MUSIC OF INDIA

• BASIC FACTS:– South Asia– 2nd most populous country in world– Birthplace of 4 major religions (Hinduism,

Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism)– Official languages: Hindi, English and 21 other

languages– Was British colony until independence in 1947– Over 5,000 years of recorded history– Largest film industry in the world; great source

of popular music

Indian Music

• Carnatic vs. Hindustani classical traditions

(music and dance)

• Raga and Tala

• Improvisation and Composition

Indian InstrumentsSITAR

SAROD

TAMBURA

Indian Instruments

MRIDANGAM

TABLA

Sound Sample

• CD 2/20 “Engal Kalyanam” (Our wedding)• 1969, from Tamil film

• CD 2/21 “ Devi Niye Tunai”• Classical song (kriti) by 20th cent. Composer

(singer, mridangam, in Tamil)

• Medium and fast gats (sitar, tabla)

• Ghazal, by Zasar (vocal, tabla) (poetic form, “light classical music”

Indian Classical Ensemble

RAGA

• Series of pitches

• Rules for ornamentation

• Rules for ascending

• Rules for descending

• Associated with mood, time of day and– North India 200 ragas– South India 72 main, several secondary

Raga Basant

TALA

• Fixed metrical cycle consisting of shorter units, often of unequal length

• Basis for improvisation for soloist and drummer

• Audience participates by counting time with hands

Ata Tala

Ata tala 5 + 5 + 2 + 2 = 14 beats

1 2 3 4 5 /6 7 8 9 10/11 12 /13 14//Clap * * * * Clap * * * * Clap Wave Clap Wave

Tintal: 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 16Clap 234/ clap 234 /wave234 /clap234

Sound example: “Medium and fast gats in raga Yaman and tintal” EXC CD 1/1

The Kriti

• Most well known form of Carnatic music• Originally vocal with religious texts• Modern kriti repertoire composed in 18th-19th

cents.

Saint Tyagaraja (1757-1847)

Kriti Structure• Alapana (improvised opening, introduces

the raga)

• 3 sections (no breaks):– Pallavi: opening section and “refrain”– Anupallavi: introduces secondary theme,

moves towards climax– Caranam: final section (may be relaxed or

may be virtuosic restatement of previous material)

“Banturiti” by Tyagaraja

• Voice, violin, mridingam

• Raga: Hamsanadam (c e f# g b)

• Adi Tala (4 + 2 + 2) • Clap 2 3 4 / clap wave /clap wave

“Devi Niye Tunai” by Papanasam Sivan (20th cent.)

• Voice, mridangam

• Raga: Keervani

• Tala: Adi Tala (4 + 2 + 2)

• To the goddess Devi (with the fish-shaped/always open eyes)

Sarasiruha

Pallavi: “O Mother who loves the lotus seat,”Anupallavi: “Save me who have taken refuge in you!”Charanam: “Complete Being, who holds a book in her hand which bestows all dominion.”

“Sarasiruha” by Pulaiyar Doraismy (19th cent.)

• Instrumental but based on song with words

• Vina, mridangam

• Raga Natai: ancient raga associated with god Shiva in form of Lord of the Dance

• Adi Tala

• Alapana/Tanam//Pallavi/Anupallavi/

Caranam