Author: Sandeep Bagchee
Publisher: Rupa
Year: 2006
Language: English
Pages: 278
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8129109034
Description
Shruti is Sandeep Bagchee’s second book on Indian classical music. The first one, titled NAD: understanding Raga Music was published in 1996.
Shruti is written with a view to familiarize music lovers with the essential features of the classical music of north India. This musical tradition, known as Hindustani music, has a long history, going back about fifteen centuries. It has been kept alive, and continues to grow in popularity because of very talented exponents of this art who have maintained its classical lineage and yet modified and renewed it afresh, for every generation. All great performing art forms must keep developing, in this way, through creativity, if they are not to stagnate and decline over time.
Every performing art also needs an appreciative audience. Shruti hopes to contribute to the audience’s understanding of this art form. IT explains, in simple terms, the distinction between khayal, thumri, and other forms of vocal singing. IT describes how the main instruments are constructed and have evolved over time. For the lay listener, it outlines the various movements and nuances through which a classical raga is developed, in both its vocal and instrumental genres, and the various gharanas or traditions of style that have emerged as a consequence of the gurushishya method of learning this art.
Shruti presents this knowledge in a lucid and entertaining fashion. The author hopes it will encourage more people to enjoy the pleasures of listening to Indian classical music, and enhance their appreciation of its finer points and nuances.
Contents
Listening to Hindustani music
Main Vocal Forms: Dhrupad and Khayal
Other Vocal Forms: Thumri, Tappa and Ghazal
Gharana-s in Khayal Gayaki
Principal Instruments: Sitar and Sarod
Other Instruments
Gharana-s in Instrumental Music
Melody
Rhythm
The Concept of Raga
A Guide to Selected Ragas
APPENDIX-1: Other Tal-s
APPENDIX-2: Glossary
APPENDIX-3: Discography