Alankar First Year
अलंकार प्रथम वर्ष
Examination conducted by Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal (ABGMVM)
Note · सूचना
Ninety minutes is allotted for this examination. In addition, a separate 30-minute stage performance is held before an audience, in the manner of a music recital, in which the candidate must present a raag from this year’s syllabus. Vocal candidates may take melodic accompaniment only during the stage performance. The 300 practical marks comprise 200 for performance and 100 for the stage presentation.
Applied Theory · क्रियात्मक शास्त्र
Paper 1 — Detailed description of all raags of Alankar First Year, discussion of the differing scholarly opinions about them, comparative study of allied raags, the characteristics of raags, and the importance of note-treatment within them. Composing new bandishes and notating them. The history of notation systems in Indian music and their comparative assessment. Composing muktalap (open aalap), taans, bol-taans and tihais in this year’s raags. Detailed study of Western notation. Sound knowledge of the various song forms and instrumental styles. Indian and Western views on the origin and development of music. Practice writing the prescribed taals in difficult laykaris.
Detailed exposition of the following raagangas within the raagang system of classification — Kalyan, Bilawal, Bhairav, Kafi, Sarang, Bihag and Malhar.
Paper 2 (Musical Aesthetics, History and Performing Art) — Music in Vedic literature, the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Pratishakhyas and Shikshas. Music of the eras of Bharata, Matanga and Sharngadeva. The definition of rasa and its types according to Bharata and Abhinavagupta. "The relationship of music and rasa" — ancient theory and a full exposition of swar rasa, laya rasa, raag rasa and chhand rasa. General knowledge of Western, Indian and Eastern philosophy on art and beauty. The necessity of stage performance, the external conditions it requires, changes in audience taste, and changes in the form of the music gathering (mehfil, conference, radio programme). For stage performance: assembling a repertoire, choosing accompanists, selecting compositions, conduct, dress and timing. The gharana — its nature, history, a critique of the styles of its leading artists, and a discussion of the need for gharanas. Acoustics, and the acoustics of an ideal auditorium.
Practical · क्रियात्मक
Presentation · प्रस्तुति
Eight new raags are prescribed for Alankar First Year, in which the student must be able to sing or play for thirty to forty-five minutes with vilambit and drut compositions. Full elaboration with both vilambit and drut compositions is expected in the raags for detailed study. A good collection of additional bandishes should be assembled with attention to compositional variety, giving due representation to dhrupad, dhamar, tarana, chaturang, trivat and bandishes in various taals. The thekas of all current taals should be practised in different laykaris (dugun, tigun, chaugun, dedhgun, sawagun and so on). Special facility in writing and reading notation, and practice in improvising new compositions on the spot, are expected.
Raag Knowledge · रागज्ञान
The foundational raags taught in the Mandal’s first three or four examinations are learned then only as bandishes in elementary form. The purpose of Alankar First Year is that, some years later, the student should be able to render those same raags using the distinctive ang-pradhan style of their own gharana. Complete singing of the foundational raags is therefore expected this year, through which the artist’s individuality emerges. Any five of the foundational raags are to be prepared.
Raags · राग:
Foundational raags — Alhaiya Bilawal, Bhairav, Jaunpuri, Marwa, Bhimpalasi, Yaman, Bihag, Malkauns. For general knowledge — Jog, Madhmad Sarang, Kalavati, Gaud Malhar, Devgiri Bilawal, Ramkali, Hansadhwani, Bihagda.
- For the stage performance the student may freely choose any raag from this year’s syllabus, together with a thumri, bhajan or any composition in a lalit style.
- The dhrupad and dhamar should be drawn from the raags for detailed study and general knowledge.
- Some compositions demonstrating the various styles of singing and playing should also be collected.
Taal & Laykari · ताल तथा लयकारी
Practice reciting the thekas of all current taals in various laykaris. Ability to recite the thekas of different taals with taali and khali in the ratios 3-against-1, 3-against-2, 3-against-4 and 5-against-4.
Marking Scheme · अंकपत्रिका
| Description · विवरण | Marks · अंक |
|---|---|
| Tuning — tuning the tanpura and one’s own instrument | 25 |
| Raags for detailed study — vilambit bandish with full elaboration (10 minutes) | 15 |
| Madhya laya bandish with full elaboration (7 minutes) | 12 |
| Vilambit bandish with three aalaps | 10 |
| Madhya laya bandish with taans | 7 |
| Vilambit bandish with characteristic aalap | 6 |
| General-study raags — discussion of five raags and clarifying their form through aalap | 25 |
| Dhrupad-dhamar nom-tom aalap (for instruments, aalap-jod) 5; dhrupad-dhamar or equivalent gat bandish 2; its tigun 3; dedhgun or bolbaant 5 | 15 |
| Semi-classical forms — any two of thumri, bhajan, folk song and natya geet (for instruments, two equivalent dhuns) | 10 |
| Ability to perform in different taals — vilambit bandishes in two taals (10) and madhya laya bandishes in two taals (10) | 20 |
| Earlier raags — the aalap and taan character of five raags drawn from the first year through Visharad | 20 |
| Other song forms — any one of tarana, chaturang, trivat or an ati-drut gat, with the expected elaboration | 10 |
| Taal and laykari — reciting the thekas of different taals with taali and khali in any three of the ratios 3-against-1, 3-against-2, 3-against-4 and 5-against-4 | 15 |
| Notation — writing out a heard bandish in notation, and singing written notation in tune and rhythm | 10 |
| Stage performance — one of this year’s raags plus semi-classical or light music, presented for 20 to 30 minutes | 100 |
| Total · कुल | 300 |
Theory (Written) · शास्त्र (लिखित)
| Paper 1 (minimum 35 marks) | 100 |
| Paper 2 (minimum 35 marks) | 100 |
| Total Theory · कुल शास्त्र | 200 |
Other Exams
Prarambhik
Praveshika First Year
Praveshika Second Year
Madhyama First Year
Madhyama Second Year
Visharad First Year
Visharad Second Year
Alankar Second Year
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