Krsna Kirtana Songs est. 2001 www.kksongs.org

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Chapter 13: Song Practice (I)

The last chapter discussed the mahamatra which involved only one form associated with it. With that one form, one could repeat the chant over and over again. In terms of music, this is the simplest scenario. The truth is that songs will have more than one form associated with it. In some cases, a song will contain a melody for the refrain, and a melody for the verses. Sometimes, the verses will have two melodies which will alternate themselves. A great number of combinations can exist when examining how songs are composed.

When discussing harmonium or any melodic musical instrument, it is important to be able to break the verses down into distinct melodic patterns. The principal melody that acts as a refrain is known as the asthayi or sthayi. Any subsequent musical patterns that follow the asthayi are known as antarā (lit. “verse”). Please keep in mind that asthayi describes the melodic, musical form, not the actual lyrics. For example, the song in this practice is the Gurvastakam. The song contains eight verses, which 1, 3, 5, and 7 uses the same principal melody. Thus, verses 1, 3, 5, and 7 are known as verses contains the asthayi, although lyrically, they are not refrains. In the same manner, verses 2, 4, 6, and 8 are verses that that contain the same melody (a sub-tune of the asthayi). Therefore, they are known as the antara melodies, even though lyrically, there are eight verses.

The song in this lesson is a Sanskrit astakam, or a set of eight verses. The format, as mentioned in the last paragraph, is that 1-3-5-and-7 contain asthayi melody and verses 2, 4, 6, and 8 bear the antara melody.

Here is the asthayi. Practice the asthayi with swars alone first. Then, sing the words while playing.

FORM A: Asthayi

X				0
1	2	3	4	5		6		7		8
	m	m	m	G		-		R		S
		gau	ra	an		ga		a		ka
X				0
1	2	3	4	5		6		7		8
S	‘N	S	R	‘n		-		‘D		‘n
a	nala	li	dha	lo		o		ka		a
X				0
1	2	3	4	5		6		7		8
	m	m	m	m		-		P		G
	tra	na	ya	ka		a		run		ya
X				0
1	2	3	4	5		6		7		8
G	G	S	R	m		-		m		-
a	gha	na	gha	na		a		tvam
X				0
1	2	3	4	5		6		7		8
	m	m	m	m		m		P	m	G
	pra	t	sya	kal		l		ya		na
X				0
1	2	3	4	5		6		7		8
G	P	P	m	m	D	P	D	m	P	G	m
	gu	nar	na	va		a		sya		a
X				0
1	2	3	4	5		6		7		8
R	D	D	D	P		-		m		-
	van	de	gu	ro		oh		sri		i
X				0
1	2	3	4	5		6		7		8
G	m	S	R	m		-		m		-
ca	ra	na	ra	vin		n		dam

As your harmonium teacher might be different, there may be some variations or differences. However, the spirit of the raga (Raga Bangala) is the same. One this melody is committed to memory, play the antara.

FORM B: Antara

X				0
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	m	m	P	D	-	D	-
	ma	ha	pra	bho	oh	ki	r
X				0
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
D	D	D	P	n	-	D	-
ta	na	nrt	ya	gi	i	ta	a
X				0
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	S’	S’	S’	S’	-	n	D
	va	di