A rendition of Raag "Yaman Kalyan" by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi

A Raag or Raga is a melodic/ "harmonic" interpretation of a mode - a fixed set of note intervals for ascending phrases or decanting phrases - to create and maintain a certain mood or a mixture of moods and to elaborate and meditate upon it. A rendition of a Raga and a chosen melodic theme and text for it is an improvisation - with accordance to strict esthetic, canonical principles and guide-lines - but always and foremost a meditative IMPROVISATION. .
A raag is in a constant state of unfolding itself and expanding. The range of the notes is gradually widening and every note is introduced to be meditated and contemplated upon as it adds a new perspective to the Raga to be considered thereafter.
This is Raag " Yaman Kalyan " ( sometimes " yaman " for short), which is an EVENING Raag, traditionally regarded as appropriate to be sung and listened to after the sun had set, when the night has just begun, the stars have become cleary visable and we can relax and surrender to the serenity of the night ahead.
The Announcement by the Pandit ( Master ) Bhimsen Joshi of the program for the concert betrays some difficulties with the English language BUT, once he begins to vocalize the Raag the significance of the Mantra on the melodic theme is an immediate reflection upon this very thing - As he says: Behave with patience and with tolerance and understanding with those who have attained the grace of wisdom.
There is the constant accompaniment of Des Pande on a drone instrument ( Tamboura ) which provide the harmonic context and atmosphere.
The Harmonium accompaniment of Tulsidas Borkor which serves to reflect upon the soloist's ideas.
And the percussive tabla playing of Bharat kamat, which enters at the beginning of the rhythmic melodic theme of the "mantra", which unfoldes itself to be a spacious, composed cycle of 16 beats ( 'Vilambit Teental' - slow 16 beats), with the Mantra phrase "keijiya - GU...nisane..." - The prolonged syllable 'GU...' landing on the first beat.
The expansion, exploration and build up of energy and beauty than ensues for more than half an hour, but we'll settle with the exposition, at least for now).
The Mode or scale of Yaman is: In ascending: Tonic, 2, 3, 4#, 5, 6, 7, Higher tonic. And in decanting: Tonic, 7, 6, 5, 4#, 3, 2 Tonic which is simply a mirror, but this is important because many Ragas have different ascending and descanting intervals and melodic characteristics.
So, an improvised meditation which sets off with a free exposition of the Raga flows into a rhythmic "mantra" theme about patience and the grace of wisdom.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Bhimsen
• joshi
• Yaman
• Kalyan
• Raag
• Raga
• evening
• concert
• exposition
• serenity
• grace
• wisdom

[Epogdous]

This is wonderful. Splendid phrasing at 5:16-5:27.

[Ramatganski]

@Epogdous Interesting. You know, this area in the music is about the introduction of the fifth note and the fact that - melodically speaking - in this raga the fifth note is associated with descending phrases - so Bhimsen Joshi intensifies this feature by stressing the fourth at 5:23 and then solving it to the fifth with a descending phrase at 5:26 only to immediately further explore this idea at 5:30-5:39. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reflect on this. I like these sort of things.

[dachandman]

heyy, is that pandit bhimsen joshi ji in that picture? pandit ji as a boy?

[Ramatganski]

@dachandman No, it is not pandit ji. This is a picture of a child who is experiencing hearing for the first time - with the help of a hearing device.

[saffrondude42]

Yaman isn't short for Yaman Kalyan... The latter has shuddh Madhyam thrown in the avarohan. Amazing performance...

[shrinandan]

Where is the rest of this performance? It ended prematurely, just as I was getting into it. Kinda like my love life!

[naruto7350]

Oh God! what a voice! This divine melody passing through my nerves is rejuvinating me. Specially Yaman-Kalyan is my favourite raaga. Panditji koti koti pranaams to you. SUJATA DASGUPTA.

[fakurd123]

This is wonderful,I loved it

pranam To Panditji

[ykakad]

I loved it. Thank you. 

[nisa06]

@Ramatganski isnt it priceless: these eyes tell a thousand stories experiencing hearing

[dachandman]

@Ramatganski oh wow.. love the motif ! :D

to hear yaman is like hearing for the first time.. it is beautiful..