THE ORIGINS OF INDIAN MUSIC

 

 

Twenty centuries ago, the essential role of music of was deemed to be purely ritualistic. Music as entertainment is supposed to have evolved much later. Another part of Indian music is folk music. Indian classical music is said to have evolved out of the mixture of these. It is presumed that folk music existed long before the Aryans came to , the Dravidians having their own. The art of music practised in has a special significance, as it has developed from the ritualistic music in association with folk music and other musical expressions of neighbouring nations, developing into its own characteristic art. Matured through ``thought, experience and expression'', Indian classical music has become unique in the world. Indian music has a very long, unbroken tradition - the accumulated heritage of centuries. The origin can be traced back to Vedic days - nearly 2000 years. The culture of today is an outcome of the interaction and interweaving of races, cultures & religion, both indigenous and foreign; and it is the study of the contribution of these various races and tribes that gives us the picture of the evolution of Indian music. The Negrito, the Mongoloid, the Dravidian, and the Aryan,  and much later islam have all contributed to the complexity of Indian culture.

 

North Indian music is popularly known as Hindustani music and South Indian as Karanatic; their origin is the same, only the approach and style are different. When and how the two main schools crystallized would be an interesting study but the earliest treatises of Indian music do not make any distinction between Northern and Southern schools.

The ancient Vedic scriptures teach that there are two types of sound. One is a vibration of ether, the upper or purer air near the celestral realm. This sound is called Anahata Nad or unstruck sound. Sought after by great enlightened yogis, it can only be heard by them. The sound of the universe is the vibration thought by some to be like the music of the spheres that the Greek Pythagoras described in the 6th century B.C. The other sound Ahata Nad or struck sound, is the vibration of air in the lower atmosphere closer to the earth. It is any sound that we hear in nature or man-made sounds, musical and non-musical.

The origin of Indian music is said to be rooted in the Vedas. It is said that God Himself is musical sound, the sound which pervades the whole universe, i.e. Nadabrahma. The origins of Indian music are therefore considered divine. It is said that the musician has to cultivate an attitude of self-abandonment, in order to fuse with the Supreme Reality, Brahma. What are the vedas ? Veda is the KNOWLEDGE OF SCRIPTURES, they are the oldes and most important scared books of hindisum, pholosopyn religious values, knowledge of life, Scriptures in hindi means SHASHTRA -a systematic, knowledge which is practiced with great study, complex techinecs, deep knowledge, disipline. Sharstra can be also called as SCIENCE. Brahma is said to be the author of the four Vedas, THE SAMAVEDA, RUGRAVEDA, YAJURAVEDA, ATHARVAVEDA, of which the Sama Veda was chanted in definite musical patterns. Vedic hymns were sung in plain melody, using only 3 notes.

 

It took a long time for music to come to the form found in present-day . The most important advance in music was made between the 14th and 18th centuries. During this period, the music sung in the north came in contact with Persian music and assimilated it, through the Pathans and the Mughals. It is then that two schools of music resulted, the Hindustani and the Carnatic. Hindustani music adopted a scale of Shudha Swara saptaka(octave of natural notes) and Carnatic music retained the traditional octave. During this period, different styles of classical compositions such as Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal,etc. were contributed to Hindustani music, along with many exquisite hymns, bhajans, kirtans, etc. Indian music has a very long, unbroken tradition - the accumulated heritage of centuries. The origin can be traced back to Vedic days - nearly two thousand years. The culture of today is an outcome of the interaction and interweaving of races and cultures, both indigenous and foreign; and it is the study of the contribution of these various races and tribes that gives us the picture of the evolution of Indian music. The Negrito, the Mongoloid, the Dravidian, and the Aryan, have all contributed to the complexity of Indian culture.

 

THE TRADITION OF MUSIC  

 

The music of is a pervasive influence in Indian life. It pervades the big and small events of Indian life, from child birth to death, religious rites and seasonal festivals. Originally, not all developments of music were reduced to writing. To keep their traditional integrity, they were imparted orally from teacher to pupil -- the Guru-Shishya tradition. In the past, there used to be a system of Gurukul Ashram where teachers imparted knowledge to deserving students. The music of and its history are too complex to be described briefly. Nevertheless a brief introduction will help those who are new to Indian music; they will no doubt be more influenced by what they hear than by what they read but a foreknowledge of certain theoretical points may assist their appreciation. The tradition of Indian classical music is an oral one. It is taught directly by the guru to the disciple, rather than by the notation method used in the West. The very heart of Indian music is the raga: the melodic form upon which the musician improvises. This framework is established by tradition and inspired by the creative spirits of master musicians .

 

INFLUENCES

 

One of the strongest and most significant influences has perhaps been that of Islam (and of Persian music); a few centuries of Muslim invasion and rule brought in its wake a changed perspective in the style of Northern Indian music, rather than in its structure. Not being part of the religious ritual it was necessarily fostered outside the places of worship; hence an element of physical pleasure, particularly of the courtier, became predominant.

 

It is interesting to note the influence of Indian music on sculpture and particularly painting. Painters have portrayed the theme of the Raga and they have named their paintings after the Ragas and Raginis. Both paintings and sculpture concentrate on creating contained, volume-filled forms. Great care is taken to keep the basis simple. The moving line and contained space complement each other, giving each other meaning. This is exactly analogous to the character of Indian musical melody, which moves in smooth united motions, including within its curves definite units of musical form. It is through the medium of the arts that people of different nations and backgrounds are able to communicate and understand each other better. The West is becoming more familiar with Indian music - it is no longer merely an exotic expression of the East, but is reaching an ever growing and more knowledgeable and appreciative audience.

 

INDIAN & WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC.

 

Indian classical music is principally based on melody and rhythm, not on harmony, counterpoint, chords, modulation and the other basics of Western classical music.The system of Indian music known as Raga Sangeet can be traced back nearly two thousand years to its origin in the Vedic hymns of the Hindu temples, the fundamental source of all Indian music. Thus, as in Western music, the roots of Indian classical music are religious. To us, music can be a spiritual discipline on the path to self-realisation, for we follow the traditional teaching that sound is God - Nada Brahma: By this process individual consciousness can be elevated to a realm of awareness where the revelation of the true meaning of the universe - its eternal and unchanging essence - can be joyfully experienced. Our ragas are the vehicles by which this essence can be perceived. The western listeners will appreciate and enjoy our music more if he listens with an open and relaxed mind and to relex into rhythmic and melodic patterns without expecting to hear harmony, counterpoint, mixed tone colours or other elements prominent in western music. neither should our music be thought of as a kind of jazz although there are elements of improvisation an exciting  rhythms in both of them. The musician has to follow the discipline and a structure while doing improvisation. 

 

The tradition of Indian music should be understood in the context of Indian life and thought. The theory and practice of Indian music are the logical result of a consistent development, a distinctive process, which plays an integral part in Indian history and culture. One should not listen to Indian music and judge it in terms of Western music or any other musical form. It would be like judging Beethoven or Brahms in terms of Raga (the basis of Indian melody) and Tala (the basis of Indian rhythm). Ideally, the western listener is requested to forget counterpoint, harmony, and mixed tone colours and to relax into the rhythmic and melodic pattens of a great cultural heritage.

 

Each melodic structure of Raga has something akin to a distinct personality subject to a prevailing mood. Early Indian writers on music, carried this idea further and endowed the Ragas with the status of minor divinities, with names derived from various sources, often indicating the origin or associations of the individual Ragas. In theoretical works on music each Raga was described in a short verse formula, which enabled the artiest to visualise its essential personality during meditation prior to the performance. This borrowing of the meditational technique used in Hindu worship enabled the musician to enter into the mood of a particular Raga and thus perform is successfully.

 

ABOUT MOODS, SENTIMENTS & RAGAS-TALAS.

 

There is a saying in Sanskrit - "Ranjayathi iti Ragah" - which means, "that which colours the mind is a raga." For a raga to truly colour the mind of the listener, its effect must be created not only through the notes and the embellishments, but also by the presentation of the specific emotion or mood characteristic of each raga. Thus through rich melodies in our music, every human emotion, every subtle feeling in man and nature can be musically expressed and experienced.

The performing arts in - music, dance,drama, and poetry - are based on the concept of Nava Rasa , or the "nine sentiments." Literally, rasa means "juice" or "extract" but here in this context, we take it to mean "emotion" or "sentiment." The acknowledged order of these sentiments is as follows: Shringara (romantic and erotic): Hasya (humorous): Karuna (pathetic): Raudra (anger): Veera (heroic): Bhayanaka (fearful): Vibhatsa (disgustful): Adbhuta (amazement): Shanta (peaceful).

Each raga is principally dominated by one of these nine rasas, although the performer can also bring out other emotions in a less prominent way. The more closely the notes of a raga conform to the expression of one single idea or emotion, the more overwhelming the effect of the raga. Raga has its own principal mood such as tranquillity, devotion, eroticism, loneliness, pathos, heroism, etc. In Indian music there is above all an awareness between man and nature, each acting and reacting on the other, and hence each Raga is associated, according to its mood, with a particular time of the day, night or a season. Improvisation is an essential feature of Indian music, depending upon the imagination and the creativity of an artist; a great artist can communicate and install in his listener the mood of the Raga


In addition to being associated with a particular mood, each raga is also closely connected to a particular time of day or a season of the year. The cycle of day and night, as well as the cycle of the seasons, is analogous to the cycle of life itself. Each part of the day - such as the time before dawn, noon, late afternoon, early evening, late night - is associated with a definite sentiment. The explanation of the time associated with each raga may be found in the nature of the notes that comprise it, or in historical anecdotes concerning the raga.

Although there are 72 "melas" or parent scales upon which ragas are based, Indian music scholars have estimated that, with all their permutations and combinations, there exist over 6,000 ragas ! But a raga is not merely a matter of the ascending - descending structure. It must have its "chalan "- or certain note patterns characteristic of the raga; its principle important note (vadi); the second important note (samavadi); and its main feature known as "jan" (life) or "mukhda" (face), the cluster of a few notes by which a raga is immediately recognised.

 

In terms of aesthetics, a raga is the projection of the artist's inner spirit, a manifestation of his most profound sentiments and sensibilities brought forth through tones and melodies. The musician must breath life into each raga as he unfolds and expands it. As much as 90 percent of Indian music may be improvised and because so very much depends on understanding the spirit and nuances of the art, the relationship between the artist and his guru is the keystone of this ancient tradition. From the beginning, the aspiring musician requires special and individual attention to bring him to the moment of artistic mastery. The unique aura of a raga (one might say its "soul") is its spiritual quality and manner of expression, and this cannot be learned from any book.

 

Ragas are extremely difficult to explain in a few words. Though Indian music is model in character, ragas should not be mistaken as modes that one hears in the music of the Middle and Far Eastern countries, nor be understood to be a scale, melody per se, a composition, or a key.A raga is a scientific, precise, subtle and aesthetic melodic form with its own peculiar ascending and descending movement consisting of either a full seven note octave, or a series of six or five notes (or a combination of any of these) in a rising or falling structure called the Arohana and Avarohana. Ragas are precise melody forms. A raga is not a mere scale, nor is it a mode.  It is the subtle difference in the order of notes, an omission of a dissonant note, an emphasis on a particular note, the slide from one note to another, and the use of microtones together with other subtleties, that demarcate one raga from the other. Each raga has its own ascending and descending movements,  and those settle touches and the uses of  micro tones and stresses on particular notes. The improvisatory nature of Indian classical music requires the artist to take into consideration the setting, time allowed for his recital, his mood and the feeling he discerns in the audience before playing. Since Indian music is religious in origin, one finds the spiritual quality in most of the musician's performances.

Raga is neither a scale, nor a mode. It is, however, a scientific, precise, subtle, and aesthetic melodic form with its own peculiar ascending and descending movement which consists of either a full octave, or a series of six or five notes. An omission of a jarring or dissonant note, or an emphasis on a particular note, or the slide from one note to another, and the use of microtones along with other subleties, distinguish one Raga from the other. There are 72 'melas', or parent scales, on which Ragas are based.

 

Tala is the second important factor in Indian music. These are rhythmic cycles ranging from 3 to 108 beats. The division in a Tala and the stress on the first beat, called 'Sum', are the most important features of these cycles. Talas having the same number of beats may have a stress on different beats, e.g. a bar of 10 beats may be divided as: 2-3-2-3, or 3-3-4, or 3-4-3. Within the framework of the fixed beats the drummer can improvise to the same extent as the principal artists after going their separate ways, come back together with an accent or stress on the first beat. Thus, the 'Sum' becomes the most important beat of emphasis through out a recital of Indian music, since this urge for unity and its fulfilment are the most rewarding experience

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

 

Alap: is the first movement of the Raga. It is a slow, serene movement acting as as invocation and it gradually develops the Raga

 

 

Dadra rththmic cycle of 6 beats divided 3-3.
Rupak rhythmic cycle of 7 beats divided 3-2-2. Jhaptal rhythmic cycle of 10 beats divided 2-3-2-3.
Ektal rhythmic cycle of 12.
Adha Chautal rhythmic cycle of 14 beats divided 2-4-4-4.
Teen-Tal rhythmic cycle of 16 beats divided 4-4-4-4.

 

 

(Northern Form)

Dhrupad compositions have four parts or stanzas, viz. Asthayi, Antra, Sanchari and Abhog. Dhrupad is accompanied only by the Tanpura and Pankhawaj. Dhrupad is considered to be the oldest classical vocal forms of Hindustani music.

Hori Dhamar: These compositions are akin to Dhrupad and enjoy identical status. Despite the variations in the themes of these compositions, all of them are associated with the festival of Holi (playing of colors) and the compositions are all of 14 beats time cycle.

Khayal: The Dhrupad style of music was replaced by the romantic Khayal (the word Khayal means imagination, idea). The most important features of a Khayal are 'Tans' or the running glides over notes and 'Bol-tans' which clearly distinguish it from 'Dhrupad'. The slow (Vilambit) and fast (Drut) styles of Khayal are the two recognised types today.

 

Tappa: This is a distinct style having its origin in the Punjab. Its beauty lies in the quick and intricate display of various permutations and combinations of notes. It is strange that even though the Tappa lyrics are in Punjabi, Tappa is not sung in the Punjab. Banares and Gwalior are the strongholds of Tappa. Bengal has also been greatly influenced by the Tappa style.

Thumri: Thumri originated in the Eastern part of Uttar Pradesh. Its most distinct feature is the erotic subject matter picturesquely portraying the various episodes from the lives of Lord Krishna and Radha. The beauty of Thumri lies in the artist's ability to convey musically as many shades of meaning as the words of a song can bear. It is a much freer form than 'Khayal'.

(Southern Form)

Varnam: A composition usually sung or played at the beginning of a recital. It reveals the general form of the Raga. The Varnam is made up of two parts: 1) The Purvanga or first half and 2) The Uttaranga or second half. The two halves are almost equal in length.
Kriti: A composed song set to a certain Raga and fixed Tala (rhythmic) cycle. It is a highly evolved musical form.
Ragam: A melodic improvisation in free rhythm played without mridangam (drum) accompaniment.
Tanam: Another style of melodic improvisation in free rhythm.
Pallavi: This is a short pre-composed melodic theme with words and set to one cycle of tala. Here the soloist improvises new melodies built around the word pallavi.
Trikalam: Is the section where the Pallavi is played in three tempi keeping the Tala constant.
Swara-Kalpana: Is the improvised section performed with the drummer in medium and fast speeds.

Rangamalika: This is the final part of the Pallavi where the soloist improvises freely and comes back to the original theme at the end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Version Française                  

 

 Bienvenue

 

J’ai le grand plaisir de vous présenter l’association culturelle saptak india ainsi que moi-même.

 

Je m’appelle Nihar Mehta et je pratique le Tabla Indien classique depuis 20 années. La motivation qui m’a déterminé à lancer cette association est celle de promouvoir, développer et préserver la musique Indienne classique qui perdure depuis environ 5000 ans.

 

La France et l’Inde partagent un riche héritage culturel dans lequel l’art et la musique jouent un grand rôle. La France a toujours été l’un des pays les plus engagés dans le monde pour recevoir, promouvoir et préserver les héritages culturels les plus divers. Je suis particulièrement heureux d’être en France ou je peux réaliser mon rêve d’apporter le très riche héritage musical de mon pays natal , l’Inde.

 

Il ne peut y avoir de meilleur endroit que la France pour l’art et la musique. C’est une grande opportunité pour moi de partager notre musique, notre art et notre culture dans ce pays.

 

 

C’est également une grande fierté de voir que la Musique Indienne classique est aujourd’hui plus vivante que jamais en Inde. Une nouvelle génération de jeunes talents impliqués et déterminés se prépare à propager ce grand héritage musical de par le Monde. Cette association se sentira particulièrement  privilégiée si elle réussit à apporter sa contribution à la valorisation de la musique, des arts et de la culture Indienne avec votre aide, votre soutien et vos encouragements.

 

English version

 

Welcome:

 

It is my great pleasure to introduce our cultural Association Saptak India and myself. My name is Mr Nihar Mehta and I have been performing Tabla (Indian classical music) since last 20 years. I was motivated to start this association to promote, develop and preserve Indian classical music, a nearly 5000 years old music in Europe and share rich cultural heritage, where art and music have always been a very important part of our respective cultures and societies. has been the most forthcoming country in the world in welcoming, promoting & preserving different cultural heritages, traditions and art forms. I am very lucky to be living in where I can materialise my dream to bring the very rich musical heritage of my native country. There cannot be a better place for art & music than . It will be a great opportunity for me to share our music, art and culture with enchanting and educational performances. It is also a matter of pride that Indian classical music today is more alive than ever before in India, a challenging, committed and talented young generation is getting ready to take forward this great rich musical heritage and spread it all across the globe This association will feel very fortunate and privileged if it succeeds in contributing something for Indian Music, Arts and culture with your help, support and encouragement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exposé sur la musique classique de l’Inde à destination d’un néophyte occidental

 

"The western listeners will appreciate and enjoy our music more if he listens with an open and relaxed mind and to relax into the rhythmic and melodic pattens of a great cultural heritage without expecting to hear harmony , counterpoint , mixed tone colour other elements prominent in western music. neither should our music be thought of as a kind of jazz although there are elements of improvisation an exciting rhythms in both of them. The musician has to follow the discipline and a structure while doing improvisation……………." Pt Ravishankar

 

Version Française

 

La musique classique de l’Inde n’a jamais été aussi vivante en Inde. Ses racines remontent à des milliers d’années. Les partitions furent écrites occasionnellement sous forme de signes et non de notations. Cette musique fut transmise au fil du temps, de Maître à Disciple, elle s’est enrichie de nouvelles contributions mais sont esprit originel est resté intact. Ce n’est que récemment que le système de notation dans son évolution a permis de fixer les compositions qui font notre Musique. Mais l’improvisation reste au cœur de la Musique Indienne. La joie partagée de créer ici et maintenant autour du thème central du Raga que le musicien  a choisi : telle est l’attente du public. L’émotion est portée à son comble quand les percussions (tablas) entrent en scène. Alors les musiciens et le public partagent l’extase de ce merveilleux voyage déployant mille nouvelles beautés.

 

Les Ragas ont une forme mélodique précise. Ce n’est pas une simple échelle ou un simple mode. Chaque Raga a ses propres mouvements ascendants et descendants , et ceux çi fixent les touchers, l’utilisation des tons et l’insistance sur certaines notes. Avec le TAMPURA, instrument en arrière plan, le soliste fait une improvisation libre nommée ALAP, après quoi il entre dans une forme d’improvisation plus rythmique sans les tablas nommée JOD. Après cela il entame le thème basé sur une trame rythmique nommée TALA dans le cadre d’une composition nommée GAT. Il peut choisir entre différents TALA comme le TEEN TALA à 16 occurrences ou le JAP TALA à 10 occurrences. Le Tabla est le tambour qui maintient cette trame rythmique tout au début. Puis vient la progression graduelle des trames courtes aux trames longues. Au début le tabla donne pour ainsi dire la réplique aux instruments principaux. Ils peuvent parfois jouer ensemble sur une trame rytmique longue et retourner au début du raga, commencement de la composition nommée SUM, ce qui est une des choses les plus précieuses de la Musique indienne. Bien que le role du tabla soit relativment libre, il est en fait l’instrument qui guide l’ensemble du processus de l’improvisation.

 

Les auditeurs occidentaux apprécierons encore mieux notre musique si ils se place dans un état mental relaxé et ouvert sans attendre les harmonies et le contre point propres à la musique occidentale. On ne peut non plus considérer notre musique comme une forme de jazz même si il y a du rythme et de l’improvisation dans les deux.

 

INTRODUCTION A LA MUSIQUE CLASSIQUE DE L’INDE

 

Au commencement, une origine divine. Nous sommes en Inde, au temps des Védas, 2000 ans avant notre ère. Brahma créé l'univers, Shiva intervient et offre aux Hommes les arts de la danse et de la musique.

 

Des textes sacrés, les Puranas, évoquent cette période de la mythologie indienne.  Des hommes, des sages en disent plus, ils codifient, structurent et instaurent les bases théoriques d’où d’écoulent les techniques et instruments actuels.

 

Quelques gourous, grands musiciens et chanteurs, illustrent et marquent l’évolution de l’histoire de la musique classique indienne. Son apogée se situe vers le XIIe siècle de notre ère. Entre les XIVe et XVIIIe siècles, l’invasion moghole et persane provoque une scission.

 

Au Sud, la musique dite « carnatique » est surtout dédiée à l’accompagnement des danses. Au Nord la musique dite « hindoustanie » est fortement influencée par le style arabo-persan, c’est l’actuelle musique classique du Nord principalement instrumentale et vocale.

 

Étonnante donc que cette musique classique indienne qui, grâce à sa structure, a su traverser des millénaires et arriver jusqu’à nous avec un accent quasi contemporain.

 

Musique vivante sans cesse renouvelée par son aspect improvisé, spirituelle et méditative ou vive et passionnée dans un souffle de divinité cosmique. Mais l’improvisation n’est possible qu’à travers des règles et une théorie strictes. C’est dans un cadre parfaitement défini que le musicien peut s’exprimer pleinement.

 

Les ragas prennent vie et se développent à travers la sensibilité de l’interprète, encadrés dans des talas. L’instrument rythmique majeur de la musique classique de l’Inde du Nord est le tabla.

 

 

 RAGAS ( MELODIE) ET TALAS ( CYCLES RYTHMIQUES)

 

 Râga est un terme sanskrit qui signifie "couleur", "attrait", et dont une maxime célèbre fournit une définition plus précise : « Ce qui colore l'esprit est un râga ». Un râga peut être décrit comme un ensemble sophistiqué et subtil de notes, de sons mélodiques, et d'une quantité d'autres éléments dont la fonction est de créer chez le musicien, et donc l'auditeur, un sentiment particulier. Concept phare de la musique classique indienne, son développement est lié au rasa, "saveur", au nombre de neuf: Erotique (shringâra), Héroïque (vîra), Répugnant (bîbhatsa), Furieux (raudra), Comique (hâsya), Effrayant (bhayânaka), Pathétique (karuna), Merveilleux (adbhuta), Paisible (shânta). Le râga, qui n'est ni véritablement une gamme ou un mode, est composé d'une série de 5 à 7 notes choisies comme étant porteuses d'un climat émotionnel particulier, arrangées en un mouvement ascendant (ârôhana) et descendant (avarôhana). Entrent également dans la définition d'un râga le tempo, qui avec les notes définissent le sentiment, et certaines phrases musicales reconnaissables. Traditionnellement, les râgas sont associés à des saisons ou à certains moments de la journée dont l'ambiance naturelle entre en harmonie avec le sentiment évoqué, et pendant lesquels ils doivent être joués. Ainsi, le râga Shri s'écoute en hiver, en début de soirée, et apporte le calme. Le râga Bhairav est associé à l'aurore et assure la paix et la tranquillité. Quant au râga Malkauns, il est joué après minuit et représente le sentiment héroïque. Certains râgas étaient même parés de pouvoirs surnaturels, comme ceux de faire venir la pluie, le feu, ou bien d'autres choses colportées par les légendes.

 

Le nombre de râgas existant est impossible à déterminer, tant sont nombreuses les combinaisons possibles, mais on considère que moins de cent cinquante sont utilisés de nos jours. Les ragas sont encadrés dans un cycle rythmique complet composé d'un nombre de temps (matra) soumis à des degrés d'accentuation divers, et ordonnés à l'intérieur de différentes sections (vibhaga). Il existe plus d'une centaine de tâlas différents, même si une douzaine seulement sont couramment utilisés, et chacun d'entre eux porte un nom particulier. Les plus fréquents sont tîn tâla, composé de 16 temps organisés en 4 sections :(4+4+4+4), et âdi tâla, formé d'un laghu de 4 temps et de deux dhrutha de 2 temps, soit 8 temps : (4+2+2). Il existe des tâlas de 3 à 108 temps, même si les plus longs ne sont que très rarement joués, et d'autres qui ne diffèrent que par le nombre de temps dans chaque section. A cette organisation de base s'ajoute un autre élément fondamental, le tempo (laya). Trois tempos sont employés : lent (vilambit), moyen (madhya), et rapide (drut), avec des vitesses pouvant varier en valeur de 1 à 72.

 

English version

 

A note for a New western listener of Indian classical Music.

 

 Indian classical music today is more alive than ever before in . Its root is dressed back to thousands of years. The books were written from time to time on the signs of music, they were not written down in notations. Music was handed down through ages from master to disciple and that was enriched by new contributions, though the basic sprit remained the same. It is only in recent years that the notation system has been evolved to write down the fixed compositions in our music. But the improvisation is the highlight in Indian music. The shared joy of creating on the spot by a musician always coming back to the main theme in the raga he has chosen is what listeners look forward to. The excitement grows to its heights when the drums( Tablas) join in and the rapport is continues between the musician and the listeners and, thus both musicians and the listeners share the extracy of this thrilling adventure and an unfolding of new beauties.

 

Ragas are precise melody forms. A raga is not a mere scale, nor is it a mode. Each raga has its own ascending and descending movements, and those settle touches and the uses of micro tones and stresses on particular notes. With the Tambura, the drown instrument in the background, the soloist does a free improvisation known as Alap, after which he then enters into more rhythmic form of improvisation without the drums (Tablas) known as Jod. After which he starts the theme based on a rhythmic frame work know as Tala with a composition called the Gat.. He can choose from many Talas of different beat cycles such as Teen Tala 16 beats or Jap Tala of 10 beats. The Tabla are the drums which keep this framework, just playing the beats in the beginning. Then starts the gradual progression of playing first smaller patterns and then longer ones. In the beginning the accompanying Tabla gives, I may say so, a reply to the leading instrument. At times they may play together a long rhythmic pattern and return with a climax to the beginning of the raga, the first beat of the composition which is called the Sum, which is one of the most important thing of Indian classical music. Although, the role of the Tabla is relatively free, it is the lead instrument who is directing the whole progress of the improvisation.

 

"The western listeners will appreciate and enjoy our music more if he listens with an open and relaxed mind and to relax into the rhythmic and melodic pattens of a great cultural heritage without expecting to hear harmony , counterpoint , mixed tone colour other elements prominent in western music. neither should our music be thought of as a kind of jazz although there are elements of improvisation an exciting rhythms in both of them. The musician has to follow the discipline and a structure while doing improvisation……………."    Pt Ravishankar