My Notes on Music
“It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result of musical perception.” – Albert Einstein
Music is the organisation of sounds with some degree of rhythm, melody, and harmony. The music of planet Earth is as diverse as the humanity in itself. While western pop music is ubiquitous, making headlines and dominating airwaves, listening to and exploring the music of the world’s many cultures allows further opportunities for universal communication. Lyrics regarding religion, rebellion, and romance are sung in any number of languages, and even while we may not always understand the words, the sentiments do get through. Western music was once mistakenly considered the pinnacle of the sonic arts. Today, however, musicians, musicologists, and listeners alike have learned that music from everywhere in the world has much to teach us–whether it’s the intricacies of African polyrhythms, the microtones of Indonesian Gamelan, or the melodic complexity of Indian ragas.
“Many of us became musicians to fill an emotional need, not knowing the mind was benefiting too. As more research ties the mind to health and emotional well being, music will become both medicine and exercise for the mind!”
Background on Indian Music
The music of India is one of the oldest unspoken musical traditions in the world. An understanding of Mythology is really important to see the significance that Indian music (sangeet) has to Indian society. This is easily illustrated in the story concerning its origin. Perhaps the clearest mythological raison de etre may be found in Bharata’s Natya-Shastra (Rangacharya 1966):
Once, a long time ago, during the transitional period between two Ages it so happened that people took to uncivilised ways, were ruled by lust and greed, behaved in angry and jealous ways with each other and not only gods but demons, evil spirits, yakshas and and such like others swarmed over the earth. Seeing this plight, Indra and other gods approached god Brahma and requested him to give the people a toy (Kridaniyaka), but one which could not only be seen but heard and this should turn out a diversion (so that people gave up their bad ways) Although it was decided to give the celestial art of sangeet to mankind, a suitable human had to be found who was capable of receiving this gift. Sangeet had always been in the realm of the demigods (gandharva. A super-human of superior spiritual ability was required to convey this celestial artform to the world of man. It fell upon the great sage Narada to be the first mortal recipient of this divine art. Through Narada, we are indebted for the presence of classical music.
The introduction of this artform to the mortal world was only the first step. Traditional pedagogy had to accommodate it. Classical music is considered more than mere entertainment; it is a moral and spiritual redeemer. Therefore, the divine qualities inherent in the artform imply certain prerequisites; key among them are guru, vinaya and sadhana. This translates to teacher, humility, and discipline.
The guru, or teacher is the most important prerequisite in traditional musical pedagogy. Music is said to be a guru mukha-vidhya (i.e., knowledge which must come from a teacher). This is considered the highest form of knowledge. Traditional pedagogy is based upon the transfer of knowledge from the teacher (guru) to the disciple (shishya in an unbroken tradition (parampara). The tradition of guru-shishya-parampara extends back countless millennia. The second prerequisite is vinaya (humility). This also reflects the divine origins of the artform.
Classical music is said to be a worship that involves both the listener and the artist alike. Any negative emotions such as arrogance (abhiman) becomes an impediment. This is an impediment from both the divine aspect as well as a matter of simple pedagogy (e.g., “If you think you already know everything, then what is there to learn?”) The final prerequisite for a student of classical music is sadhana (discipline and practice). Sadhana is necessary at two levels. At one level, the divine origins of the artform require that the student “be prepared” to be a recipient of this knowledge. However, from a simple pedagogic standpoint, the music is so incredibly difficult that if the student does not devote countless hours of practice spread over many years, the student certainly will not be able to master the music. This may clarify many points of pedagogy, but what about the artform itself? Any art must deal with the topic of aesthetics.
The Indian tradition has much to say on this point as well. The ancient scriptures describe nine fundamental emotions from which all complex emotions may be produced. Just as all hues may be produced by mixing the three primary colours, so too, all emotions are said to be derived from these principal emotions. They are called navaras and are shown in the table below. These emotions form the aesthetic foundation for sangeet. We must remember that we are talking about music. This requires an acoustic vehicle to convey these emotions.
The Nine Moods (Nava Rasa)
Shringar – Love
Hasya – Comic
Karuna – Sadness
Raudra – Furious
Veera – Heroic
Bhayanak – Terrible
Vibhats – Disgusting
Adbhuta – Wonderment
Shanta – Peace
This acoustic vehicle is known as raag. Raag may be thought of as the melodic foundation upon which classical Indian music is based. During the last few centuries it was customary to anthropomorphize the rag in the form of gandharvas (demigods) and apsaras (celestial nymphs). The divine quality of music is perhaps best illustrated in nad siddha. This is the ability to perform miracles by singing or playing certain rags. The most famous miracle-working musician was Tansen (Garg 1984). It is often said that he was able to create fire by singing rag Dipak, or create rain by singing rag Megh Malhar.
One can appreciate how this artform is considered divine. This divine quality influences concepts such as aesthetics and pedagogy. The reverence that Indians have for this system may only be seen in a traditional approach.
The vocal tradition is especially strong in Indian music. It is understood that the song is probably the most ancient form of music. Vocal music occupies a considerable part of Natya Shastra (Indian music). The samaveda is the oldest musical text in India. Most of the classical songs of north India are devotional in nature, but there are few genres which are especially oriented toward religion. Most notable is the bhajan, dhun or kirtan for Hindus, the kawali (qawali) for Muslims, and the shabad for Sikhs (Indian music). Not all the music is serious for there are also many popular genres. The ghazal is one style, which is known for it rich poetic, and romantic content. The Hindi geet which is basically just a song and undoubtedly the most popular is the film song (Indian music). There are also a few genres which are oriented specifically toward musical education.
Popular Music is music produced for and sold to a broad audience. Indian popular music, which is most strongly influenced by Indian folk music is shaped by social, economic, and technological forces. Popular music is closely linked to the social identity of its performers and audiences. Indian
Popular Music has one of the world’s most extensive popular music industries. Most Indian popular music is associated with the commercial film industry, centred on Mumbai, in which song-and-dance scenes are inserted into plots. Film songs are heard all over India, in city streets and even in remote villages, and have also become one of the country’s major cultural exports. It is a remarkably eclectic genre, borrowing freely from other Indian musics and popular music’s from around the world, including some Western harmonic procedures and its film music are widely popular elsewhere in the developing world, from Africa and the Middle East to Eastern Europe and other parts of Asia. Indian popular music has continued to evolve and thrive. Most were sentimental love songs designed to fit the romantic and often escapist cinematic melodramas. It is no longer made the way it used to be. As a result the popular music industry has become much more decentralized, and its products much more diverse in terms of style, language, and subject matter. Since cassettes and cassette players are so cheap, portable, and durable, many millions of poorer rural consumers could afford them and thus enter the popular music market.
A recent survey found out that 90 % of the people whether they are of the new generation or the old say that music has lost its sentimental values.
By the 1950s the film industry had grown phenomenally, and soon became the largest in the world, producing some 700-feature films annually. Where as the remaining 10 % say that the trends and traditional values are changing and in this ever changing world one must keep up to date. Nevertheless, the thriving cottage-industry cassette producers still rely heavily on regional folk music for inspiration and ideas. Western influence remains strong, and many film music composers borrow pop melodies from the West.
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