KRIPA KRISHNAN
The theory of Raags / Raagas with an emotional twist !
Music is universal , yet a subjective experience . It manifests in culture and religion , connecting masses of people on a both conscious & subconscious level , such as what we see in Church choirs , Mosque and Temple prayers . It can also serve to unite people of different time periods , as with the contemporary and evolving genre of ‘ fusion ’. Music can also serve as a medium of communication , or rather , language for those in different countries ! We see so many cross collaborations these days with Indian Ragams / Raags being played on atypical instruments like the Oud or even fretless Indian instruments that can play quarter tones . Many artists are challenging the status quo and attempting to unravel the conventional human conditioning to certain sounds and rhythms and challenging the original norms of what a Raag should sound like or even how a Ragam / Raag should be identified . Of course , that then warrants an understanding of the philosophical and , interestingly enough , physiological underpinnings of the associations between Ragams / Raags and human emotions .
The first step is to understand the concept of tonal intervals . Various studies and literature reviews have actually shown these tonal intervals can be manipulated to elicit different types of emotions . A tonal interval is essentially the ratio of each interval ’ s frequency with the ‘ root ’ note ( e . g ., Sa ). For example , during an Alaap ( Expression of raga via a slow tempo not bound to any rhythmic cycle ) an increased frequency of occurrence of major intervals ( i . e . Shuddh swaras / Natural notes ) induces more positive emotions whereas an increased frequency of occurrence of minor intervals ( i . e . Komal swaras / Flat notes ) induces more negative emotions . In fact , the raags with a higher occurrence of notes Shuddh Re ( Major Second ) and Shuddh Ga ( Major Third ) were associated with stronger emotions relating to ‘ calmness ’. Ragams / Raags with a higher occurrence of notes Komal Re ( Minor second ) and Komal Dha ( Minor 6th ) were associated with stronger emotions relating to ‘ sadness ’. Now , during the gat ( an expression of the raag most often rendered at a faster tempo bound to a rhythmic cycle ) of the ragas , a higher emotional arousal was observed . The emotion associated with calmness during an Alaap was perceived as ‘ Happy ’ whilst the emotion associated with sadness during an Alaap was perceived as ‘ Tense ’.
Having come to such a consensus , it is difficult to generalize this cross-culturally . It may be apt for a layman / non-native listener but the effects may actually vary based on context , associations etc . For example , a raagam like Ananda Bhairavi ( carnatic ) is relatively based on a minor scale , however , it is commonly used in film to evoke more positive associated emotions . Further , arrangements also play a critical part in modulating how one perceives the Ragams / Raags . For example , arrangements can be used to change the tempo , or gat . It ultimately boils down to the contextual significance , the associated arrangements , and any preconceived notion of the Ragams / Raags itself .
Now , can listeners consciously dissociate themselves from these empirically proven effects of Ragams / Raags ? Is it subject to how the artist actually expresses the raagam / raag ? Can we actually use these methods to manipulate emotion ? Is it possible to change human conditioning through such tools ?
The Score Magazine
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