MUSIC OF INDIA

Music of India:

1. Hindustani Classical (north India)

2. Carnatic Music (south India)

 Indian Classical Music:

1.Veda of melody : Sam-veda
2.Science of music : Gandharva Veda (upnished of samveda)

 Indian classical music consists of three parts:

1. Swara : Note
2. Tala : Rhythm
3. Raga : Combination of notes and melody (Megh Malhar is a Hindustani
classical raga for rain, Balamurali, a legend, who created ragas with three swaras.)

Indian classical music has two foundational elements, raga and tala. The raga, based

on swara (notes including microtones), forms the fabric of a melodic structure, while
the tala measures the time cycle. The raga gives an artist a palette to build the melody from
sounds, while the tala provides them with a creative framework for rhythmic improvisation using
time. In Indian classical the space between the notes is often more important than the notes
themselves, and it does not have Western classical concepts such as harmony, counterpoint,
chords, or modulation.

 Hindustani Classical Music :

 Hindustani classical music diverged from carnatic music due to the Islamic influences.
 It follows both hindu musical traditions along with Persian performances practices of
mughals.

 The major vocal forms or styles associated with Hindustani classical music
are dhrupad, khyal, and tarana. Light classical forms
include dhamar, trivat, chaiti, kajari, tappa, tap-khyal, ashtapadis, thumri, dadra, ghazal a
nd bhajan; these do not adhere to the rigorous rules of classical music.

 GENRES OF HINDUSTANI MUSIC:

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1.Dhrupad:

 Dhrupad is an old style of singing, traditionally performed by male singers.

 It is performed with a tambura and a pakhawaj as instrumental accompaniments.
 The lyrics, some of which were written in Sanskrit centuries ago, are presently
often sung in brajbhasha, a medieval form of North and East Indian languages
that were spoken in Eastern India.
 The rudra veena, an ancient string instrument, is used in instrumental music in
dhrupad.
 Dhrupad music is primarily devotional in theme and content. It contains recitals in
praise of particular deities. Dhrupad compositions begin with a relatively long and
acyclic alap, where the syllables of the following mantra is recited:
"Om Anant tam Taran Tarini Twam Hari Om Narayan, Anant Hari Om Narayan".
 THEME : Religious
 Famous Singers : 1.Raja Mansingh Tomar (inventor of dhrupad, king of gwalior)
2.Tansen ( was one of the 'Navratna' (nine gems) at the court
of the Mughal Emperor Akbar)
3.Baiju Bawra

2.Dhamar :

 A lighter form of dhrupad called dhamar, is sung primarily during the spring festival
of Holi.
 Sung in dhrupad taal and structurally same as dhrupad.
 Them: Krishna Gopi affair
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3.Khyal:

 Khyal is the modern Hindustani form of vocal music. Khyal, literally meaning "thought" or
"imagination" in Hindustani and derived from the Persian/Arabic term, is a two- to eight-
line lyric set to a melody. Khyal contains a greater variety of embellishments and
ornamentations compared to dhrupad. Khyal's features such as sargam and taan as well
as movements to incorporate dhrupad-style alap have led to it becoming popular
 Amir khusro was father of khyal and also created qawwali ,qual ,naqsh ,gul.
 This form was popularized by Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah through his court
musicians.
 Gharanas : Gwalior , Jaipur , Agra , Patiala

4.Thmuri:

 Thumri is a semi-classical vocal form said to have begun in Uttar Pradesh with the court
of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah (greatest proponent).
 Influenced by bhakti saints of northen india
 There are three types of thumri: poorab ang, Lucknavi, and Punjabi thumri.
 The lyrics are typically in a proto-Hindi language called Brij Bhasha and are usually
romantic.
 Based on mixed ragas
 Gharanas : Lucknow and Benaras

5.Tarana :

 Another vocal form, taranas are medium- to fast-paced songs that are used to convey a
mood of elation and are usually performed towards the end of a concert.
 It is entertaining and in this BOL has no meaning and rhythm is important
 It is climax of raga.

6.Tappa:

 Tappa is a form of Indian semi-classical vocal music whose specialty is its rolling pace
based on fast, subtle, knotty construction. It originated from the folk songs of the camel
riders of Punjab .
  It was developed as a form of classical music by Mian Ghulam Nabi Shori or Shori
Mian, a court singer for Asaf-Ud-Dowlah, the Nawab of Awadh.
 It has quick and fast turning phrases.
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 "Nidhubabur Tappa", or tappas sung by Nidhu Babu were very popular in 18th and 19th-
century Bengal.

7.Dadra :

 Similar to thumri
 Orignally set in dadra taal
 Theme : Daily life

8.Ghazal:

 In the Indian sub-continent, Ghazal became the most common form of poetry in the Urdu
language and was popularized by classical poets like Mir Taqi
Mir, Ghalib, Daagh, Zauq and Sauda amongst the North Indian literary elite.

 CARNATIC MUSIC :

 Chief proponent : Purandara Dasa (also known as father of carnatic music or

sangeetha pithamaha)

 Structural basics :

1.Chaturdandi Prakashika :(written by Venkatamakhin) Chaturdandi-prakashika is a

treatise on Music that illumines four forms of song-formats: Gita, Prabandha, Thaya and
Aalapa (Gita-prabandha-sthaya-alapa-rupa-chatur –dandi) which seemed to have
formed the pattern (or profile) for concert performances during 14-15th centuries. 
 Venkatamakhin also referred to as Venkateshwara Dikshita and Venkatadhvari was the
son of Govinda Dikshita, the author of Sangita Sudha.

2.Sangeet Saar : (written by vidya rana) Śrī Vidyāraṇya has written a musicological
work called Saṅgītasāra which brought in revolutionary changes introducing the concept
of Mēla in Rāga-s for the first time in the history of carnatic music. The speciality of his
work is that it takes some of the concepts of the earlier Grāma-Mūrchhana-Jāti system
and integrates them seamlessly into the new Mēla system, laying the foundation for the
further refinement of the Mēla concept in the next few centuries in Karṇaṭaka music. This
work has been extensively quoted by Śrī Gōvinda Dīkṣita (who was the minister to Śrī
Raghunātha Nāyaka of Thanjavūru in the early 17th century) in his work
Saṅgītasudhā(nidhi).
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 Types of Carnatic Music :

1.Kriti:
 Kritis are Dhatu Pradhana Rachanas. Importance is for music here.
 Valued for Aesthetic Content ,  Gana rasa experienced , Kriti is
development of Kirtana , All concerts are kriti based.
2.Kirtana:

 Kirtanas are Matu Pradhana Rachanas. Importance is for Sahitya here.

 Valued for Devotional content of Sahitya, Bhakti Rasa experienced ,
Kirtana is older than Kriti , These are for Congregational singing.

 Components :

1. Ragam Tanam Pallavi : Ragam, Tanam, and Pallavi are the principal long form in
concerts, and is a composite form of improvisation.
 Ragam = Alapna
 Tanam = Rythmic Cycle
 Pallavi = Thematic lines that gets repeated in each phrase

 Famous Proponents :
Male :
1.Thyagraja :
 Also known as Tyāgayya, was a renowned composer of Carnatic music
 He composed songs in telgu
  Tyagaraja and his contemporaries, Shyama Shastri and Muthuswami Dikshitar, were
regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music.
 A biographical epic on Tyagaraja titled Tyagayya in 1946 which is still treated as a
masterpiece of Telugu cinema
2.Muthuswami Dikshitar
3.Shyama Shastri

Female:
1. M.S Subbulakshmi :
 Was an Indian Carnatic singer from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. She was the
first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest
civilian honour. She is the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon
Magsaysay award.
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2. M.L Vasanthkumari :
  MLV and her contemporaries D. K. Pattammal and M. S.
Subbulakshmi were popularly referred to as the "female trinity of Carnatic
Music.
 The youngest female awardee of the Sangita Kalanidhi award

3. D.K Pattammal

 Folk Music of INDIA :

 Andhra Pradesh: Madiga Dappu, Mala Jamidika

 Assam: Bihugeet, Tokarigeet, Kamrupi Lokgeet, Goalparia Lokogeet, Borgeet
 Chhattisgarh: Pandavani
 Gujarat: Garba, Doha
 Jharkhand: Jhumair, Domkach
 Karnataka: Bhavageete
 Maharashtra: Bhavageete, Lavani, Powada, Bhajan, Pravachan, Bhakteegeete, Natya
Sangeet, Bharud, Gondhal, Lalita, Abhang and Tumbadi
 Odisha: Odissi, Sambalpuri and Lalita
 Punjab: Mahiya
 North West India: Sufi Folk Rock
 West Bengal: Bahula, batiyali, Kirtan, Nepali Lok Geet (Darjeeling)

 How many road a man must walk = Bob Dylan

 Man or maand singing style which state = Rajasthan
 SUF is a Arabic word which means wool. From this sufi word originated
 Pandit Nikhil ranjan banarjee (Indian classical sitarist) is from Maihar gharana
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 Mohd rafi was called FEKU in childhood . He debuted with Punjabi film gul baloch
he has also won 6 filmfares
