Azure Miles Records ~ The Music of Michael Robinson
Michael Robinson
Gamanapriya
1. Gamanapriya (2009) 51.35
Meruvina: piano, tabla, dholak, dhol, claves, ganza, cabasa, Indian bells, rotating drum, tanpura
| Gamanapriya |
Gamanapriya
is the fifty-third mela of Karnatic music. Its sound is most unusual to Western
ears by virtue of having both komal gandhara and shuddha gandhara, in effect,
in combination with tivra madhyama.
My intention here was to use the mela in its abstract form as a starting point,
as opposed to studying the raga form of the mela, or its corresponding Hindustani
raga.
Gamanapriya begins with alap for piano, Indian bells, rotating drum and tanpura.
The atmosphere is rather mysterious given the other-worldly melodic material
rendered without tempo. Jhala begins at 7.56, and Jor commences at 15.22.
Tabla, dholak and dhol form a composite drum that joins with piano and claves
in the First Gat beginning at 22.40. Ganza enters at 30.03, introducing the
Second Gat, and a cabasa appears in the Third Gat beginning at 37.28.
In contrast to the opening Alap, the following Jor, Jhala and three gats impart
a feeling of playfulness and fantasy. This is exactly the element of surprise
I was hoping for when I decided to delve into the Melakartas, which from a distance
appear rather cold and imposing.
Fence Sounds, my essay at AzureMilesRecords.com, includes Gamanapriya in its
subject matter.
- Michael Robinson, February 2010, Los Angeles
© 2010 Michael Robinson All rights reserved