Paragraphs on Indian Music! The earliest treatise or music, drama and dance is Bharata's Natyashastra. By the time this treatise was composed, India had a fully developed system of the arts. Nada or sound is supposed to have been the very basis of creation. There are references to music in the Rig-Veda and the Yajurveda, the Brahmanas and the Upanishads. [...]
Paragraphs on Hindustani Music Compositions! The dhrupad (druvapada) is an ancient form, probably developed from the Prabandha. Scholars differ on who actually invented it. It is agreed that Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior and Emperor Akbar played a distinguished part in the growth and development of the dhrupad. Swami Haridas and his disciple Tansen, besides Baiju Bawra, are also [...]
Karnatak Music Compositions! The vocal form, ragam-tanam-pallavi, is generally the main item in Karnatak music concerts. The ragam is an elaborately improvised alapana in completely free time, and the tanam, though rhythmic, is still unmeasured. It is the final section— pallavi—that is a composition of words and melody set to a tala. The statement of the composition is followed by [...]