Introduction
Each country has a unique cultural background that shapes the arts and encompasses diverse expressions. As a diverse country, India’s music is a rich blend of various genres, elements, and historical circumstances that have shaped the art form that exists today. The extensive music background in this particular area of the world has shaped and altered the craft. Yet, certain elements can be traced back to their roots.
The influence of multiple geographical areas, as well as centuries of art evolution, has created a product that is a combination of old and new. Nonetheless, the music of India certainly exemplifies traditions, religions, and cultural specificities. In this paper, the topic will be presented from the perspective of background, musical particularities, composers, the genre of performance, and development into the contemporary sound of Indian music.
Background
To understand contemporary Indian music, it is essential to explore its roots. Namely, the origins of the art form today are a product of spiritual, cultural, and historical components that have shaped the music into the sound being performed nowadays. Thus, the background of the art will be identified and reflected upon. According to relevant literature, Indian music originated from the Vedas, which are fundamental to the Hindu religion (Bakan 119).
Thus, the music has a religious connotation, which can be illustrated through the definition of the word “musician.” It portrayed an individual who praises God, ultimately highlighting the spiritual elements within music at the time. Moreover, it is specified that music as an art form was treated differently from other artistic crafts, such as poetry (Kirtikar 11).
Indian music has a long history, during which it has taken different forms without deviating from its origins. Namely, it is widely considered that music originated from Vedic chants and devotional songs known as bhajan (Bakan 121). As the art form evolved, the music of India became a synthesis of multiple elements, including musical instruments, lead singers, accompaniment, drama, dance, and a blend of various musical genres.
The formal elements of art have also changed in response to the progression currently exemplified in the art. Thus, according to researchers, initially, the musical treatises were composed in Sanskrit (Karthikeya and Soumya 225). However, modern-day trends and alterations in various fields, including language, have installed policies in which songs are written in English, Hindi, Persian, and numerous other languages. Nonetheless, despite the progression and change within musical art, certain original elements have remained unchanged. As a result, modern Indian music has remained authentic by adhering to its roots and the components of the art that have been rooted in centuries of tradition.
Musicultural Particularities
The music of India has distinct musical particularities in relation to all the elements encompassed in the art form. Thus, the basis for the melody is considered to be raga, while that of the rhythm is attributed to tala (Bakan 123). Raga is a framework that consists of improvisation within the theme of traditional Indian music and is closely related to the emotional element of music.
Certain rules persist, yet, based on the region in India, artists were able to operate within the framework while following existing musical guidelines that correlated with the theory. Since raga is, in part, responsible for the emotional element of Indian music, it may be related to the fact that songs with melodies incorporating the genre are often used in musical therapy (Hicks). Vadi is specifically vital when it comes to raga, as it is the component that is most prominent and emphasized within the musical piece.
In regard to the rhythm, tala, which implies a musical measure, is applied. It is a rhythmic cycle that can be performed in the form of a recurring beat or arranged according to the musical piece that is being played (Bakan 123). The meter can be accomplished through clapping, chanting, the application of certain traditional instruments, and several additional methods. Thus, it can be noted that talas serve as musical meters, assisting fellow instrumentalists and vocalists in constructing the entire musical piece. The element has been present in the earliest exemplification of traditional Indian music as a component of the complexity of the combination of vocals, instrumental sound, and dance.
The presence of folklore in contemporary songs exemplifies the musical distinctiveness of the art form’s division. Researchers mention differences between the music of South India and North India (Carnatic and Hindustani) (Kunikullaya and Ubrangala 1390). North Indian music can be described as influenced by Islamic music, which has distinct ragas and talas, and vice versa.
Moreover, a distinction exists regarding the instruments used in the art form. Nonetheless, similarities persist, such as the presence of ragas in both branches (Waghmare and Sonkamble). Furthermore, the two traditional musical divisions share a regard for parallel vocals, a balance between instruments and voices, and the presence of three main instruments during performances.
Instruments
As mentioned previously, instruments vary in regard to South and North Indian traditional music. Namely, the authors highlight that Hindustani music implies the presence of sitar, Hindustani-specific tambura, and tabla (Bakan 123). Thus, the stringed instruments tambura and sitar, alongside the pair of drums exemplified through the tabla, create a balance between percussion, the singing voice, and the support from the strings.
The result is illustrated through a traditional piece encompassing the emotions and musicality of ragas (Viraraghavan et al.). Regarding Karnatak music, the traditional instruments include the vina, an alternate version of the tambura, and the mrdangam. In this case, the vina and the tambura are the string instruments. At the same time, the mrdangam is a percussion instrument exemplified through a singular drum, unlike the tabla. The instruments have been traditionally associated with the music of India, as the percussion created the rhythm while the stringed ones accompanied the performance.
Composers
Traditional Indian music has been widely spread and maintained by performers and composers within the country’s cultural background. The distinct names can be illustrated as exemplifying the individuals who have greatly impacted the craft and contributed to its preservation. Among the earliest ones, Tansen is the composer of the 16th century who can be defined as a prominent figure within the genre of classical Indian music, specifically Hindustani (Bakan 126).
Researchers mention that Indian music holds a spiritual connotation (Rejimon). Thus, it relates to the fact that Tansen believed his musical skills to be a gift from the higher powers. Just as Tansen was a master of Hindustani music, a prominent figure in Karnataka Indian Music was Tyagaraja (Bakan 124). The 18th-century composer encompassed the traditional instruments to create musical pieces that will remain an exemplification of the rich Indian art background.
Another name forever ingrained in the history of Indian and international arts is Ravi Shankar, a contemporary composer. He mastered the sitar and promoted traditional Indian music worldwide through his performances. The composer has made conventional Indian music globally regarded as an exceptional art form through his vast influence in the West and collaboration with famous artists such as the Beatles (Ramachandran and Vertinsky 523). The three composers had different roles in preserving the art, yet succeeded in maintaining Indian music in a rather original yet traditional way.
Performers
Several well-known performers can be highlighted as significant in traditional music in India. Namely, instrumentalists who mastered traditional and traditionally derived instruments have contributed to the preservation of Indian traditions in the national musical field. Contemporary performers commonly play wind and string instruments derived from the original sitar.
For example, Ali Akbar Khan mastered the sarod to perform Hindustani music. Ram Narayan played traditional melodies in the sarangi, another instrument widely used in Indian folk music (Bakan 131). Prominent figures have mastered wind instruments, such as Benjamin Koen, who played the bansuri, and Bismillah Khan, who played the shahnai.
The aforementioned Ravi Shankar, who has been mentioned as a promoter of traditional Indian music in the West, has trained another influential performer, Anoushka Shankar, who is a sitar player well known globally for her performances. The instrumentalist continues to exemplify the emotional component of the raga that represents the Indian culture (Kiran and Sunil Kumar). Many performers were and still are operating in the traditional music genre, continuing the legacy established centuries ago.
Genres of Performance
Traditional Indian music has shifted into contemporary Bollywood performance, combining drama, dance, and song. However, the current state of the art is rooted in tradition. Namely, the aforementioned concepts of tala and raga are part of a larger framework of Sangita (Bakan 123). Thus, while the instruments are applied to construct the musical sounds in balance with the voice singing the melody, the notion of Sangita exemplifies the complex approach to the art of performance.
Thus, traditional Indian music implies a broad spectrum of emotions that are expressed through various channels, such as movement, words, sounds, and expressions. Contemporary performance genres are derived from the traditions and origins of music. However, the combination of various styles, genres, and expression channels is deeply connected to the sources of the art and its progression throughout the years.
Conclusion
India’s music is a versatile, original, and complex element of national arts that has been evolving throughout centuries without losing its authenticity. The country’s diversity generated circumstances in which the field was dispersed, and the genre maintained several differences. The phenomenon can be illustrated through the contrast between the Karnatak and Hindustani traditions.
Thus, Islamic influences, differences in traditional instruments, and similar disparities create a distinct variance between the two. Nonetheless, elements of raga and tala have remained the standard center points for melody and rhythm. Currently, conventional Indian music has remained a piece of the national heritage preserved by famous composers and performers. Moreover, elements of the original art form are widely applied in contemporary works illustrated in Bollywood films and modern Indian music.
Works Cited
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