This book has been written with two objectives: first, to enable the uninitiated and the novice to Indian Music appreciate their musical heritage. In order to appreciate the best in any art, it is necessary to have some knowledge of the terms which the artiste uses and the spirit in which he uses them. It is also necessary to understand the principles underlying the processes, customs and conventions of the art. So in this book, Author has explained the terms used by the musicians and have discussed the principles underlying their practices, as no work of art can be truly enjoyed till one experiences that sense of possession which comes from knowing why one enjoys it and how the artiste achieves certain effects upon the human mind and senses.
The facts contained in the book are as old as Indian music, only their interpretation here and there may be a little new. Author is deeply indebted to his many friends, both scholars and musicians, who have discussed with him the various points of the subject-matter, thus enabling him to see light in the hazy maze.
WITH THE advent of freedom and the establishment of the status of India in the comity of nations, more and more people, both in India and abroad, have begun to take more than a passing interest in the culture of India. The Indians have become conscious with a sense of pride of their cultural heritage. Undeniably our music is a part, and a very important part, of that cultural heritage. There are today more music concerts, conferences and festivals being held all over the country than ever before. The Centre as well as several States have recognised the necessity of preserving and fostering the development of our music. The formation of the Sangeet Natak Akadami demonstrates this recognition by the Government.
Though it is often said that music, more than any other art, has a universal appeal, this is only partially true. At any rate the classical music of India, whether it be of the Hindustani or the northern school or the Carnatic or the southern school, has always been a cultivated art. Its basis is scientific and its growth has been on organised and systematic lines. There is a rich variety of musical compositions in India, but every type of composition has definite form and features. A full appreciation of Indian music is impossible without some knowledge of its science and technique. It must be confessed that with all the enthusiasm for music that prevails today in our country a knowledge even of its fundamentals is woefully lacking in a large majority of our educated intelligentsia. A few books have been published dealing with Indian music.
But as Prof. Gosvami points out in his Introduction they have been, most of them, either too philosophical and vague or too technical and difficult. This book is an attempt to avoid both these extremes. The learned author has avoided vague generalisation. Nor has he burdened his work with a mass of technical detail. Obviously it is not possible to avoid the use of technical terms so long as the import of these terms is made clear. One cannot write a book on the Atom Bomb even for lay readers without referring to nuclear fission and using terms like Electron and Proton. Likewise, no one can write a book on Indian music without referring to Shruti, Raga, Jati, Murchana and other such terms.
This book is also useful to another section of the public, viz., foreigners who are genuinely interested in our music. They have a difficult task in trying to understand the system of music with which they are not familiar, however eager they may be to enjoy its beauties. They require accurate information of the basic principles of Indian music and its peculiar characteristics. Unfortunately many books on Indian music written in English have failed really to be of practical use to the lay foreigners. I believe this book will be of use to them as it is a critical and interesting survey of the growth and synthesis of Indian music.
This book however is not a mere descriptive glossary of Indian music. Nor is it a mere text-book. The learned writer has often dealt critically with some of the aspects of Indian musicology and indicated several questions which demand intensive study. The chapter 'Music Looks Ahead' is thought-provoking.
I have great pleasure in commending this book to the general public in India and abroad who have more than a superficial interest in Indian music.
DURING THE last few years, there has been a growing interest in music among the public. Among the lay people there is today quite a large section which is taking more and more to a serious study of this art.
The feeling is widely prevalent that the music of India, like the magic of her ancient days, is practised and understood only by a small esoteric group. The artiste is still regarded as a strange being who lives in his wide world of imagination, spending his time in practising and demonstrating an unintelligible type of vocal acrobatics or instrumental interlude whose terminology, when explained, becomes more and more incomprehensible.
This book about Indian classical music is addressed to this large section and to the still increasing number of intelligent enthusiasts who frequent innumerable musical soirees and conferences held all over the country and listen to the greatest masters brought to their drawing-rooms by the radio.
There are many books in the market on Indian music which have discussed the theme either too philosophically, or too technically. My purpose in writing this book has been a little different. Haute vulgarisation is the term applied by the sagacious French people to that happy result which neither offends by its condescension nor leaves obscure a subject in a mass of technical verbiage. It has been my aim to extend this process of haute vulgarisation to those outposts of musical thought which are generally referred to, if at all, only by name-to show how by their very diversity they have served to preserve and foster the fundamental spirit of unity, how as both Art and Science the musical tradition has continued to lead the creative faculties of human mind and imagination, and how it has through the centuries continued to soothe the restless and bring solace to the weary.
This book has been written with two objectives: first, to enable the uninitiated and the novice in my own country to appreciate their musical heritage. In order to appreciate the best in any art, it is necessary to have some knowledge of the terms which the artiste uses and the spirit in which he uses them. It is also necessary to understand the principles underlying the processes, customs and conventions of the art. Otherwise, it would not be possible fully to comprehend or appreciate the living art. So, in this book, I have explained the terms used by the musicians and have discussed the principles underlying their practices, as no work of art can be truly enjoyed till one experiences that sense of possession which comes from knowing why one enjoys it and how the artiste achieves certain effects upon the human mind and senses.
Secondly, this book has been written for the western readers following the advice of the late Romain Rolland who, while talking to Shri Dilip Kumar Roy of the Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry about our music, said: 'I feel it would be wise to write about the music of your country and tell us about its spirit. Only, do not fight shy of the technicalities; you would do well to explain to us not only the sentiments of your mind in your deepest strata, but also the technique whereby you arrive at the translation of such sentiments. Otherwise we would feel stranded, as it were, on a sort of vague lyricism.'
I hope I have not been too prodigal of information that might be easily available. Those desirous of a general view can pass over the technicalities, though my method has been not to avoid them but to elucidate them in a lively human narrative. The others who are seriously inclined will be helped by the explanations to find their way over the vast expanse of the subject, still inadequately explored, wherein so many problems will still solicit their studious inquiry for some time to come. I have pointed out a few of the numerous questions still to be studied; any manual giving the impression that our knowledge is complete would be wanting in scientific value.
The facts contained in the book are as old as Indian music, only their interpretation here and there may be a little new. I am deeply indebted to my many friends, both scholars and musicians, who have discussed with me the various points of the subject-matter whenever I was at a dead-end, thus enabling me to see light in the hazy maze. I am also grateful to many authors whom I have quoted knowingly or unknowingly. After Partition I had to leave Pakistan post-haste for India for safety leaving behind much of the material from which I have quoted and as such I now find myself helpless to acknowledge them at certain places.
Lastly, I shall fail in my duty if I do not offer my sincere gratefulness to my teachers who have trained me not only in the practice of music but also in its theoretical aspects. They are the late Shri Girija Shankar Chakraborty of Calcutta, a musician the like of whom India will not see again; the late Ustad Karamat Khan of Jaipur, the last of our titans of the Dhrupad style of singing; the late Pandit Beni Madhav Misra of Banaras, whose knowledge of Dhamar was unique; the late Shri Karim Hussain, famous Tappa and Khayal singer of Jaipur; Firdosi Bai and Nanhibai of Jaipur and Bari Moti Bai of Banaras, once eminent singers of Thumri and Khayal: Shri Tarapada Chakraborty who taught me to distinguish and appreciate various styles of music. Last but not the least, I am very much indebted to Shri Birendra Kishore Roy Choudhry, the scholar-musician of Bengal who, whenever I was in difficulty, helped me by tendering sound advice from his fund of knowledge, thus clearing my doubts and helping me to solve many ticklish points in Indian music.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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