The Music of Hindostan c14.61

c14.61

in *Aḍachautāla*,¹ between *shahnai* (oboe) and *tabla*. They were asked to begin with four *thekas* and go on with *parands*. The section (*āvard*) is marked off by the double bar. Down to the first double bar, however, is *ad libitum*. It is the *Ālāp* (prelude) with which the music always begins, in order to establish the *Rāg*, and it is not in strict time. But the drummer is trying over his *Tāl* too, and though he gets the same number of beats as the singer they did not, as a matter of fact, exactly synchronize. From A onwards it is in strict time, and after the four *thekas*, the *parands* begin at B. Here the drummer breaks into an eight-rhythm (instead of seven) for variety. The oboist also varies. His phrase should have ended at C, but it ends a bar before. He ends the next one, however, correctly at D. Then he has a short one of two bars; and then, at ♩ = 170, a long one of six bars and an extra minim. At this point the pace becomes furious, and, shortening his phrase by that extra minim, he ends it up with *Haṇ* (yes) at G. Meanwhile the drummer, about D, has dropped his cross-rhythm, and seems to be plotting something a little more interesting. When the oboist begins his six-bar phrase, the drummer varies the little figure with which he started at B; thus: