does not include the concept of chords ie. playing more than one note  at a time. It is a sequential composition of swars, and there are certain pristine relationships between the swars. The fourth and fifth swars respectively from Sa(Shadja) are Ma(Shuddha Madhyam) and Pa(Pancham). This yardstick is used to derive the 'vaadi-samvaadi'(emphasis) swars of the various Raags. Sa-Ma is known as Shadja-Madhayam Bhaav(Measure), and Sa-Pa is known as Shadja-Pancham Bhaav. 
Eg. Re(Shuddha Rishabh) and Pa(Pancham) is Shadja-Madhyam Bhaav
Re(Shuddha Rishabh) and Dha(Shuddha Dhaivat) is Shadja-Pancham Bhaav

Without diving too deep into the precise positions of various shruti's, we get the following swar relations. 

Table 3.1 Sa-Ma and Sa-Pa Bhaav

The SaRas app will help you in finding the above combinations. You can listen to some of them below.

Audio 3.3 A demonstration of Sa-Ma, Sa-Pa Bhaav 

A note about Audio 3.1 and Audio 3.2 above.
Audio 3.1: It is the last part of a song from a 1950's film "Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi". The duet is sung by Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar. They sing the same line together but the base Shadja for each is different. Due to the Sa-Ma/Sa-Pa relations it sounds melodious.

Audio 3.2: It is a pre-independence patriotic song sung by Lata Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar and Pt. Hridaynath Mangeshkar. Towards the end of the song the word "Sagaraa" is repeated by artists together, but the base Shadja of each is different creating an interesting melody. 

4) Swar Couplings in Raag Vistaar(Elaboration) - an elaborate revelation:
The previous section was the theory of Sa-Ma and Sa-Pa Bhaav's (Measures) and their (self) evident melodious relationships, even when applied to other swar couplings. These measures are usually applied in a process known as Raag Vistaar ie.when the vocalist gradually reveals to the audience his/her interpretation of a Raag. 

Let us take Raag Malkauns as an example. 
Aaroha (ascent) - Sa ga Ma dha ni Sa
Avroha (descent) - Sa ni dha Ma ga Sa 

Vaadi-Samvaadi (Emphasis swars):
Vaadi - Ma
Samvaadi - Sa

There is not only a natural harmonious relation between the vaadi-samvaadi swars, but also between:
1) Shadja-Madhyam Bhaav:
i) ga - dha (Komal Gandhaar - Komal Dhaivat) 

2) Shadja-Pancham Bhaav
i) ga - ni (Komal Gandhaar - Komal Nishaad)
ii) Ma - Sa (Shudda Madhyam - Shadja of upper Saptak[octave])
iii) dha - ga (Komal Dhaivat - Komal Gandhaar of upper Saptak)

These relations enhance the melody of Raag Malkauns. Have a listen.

Vid 3.1 Use of Sa-Ma, Sa-Pa Bhaav in Raag Malkauns by Pt.Vijay Bakshi

In general, the more such couples in a Raag the more melodious it can be. These couples help in a more deliberated elaboration of the Raag and satiate the audience. The most significant part is that repeat performances of the same Raag adds to the novelty factor rather than reduce it.

Let us take another example of Raag Yaman. 
Aaroha - Sa Re Ga MA Pa Dha Ni Sa
Avroha - Sa Ni Dha Pa MA Ga Re Sa
Vaadi - Ga
Samvaadi - Ni 

Couplings*:
1) Shadja-Madhyam Bhaav:
i) Re - Pa (Shuddha Rishabh - Pancham)
ii) Ga - Dha (Shuddha Gandhaar - Shuddha Dhaivat)
iii) MA - Ni (Teevra Madhyam - Shuddha Nishaad)
iv) Pa - Sa (Pancham - Shadja of upper Saptak)
v) Dha - Re (Shuddha Dhaivat - Shuddha Rishabh of upper Saptak)
vi) Ni - Ga (Shuddha Nishaad - Shuddha Gandhaar of upper Saptak)

2) Shadja-Pancham Bhaav:
i) Re - Dha (Shuddha Rishabh - Shuddha Dhaivat)
ii) Ga - Ni (Shuddha Gandhaar -  Shuddha Nishaad)
iii) Dha - Ga (Shuddha Dhaivat - Shuddha Gandhaar of upper Saptak)
iv) Ni - MA (Shuddha Nishaad - Teevra Madhyam of upper Saptak)

Application of the above couplings in Raag vistaar.

Vid 3.2 Use of Sa-Ma, Sa-Pa Bhaav in Raag Yaman by Pt.Vijay Bakshi

*To arrive at these couplings, change position of the Sa to each of the other swars in the Raag. The SaRas app will make it easy to do it.