Bandish, cheez or gat is a fixed, melodic composition in
Hindustani vocal or instrumental music. It is set in a specific
raga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
, performed with rhythmic accompaniment by a
tabla
A tabla, bn, তবলা, prs, طبلا, gu, તબલા, hi, तबला, kn, ತಬಲಾ, ml, തബല, mr, तबला, ne, तबला, or, ତବଲା, ps, طبله, pa, ਤਬਲਾ, ta, தபலா, te, తబల ...
or
pakhawaj
The pakhavaj is a barrel-shaped, two-headed drum, originating from the Indian subcontinent, the oldest version of double sided drums and its descendants are mridangam of Southern India and kendang of Maritime Southeast Asia and other South Asia ...
, a steady drone, and melodic accompaniment by a
sarangi
The sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument played in traditional music from South Asia – Punjabi folk music, Rajasthani folk music, and Boro folk music (there known as the ''serja'') – in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It is ...
,
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
or
harmonium
The pump organ is a type of free-reed organ that generates sound as air flows past a vibrating piece of thin metal in a frame. The piece of metal is called a reed. Specific types of pump organ include the reed organ, harmonium, and melodeon. T ...
. There are different ways of systematizing the parts of a composition. A bandish provides the literature element in the music, for standard structured singing. In the past many
gharana
In Hindustani music (North Indian classical music), a ''gharānā'' is a system of social organisation in the Indian subcontinent, linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and more importantly by adherence to a particular mus ...
s protected their bandishes from moving out of the family with gross incoherent vocal renditions.
In the realm of vocal music, it is often known as ''cheez''.
Etymology
The word ''bandish'' is derived from the
Hindi language
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
, and literally means "binding together".
Sections
''
Sthāyī'' or ''Asthāyī'': The initial, Rondo phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition.
''
Antarā'': The second body phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition.
''Sanchāri'': The third body phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition, seen more typically in Dhrupad bandishes.
''Aabhog'': The fourth and concluding body phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition, seen more typically in Dhrupad bandishes.
Tempo
There are three variations of Bandish, regarding tempo:
''
Vilambit Bandish'': A slow and steady melodic composition, usually in Largo to Adagio speeds.
''
Madhyalaya Bandish'': A medium tempo melodic composition, usually set in Andante to Allegretto speeds.
''
Drut Bandish'': A fast tempo melodic composition, usually set to Allegretto speed, and onwards.
List Bandish Compositions
See also
*
*
References
Indian styles of music
Hindustani music genres
Musical form
Hindustani music terminology
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