Grex Classicalmusic Conference

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Grex Classicalmusic Item 25: Nonwestern classical music traditions
Entered by keesan on Sun Feb 8 23:05:55 UTC 1998:

I would like to know more about classical music from other traditions,
including Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Iranian, Egyptian.  Did this originate
as court music, who supported the musicians, is the music still being
composed, is it played at concerts like western music or as part of some other
event (religious, political, sports, social), are the players professionals
or amateurs, how it the tradition passed along, is the classical music dying
out from competition with western classical or popular music, how close are
its ties with folk music?

8 responses total.

#1 of 8 by vishnu on Sat Feb 14 05:43:45 1998:

I feel that ,as far as Indian classical music is concerned,it is still alive
with composers,compositions and players.Indian classical music has evolved
over a long period of time and it can be classified into two broad
classes:-Hinduthani and Carnatic.The ragas are known by the same names in
both,but there is a lot of differences in the way they are rendered.It must
have evolved from religious occasions and most of the music is Spiritual,even
today.Please mail me for more info.

#2 of 8 by keesan on Mon Feb 16 20:03:10 1998:

Would you mind sharing a bit more information in this conference?  What are
the main instruments played?  Are they played in groups, usually?  I read a
little about a Muslim singer of nonspiritual music, with a string accompanist,
in A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.  Does this also count as classical music,
by which I mean something that is played and listened to for many years?  Are
professional musicians trained from childhood by their parents, or can you
just decide you want to study music?  And could you tell us in brief what a
raga is?  Thanks a lot.

#3 of 8 by vishnu on Tue Feb 17 04:36:23 1998:

Indian Classical music as I had mentioned before can be divided into two broad
classes,the Hindusthani(prevelant in areas north of the Tungabhadra river in
Karnataka state of India) and Carnatic(prevelant in areas south of this
river).I don't know if could include Rabindra Sangeet(sang in the easter state
of West Bengal)as Hindustahni Music.Again there are two traditions:-Vocal and
instrumental.In Vocal,the singer is accompanied by (in Carnatic tradition)
by a mridangam(a sort of drum),a violinist,a morrsing(instrument played thru
the mouth),a ghatam(a sort of a pot inverted) etc.If the music is purely
instrumental we could have a flutist or a sitarist or a violinist.A raga is
a mode of rendering music.The same piece of music can be rendered in two
different styles or ragas.The tala is like a count of the beat.It prevents
the musician from making a mistake.Any other opinions are invited.

#4 of 8 by albaugh on Tue Feb 17 17:56:04 1998:

> The tala is like a count of the beat.
> It prevents the musician from making a mistake.

If you think there is anything that can prevent a musician from making a
mistake, I've got some swamp land adjacent to the Tungabhadra river I want
to sell you!  ;-)

#5 of 8 by keesan on Tue Feb 17 19:31:48 1998:

Does the morrsing resemble any western instrument, and if not, what does it
look and sound like?
And I think we need a more detailed description of what a tala is, though I
know it is hard to describe music in words.

#6 of 8 by vishnu on Wed Feb 18 05:50:47 1998:

Actually a moorsing is a very unique instrument.I myself have not seen much
of it but it is placed totally in the mouth and it gives a spring like
vibration.It is not even used in the Hindusthani style.BTW a tala does prevent
a musician from making errors if he is pretty accomplished.It is pretty much
like mathematics.There are some calculations involved.A raga also describes
the mood of the music.It is said that Tansen,a very accomplished hindusthani
musician had brought rain through his music.

#7 of 8 by keesan on Thu Feb 19 02:22:06 1998:

Could a morssing be something like a 'jew's harp', 'a small lyre-shaped
instrument that when placed between the teeth gives tones from a metal tongue
struck by the finger'.  Webster's dictionary has a drawing of it.  Are
different notes (different spacing between the notes) used in the different
ragas?  I still can't imagine what a tala is, please try hard to describe it
to someone who is not Indian.  Thanks.

#8 of 8 by orinoco on Thu Feb 19 23:48:34 1998:

I think it's similar to the time signature of western music, keesan.  Some
sort of rhythmic structure.

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