Hindustani Classical Music
“Music gives a soul to Universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”
– Plato.
The world will lose its meaning in the absence of music. There is a vast treasure trove of music exists in the world. Out of all the harmony and melodious kind of music, Hindustani Classical one has always fascinated me with its essence and beauty.
However, the roots of music in ancient India are found in the holy scriptures of Hindus, the Vedas. According to Hindu mythology, music originated from the very sound of “Om.” The Indian classical music is a genre of South Asian Music. However, it has historically adopted and evolved with many regional styles, it has two major traditions. That is where in the midst of all this tunefulness,Hindustani Classical Music comes into being. It is also known as North Indian style of Indian classical music as it is indigenous to North. It somehow traces its origin from the 12th century CE.
Raga is the beauty and tala is the enhancer of this beauty. Raga relates to the melody. It is the euphonic foundation to the system. The melodic mode or raga is sung to a rhythmic cycle or tala. The whole rhythmic organization is based on the various kinds of rhythmic patterns. A raga consists of these basic seven notes. They are the crux making the whole musical pattern revolve around their periphery. Any composition or any piece of music will be sung depending on these seven notes. They are Sa (Shadhaj), Re (Rishabh), Ga (Gandhar), Ma (Madhyam), Pa (Pancham), Dha (Dhaivat), Ni (Nishad). It repeats at the octave. Out of these seven notes only Sa and Pa are constants and the rest have their major and minor tones too. This further leads to innumerable and uncountable combinations. These notes being the most important has a huge significance in the whole raga system. They are the developers in the
Ragtime eventually led to more classical pieces, usually played by white orchestras that had the same “ragged” notes that so closely related to Afro-American music. Because of this, much of ragtime relies on instruments such as the piano rather than vocal interpretations of the music. Some aspects of African music that influenced both styles was emphasis on percussion and the use of an overlay of beats and rhythms to create an additive process (Waldo 9). The work songs of slaves as well as hymnals from African churches influenced both styles, as well.
Our heart and souls at all times sense rejuvenated and lively with every beat of finest music we hear. Music comes in a variety of diverse forms which are admired and renowned for their own unique styles. Classical music is one of the breeds of musical forms that exist since many years with its visible significance in the music industry. Classical music is a part of our globe from almost 1000 years and inspires millions of people with its liveliness and simplicity.
If one were to look back into the world’s history, one would find that an important and consistent element is the world of music. Music has presented itself in various forms throughout its spread and through our identification of its magical realm, people have been fortunate enough to come across a means of relation. Whether it is blues and reggae or rap and pop rock, there is music out there for everyone. Music can serve as a stabilizer for some, a relaxant to others, and to many a form of inspiration.
Music has been around since the dawn of time, ever since man first inhabited this planet we have learned to communicate in ways other then conventional speaking. Different Cultures all have there own specific way of communicating through music. Music is basically broken into two specific groups Eastern Music and Western Music. Eastern music is mainly derived from the orient and India. While, Western music first emerged from Europe. Western music has developed in many ways since the middle ages through its form, sound, and message.
Music is something that I believe we could not live without. There is a quote by a philosopher named Friedrich Nietzschethat says “without music, life would be a mistake”. I interpret this to mean that humans would not be creative if it were not for music. There is a reason that music can take us where word cannot. When you hear so many different sounds coming together to make a perfect harmony it is obvious that no words can make you feel the same way as the music. The best thing about music is that there are literally too many genres to choose from. There are different genres of music for any mood you are in. The origins behind these different genres is an interesting and rich history that is begging to be studied and written about. Let me explain....
Music is a part of everyday life for almost everyone in the world. Music provides us with enjoyment and relaxation, and can be used in many ways by many different people. Some may use it to calm down after a long, hard day, while others use it for religious purposes or still others in and attempt to try and forget something that hasn’t been favorable to them. The possibilities are endless, for music is one language that can be transmitted to all people of the world, no matter their nationality, and it can be understood by everyone. Tibet is no different than any other place in the world, as it has music that serves the purpose of the people who live there. While most music in Tibet is religious, secular music still exists and is still a part of life there. Tibetan music has played an important role in shaping who the Tibetan people have become today by giving themselves different ways to express who they are, through the use of differing instruments and styles of music, and has allowed other people from around the world the opportunity to look at Tibetan culture through their music.
These ragas, along with the rhythms played by the percussionist, convey the particular “tranquility, natural beauty, and spirituality” of Indian music and are the very backbone of its expression (Wright 432-433). Raga has a much richer meaning beyond its melody. Bailey (115) notes that the music theory behind raga stipulates specific emotions, “the deities with which they are associated,” and even the appropriate times they should be performed.3 Tala is cyclic in nature and may be linked to the spiritual importance of reincarnation within Hinduism (Wright 433). The sitar is a “North Indian stringed instrument related to the lute, consisting of two gourds connected by a teakwood neck with 20 movable frets, six or seven main playing strings, and 11-13 sympathetic strings on separate bridges” (Rain 116). The tabla are two drums played in accompaniment to the sitar, one of which will produce one sound, while the sound of the other is influenced by the amount of force with which it is struck (Wright
Since the earliest days of human civilization music has been a key tool for communication of stories which carried emotions through them. If we think back to our youngest years of life music has surrounded us whether it was from our parents singing us lullabies or from some sort of toy that played music we can say that musical melodies have helped shape or lives one way or another. Once we start growing up and figuring out who we are our musical preferences change; some people like classical and some like punk. We start to befriend people who like the same music as us and eventually we may attend a musical event. Our lives somewhat revolve around the music that we listen to.
Classical music is known as light and smooth, also it is heavily emphasized on homophonic melodies, meaning that there is a single melody that every instrument plays. Thus, the significant turning point of classical music in humanity’s social and cultural development is that this type of music first heard became very popular in the 18th century. Classical music created energy, rhythm, and harmonic symphony and from these people advanced more and more and made these elements much better. This turning point not just improved classical music, but other music that evolved from classical music. Also, Classical music is known as one of the first music ever in the nation. When people listen to classical music they can identify the soft rhythm and how peaceful it sounds. According to the article Music Genres as Historical Artifacts, “Classical music in general is an important part of the cultural capital that gains access to scarce economic, educational and occupational resources” (Vlegels). It can be shown that just a certain type of music can give so many elements defining music and educational resources as well; which make it a significant turning point in the cultural or social development. People love music that soothes their heart and mind, and that could get their mind off of all the negativity around
Music are a few things we tend to hear every day. Whether or not it’s from our own ipods, in our cars, or background music to our lives. A song exists for pretty much every feeling and music will be thought of as extremely healing mechanism. Over the years there are various varieties of music that everyone embrace completely different beats, sounds, and evoke different emotions. Such varieties of music is hip hop and rap, alternative music, and rock and roll music. Music incorporates a long line and every single sound and sort of music is tangled together inside each other and influenced by each other. For these reasons, music not solely defines a sort of sound, however additionally recreates lifestyles and defines entire generations. The ability of music will be seen from all differing kinds of music.
In addition to the aesthetic aspect, a raga is also distinctive in form. These two aspects are inextricably bound together and are used in a complementary manner. In Hindusthani Classical music, ragas have been classified according to their form under ten thaats. The ten thaats under which all ragas are classified have derived from the twelve notes used in Hindusthani Classical music. A thaat is the ascending scale from which a raga is created. The ten thaats are: Kalyan, Bilawal, Khamaj, Bhairav, Poorvi, Maarva, Kafi, Asawari, Bhairavi and Todi. A thaat is named after the most prominent raga created from it. Ragas are also classified by the number of notes used in their ascent and descent. Two ragas written from the same thaat will comprise the same notes, however, the possibilities of development are limitless. Thus, each raga is a unique expression of an artist’s mind. In creating a raga, a musician must adhere to several guidelines, and must have an understanding of the essential elements or lakshans which comprise a raga. These are:
It has been scientists' belief that music must have been present in the ancestral population prior to the dispersal of humans around the world. Therefore it is believed that music must have been in existence for at least 50,000 years, with the first music being invented in Africa and then evolving into becoming a fundamental constituent of human life. Any culture of music is influenced by the aspect of their culture, including their social and economic organization, climate, and access to technology. People express their emotions and ideas through their music. Music expresses the situations and how music is listened to and played. The attitude towards music players and composers varies between regions and periods of history. Music history" is the distinct subfield of musicology and history which studies music (particularly western art music) from a chronological perspective. ("History of Music")
many cultures view as an important part in their way of life. Music ranges from strictly
Throughout the semester, various styles of music and the aspects of culture associated with these styles have been analyzed. Musical elements such as dynamics, texture, form, timbre, melody, instruments, etc., have been used to thoroughly explore each kind of music from different areas of the world, with an emphasis in music from Africa, India and Indonesia. These aspects of music go far beyond just music itself. Culture also plays a huge role in music and the accompanying musical elements. Each country and culture has a different style and distinctiveness that add to what makes the music of that certain culture unique. Music in Africa may differ dramatically from music in Indonesia or India not only due to those certain elements but also due to how it is interpreted by people and what it represents for those people. In addition to this, what one may consider music in one culture may not be music to another. These differences have been made apparent in the several demonstrations that we have been exposed to in class.
Music is an essential part of life because of the expression it allows people to have, its entertainment, and its therapeutic ways for the world.