Time theory in Vivekananda’s Concepts of Indian Classical Music

The notion of a particular time prescribed for ragas (gāna kāla) plays a greater role in Hindustani music than for exponents of its southern counterpart where sārvakālika ragas prevail: ragas suited to any day or night time. A few ragas nevertheless continue to be associated with the moods indicated by song lyrics (notably in dance … Read more

Is there a “democratic” aspect to the melakarta scheme?

While “democratic values” would seem an anachronism in the context of the hierarchical society wherein its inventor flourished, we are free to envisage new possibilities inherent in the melakarta scheme as such: The research in the field of pure musicology yields some interesting theoretical results, useful from technical and historical points of view. Venkatamakhi while … Read more

Voice culture and singing

Full screen viewing and download link: https://archive.org/details/voice-culture-and-singing-kalakshetra-quarterly-1983 Voice Culture and Singing by Friedrich Brueckner-Rueggeberg This course material was originally produced for – and used by – teachers and students at Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts, today known as Rukmini Devi College Of Fine Arts. To enjoy some of the vocal (Flow-) exercises offered for free on … Read more

Flow | The right tempo or “kalapramanam”

If there is a single feature of Carnatic music to account for its mesmerizing effect on listeners it may well be a feature known as kalapramanam: practicing rhythm (laya)1 and performing in the the “right tempo”2 (kālapramānam) which, once chosen, remains even (until the piece is concluded). Adopting it as part of regular practice enables … Read more

What’s the difference between Hindustani and Carnatic music?

At first, this question seems easy to answer: just watch performers from either strand of Indian music and you’ll know Which is Which, merely going by the instruments in use, or how they dress and watching the body language involved: harmonium or sarangi vs. violin for melodic accompaniment for most vocal recitals, and tabla drums … Read more