Improvisation in Indian Classical Music

Performance of a raga means its improvisation, elaboration, expansion, extemporization, amplification, development, interpretation, unfolding, evolution.

The improvisation of a raga is done without any prior plan, though according to certain regulations. It is ad-lib, extemporaneous.  It is done without any rehearsal.  It takes place at the scene of action -- on the stage, at the time of performance. It is an on-site, real-time, and spontaneous exposition of the aesthetics of the raga. It is the nascent unfolding of the raga: the interpretation of the raga comes into existence while the raga is being performed.

But a really good performance is the result of great talent, a great guru, consistent, hard work, and a lot of experience. It requires assiduous work, courage, and thorough learning. It demands great training; exceptional creative ability and natural talent; thorough, intuitive grasp of the aesthetics of the raga; and natural flair for effective presentation.

The technique of improvisation has two main components, namely expansion (baDhat), and creative growth (upaj). Thus, improvisation is two-fold. On the one hand, it keeps on increasing its area of development, one small step at a time. On the other hand, it reaches the maximum creative depth at every step of development.

How are these two abstract canons translated into actuality? How does the improvisation of a raga happen in reality?  We select a raga -- raga Yaman -- to demonstrate how the development actually takes place.

The characteristics of raga Yaman: -

Ascending movement (aaroha):
"N R G M D N S'
Descending movement (avaroha):
S' N D P M G R S

Sonant (vadi): G; Consonant (samvadi): N; Pranuvadi: P

Pakad: "N R G M P, R G R, "N R S.

BaDhat is a 'slab', a set, of notes, and upaj is elaboration (of the slab of notes.).

Development of Yaman: [shown below as points only]

Weave patterns around vadi, samvadi and pranuvadi. taking into account the following:

Octave: From Lower, to middle, to higher
Notes: From only very few, to a few, to more, to many
Complexity:From  very simple, to simple, to increasing complexity, to very complex
Speed: From Quite slow, to moderate, to fast,to  very fast
Overlapping: From almost absent, to some,to  much
Taans: From very few and very small in very small area,to  more profuse and longer and in wider area, to many and quite long and complex and sweeping all areas.

Use of various aesthetic tools (alankar-s, gamaka etc).

Haresh Bakshi
The author manages the classical section on SudeepAudio.com