Indian Art MusicA n I l l u s t r a t e d T a l k

by

Dr. Chintamani Rath Ph.D. (Indian Music)www.ragaculture.com

M U S I C …Where there is humanity, there is music…

(but : what is

music?)

M u s i cO r g a n i s e d

& emotionally expressive

s o u n d

.

MUSICAL GENRES IN PRESENT DAY INDIA

ART (“CLASSICAL”)

SOUTH INDIAN

(“CARNATIC”)

NON - ART (“LIGHT/POPULAR”)

TRIBAL

FOLK

N O R T HI N D I A N

(“HINDUSTANI”)

PROVINCIALCINEMAMUSIC

THEATREMUSIC

NON-INDIANIMPORTS

RELIGIOUSOR

PHILOSOPHIC

♣ Has religious/philosophic roots♣ Has a highly formalised grammar, dictated by textual as well as oral tradition♣ Has different genres (Vocal – Alap, Dhrupad/Dhamar, Khayal, Sadra, Thumri, Bhajan, Geet etc Instrumental – Alap, Masidkhani, Rajakhani, Firozkhani, Amirkhani Gat etc)♣ Has different styles (called Geeti, Bani or Baaj)♣ Has regional schools of presentation (currently called Gharanas)♣ Has regional variations in choice of Ragas, Talas, etc.

“INDUSTRIAL”

The Two Systems of Art Music in IndiaHindustani (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, long-held 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: so-called “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

Sound in Indian Art Music• Static Note –

Unembellished tones: Used for teaching oranalysing musical phenomena but not (except but rarely) inperformance

• Ornamented Note –

Tones embellished by different types ofornaments, such as Meend, Soot,

Andolan,Gamak, Krintan, etc. :

Used in performance

Ornaments (“Alankar”) used in Hindustani Music

⋆ Andolan – “oscillation” on a note⋆ Gamak – fast Andolan. Gamak may range from the heavy and guttural to the light and almost superficial. Again, Gamak may be of varying speeds⋆ Sparsha Svara, Kan or Krintan – grace note (acciaccatura)⋆ Meend – glissando⋆ Soot or Aansh – fast Meend from one note to another distant note⋆ Mürki – akin to mordent ⋆ Khatka – akin to turn ⋆ Kampan – vibrato

Elements of Music

•Melody – notes sounded successively

•Harmony – notes sounded simultaneously

•Rhythm – pulses in time•Dynamics – intensity (volume)•Timbre – tone colour

Organising Notes• Melodic

Organisation:

According to theprinciples codified by the system of - RAGAs - TALAs and - performance practice

• Harmonic organisation:

Against a fixed system of static notes soundedcontinuously but softlyin the background

andin unintendedcounterpoint, from an imitating accompanist

R A G AR A G A a melodic concept capable of intense emotional communication and comprising:- a given set of notes, ascending and descending- characteristic microtones- characteristic phrases- relative importance of the notes- characteristic ornaments or lack thereof- the general speed to be adopted- the register to be used (low or high pitch)- an accepted time of performance

Organising Time – Tempo (Laya, Gati)

Tempo (Laya)

Slow(Vilambita)

Very Slow(Ati

Vilambita)

Slow(Vilambita)

Medium Slow

(Maddhya Vilambita)

Very Fast(Ati

Druta)

Fast(Druta)

Medium Fast

(Maddhya Druta)

Medium(Maddhya)

Fast(Druta)

“Cyclic”(Tala-Yukta)

“Linear”(Tala-Heena)

T A L A

Tala → the cyclic organisation of periodic beats (Matra) = 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 “Avartana”• Divisions into bars, which may be equal or unequal• Accent points, which may be “beaten” (“Tali”) or “unbeaten” (“Khali”)• A primary accent point (“Sama”) – the point of rhythmic resolution• A vocal enunciation of the ordered rhythmic syllables in an Avartana,

called “Theka”

T a l a Matra T h e k a

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 - | Dha Dha Dhin - | Na Tin - | Dha Dha Dhin - | |

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. Jhampak Tala of 8½ Matras)

Rhythmic Improvisation (“Layakari”)

↠ Dügün – double speed↠ Tigün – triple speed↠ Choügün – quadruple speed↠ Panch, Chhey, Sat, Ath, Naü, etc gün – respectively 5,

6, 7, 8, 9 etc times the original speed↠ Aad – 3/2 times the original speed↠ Aad ka Ülta – 2/3 times the original speed↠ Küad – two viewpoints: 5/4 or 9/4 times the original speed↠ Küad ka Ülta – 4/5 or 4/9 times the original speed↠ Biyad – there are several varieties of this: 7/4 or 27/8

(“Küad of Aad” = 9/4 of 3/2) times the original speed, etc.↠ Biyad ka Ülta – 4/7 or 8/27 times the original speed↠ Paun – 3/4 times the original speed↠ Paun ka Ülta – 4/3 times the original speed

Performance PracticeHindustani

Recital

Vocal Instrumental

“Classical” “Light-Classical”

Percussion MelodicInstrument

Dhrupad &Dhamar

Khayal

Thumri

Bhajan

Tarana Ghazal

“Classical” “Light-Classical”

Gayaki Ang

Tantrakari Ang

Dhrupad Ang

Khayal Ang

Dhun

Khayal Recital※ Auchār-Ālāp ※ Vilambit (Bada) Khayāl

- Vistār (Badhat) ⇨ Sthāyi, Antarā- Behlāvā- Tān

※ Drut (Chhotā) Khayāl ⇨ developed similarly as above

Instrumental Recital♠ Ālāp, Jod, Jhālā

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

♠ Razākhāni Gat⇨ developed similarly as above⇨ Jhālā