Kalpa Media House | Special Article |
The connections between Chemistry and music is an area of immense potential for research. They both require Pattern recognition skills, for understanding the patterns of chemical reactions, periodic table, molecular structures in Chemistry and understanding of the melodies, rhythms, lyrics, swara patterns in music
It is well-known that listening to music stimulates the release of neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, which affect moods of an individual. Music has also been used as an effective educational tool to teach chemistry since it improves retention and engagement
Investigating the connections of music and Chemistry was an impressive program designed and curated by Dr. Ranjini Ramachandra Koushik and team of SciArtsRUs. The program captioned Rasamum Rasayanamum-chemistry meets Artistry was very well demonstrated by Dr. R. Suryaprakashin his vocal concert at the Marghazhi matram festival 6th Edition, organised by SciArtsRUs. He was excellently supported by Vid. Pappu Gyandev on violin, Vid. Erode Nagaraj on Mridangam and Vid. D.V. Venkatasubramaniam on Ghatam.
In the presence of eminent Scientist Dr. Mohan Balasubramanian and an august audience Dr. Suryaprakash, a distinguished chemist and musician presented this special topic bringing out the beautiful connections between chemistry and music.
Dr. Suryaprakash commenced with a wonderful analogy between the two fields by taking the chemistry of Hydrogen and comparing a unique parallel of the combination of musical notes PDPS in Carnatic music. Though same Hydrogen is present in a water molecule, Hydrogen peroxide, Hydrogen Sulphide-a pungent gas, sulphuric acid- a corrosive acid, each have different properties, so also the combination PDPS which is present in several ragas like Begada, Ananda bhairavi, Purvikalyani, Pratapavaraligive rise to different rasas in the respective ragas.
This was demonstrated through various compositions. Anudinamulu in begada, rupakatala of Puchi Srinivasa Iyengar, O jagadambanannu of Sri Shyama Shastri in Anandabhairavi, aditalam, (Jagadamba is the creator of the chemistry of the three worlds) vinanaasakonivinnanurapratapavarali, rupakatala by saint Thyagaraja, Meenakshi me by Sri Muthuswamy Dikshithar in raga gamakakriya or purvikalyan with excellent alapana swara prastharam and thaniavartanam.
Vakraragas can be compared to the zigzag molecules of organic chemistry, like Butane, Pentane, Hexane . Dr. Suryaprakash illustrated this through the compositions Manaviyaala of Saint Thyagaraja in Nalinakanthi, Aditala, Palukavademira of Sri Mysore Vasudevacharya in Devamanohari, Adi talam highlighting the Vakrasancharas in these ragas.
Vasantham, Bhairavi ragas have their own personalities compared to raga Vasantha bhairavi which has an entirely different beauty and identty. Many such combinations can be observed in music, Hindola, Vasantha and Hindolavasantha, Mohana, Kalyani, Mohanakalyani
A ragamalika Pallavi composed by the artist using the combination of ragas Vasantha, Bhairavi and Vasanthabhairaviwas delineated with expertise after a scholarly ragam, tanam, ably embellished by Vid. PappuGyandev on violin. The meaningful Pallavi, sangithamum vignanachintanayum…… further enriched the concept of parallels in Chemistry and music aptly befitting the title Rasamum Rasaayanamum. The program was well anchored by Sri Narayanan Vedantham.
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