Chapter Seven Instrumental Melody
Melodic Styles Vocal Melody Usually conjunct Motion Limited range Instrumental Melody Often disjunct motion “Idiomatic” writing (for specific instruments) Wider ranges than vocal
Music of India Great Tradition Little Tradition Spread Extensively Throughout India Common Musical Language Among People Little Tradition Limited Geographical Region Folk and Religious Music
Great Tradition Distinctive Musical Instruments Primary Role Melodic-- Sitar Secondary Roles Rhythmic-- Tabla Drone-- Tambura
Formal Process Improvistory Organization Melodic Formula Raga Rhythmic Formula Tala (Tal)
Instrument Classification According to Natya Shastra Tata (Chordophones) Avanaddha (Membranophones) Ghana (Idiophones) Susira (Aerophones) Instrument Classification in India Natya Shastra (2nd to 5th Century B.C.E) Tata (Chordophones) Avanaddha (Membranophones) Ghana (Idiophones) Susira (Aerophones)
Western Instrumental Classification Indian system adapted by Hornbostel and Sachs in 1914. Aerophones (column of air) Idiophones (struck) Membranophones (struck) Chordophones (plucked or bowed)
Northern Indian Instruments Sitar––plucked stringed instrument which plays the melody
Northern Indian Instruments Tambura–– (also called “tanpura) is a plucked stringed instrument and plays the drone Same clip as previous slide—listen for continuous drone note beneath sitar.)
Northern Indian Instruments Tabla––(tabla and baya)––pitched percussion instruments
Northern Indian Classical Music Terms for Musical Elements Raga––melodic formulae providing basis for improvisation Tala (tal)––rhythmic formulae that increases in complexity as the piece is played
Standard Raga Format Continuous Form Music Alap –– Opening, unmeasured section––raga pitches introduced Jor –– Section where a feeling of pulse (beat) is established Gat –– Section where tabla enters with the tala
Other Indian Instruments Santur Bansuri
Other Indian Instruments Sarangi
The Harmonium The instrument has 42 keys, corresponding to the tuning of Western music. The musician sits on the floor and plays it with the right hand while the left hand activates the bellows. This instrument poses some problem in Indian classical music, as its temper is equal, and does not match the unequal temper of Indian ragas. Therefore, it sounds “friendlier” to Western ears. This piece, “Mishra Pahadi,” follows a raga form with the tabla entering at the gat. The harmonium is accompanied by a santur.
Ravi Shankar Performance Career Studied 7 years with “Baba” Allauddin Kahn in traditional guru-shishya Performed with dance troupe in Paris, age 10 Performances on All-India Radio, 1939-1940 Began to perform Indian music abroad, 1952