Indian Art Music

An Illustrated Talk
On
INDIAN MUSIC

By
PRABIR DATTA
Mobile:919903886778
E mail:datta.pk2003@gmail.com
 Music
Organised
&
emotionally expressive
sound
.

ART NON 2 ART

(“CLASSICAL”) (“LIGHT/POPULAR”)

NORTH
INDIAN SOUTH
TRIBAL
INDIAN THEATRE
(“HINDUSTANI”)
(“CARNATIC”) MUSIC
FOLK

♣ Has religious/philosophic roots CINEMA

♣ Has a highly formalised grammar,
dictated by textual as well as oral tradition
PROVINCIAL MUSIC
♣ Has different genres
(Vocal –
etc
Instrumental – RELIGIOUS
etc) OR “INDUSTRIAL”
♣ Has different styles (called or PHILOSOPHIC
)
♣ Has regional schools of presentation
(currently called ) NON2INDIAN
♣ Has regional variations in choice of IMPORTS
, etc.
 The Two Systems of Art Music in India
Hindustani (North Indian) Music
Continuity back to Vedic times (6,000 BC)
Codified in a large number of ancient and
medieval music treatises
Developed independently of folk music,
albeit occasionally importing folk or
regional elements, metamorphosing them
suitably
Raga based, mostly improvised
Capable of intense expression in very slow
speeds
Vast range of ornaments, particularly
during slow passages
Subtle use of microtones in slow passages
Steady, long3held notes, mostly approached
and/or quitted by little ornamental phrases
Gradual building up of tempo from very
slow to very fast
Convention of time and season
Clear enunciation of rhythmic cycle by
percussion accompanist (in dominant
present day forms like Khayal, Sadra,
Thumri, Bhajan etc.)
True to Hindu traditions: so3called “Persian
influences” fully integrated within its
essential and ancient grammatical format
Carnatic (South Indian) Music
Of more recent origin
Codified in medieval texts written by
musicologists, the influential ones among
whom studied in North India and thereafter
returned to South India to fashion Carnatic
music out of the prevalent regional musical
forms to be found in South India
Composition based, mostly fixed
A fairly quick tempo from the start, so lacks
the intensity, introspection, microtones and
several ornaments found in Hindustani
music
Notes are not held for long and are mostly
quitted by a characteristic oscillation using
indeterminate pitch
Constant and fairly fast tempo throughout
No convention of time or season
Percussion accompanist does not
enunciate rhythmic cycle clearly, so a
second percussionist and/or a timekeeper
showing and/or clapping out beats (in
which the audience joins) is necessary
Contrary to advocated argument, has
Muslim influences
 The Gamut of Notes
8. Sa – Shadja – Do – Tonic
7. Ni – Nishada – Si/Ti – Leading Note
♭7. Ni – Komala Nishada
6. Dha – Dhaivata – Lah – Submediant
♭ 6. Dha – Komala Dhaivata
5. Pa – Panchama – Soh – Dominant
# 4. Ma’ – Tivra/Kari Madhyama
4. Ma – Madhyama – Fah – Subdominant
3. Ga – Gandhara – Mi – Mediant
♭ 3. Ga – Komala Gandhara
2. Re – R’shabha – Re – Supertonic
♭ 2. Re – Komala R’shabha
1. Sa – Shadja – Do – Tonic
 !
" # $ %
 Ornaments !" #$ used in Hindustani Music

⋆ – “oscillation” on a note
⋆ – fast may range from the heavy
and guttural to the light and almost superficial. Again,
may be of varying speeds
⋆ % or – grace note
(acciaccatura)
⋆ – glissando
⋆ or – fast from one note to another
distant note
⋆ & – akin to mordent
⋆ – akin to turn
⋆ – vibrato
 Organising Notes
• Melodic Organisation: • Harmonic organisation:

According to the Against a fixed system

principles codified by of static notes sounded
the system of continuously but softly
3 RAGAs in the background
3 TALAs and and
in unintended
3 performance practice
counterpoint, from an
imitating accompanist
 a melodic concept capable of intense emotional
communication and comprising:
2 a given set of notes, ascending and descending
2 characteristic microtones
2 characteristic phrases
2 relative importance of the notes
2 characteristic ornaments or lack thereof
2 the general speed to be adopted
2 the register to be used (low or high pitch)
2 an accepted time of performance
 Organising Time – Tempo !' $

Tempo

Slow Medium Fast

Medium Medium
Slow Fast

Slow Fast

Very Slow Very Fast

“Linear” “Cyclic”
 '

Tala → the cyclic organisation of periodic beats = an

endlessly repeated series of ordered rhythmic syllables in time

Rhythmic syllables → Names of sounds on percussion instruments

(Dha, Na, Dhin, Tin, Thum, Kat, Tita, Tirakita, Ghe, Dhita, etc.)

A Tala has:
• Cycles – each cycle is called an
• Divisions into bars, which may be equal or unequal
• Accent points, which may be “beaten” or “unbeaten” !
• A primary accent point " # the point of rhythmic resolution
• A vocal enunciation of the ordered rhythmic syllables in an $
%
Kaharva 4 Dhage Nati Naka Dhin | |

Dadra 6 Dha Tin Na | Ta Dhin Na | |

Roopak 7 Tin Tin Na | Dhin Na | Dhin Na | |

Jhaptal 10 Dhin Na | Dhin Dhin Na | Tin Na | Dhin Dhin Na | |

Ektal 12 Dhin Dhin | Dhage Tite | Thum Na | Kat Ta | Dhage Tite | Dhin Dha | |

Jhoomra 14 Dha –Dha Tirakita | Dhin Dhin Dhage Tirakita | Ta –Ta Tirakita | Dhin Dhin
Dhage Tirakita | |

Deepchandi 14 Dha Dhin 3 | Dha Dha Dhin 3 | Na Tin 3 | Dha Dha Dhin 3 | |

Adachoutal 14 Dhin Tite | Dhin Na | Thum Na | Kat Ta | Tite Dhin | Na Dhin | Dhin Na | |

Trital 16 Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Tin Tin Ta | Tita Dhin Dhin Dha | |

: and many more, including fractional Matras (e.g. ( ) *+ $

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 Hindustani
Recital

Vocal Instrumental

Melodic
Percussion
Instrument
“Light2
“Classical” “Light2
Classical” “Classical”
Classical”

Dhrupad & Gayaki Ang

Thumri Dhun
Dhamar

Khayal Bhajan Dhrupad Ang

Khayal Ang
Tarana Ghazal
Tantrakari Ang
※ ā Āā
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ā ⇨ ā ā
ā!ā
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※# $ ā ā
⇨ ! !
 !
♠ Ālāp, Jod, Jhālā

♠ Masidkhāni Gat
* Gat, with Uthān on Tablā
* Soloist Accompanist Dialogue

♠ Razākhāni Gat
⇨ developed similarly as above
⇨ Jhālā