Bansuri

The Bansuri belongs, just as the didgeridoo, to a group of instruments which are discovered in anscient times. This bamboo side flute from Northern India is made of one length with seven to nine holes. Like the didgeridoo there’s a base tone; from a didgeridoo it’s called a drone. Instead of the western side flute that has special keys to produce “sharp”and “flat” tones, the Bansuri is being played with six vingers, using unique special techniques to play these tones. These microtones and ornaments are most important in the anscient traditional classic Indian music and comply most with the sounds of the human voice.

The Bansuri is a holy instrument in India. It’s a symbolic instrument of the Soul. The flute has already been described in the Veda’s and is exposed in anscient Buddistic art.

The word Bansuri exists from the word bamboo (ban) and tone (suri).

Raga’s (by Saskia Tornqvist)

The classic Indian musician is basing his melody’s on raga’s and designes his ritmic structures to tala’s. In theory there are more then 6000 raga’s, but in practice just 74 pieces are performed with some regularity. In every raga, mostly existing out of 7 tones, the ascending or descending lines of tones, the emphasis of the tone, the length and how the tone is being approached (intone and decorated) is accurately prescribed. Each raga can thus be considered as an extended grammer by which a proficiant musician can build his own improvised story.
An ascient saying in Sanskrit is: “That which colours the soul is raga.” Differently saying: each raga has its own atmosphere and moods. These are being played by special combinations of tones and playformulas. Each raga reflects an affect - delight, serious, longing, etc. - and is bound by a season at a specific time during the day. Mostly at western concerts, eveningraga’s are played. Often in a short period before the play starts, the musician desides which raga he performs. His mood, but also the mood of the audience determines his choice.