Chandra Kauns (Tendrils)
Michael Robinson
About this work:
Tendrils (Nand Kedar, Kirvani, Madhu Kauns, Chandra Kauns), my fourth CD, is based entirely on Indian ragas. Composition began after almost one year of private study with Harihar Rao, Ravi Shankar's senior disciple. The influence of Indian classical music is also pervasive on my previous CD, Hamoa, but the present CD contains four pieces which actually use the raga form.
Tendrils (Chandra Kauns) was engendered from my enthusiasm for a Hariprasad Chaurasia and Anindo Chatterjee recording of Chandra Kauns, which remains a favorite to this day. I used a Near Eastern kawala for the melodic voice, and a bonang for the drone, rather than a tanpura. After the opening alap, there are a number of tempo increases throughout the piece.
- Michael Robinson, December 1999, Lahaina
© 1999 by Michael Robinson All rights reserved
Year composed: 1995
Duration: 00:30:22
Ensemble type: Electronic Instruments and Sound Sources:Live Electronic Sound Sources
Instrumentation: ,1 Computer/Laptop soloist(s), ,1 Sampler (Keyboard/Other) soloist(s)
Instrumentation notes: A computer and sound module are programmed to perform the fully notated composition in real time. Tendrils (Chandra Kauns) is voiced with samples of the following acoustical timbres using Indian tunings: kawala, tabla, bonang and Balinese percussion.