Rhythm, form, and performance in Ladakhi traditional songs

Abstract

This chapter discusses the characteristics of Ladakhi traditional songs from the point of view of rhythmic structure, form, and text setting, and examines how these are reflected in performance practice. This little-known repertoire runs the gamut from art songs coming out of a Pan-Tibetan literary culture to village songs originating in pre-Buddhist religion. I examine how standard rhythmic structures in compositions and performances illustrate basic Ladakhi musical concepts. To generate an understanding of indigenous theory and taxonomy, this analysis is interwoven with Ladakhi musicians’ articulations of norms in musical structure, taxonomy, and performance. In my analysis of rhythm, form, and text setting, I focus primarily on four representative genres: rten ‘brel glu (songs of auspicious sign), bag ston glu (wedding songs), chang glu (beer songs), and gzhung glu (congregational songs originating in the old royal court in Leh) while at the same time looking at other genres so as to give a wider overview.