Music of India 2 Geography

North or South

The music of India can be split into two main distinct styles. Northern or Hindustani and Southern or Carnatic.

Both of these styles originate with the Veda,sacred texts from between 1500 to 500 BCE. In Hindu tradition, the creation of Vedas is credited to Brahma. The Veda are classed as some of the oldest sacred texts. Originaly the Veda were Śruti(what is heard) as opposed to smrti(what is remembered), possibly making the Veda one of the oldest oral traditions. Interestingly Śruti is also a term used to describe the smallest interval between two notes that can be distinguished, also a Śruti-box is an instrument used to create a tonic drone in Indian Music.

Around the 13th Century Indian music began to split into the two main styles seen today. In the North,  Islamic rule of the area during the  Delhi Sultanate then the Mughal Empire created an Indo-Persian culture covering much of the North of India and also Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan. This created what is now know as Hindustani classical music.

Meanwhile in the South the style developed into Carnatic music with more emphasis on vocalisation.

Both styles are notably different, for example you can here the Persian influence in Hindustani music with its Arabic feel. Yet both still retain many of the same elements from their origin as a more singular style.

Both styles use three main elements or layers:

Raga- The melodic element

Śur or Śruti- An equivalent in western music would be Key, here it refers to the Drone element

Tala or Taal- The Rhythmic element

This appears to make both forms of Indian music simplistic in texture and instrumentation.On some levels this is true each instrument/performer has a very specific role to play governed by the musical rules associated to it. Yet as will be come apparent Indian Music is anything,but simplistic.

reference:

Courtney David, 'Overview of Indian Classical Music' chandrakantha 2012 (article) [online] available at:<http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/> (accessed 11 October 2013)

Uttara 'Introduction to Indian Classical Music' Likhati 2010 (blog) [online]Available at:<http://www.likhati.com/introduction-to-indian-classical-music/> (accessed 11 October 2013)

'Indian Performing Arts' Centre for Cultural Resources and Training-Ministry of Culture, 
Government of India (no Date) (article) [online] Available at:< http://ccrtindia.gov.in/performingarts.htm>(accessed 11 October 2013)

'Indian Music' HinduOnline 2010(article) (magazine) [online]Available at:<http://hinduonline.co/HinduCulture/IndianMusic.html>(accessed 11 October 2013)

Dale Stephen F, 'INDIA xvi. INDO-PERSIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY'  ENCYCLOPÆDIA IRANICA Originally Published: December 15, 2004 Last Updated: March 27, 2012(article) [online]Availabel at:< http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/india-xvi-indo-persian-historiography>(accessed 11 October 2013)

 Krsna Dhenu, 'KKSongs Music Center' Krsna Kirtana Songs 2012 (website)[online] Avalilable at:<http://kksongs.org/music.html>(accessed 11 October 2013)

Szabi Tóth, 'Indian Classical Music' india.tilos.hu 2011(website)[online]Available at:< http://india.tilos.hu/english_alap.html>(accessed 11October 2013)