Remembering Palghat Raghu
Published
1-12-2023
Type of Work
Article - Journal
Advisors and Contributors
Anand Ananthakrishnan, Ghatam Vaidyanathan Suresh (advisors).
Abstract
Palghat Raghu was a master of the mridangam and one of the leading figures in South Indian Carnatic music. In this article, I want to contribute a perspective on his musical life and, through my reflections on my time with him, contribute insights toward a fuller understanding of Carnatic music and Western engagements with it. I do so by drawing on fieldwork I conducted in Chennai, India, at various times between 2005–2013. Specifically, I use ex- amples of solkattu from my lessons with him to illustrate Raghu’s approach to rhythm and the general rhythmic approach within Carnatic music, including the kinds of musical-cognitive skills involved in rhythmic production within the Carnatic system. By describing aspects of his practice and his various inter- actions with other musicians, I also reflect on his position as a culture-bearer and on the relationships between musical cultures.
Notes
1. This file is in PDF format
2. Related research: Wren, T. (2015). Improvising Culture [doctoral dissertation]. Griffith University. [LINK]
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Citation
Wren, T. (2023). Remembering Palghat Raghu. Ethnomusicology 67(1).