The Alap (; ) is the opening section of a typical
North Indian classical performance. It is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a
raga
A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...
. In
dhrupad
Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music from the Indian subcontinent. It is the oldest known style of major vocal styles associated with Hindustani classical music (for example in the Haveli Sangeet of Pushtimarg Sampradaya), and is als ...
singing the alap is unmetered, improvised (within the raga) and unaccompanied (except for the
tanpura
The tanpura (; also referred to as tambura, tanpuri, tamboura, or tanpoura) is a long-necked, plucked, four-stringed instrument originating in the Indian subcontinent, found in various forms in Indian music. Visually, the tanpura resembl ...
drone
Drone or The Drones may refer to:
Science and technology Vehicle
* Drone, a type of uncrewed vehicle, a class of robot
** Unmanned aerial vehicle or aerial drone
*** Unmanned combat aerial vehicle
** Unmanned ground vehicle or ground drone
** Unma ...
), and started at a slow tempo.
For people unfamiliar with the raga form, it introduces the
thaat
A ''thaat'' () is a "parent scale" in North Indian or Hindustani music. It is the Hindustani equivalent of the term '' Melakartha raga'' of Carnatic music. The concept of the ''thaat'' is not exactly equivalent to the western musical scal ...
to the listener. It defines the raga, its mood, and the emphasized notes and notes with a secondary role.
Instead of wholly free improvisation, many musicians perform alap schematically, for example by way of ''vistar'', where the notes of the raga are introduced one at a time, so that phrases never travel further than one note above or below what has been covered before. In such cases, the first reach into a new octave can be a powerful event.
In instrumental music, when a steady pulse is introduced into the alap, it is called
jor; when the tempo has been greatly increased, or when the rhythmic element overtakes the melodic, it is called
jhala
Jhala (Hindi: झाला, ) is a term in Hindustani classical music which denotes the fast-paced conclusions of classical compositions or raga
A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a mus ...
(dhrupad: ''
nomtom''). The jor and jhala can be seen as separate sections of the performance, or as parts of the alap; in the same way, jhala can be seen as a part of jor.
[Kamien, Roger, and Anita Kamien. Music: an Appreciation. McGraw-Hill Education, 2018.]
Classifications
Several
musicologists have proposed much more complicated classifications and descriptions of alap. In the same way as traditional four-part compositions have a ''sthai'', ''antara'', ''sanchar'' and ''abhog'', some treat alap with a four-part scheme using the same names.
Bengal
Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
i researcher Bimalakanto Raychoudhuri in his ''Bharatiya Sangeetkosh'' suggests classification both by length (''aochar'' being the shortest, followed by ''bandhan'', ''kayed'' and ''vistar'') and by performance style (according to the four ancient ''vanis'' or singing styles – ''Gohar'', ''Nauhar'', ''Dagar'' and ''Khandar''), and proceeds to list thirteen stages:
# ''
Vilambit
''Vilambit'' (Hindi: ; also called ''vilambit laya'') is an introductory slow tempo, or ''laya'', between 10 and 40 beats per minute, used in the performance of a raga in Hindustani classical music. For major ragas, the vilambit portion generally t ...
''
# ''
Madhya laya''
# ''
Drut
''Drut'' ( द्रुत; also called ''drut laya'') is the concluding section, in fast tempo (or ''laya''), between 160 and 320 beats per minute, of the performance of a vocal raga in Hindustani classical music.
See also
*Khyal
* Vilambit
* ...
''
# ''
Jhala
Jhala (Hindi: झाला, ) is a term in Hindustani classical music which denotes the fast-paced conclusions of classical compositions or raga
A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a mus ...
''
# ''
Thok
''Thok'' ( ठोक), in Indian classical music, is a post-jhala phase of elaboration and is replete with accents. The plectrum, etc., is actually struck on adjacent wooden or metal portion of the instrument to introduce the ‘thok’ (strike) e ...
''
# ''
Lari/Ladi''
# ''Larguthav''
# ''Larlapet''
# ''Paran''
# ''Sath''
# ''Dhuya''
# ''Matha''
# ''Paramatha''
Even though Raychoudhuri admits the 13th stage is wholly extinct, as we see we are in jhala already at the fourth stage; the sthai-to-abhog movement is all part of the first stage (vilambit). Stages six and up are for instrumentalists only. Other authorities have forwarded other classifications. For example, when alap is sung with lyrics or at least syllables, as in
dhrupad
Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music from the Indian subcontinent. It is the oldest known style of major vocal styles associated with Hindustani classical music (for example in the Haveli Sangeet of Pushtimarg Sampradaya), and is als ...
, it is called ''sakshar'' as opposed to ''anakshar''.{{citation needed, date=November 2012
See also
*
Alapana
*
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Indian classical music, classical music of the Indian subcontinent's northern regions. It may also be called North Indian classical music or ''Uttar Bhartiya shastriya sangeet''. The term ''shastriya sangeet'' ...
*
Buka
References
Hindustani music terminology
Formal sections in music analysis