28 November 2015

Sat, 28 Nov 2015 class notes and playlists



Sankarabaranam Pancha Nadai Pallavi
By Shankar and the Epidemics
CD: Passion Sources (Peter Gabriel used these original recordings as inspiration for the soundtrack to the movie The Last Temptation of Christ.)

Dramatic slow. Tabla, ghatam, double violin, tanbura.

I like to think that this piece of music originated from the sounds of Indian cooking. If you have ever made dahl with vagar, you know what I mean. First you boil the beans, then you add the spices and simmer. When the beans have cooked you take them off the fire and prepare that vagar by sautéing dried chiles and mustard seeds in oil, adding a pinch of hing at the end. Then you flip the frying pan over the bean pot and there is a big “whoosh” as the hot spices hit the water! It’s really exciting to do, great to eat and this song sounds like the whole process! I’m hungry now…