The Songs Of India

A1 - A boy's poem by Rabindranath Tagore set to music A3 - from the play "King Of The Dark Chamber" by Rabindranath Tagore A4 - In 8 beat rythym A5 - anonymously translated from Sanskrit. A6 - Six stanzas on Nirvana, the transcendental state - by the 12th century poet-saint, Sankaracharya. By elimination of the material world, Sankaracharya arrives at the essence of life force. By saying 'I am not my mind, not my intellect, not my body, not my ego - but what is within me is that Supreme Energy that exists behind all matter. I am of That, Shivoham!' B1a - Meaning of the verse: The sound of Aum was the Supreme Force from which the worlds emerged: and from the sound of AUM music was born! Rendered in improvisation of Slokam (Non-rhythmic refrain) in pentatonic scale called Mohana Ragam. B1b - Composition of Thyagarajah (composer Poet 1770-1847: South India) in the Telugu language. This piece begins with a rendering of the full scale Raga Kalyani - the notes of which are like the major except for the 4th, a sharp-in improvisation of Aalap, non-rhythmic refrain. Then the composition or the song starts with rhythmic accompaniment by Mridangam and supported by Tabla, in 7 beat measure-1234567-the accent falling on the 1st, 4th and 6th beat. Towards the end, the singer picks up a line and improvise in the notational rhythmic variations, concluding in a dialogue between the voice and drums.