Durga-Puriya Sonata

Programme note

The Durga-Puriya Sonata is a rare coming-together of two ragas originating from North Indian classical music. Ragas are ancient melodic canvases, all distinct in their own notes, melodies and characters. Durga is a very important Hindu goddess, and her raga is sweet, romantic and usually sung in the evening. Raag Puriya is often called the king of evening ragas and has a serious character with deep concentration.

At first sight these ragas seem very different, but when the underlying drones start moving we see that they actually share 5 of 6 notes! With the drone in another place the monsoon raga Megh emerges, powerfully describing rainfall and lightning. Very shortly we even get a glimpse of midnight raga Malkauns, before Durga and Puriya meet each other for the last time in the sonata’s recapitulation.

But the last word comes from Raag Megh. Gods and goddesses, kings and queens, men and women, what does it matter? Everything that was earlier and that will stay until later overshadows all humanity.