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 TraditionSpread Extensively Throughout IndiaCommon Musical Language

Among People

Little TraditionLimited Geographical RegionFolk and Religious Music

Great TraditionDistinctive Musical Instruments

Primary RoleMelodic-- Sitar

Secondary RolesRhythmic-- TablaDrone-- 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)

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