Listening

Audio | Numbers in Indian music and beyond (rasa): Zero & Nine– CBC Ideas

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The story of zero: How ‘nothing’ changed the world Before it could be used, it had to be invented. “This invention of the zero and the way we write our numerals today is what is now the basis of all modern technology,” Princeton mathematics professor Manjul Bhargava told IDEAS. “We often take it for granted. But … Read more

“Learning should be a source of joy” – V.V. Sadagopan on Music education

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Audio source: singing by the author | Find details for “78RPM – V V Sadagopan” on Archive.org >> It is a curious irony that we, who claim to “hear” our music,1 are less sensitive to tone quality than the Westerner who “sees” his music. Happy exceptions apart, musicians and listeners (especially of the South) are … Read more

Flow | The right tempo or “kalapramanam”

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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

Flow | Colourful and creative “when life is attuned to a single tune” – Mahatma Gandhi

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South Indian conventions (raga names & svara notation): karnATik.com | Guide >> raagam: kuntalavarALiAa: S M1 P D2 N2 D2 S | Av: S N2 D2 P M1 S If a raga1 constitutes more than mere arrangements of notes derived from a given scale, this is due to the mood it evokes in listeners from different backgrounds. This shared experience is … Read more