Activity
Click on the following activity link and watch the video as a music professor teaches and demonstrates a traditional Indian Raga.
During the first section the soloist is improvising and getting into the mood of playing. This is called the alap. The second section has a new rhythm, and the accompanying instruments join the soloist. The last section is fast and brilliant. It is during this one that the musician shows off his real talent. Except when recording the music on tape, pieces have no time restrictions, and they can last for hours.
A typical Indian musician may devote twenty years of their life (or more) to an instrument before feeling competent. The musician’s life is deeply intertwined with the music teacher’s, and even after they are professionals, musicians will often return to their teachers for further study.
Follow Up Question 1:
What differentiates a Raga from other music?
