SOUTH, CENTRAL AND

WEST ASIAN MUSIC

 SOUTH EAST ASIA

MUSIC OF INDIA
•INDIA is the largest country in South East Asia.
•The music of India reflects different aspects of
Asian culture through its timbre, rhythm,
melody, texture, form, and style
 SOUTH EAST ASIA

MUSIC OF INDIA
•Indian music remains fundamental to the
loves of the people of India as a source of
spiritual inspiration, cultural
expression, and entertainment.
CHARACTERISTIC OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF INDIA
1.CARNATIC MUSIC
•Refers to music of South India
•Directed to a Hindu god, which is called
“temple music”
CHARACTERISTIC OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF INDIA
1.CARNATIC MUSIC
•Carnatic music is unified where schools are
based on the same ragas, the same solo
instruments (veena, flute, violin) and the same
rhythm instrument (mridangam and ghatam)
CHARACTERISTIC OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF INDIA
1.CARNATIC MUSIC
•Music pieces are mainly set for the voice
and with lyrics
•Compositions called krti are devotional
songs
CHARACTERISTIC OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF INDIA
2.HINDUSTANI MUSIC
•Goes back to Vedic period times around
1000BC
•Further developed in the 13 th and14 th

centuries AD with Persian influences and

from existing religious and folk music
CHARACTERISTIC OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF INDIA
2. HINDUSTANI MUSIC
•Predominantly found in the northern and
central regions
•Nasal singing is observed in their vocal
music
CHARACTERISTIC OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF INDIA
2. HINDUSTANI MUSIC
•In the North India, the most common style
of singing is called khyal, a word which
means “imagination”
 CHARACTERISTIC OF
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC OF INDIA

•Some instruments are used primarily in

North Indian music (Hindustani Music)
while many other instruments are used in
South Indian music (Carnatic Sangeet).
 CLASSIFICATION OF
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTAL OF INDIA

1. Ghan – described as non-membranous

percussive instrument but with solid
resonators. It is one of the oldest classes of
instrument in India.
 CLASSIFICATION OF
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTAL OF INDIA

1. Ghan – includes ghatam, karta, manjira,

nout (pg. 113)
 CLASSIFICATION OF
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTAL OF INDIA

2. Avanaddh – described as membranous

percussive instrument. This class of
instruments typically comprise the drums.
Includes daf (duf, Daphu), dhol, table. (pg.
114)
 CLASSIFICATION OF
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTAL OF INDIA

3. Sushir – also known as “blown air.” it is

characterized by the use of air to excite the
various resonators. Includes shankh, bansuri,
surpeti, and shehnai. (pg. 115)
 CLASSIFICATION OF
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTAL OF INDIA

4. Tat – referred to as vina during the old

civilization. Instruments in this class are
plucked (stringed instruments). Includes sitar,
gotuvadyam, ektar, Gopichand, and rabab.
(pg. 116)
 CLASSIFICATION OF
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTAL OF INDIA

5. Vitat – described as bowed stringed

instruments. This is the one of the oldest
classifications of instruments and yet did not
occupy a place in classical Indian music until
the last few centuries.
 CLASSIFICATION OF
MUSICAL RHYTHM OF INDIA

1. Tala – literally means “clap”; variously

translated as “tal,” taal,” or “taala”
- is regular, repeating rhythmic
- the common Indian system of rhythm
 CLASSIFICATION OF
MUSICAL RHYTHM OF INDIA

2. Theka – a sequence of drum-syllables or

“bol”
3. Tabla – most common instrument for
keeping rhythm in Hindustani music rhythm
 CLASSIFICATION OF
MUSICAL RHYTHM OF INDIA

4. Mridangam – most common instrument

for keeping rhythm in Carnatic music
- alsotranslated as “mridang”