MUS 101: Introduction to Music: 10-Music of India/South Asia

People, Culture, Language of India

 Around 1,34 billion people

 16 major languages spoken

 Hindi and English are the two official languages

 Religions:

 Hinduism:  79.8% 

 Islam:   14.2%

 Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and various indigenous ethnically-bound faiths).  6% :

 

The division of Indo-Iranian languages in the North and Dravidian languages in the South corresponds to the division of classical  musical style into Hindustani (Northern) and Carnatic (Southern).

Please watch this video lecture as you scroll further down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRF34RGnzoQ

All music is primarily vocal in character

• portamento
• complex ornaments
• Instruments aim to imitate the voice

As opposed to the elements of melody, harmony, and rhythm.  Musics of the Indian subcontinent are constructed around râga (complex melody form) and tâla (complex rhythmic cycles).  Together they serve as the basis for composition and improvisation. 

Music of the North

•  Art music tradition
• ­Highly trained musicians
• ­Music has a ‘concert’ audience; people who are connoisseurs
• Developed as a court tradition under the Mughal (Islamic) rule in the 16th through18th century

• The notes of the rag are called the swar.  This concept is similar to the Western solfege.
• There must also be a modal structure.  This is called that in North Indian music and mela in Carnatic music.
• There is also the jati.  Jati is the number of notes used in the rag.
• There must also be the ascending and descending structure--arohana /avarohana.
•  Some notes are important and others less so.  The two most important notes are called vadi and samavadi
• There are often characteristic movements to the rag.  This is called either pakad or swarup.
• Less important characteristics.  For instance rags have traditionally been attributed to particular times of the day. 

Tala/tal—Rhythm Cycle

• The word tal.  Tal literally means "clap".  Today, the tabla has replaced the clap in the performance, but the term still reflects the origin. 

Elements of Tal

• Tali - Tali is the pattern of clapping.  Each tal is characterized by a particular pattern and number of claps.
• Khali -Khali is the wave of the hands.  These have a characteristic relationship to the claps.
• Vibhag (Ang) - Vibhag is the measure.  Each clap or wave specifies a particular section or measure.  These measures may be of any number of beats, yet most commonly 2, 3, 4, or 5 beats are used.
• Matra - Matra is the beat.  It may be subdivided if required

 

 

TEENTAL

• CLAPPING/ WAVING ARRANGEMENT

CLAP, 2, 3, 4, CLAP, 2, 3, 4, WAVE, 2, 3, 4, CLAP, 2, 3, 4

• NUMBER OF BEATS --16
• THEKA   

 

• DADRA TAL

• CLAPPING/ WAVING ARRANGEMENT

CLAP, 2, 3, WAVE, 2, 3

• NUMBER OF BEATS--6
• THEKA 

 

 

KAHERVA TAL

• CLAPPING/ WAVING ARRANGEMENT

CLAP, 2, 3, 4, WAVE, 2, 3, 4

• NUMBER OF BEATS--8
• THEKA

 

RUPAK TAL

• CLAPPING/ WAVING ARRANGEMENT

WAVE, 2, 3, CLAP, 2, CLAP, 2

• NUMBER OF BEATS--7
• THEKA 

Rāga development—in Hindustani Music

Performance of Indian classical music generally follow the same format.

First an introduction sets the mood, both in vocal and instrumental music.

Alāp—free rhythm exposition of rāga---can be long or very short.

In longer renditions of instrumental music you also have the following two sections.

Jor—introduction of pulse into instrumental alāp, with more elaborate melodic development (optional)

Jhala-fast pulse (optional) with rapid strumming of strings.

You then have compositions upon which the performer will improvise in the raga framework.  

 in instrumental music is  called Gat­-composition in the rāga set in a specific tāla.

Tora—improvisational episodes that alternate with the gat.

Gats can be in slow, medium, or fast tempos.  In fast gats they can accelerate to a gat jhala

In vocal music the compositions are called bandish (literally, "closed" or "fixed") and as in instrumental music, progress from slow to fast compositions, although in abreviated performances a music may forego one or the other.

The following is an encapsulated performance  of the raga called Jog, by the great sitar virtuoso, the late Pandit (Master) Ravi Shankar.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-lcB48oQq6s

The parts are as follows

• Alap 00:00
• Jor 6:24
• Jhala 11:20
• Gat/tora in slow teental  13:02
• Gat/tora in fast teental 23:36  ending with a gat jhala at 25:58

 

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