Rāga and Gamaka: Theorizing Pitch Space in Karnāṭak Music

In this talk I will present aspects of pitch space in South Indian music, especially those associated with Karnāṭak music. The main goal of this talk is to present a method for teaching the concepts of rāga and gamaka to Western classically-trained musicians without compromising cultural integrity. To do so, I will begin with an examination of how pitch space is organized in the mēḷakarta system. While this conception of pitch space resembles 12-tone equal temperament, I will show how Karnāṭak theoretical and practical pedagogy differs in its conception of tempering and what Western musical discourse refers to as microtonality. I will then provide an in-depth examination of the gamaka—a form of syntactically codified inflections common in South Indian music—while showing where it can and cannot be compared to Western ideals of tonal organization. By describing how gamakas are codified through pedagogy and improvisation, I will arrive at a description of South Indian tuning systems that minimizes reliance on discursive structures germane to European art music. Central to this description is the inclusion of vocal demonstrations, which will be interspersed throughout the talk to complement the theoretical and historical explanations with listening practice. Throughout the talk I will offer historical context for the discursive construction of Karnāṭak music theories, although emphasis will be on understanding a contemporary form of theory itself.

Varun Rangaswamy is an improviser-composer and scholar. Their self-reflexive approach to music-making has been praised for “creating a mesmerizing circular dialect” by I Care If You Listen. Their work, which has been performed across North America and Europe, focuses on the interstices between different identities within a single body. They engage with the instability of cultural processes by deconstructing normative associations between sonic and visual signifiers. To achieve this, Varun experiments with instrumental convention and relocates the body in musical action. Varun has earned degrees from UCSD and Eastman and is trained in Karnāṭak vocal music and contemporary bassoon performance.