1. MUSIC OF INDIA

2. 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

3. Indian Music Carnatic vs. Hindustani classical traditions
(music and dance)
Raga and Tala
Improvisation and Composition

4. Indian Instruments
SITAR
SAROD
TAMBURA

5. Indian Instruments
TABLA
MRIDANGAM

6. 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”

7. Indian Classical Ensemble

8. 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

9. Raga Basant

10. 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

11. Ata Tala Ata tala 5 + 5 + 2 + 2 = 14 beats
/ / /13 14//
Clap * * * * Clap * * * * Clap Wave Clap Wave
Tintal: = 16
Clap 234/ clap 234 /wave234 /clap234
Sound example: “Medium and fast gats in raga Yaman and tintal” EXC CD 1/1

12. The Kriti Most well known form of Carnatic music
Originally vocal with religious texts
Modern kriti repertoire composed in 18th-19th cents.
Saint Tyagaraja ( )

13. 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)

14. “Banturiti” by Tyagaraja
Voice, violin, mridingam
Raga: Hamsanadam (c e f# g b)
Adi Tala ( )
Clap / clap wave /clap wave

15. “Devi Niye Tunai” by Papanasam Sivan (20th cent.)
Voice, mridangam
Raga: Keervani
Tala: Adi Tala ( )
To the goddess Devi (with the fish-shaped/always open eyes)

16. 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.”

17. “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