Context:

(Capercaillie)

• "Skye Waulking Song" comes from the album Nádurra.

• Released in 2000.

• Taken from a long lament about the Son of the King of Ireland. 

• Waulking was the process of pounding tweed cloth.

Instrumentation and Texture:

(Capercaillie)

The three most unsual instruments in the piece are:

• The Wurlitzer piano- A type of electric piano
• The Uillean pipes- Irish bagpipes
• The bouzouki- A type of lute from Greece   

•  The rhythmic pattern is created by the drum kit. Bass line is played by the bass guitar. Chords on the synth and accordion. The countermelodies on the other melodic instruments.  

Structure:

(Capercaillie)

The vocal line alternates between four differnt phrases in a call-andresponse pattern:

• Phrase 1: Call (In Gaelic)
• Refrain 1: The response (Vocables)
• Phrase 2: Call (In Gaelic) 
• Refrain 2: Reponse 

• The structure is as follows. Introduction, Verse 1, Verse 2, Instrumental break and then the Coda.

Melody:

(Capercaillie)

The vocal melody:

• Is pentatonic
• Uses a low register of the voice
• Is mainly syllabic
• Alternates between one-bar phrases in Gaelic and phrases that use vocables as the response.  

The instrumentalists play short motifs and countermelodies that are mostly based on the vocal phrases. 

Rhythm and Metre:

(Capercaillie)

• The song is in 12 / 8

• There is frequent syncopation in the vocal line and instrumental countermelodies 

• At the start of the song the hi-hat pattern creates cross rhythms. When the full band enters, the hi-hat rhythm changes and more clearly emphasises the 12 / 8. 

Harmony:

(Capercaillie)

• The song is in G major and is entierly diatonic

• The three main chords used are G, Em and C

• This is because the dominant chord (D) is avoided the music also has a modal feel. 

Melody:

(All Rag Desh's)

Rhythm:

(All Rag Desh's)

The rhythmic pattern played by the drums is based on a tal. This is a cycle of beats that is repeated and improvised on during a performance

The first beat in a tal is called the sam. Which is often punctuated by the musicians. 

Instrumentation:

(RD by A Shankar)

• Sitar- A plucked instrument with a long neck. It has seven main strings. There are also 12 sympathetic strings. 

•  Tabla- Pair of drums. The right one is called the dayan. THe left is called bayan. 

Rhythm:

(RD by A Shankar)

The version of Rag Desh uses two tals:

1. Jhaptal- 10 beat cycle
2. Tintal- A 16 beat cycle 

Structure:

(RD by A Shankar)

1. Alap- (Sitar only, slow, introduces the mood of the rag and the melodic line is decorated with slides and pitch bends - called meends) 
2. Gat- (Tabla enters, sitar plays a fixed composition in a moderate tempo.) 
3. Jhalla- The music is fast and the sitar strings are strummed to create rhythmic excitement. 

Instrumentation:

(Mhara janam maran by Chiranji Lal Tanwar)

(Singing one...)

Chiranji Lal Tanwar is accompanied by:

1. Sarod- A plucked string instrument
2. Sarangi- A bowed string instrument
3. Pakhawaj- A long drum
4. Tabla
5. A pair of small cymbals

Rhythm:

(Mhara janam maran by Chiranji Lal Tanwar)

(Singing one...)

Structure:

(Mhara janam maran by Chiranji Lal Tanwar)

(Singing one...)

1. Alap- The sarangi and then the voice introduces the notes of the rag. The tempo is slow with no regular pulse. 
2. Bhajan- The tabla joins in playing in keherwa tal. A sung verse is followed by short solos for the sarangi and sarod. Tanwar decorates important words with melismas and ornaments.

Instrumentation:

(RD by Steve Gorn and Benj Wetheimer)

(The American chaps)

1. Bansuri- A bamboo flute which has holes instead of keys
2. Esraj- A bowed string instrument
3. Shruti box- An electronic instrument that plays a drone
4. Swarmandel- A plucked string instrument like a zither
5. Tabla

Rhythm:

(RD by Steve Gorn and Benj Wetheimer)

(The American chaps)

This version of the Rag Desh uses two tals:

1. Rupak tal- A 7 beat cycle 
2. Ektal- A 12 beat cycle 

Structure:

(RD by Steve Gorn and Benj Wetheimer)

(The American chaps)

1. Alap- This start with the drone, the bansuri introduces the notes and mood of the rag. The esraj then takes over before the instruments alternate improvised phrases. The tempo is slow and there is no regular pulse.
2. Gat 1- This is a slow gat in rupak tal. Begins with a bansuir solo. The tabla enters after about 30 seconds. 
3. Gat 2- THis is a fast gat in ektal. 

Context:

(Koko- Yiri)

The word "Yiri" means wood.

The musicians perfom Yiri from memory.

Structure:

(Koko- Yiri)

The piece is in three sections:

1. Introduction- The short intro is a balafon solo played using tremolo.
2. Main section- Throughout this section the drums play an ostinato and there is a strong clear pulse. The song alternates between balafon solos and choruses. In the middle there is a vocal solo with c & r.
3. Coda- A short phrase for balafon is played five times. The drum ostinato is interrupted by rests and a bell is sounded to mark the end. 

Melody, Harmony and Tonality:

(Koko- Yiri)

• Yiri is in the key of Gb major. Most of the music is hexatonic. 

• The balafons mostly play short patterns which often fall from high to low. They tend to emphasise the notes Gb and Db. The balafon has solo breaks between the choruses. 

• During the choruses. The group singers sing in unison. They sing similar phrases to the bafalon.

Rhythm, Metre and Tempo:

(Koko- Yiri)

• The main metre is 4 /4
• After the intro there is a free tempo but the piece maintains a steady pulse.
• Syncopation is frequently used, especially in the vocal and balafon parts.
• During one of the vocal solos, the balafon plays semiquabers in groups of three creating cross rhythms.
• The vocal soloist makes use of triplets
• The drums play a rhythmic ostinato which lasts throughout the piece. It consists of a quaver and two semiquavers played over and over again.