Das, Ramanujacharya
Vaisnava Harmonium - Book& 2 CDs
Vaisnava Harmonium is based on the classical North Indian music system and presents 43 Vaisnava Bhajans. It goes step by step from very simple to more advanced melodies.
The book uses the Indian letter notation with the tone syllables SA, RE, GA, MA, PA DHA and NI instead of Western staff notation. Advantages of Indian notation are the ease of reading and the absence of an absolute pitch - the pitch of the fundamental SA can be determined by oneself to suit one's own singing voice, and all other notes build on this.
Several explanatory appendices with the following themes complement the 43 Vaisnava Bhajans:
- western names of the harmonium keys
- the 12 possible progressions of the Indian scale depending on the chosen keynote SA
- different vocal ranges
- features of Indian raga music
- characteristics of 58 common ragas
- drones, harmonies and chords
Vaisnava Harmonium is completed by a bibliography and a glossary.
English, 185 pages, 25 black & white illustrations, 19 x 25 cm, hardcover with spiral binding, 2 CDs