Chapter Seven
Instrumental Melody
Melodic Styles

Vocal Melody
Usually conjunct Motion
Limited range

Instrumental Melody
Often disjunct motion
“Idiomatic” writing (for specific instruments)
Wider ranges than vocal
Music of India

Great Tradition
Spread Extensively Throughout India
 Common Musical Language
Among People


Little Tradition
Limited Geographical Region
 Folk and Religious Music

Great Tradition
Distinctive Musical Instruments
 Primary
Role
 Melodic--
 Secondary
Sitar
Roles
 Rhythmic--
Tabla
 Drone-- Tambura
Formal Process
 Improvistory
 Melodic
Organization
Formula
• Raga
 Rhythmic
• Tala
• (Tal)
Formula
Instrument Classification
According to Natya Shastra
 Tata
(Chordophones)
 Avanaddha
(Membranophones)
 Ghana
(Idiophones)
 Susira
(Aerophones)
Western Instrumental Classification
Indian system adapted by Hornbostel
and Sachs in 1914.
Aerophones
Idiophones
(column of air)
(struck)
Membranophones
Chordophones
(struck)
(plucked or bowed)
Northern Indian Instruments

Sitar––plucked
stringed instrument
which plays the
melody
Northern Indian Instruments

Tambura–– (also
called “tanpura) is a
plucked stringed
instrument and plays
the drone
Same clip as previous slide—
listen for continuous drone note
beneath sitar.)
Northern Indian Instruments
Tabla––(tabla and
baya)––pitched
percussion
instruments
Northern Indian Classical Music
Terms for Musical Elements

Raga––melodic formulae providing
basis for improvisation

Tala (tal)––rhythmic formulae that
increases in complexity as the
piece is played
Standard Raga Format

Continuous Form Music
Alap –– Opening, unmeasured section––
raga pitches introduced
 Jor –– Section where a feeling of pulse
(beat) is established
 Gat –– Section where tabla enters with
the tala

Other Indian Instruments
Santur
Bansuri
Other Indian Instruments
Sarangi
The Harmonium

The instrument has 42 keys, corresponding to the tuning of
Western music. The musician sits on the floor and plays it
with the right hand while the left hand activates the bellows.
This instrument poses some problem in Indian classical
music, as its temper is equal, and does not match the
unequal temper of Indian ragas. Therefore, it sounds
“friendlier” to Western ears.
This piece, “Mishra Pahadi,” follows
a raga form with the tabla entering
at the gat. The harmonium is
accompanied by a santur.
Ravi Shankar
•
Performance Career




Studied 7 years with “Baba” Allauddin
Kahn in traditional guru-shishya
Performed with dance troupe in Paris,
age 10
Performances on All-India Radio, 19391940
Began to perform Indian music abroad,
1952