MacDonald-Jhala-Tabla OS

Jhala by Payton MacDonald is a solo tabla and may also be realized as solo multiple percussion piece. The titles come from the first, second, and third parts of the first half of a classical North Indian Hindustani instrumental raga performance. These pieces are fully written out, with no improvisation.

A jhala is a section in which the notes of a fast melodic passage alternate with a drone note. In this work, an analogue is drawn to a melodic jhala by using alternating, or hand to hand, strokes on the drums. Jhala should be played with abandon, the end barely controlled. Refinement becomes less important as the work progresses. The tension between what is comfortable and what is possible should be maximized.