![]() Origin of Indian Classical Music Indian classical music has developed through centuries of complex interactions between various cultures and people. Its earliest known instance can be traced back to the Samaveda which defined and developed hymns that had to be sung in prayer. Thus the earliest performance of music was for the purpose of worship as it was felt that the purest manifestation of divinity was the Naadbrahma or Om, and it is this divine purity that musicians strive to attain. Apart from the Vedas, the earliest mention of music was made in a Sanskrit treatise, Bharat's Natyashastra, which defined the role of music among other art forms. Classical music gradually developed through a combination between traditional ritualistic music and folk music. The 14th and 15th centuries were the periods of greatest development as it now came into contact with Persian music and the Mughal influence in the North and the outcome of this influence was the emergence of the two main schools of Indian Classical music-Carnatic and Hindustani. ![]() Schools of Indian Classical Music Indian classical music split into two branches: the northern Hindustani tradition, influenced by the musical traditions of the Mughals, and the southern Carnatic tradition which remained more or less culturally Hindu and devotional in nature. Both traditions differ from their ancestors and each other. Carnatic music emphasizes on the expertise of the voice rather than that of the instruments. Primary themes include Devi worship, Rama worship, descriptions of temples and patriotic songs. It developed gradually from the ancient musical traditions of South India, upon which ancient Tamil music and Sama Veda had important influences. ![]() Instruments Used In Indian Classical Music Instruments used in Classical music are typical to the school of music which employs them. A comprehensive overview of these instruments includes veena, sitar, mridangam, tanpura, sarod, flute, sarangi, shehnai, tabla, harmonium and violin. The performance of a composition, based melodically on one particular raga and rhythmically on one Taal, begins with the performers coming out in a ritualized order: drone instruments, then the soloist, then accompanists and percussionists. The musicians begin by tuning their instruments; this process often blends imperceptibly into the beginning of the music. Indian Vocalists ![]() Indian Classical Instrumentalists The Classical instrumentalists are known the world over for their unique and versatile style of performance.Bismillah Khan is a renowned Shehnai player. Eminent in the field of flute playing are Hariprasad Chaurasia,Vijay Raghav Rao,Pannalal Ghosh,Raghunath Seth,Nityanand Haldipur and others.Chandrakant Deshmukh, Budhadithya Mukherjee and Shahid Parvez are well known Sitar Players.In the field of percussion instruments Allah Rakha, Zakir Hussein and Ravi Shankar are much revered and many musicians have taken their art up to the international platform. Indian Classical Music today has witnessed a steady growth of interest and finds increasing presence on the world stage. Having influenced jazz as well as western classical and pop music, fusion music has developed as a combination of the west and the east and grown into a popular global phenomenon. |