Graha bedham

Miscellaneous topics on Carnatic music
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asterix
Posts: 7
Joined: 23 Jul 2010, 14:14

Graha bedham

Post by asterix »

Couple of Questions from a Novice to experts in this forum.
-When a vocalist does a graha bedham, i have noticed that the violinist and the mridangam players stop playing. Mridangam i Understand that since is tuned to a set shruthi (or Sa) it will not match the new place of Sa. But can the violinist adjust to the new shruthi and adjust the shift and follow the singing?
- I heard or read somewhere that Shri. Lalgudi Jayaram has played during the graha bedham of the vocalist. Is it true?

hnbhagavan
Posts: 1655
Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06

Re: Graha bedham

Post by hnbhagavan »

Here is a convert Balamurali with Lalgudi where Lalgudi has played for Graha bedam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibuBsIR ... vnOD5wU0IB

hnbhagavan
Posts: 1655
Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06

Re: Graha bedham

Post by hnbhagavan »

Sorry Sir,
Pl find correct link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4l-QFdcvq8

asterix
Posts: 7
Joined: 23 Jul 2010, 14:14

Re: Graha bedham

Post by asterix »

Thank you hnbhagavan

MadChapu
Posts: 16
Joined: 08 Nov 2021, 00:58

Re: Graha bedham

Post by MadChapu »

My understanding is this: because graha bedam is bringing out a new ragam without violating the original ragam, it is a very fragile piece, that can be easily broken with one misplaced micro-gamakam. Thus, it's best to allow the lead artist to bring out their graha bedam without introducing risk.

In addition, the silence from other artists serves to highlight the graha bedam which can easily be lost on the average rasika in the audience.

Of course, if the violinist is confident they won't break what the lead artist is trying to accomplish, they might join them. Like Lalgudi above.

asterix
Posts: 7
Joined: 23 Jul 2010, 14:14

Re: Graha bedham

Post by asterix »

agree your note about allowing audience to recognise the graha bedam.

competent keyboard players accompany different singers singing at different shruthis, so its quite routine for them
to play at different shruthis the same song. I was wondering if it is any different for violinists or if there are any additional challenges.

in other words, if a violin is tuned to C, is it very difficult to play the same song at D.

Ranganayaki
Posts: 1760
Joined: 02 Jan 2011, 06:23

Re: Graha bedham

Post by Ranganayaki »

Did you mean that grihabhedam is about playing a song at different shrutis? That is not grihabhedam. When you play the same raga at another shruti, all the note positions change. That is not the case in grihabheda, where your set of note positions remain the same and you just change your perspective of where the Sa is, aided by the performer.. and you get the impression of a different raga. Of course gamakas for those same physical notes may change in addition, depending on the target raga.

Ranganayaki
Posts: 1760
Joined: 02 Jan 2011, 06:23

Re: Graha bedham

Post by Ranganayaki »

For example Shankarabharanam in C on the keyboard is easy - all white keys. if you play the same raga /song in D, you will have to involve some black keys.

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