Vistar, Indian Classical Music

  

Vistar is regarded as the soul of Indian classical music. It is considered as having enormous importance in rendering music in all tradition of Indian music, especially Hindustani vocal music. The word 'Manadharma' meaning law of mind is a Sanskrit word that stands for the art of Vistar. Manadharma refers to the stage where musician raises himself to the level of imagination that remains quite distinct from logical thinking. He actually engages himself in a form of mental state that utilizes only the laws of aesthetics. It is at this level that the thinking and feeling both unites into one integrated process. This exclusive integrated process that is derived from the creation of music is what is known as the Manadharma.

The musician of Hindustani Music represents a raagaprimarily through the process of Vistar. The musicians are evaluated chiefly by their ability to improvise. The art of improvisation in music has been popular among many musical systems of the world that also includes those in the Middle East and Sub Saharan Africa and the gamelan music of Java and Bali. However the distinctive improvisatory style of Indian music or Vistar of Hindustani Music has been recognized and acknowledged by all as the most developed, most systematized and most sophisticated improvisatory style in the world.

Style of Vistar
The large amount of freedom that is given to the musician during the development of raaga makes it a distinctive pattern of in Hindustani Music. However at the same time strict rules are required to be followed to the last finite detail to maintain the purity of Raga during its presentation.

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Rudra Veena, Indian Musical Instrument

  

Rudra Veena is an extremely prestigious stringed instrument, held in a lofty position by many since time immemorial. The Vedas mention the usage of the Rudra Veena and it can be witnessed in several excellent sculptural works of temples in the country. The instrument finds usage of its counterparts in the South Indian musical arena. One gathers information that the Rudra Veena had evolved from the Lord Shiva, gazing in overwhelmed admiration at Parvati. The specialty of this stringed genius is that it only such an instance that has the widest ranges of octaves and, as a result an extensive range of tonal improvisations. According to maestros, it is a perfect amalgamation of feminine wonder and masculine gravity. India has seen some of the legendary beenkars to overtake the heights of sublimity, Ustad Wazir Khan and Ustad Bade Ali Khan.

Musicians regard the Rudra Veena to be the mother of all Indian stringed instruments. Vedic writings, literary and philosophical works of ancient India abound with references to the veena. Variations of the present-day Rudra Veena can be seen in the sculptures of the temples at Sanchi, Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, Ellora and Mahabalipuram. There are scholars who hold that the Rudra Veena's prototype was the Kinnara veena. Numerous variations of the Veena existed in different regions in the country at different periods of time, in diverse shapes and with varying numbers of strings. But, in the present times, there exist only a few types of veena all of which produce different tonalities and are also different in shape. The Rudra Veena and Vichitra Veena are the two types known in the north; while the Saraswati Veena and the Vichitra Veena, also called gottuvadyamlchitra veena, are used in the Carnatic tradition.

Several poetic images were coined to describe the beauty of the Rudra Veena. Of these, the loveliest one says that the instrument originated when Rudra Shiva gazed in awe and wonder at the marvellous form of Parvati. When he emerged out of this wondrous contemplation, he supposedly gave the world an instrument that resembled his consort's form. Perhaps it is for this reason instrument is called Rudra Veena. The tone of the Rudra Veena brims with the masculine grandeur of the meditating Shiva. In fact, it is the most masculine sounding of all the Indian instruments. The Rudra Veena maestro Ustad Asad Ali Khan believes that, tonally, the instrument is a confluence of masculine gravity and feminine softness, giving it thus an ardhanareeshwara (androgynous) bhava. Stringed instruments like the sitar and the surbahar originate from it.

Design of Rudra Veena
The instrument consists of a stem approximately three feet long that supports the fret-board made of bamboo on which frets are fixed by means of wax. The bridge of the veena is made of ivory or horn and at the two ends are two large resonators (tumbas), made from gourd, which give the instrument the deep resonant bass effect. These technical features alone make it the only Indian instrument with a vast tonal range, ranging from as high as four to four-and-a-half octaves. The instrument has four melody strings on which the raaga is played. The auxiliary strings suspended on the sides of the instrument provide the drone (chikari) and rhythm (laraj). The melody strings are plucked by the index and middle fingers of the right had using a metallic plectrum or mijrab while the two little fingers play the drone. The index and the middle fingers of the left hand stop the strings over the frets. Rudra vainiks or beenkars sit in the vajrasana posture or the darbari baithak with the upper resonator resting on the left shoulder and the lower one by the right waistline. A few players hold the instrument sitting on the cross-legged posture with the instrument held in a horizontal manner. The latter position is, predominantly adopted only in the South Indian tradition.

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Agra Gharana, Hindustani Classical Music

  

Agra Gharana enjoys great repute in the various contemporary gharanas of today. A gharana is formed when a characteristic mode of music is preserved and groomed in a particular family, becoming a tradition. The Agra gharana absorbed attractive features from other gharanas and yet retained its own inherent characteristics. It must be remarked here that this particular gharana pertains to vocal music only, and has no counterpart in instrumental music, and that it has had a distinct style in Dhrupad, Dhamar and Khayal. It would be difficult to say whether all the singers of this gharana could well command all the three forms or they confined themselves to any one or two of these. There are a number of well known gharanas which have evolved within the field of the Agra gharana. One of the most well known and in fact the first among many is the gharana of Haji Sujan Khan. Many well known maestros followed Sujan Khan, all of whom contributed immensely in keeping alive the tradition of the Agra Gharana. Shyamarang and Sarasrang were two great exponents of this style. They were excellent in their art and Natthan Khan and Pirbakhsh of Gwalior learnt many dhrupad-dhamar from them.

Feautres of Agra Gharana
As a khayal gharana,the Agra gharana took shape during the course of the 19th century, through the grand-disciples and descendants of Shyamrang. Of all the known khayal styles, it is the Agra singers who proudly parade their dhrupadic roots and influences most in their renditions. There are some rather outstanding features of this gayaki most of which are typical to the Agra gharana. The gharana adopts a kind of voice production which relies on a flatter version of the vowel sound "a"', which makes its music agreeable to rhythmic variations and is best suited for a deep masculine voice. Emphasis is laid on bold, full-throated and robust voice production, and singing in the lower register (mandra) is favoured. Keeping in tune with its dhrupadic origins, the singers use broad and powerful ornamentations (gamaks), extensive glides (meends), and resonant articulations of notes. As with the Gwalior gharana, the Agra singers accentuate the importance of the bandish and its methodical exposition. Singers following Faiyaz Khan's style resort to the dhrupadic nom tom alaap before singing the bandish. The singers of this gharana are also great masters over laya-kari or the rhythmic component. In fact, laya-kari is the lasting foundation on which the singers build the edifice of the bandish. In the hands of the best exponents, the dialogue between the singer and the tabla player often turns a dramatic event. Their tihais are eagerly awaited, as are their nifty ways of arriving at the same, by building up anticipation within the listener.

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Folk Music of South India

  

Almost all the states in southern India have developed a unique kind of folk music pattern. These ancient music forms seem to be influenced by the temples in South India. The culture of Southern India is unique, equipped with facets of culture that makes it so remarkable within this country. This culture has highly influenced their folk music which is beyond comparison.

Folk Music of Kerala
Kerala has a rich tradition of folk songs and anthems, a large portion of which are sung in local dialects. With the evolving times, these songs have wound down in fame. Gone down progressively through generations by a vibrant oral tradition, the creation of the vast majority of these songs is obscure. The types of folk music in Kerala are Christian songs, Carnatic, Vadakkanpattu (northern folk), Kathakali and tribal music.

Places like Kochi, Thissur, Varkala, Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Munnar etc. are appropriate to enjoy some folk music. They use Chenda, Edakka, Kombu, Kurum Kuzhal, Maddalam, Mizhavu, Panchvadyam, Pulluvarkkudam, Thayambaka, Thimila, Shankhu etc. during their folk dance or music performances in festivals like Onam, Vishu, Ambalapuzha Arattu, Aranmula Uthrattathi, Attukal Pongala, Adoor Gajamela, Kuthiyottam and Kettukazhcha, Chittoor Konganpada etc.

The language of the songs used for Kathakali is Manipravalam, a mixture of Malayalam and Sanskrit. Even though most of the songs are set in ragas based on the microtone-heavy Carnatic music, there is a distinct style of plain-note rendition, which is known as the Sopanam style. Popular folk songs of Kerala are Mappila Pattu, Knanaya Folk Songs, Ottamthullal Songs, Pulluvan Pattu, Villu Pattu and Temple Music.

Folk Music of Karnataka
Karnataka boasts of a fortunate custom in the domain of folk music and traditional music. The rich legacy of the music of Karnataka can be attributed to the Vijayanagara and Woodeyar rulers who themselves were incredible examples of music and writing. These administrations boosted the development of conventional music and energized promising musicians. With that, Karnataka has made a considerable commitment to the development of the type of Indian classical music which today is known as Carnatic music.

Tamil Nadu, a state rich in cultural heritage, has a diverse tapestry of folk music that reflects the traditions, stories, and values of its people. One such significant form of folk music is Villu Pattu, a captivating and ancient art that combines music, storytelling, and performance. Rooted in the rural heartlands of Tamil Nadu, Villu Pattu has been a cherished tradition for generations, preserving the essence of the land's history and social fabric.

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Tyagaraja, Indian Music Composer

  

Tyagaraja was the most well known Carnatic musiccomposer of South India. He was born on May 4 in 1767 AD in a Telugu family, which belonged to the smartha Mulakanadu sect of Brahmins in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. They lived at Tiruvarur, the temple town close to the Thanjavur area. It is said that his family migrated from Vijayanagara Empire and came to the present day Andhra Pradesh and got settled in Thiruvaiyaru.

Early Life of Tyagaraja
Tyagaraja's father Kakarla Rama Brahmam was a Sanskrit scholar and his mother was Seethamma. The name of his mother was found from his song 'Seetamma mayamma' (raga Vasantha/Lalitha, tala Rupakam). But few also take it as 'Shantamma'. He got his name after the name of Lord Tyagaraja, the presiding deity of the temple at Thiruvarur. Telugu was the mother language of the family of Tyagaraja.

The king of Thanjavur Tulaja II gifted a land to Tyagaraja's father, when Tyagaraja was very young. This place was a famous pilgrimage centre of five rivers. Tyagaraja went to the Maharajah's school in Tiruvaiyaru to learn Sanskrit. The worship of Rama, which was taught to him by his father, became a lifelong passion for him. He took his musical training under the great singer Sonti Venkataramanayya. As he attained good knowledge in music, Tyagaraja started composing songs on his favourite deity Lord Rama.

Life in Music for Tyagaraja
There is a doubt regarding which was his first song. But, the 'Ela ni daya' (raga Athana, tala Adi) and 'Namo namo ragbavava' (raga Desika Todi, tala Tisra laghu Adi) are the two songs, which are often cites as being the first one. Tyagaraja also considered the mythical sage Narada as his mentor in music. He has composed many songs indicating the fact. He was a bhakta of Lord Rama and he composed hundreds of devotional songs in the praise of him. Even today, many of his compositions are very popular. The five of his compositions, known as the 'five gems' (Pancharatna Kirthis), are sung during many festivals to honour Tyagaraja.

It is believed that at a very young age, Tyagaraja got married twice, first to Parvati and after her death to her sister Kamalamba. He got a daughter named Seethalakshmi from his second wife. He became the poet-composer in the court of the king of Thanjavur. He wrote poem, which was a joke on himself and Lord Ganesha. His father passed away when Tyagaraja was only 20 years old. After that, their paternal property got divided between Tyagaraja and his brother Japyesa. The ancestral house on Tirumanjana Veedi in Tiruvaiyaru was also partitioned and divided between the two. But his brother made his life miserable, as he was unhappy with few of his songs, which were written on brotherly desolation. This can be seen in his composition 'Anyayamu scyaktira'.

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Elements Of Carnatic Music

  

Carnatic music is one of the most ancient music systems in the world with its history dating back to the age old days of the Vedas. The well defined theoretical principles govern Carnatic music whilst adding to the practical and aesthetic appeal of this genre of Indian classical music.

The main element of Carnatic music is its melody. Melody in the context of Carnatic music may be explained as, "The production of any musical tone or succession of such tones or semitones, with definite frequencies, within certain parameters, whether rendered independently or in conjunction with rhythm and / or lyrics". Carnatic music is typically a melody-based system where the stress is laid on the successive combination of notes. The melodic elements of Carnatic music are very systematic in their development from the simple to more complex and then ultimately utterly sophisticated. Quit ideally therefore the main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music and on tonal expressions. The elements of Carnatic music thus rests on two aspect raaga, the modes and taala, the rhythmic cycles.

Elements of Carnatic music are as follows: Sruti: Sruti refers to musical pitch. In Carnatic music, ptch or sruti is of central concern and is an important element of Carnatic music. Every individual has a natural pitch which is his very own level or his range at which he can produce notes of best quality with optimum level of tonal ease. This becomes the fixed pitch and is called the Sruti.

Swara: Swara refers to a type of musical sound that is a single note, which defines a relative (higher or lower) position of a note, rather than a defined frequency. Swaras also refer to the solfege of Carnatic music, which consist of seven notes, "sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-da-ni" These names are abbreviations of the longer names shadja, rishabha, gandhara. madhyama, panchama, dhaivata and nishada.

Raag System: Raaga in Carnatic music prescribes a set of rules for building a melody. It specifies rules for movements up (aarohanam) and down (avarohanam), the scale of which notes should figure more and which notes should be used more sparingly, which notes may be sung with gamaka, which phrases should be used, phrases should be avoided, and so on. In Carnatic music, the sampoorna ragas (those with all seven notes in their scales) are classified into a system called the melakarta, which groups them according to the kinds of notes that they have. The ragas are grouped into sets of six; called chakras ("wheels", though actually segments in the conventional representation) grouped according to the supertonic and mediant scale degrees. There is a system known as the 'Katapayadi sankhya to determine the names of Melakarta Raags.

Taal System: Taal or Tala refers to the beat set for a particular composition (a measure of time). Taals have cycles of a defined number of beats and rarely change within a song. They have specific components, which in combinations can give rise to the variety to exist (over 108), allowing different compositions to have different rhythms. Tala is formed with three basic parts (called angas), which are laghu, dhrtam, and anudhrtam, though complex talas may have other parts like plutam, guru and kaakapaadam. There are seven basic tala groups, which can be formed from the laghu, dhrtam, and anudhrtam:

Kriti: Carnatic songs (kritis) are varied in structure and style, but generally consist of three units, which is Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charana. This kind of song is called a keerthana or a Kriti. There are other possible structures for a Kriti, which may in addition include swara passages named chittaswara. Chittaswara consists only of notes, and has no words. Others have a verse at the end of the charana, called the madhyamakala. It is sung immediately after the charana, but at double speed.

Varnam: This is a special item, which highlights everything important about a raga; not just the scale, but also which notes to stress, how to approach a certain note, classical and characteristic phrases, etc. Though there are a few different types of varnams, in essence, they all have a pallavi, an anupallavi, muktayi swaras, a charana, and chittaswaras. They are sung in multiple speeds, and very good for practice. In concerts, varnams are often sung at the beginning as they are fast and grab the audience's attention.

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Rabindra Sangeet

  

"I get lost in my songs and then I think those are my best work; … if all my poetry is forgotten, all my songs will remain with my countrymen…they have a great beauty …. I leave them as a legacy." Rabindranath Tagore.

Indeed! What best can describe Rabindra Sangeet than that of the own words of the poet who has redefined the very term "music " time and time again, in the most tuneful way.

In the arena of Indian classical music, Rabindra Sangeet with its entire classical aura and distinct romanticism stands as one of the primary music of India. Quite ideally therefore amongst the Bengali classics Rabindra Sangeet is in one of the top positions. India's cultural treasure finds an articulate dimension amidst the celestial pleasure of Rabindra Sangeet, which refers to a complete body of lyrical artistry, composed and written by the great Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Varied themes, rich quality and most importantly that close link to the heart, which Rabindra Sangeet establishes, has made it the music of the common people whilst whispering the saga of love, nature, languishment and eternal worshipping of the omnipresent.

India's classical music tradition has a rich history of its own, which is again decked up by the titanic intellect, and romanticism of Rabindranath Tagore. The breathtaking fusion of literary genius and musicianship of Tagore teamed with the artistry of the Rabindra Sangeet singers like Pankaj Mullick, Suchitra Mitra, Konika Bandopadhyay and Debobrata Biswas, made this particular genre of music to stand apart whilst illustrating the beliefs, tradition and philosophy of the Indians. Rabindra Sangeet, the individual genre of music therefore reflects the authentic aura of India from the remote past and is still one of the most cherished art forms.

The influence of Carnatic music and other Indian classical music is quite huge on Rabindra Sangeet. However, Rabindra Sangeet in its turn at the same time influenced the traditional form of Indian music whilst adding a rather contemporary tinge to the traditionalism of Indian classical music.

One of the significant facets of Rabindra Sangeet is therefore that subtle presence of the classical element, which further aids in evoking that right mood for the song. This is one of the main reasons why the celestial tonal color of the ragas so very well complement with the emotion of the songs. Many of the Rabindra Sangeet therefore has a reference with the partial accord to the ragas like Megh, Bhairavi etc.

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Odissi Music

  

Odissi Music is a very old classical Indian style of music with specific Raagas, Taals, and its own special style of rendering of lyrics and melody. It belongs to the genre of Classical music of India and has its origins in the eastern Indian state of Orissa. Indian Classical Music has five main branches- Avanti, Panchali, Udramagadhi, Hindustani and Carnatic Music. Of these, Udramagadhi exists in the form of Odissi music. Odissi songs traditionally depict the love and frolics of Radha and Lord Krishna. Odissi dance is one of the classical dances of India performed with Odissi music.

Origins of Odissi Music
Odissi Music has a rich history and dates back to the 2nd century BC. Originally Odissi was sung to the dance of the 'Maharis' (Devadasis) at the Jagannath Temple, and was later sung to dances by young boys, 'Gotipuas' performing Odissi dance. The Odissi music of today has evolved from the style of 'Gotipua' music. In its earliest days the Odissi style of music and dance was patronised by Kharvela, the ruler of Orissa (Kalinga). The music form got shaped during the time of famous Odiya poet Jayadeva. He was the first one to compose lyrics which were meant to be sung. Later, by the 11th century AD, the folk music of Orissa which existed in the form of Triswari, Chatuhswari, and Panchaswari, came to be adapted into the classical style.

Style of Odissi Music
The Taal forms the most important part of Odissi Music, and all songs are to be sung in specific raagas and taals. The Odissi taalas have a different distribution of beat and pause from the north and south Indian taalas. Though Odissi music is thus a unique blend of South and North Indian classical music, it has its own distinct qualities. For instance, some taals in Odissi music that are similar to Hindustani classical music are 'Jhampa' and 'Jhaptaal', 'Atta' and 'Chautaal', 'Aditaal' and 'Tritaal'. Typical Odissi taals, however, are different from that of Hindustani music in division of beats and bols. Odissi music gives great importance to the lyric where words are required to be sung without fragmentation or distortion. Also, a lot of importance if singing is laid on the text of the song known as 'Prabandha'.

The typical Odissi style of singing starts with a short 'Aalap' with typical Odissi 'Andolan' followed by the main song 'Prabandha' where the use of 'Boltan' elaborates the raaga. 'Boltan' is also used to demonstrate various 'Abhinayas' during dances performed to these songs. 'Taan' is usually in the form of 'Sargam' and is usually at the end of the song. It is set to the beats and pauses of the taal. 'Padi' (lyrics sung to a different division of beats of the same taal) is typical to the Odissi style although all songs may not have 'Padi'. Usually, 'Padi' is sung at a faster speed than the main song.

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History of Indian Folk Music

  

History of Indian folk music has a unique tale to tell as, it has, over the years, developed an elaborate flexible melodic character. From one end to the other, it has influenced the music of the common man of India. Despite the fact that India is home to variety of races with diverse musical traditions, a uniform cultural mode of expression of monolithic character can be discerned among the population. Folk-music is a part and parcel of this system.

Folk-music of India adheres to monophonic structural system. According to scales of modern raga modes, the classification of music will prove more suitable. Ancient music and folk-music are based on their respective techniques, derived from elementary methods of formative processes of the general system easily explainable through Indian musicological principles. It is true that connecting links between folk-tunes and ragas have not been properly established as yet. And these features are important facets of this discipline.

But it can be seen that the folk-music of West Bengal and adjacent Indian states actually belongs to the same stock as is in vogue in other parts of the country, having originated somewhere at a certain stage and hybridized and developed later. They are akin to the basic system and are understandable by application of the same basic principles.

As per legends, folk-lore in India has its primordial source in the Vedic literature, so also has the folk-music Folk-ballads of the Rig Veda. Vedic gathas in the Satapatha Brahmana and Aitareya Brahmana are the earliest specimens of marriage songs, the types of which were used by folk people. All this information dates back to 1500-500 B.C. No direct information about primitive music and folk-music is normally available. In the Vedic age, the people of the higher society endeavoured to tame Asuras-Raksasas, and divert their attention to their own. These are but general ideas about conversion of folk and local tunes into standard music.

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Traditional Indian Music

 Traditional Indian music is a reflection of the country's extreme cultural diversity. There is a very rich legacy of cultural music in India which has been developed over several eras and spans centuries. Most often, the traditional music genre primarily includes devotional music, ghazal, qawwali and patriotic songs among others. Since music can now be easily recorded, there has been seen a revival of the traditional style and its popularity remains intact. The several dozen ethnic groups in the state have contributed to a great variety and consequently we find a number of different types of traditional music which have developed over the centuries. The most well known forms and types of traditional music prevalent in India are mentioned below.

Qawwali: Qawwali is a vibrant musical tradition of India, which stretches back more than 700 years. It is a kind of devotional music performed mainly at Sufi shrines throughout what is now India and Pakistan, and has also gained mainstream popularity. The Qawwali songs are mostly heard in Urdu language and the Punjabi language, but they are also available in Persian, Brajbhasha and Siraiki. Qawwali can also be enjoyed in some regional languages but the sound of it is quite different from the conventional counterpart. The central themes of qawwali are love, devotion and longing (of man for the Divine). Songs in Qawwali are usually between 15 to 30 minutes long. It is performed with one or two lead singers, several chorus singers, harmonium, tabla, and dholak. The principles of Qawali music are based on Hindustani Classical music.

Ghazal: A Ghazal is a poetic form consisting of couplets, which share a rhyme and a refrain. The word means 'the mortal cry of a Kastori doe'. A Ghazal, thus, is a collection of couplets (called sher), which follow the rules of Matla, Maqta, Beher, Qafiya, Radif, Khayaal and Wazan. The traditional complete ghazal has a matla, a maqta, and three other shers in between. The first two shers of a ghazal have the form of a qatha. Strictly speaking, it is not a musical form, but a poetic recitation. Today, however, it is commonly conceived of as an Urdu song, with prime importance given to the lyrics. In some modernized ghazals the poet's name is hidden somewhere in the last verse, usually between the front and end of a word. The ghazal is a common song form in India and Pakistan today.

Bhajan and Kirtan: A bhajan or kirtan is a Hindu devotional song, often of ancient origin. A lot of importance is attached to the singing of Bhajans with Bhakti, i.e., with loving devotion. Kirtans are deeply rooted in the tradition of the Veda. Bhajans are often simple songs in lyrical language expressing emotions of love for the Divine, either for a single God/Goddess, or any number of divinities. Many bhajans feature several names and aspects of the chosen deity, especially in the case of Hindu sahasranamas, which list a divinity's 1008 names. Traditionally, the music is based on Indian classical music, which is based on ragas and tala (rhythmic beat patterns) played on the Veena, Sarangi, Venu (flute), Mridanga (or Tabla) (traditional Indian instruments). The Scripture of the Sikhs contains 31 ragas and 17 talas, which form the basis for kirtan music compositions. Various traditions of bhajan-singing, such as Nirguni, Gorakhanathi, Vallabhapanthi, Ashtachhap and Madhura-bhakti, have been formed over the ages. Each sect has their own sets of bhajans and methods of singing. The traditional form of bhajan in South India is known as Sampradya Bhajans. In the past few decades, this has seen a great upsurge in popularity.

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