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7/28/2019 Non-Western n Indian - Kamien

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Non-Western

Tradition

Indian Classical Music

(from Kamien, 9th Edition)


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Characteristics of Non-Western Music

Music of non-Western traditions is too varied tobe generalised.

There are common features to most traditions music is usually closely linked with religion,dance and drama; accompanies activities ineveryday living (ceremonies markingimportant phases in life religious rites[birth/death], celebrations, etc).

Oral tradition, not notated traditionally.

Improvisation highly disciplined art from yearsof training.


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Characteristics

Improvisation:- Indian/Islamic musicians create music withinframework of melody types associated with specificmood/set of tones/phrases.

Repertoire of traditional songs or instrumentalpieces.

Singing (Vocal) & Instrumental are thefundamental important form of expression in musicof all traditions.

Scholars grouped non-Western instruments intofour categories (Chordophones, Aerophones,Membranophones, Idiophones see Kamien p578,9th edition)

Elements Melody, Texture and Rhythm.


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Classical Music of India

One of the oldest traditions in the world.

Two distinctive strands of traditions:- Hindustani Music (North India) performed inprincely courts. Influences - Persian & Muslim.- Karnatak Music (South India) performed in

temples.

British colony in 19th C, N.I. performed mainly forelite audience. Became public after

independence in 1947.

Improvisation guided by complex melodic andrhythmic systems that govern choice of tones,

ornaments and rhythms (few minutes to hours).


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Elements of Indian Classical Music

Based on human voice, pitch range < 4 octaves.

Instrumentalists imitate vocal style. 18th C composed songs are used as springboard for

improvisation.

Highly embellished melodic lines with microtonalornaments and tiny pitch fluctuations around notes.

Slides of pitch make graceful transitions from one

note to another.

Drone on tonic/dominant (or sub-dominant)throughout.


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PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS

Mridangam

The Indian Musical InstrumentMridangam is one of the mostpopular classical instruments of

South India. Mridangamaccompanies vocal, instrumentaland dance performances.

Tabla

Tabla is the most popular pair ofdrums in the Indian Sub- continent.Tabla is a pair of drums which

consists of a small right hand drumcalled Dayan and a larger metal onecalled bayan.


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WIND INSTRUMENTS

Bansuri

Bansuri is basically a folk instrument,invariably linked to the lives andplayfulnesses of Krishna. However, itwas during the Bhakti movement that

Bansuri raised to prominence.

Harmonium

Harmonium usually belongs to thefamily of free-reed aerophones. Theinstrument is a small, tabletop sizeorgan which has bellows at the backthat is pumped by one hand while theother hand plays the keyboard.

Shehnai

Shehnai the wind instrument is believedto have been introduced in India by theMuslims. Shehnai is the predominantdouble-reed wind instrument used in

North Indian music.


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STRING INSTRUMENTS

Sarangi

Sarangi has a hollow body and madeof teak wood adorned with ivory

inlays. It consisits of forty strings ofwhich thirty seven are sympathetic.

Sarod

Sarod is a popular Indian classicalmusical instrument which is similar

to the Western lute in structure.Among the followers andconnoisseurs of Hindustani classicalmusic Sarod is one of the mostimportant musical instruments.


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STRING INSTRUMENTS

Sitar

Sitar is one of the most popular Indianclassical instruments and it comes underthe category of a chordophone in thelute family. Sitar has neck crafted from

toon or teakwood and a resonatorcarved from a large seasoned gourd.

TanpuraTambura

Tanpura in India is a drone instrumentthat accompanies Dhrupad singing andis the most fundamental of allinstruments of Indian Classical Music.

Veena

Veena the traditional instrument of India

is also known as Saraswati Veena whichis a musical instrument of South India.Veena is a classical instrument basicallyplucked stringed instrument that is used

to accompany Carnatic music.