Tabla As an accompaniment:
Tabla is basically an instrument of accompaniment to a Vocalist or an instrumentalist.It provides a time cycle of rhythm within which an artist performs.
The requirements of a tabla accompanist for a Vocalist is different from those for instrumentalists.I propose to elaborate on both.
The accompaniment to a Vocalist should be supportive, non-intrusive and devoid of one-upmanship.In present times it is common to hear an accompanist play practically a solo performance with a total disregard to the requirements of the Vocalist.Very often the audience applauds the Tabla Player and ignores the main performer.
Supportive roll:
This means that the Theka should be cleanly played with minimum embellishments.The use of Dayan and bayan should be balanced and complimentary.The aim should not be to scuttle the thought process of the vocalist but to enable him to confidently expand the nuances of a bandish.In old times I have witnessed Senior Performers reprimand an accompanist by just a stern look which was enough to make him play a Seedha Theka.
Some good players will beautifully merge a shadja note with that of a vocalist when he reaches the shadja of the upper octave . This usually happens when the sum of the antara is reached.
Non-intrusive :
While the singer is in a contemplative mood, the accompanist should not try to embellish his theka.Some good performers vary the loudness of their theka to suit the mood of the singer.
One upmanship:
The mohra ( tail piece ) used to reach the sum should be uncomplicated and not designed to fox the singer so that he misses the sum. ( A good vocalist never misses a sum but a crafty accompanist can deliberately make him miss the sum).The accompanist should sit facing the Singer and not the audience.He should not strive to encourage audience to applaud him but help vocalist to perform admirably.
The tempo of the Theka depends on the requirements of the singers. I n old times the tempo of the thekas used by Gwalior,agra,atroli gharanas were reasonably fast tempos. ( listern to krishnarao pandit,Fayyaz khan, kesarbai kerkar).But I think (I may be wrong) Amir khan introduced a very slow theka, In recent times I observe that Pt Jasraj,Gulam Mustafa Khan, Rashid khan-are using a slow theka.
In old days, the time distance between two beats was no more than the length of vibration of a note strck on tabla.The present day practice of using a slow tempo negates the very concept of providing a time cycle for the bandish.Moreover,for a performance to be successful, audience participation is necessary. A balanced interval theka can be comprehended by an average listener.You will observe that many listeners are inquisitive about the taal used and they will try to keep beats coinciding with the theka. With a very slow ( ati vilambit) theka, an average listener is lost.
The mohra (tail piece) used to reach the Sum (starting point of a bandish) should be specially composed and not a part of a kayda or rela.It should preferably cover not more than one avartan,It should not be a kayda or a chakradhar.Use of pakhawaj notes such as ‘titakatagadigana’are useful.Some time in my future blogs I will give the notations of Mohras.
AT THE END OF EVERY BLOG I PROPOSE TO GIVE A ‘GAAT’
To indicate the position of the beats, I will show the alphabet in capital.
Teentaal,chatushra jaati.
Tirakitatakta Ghina ghina Dhatraka dhaGin dha,Kad-dhet ghiNak ghina Gheghena tiraKitatak tuna,
Ghegena tiraKitatak dha, (S) ghe(E)nta.Ghinak ghiNak dha ,Gheghena tiraKitatak tuna—Dhi dhin dha,Dhi dhin dha,ti tinta,dhi dhin dha
Above S represents a pause and E represents abeat between e and n.
I hope you will be able to decipher this gat.
In the next blog I will discuss tabla as a solo instrument.
Suresh Mulgaonkar
18th June 2010
