#OfficialReadySet 2015–2016 Section 2 | 7

Media • The recording industry, radio, and television have shaped popular tastes, especially in urban contexts. • The contemporary Indian recording industry is as diversified as any in the world. • Regional stations and many local transmitters broadcast programs in more than twenty regional languages, and radio remains the farthest-reaching media in the country. • The National television service, Doordarshan or “View from afar,” began broadcasting in a handful of cities in the 1970s. Government channels were the only ones available until the 1990s. • ’s is the largest in the world. is the -language film industry, and there are many other film industries in , based on language. India’s Regional Music Traditions and Devotional Music Regional Music Traditions

Music shared by speakers of a particular language can be called a regional music. Music and language may be local, regional, or pan-regional, that is, shared across narrower or wide areas.

I P Some instruments are widely shared across T Musicians, male or female, may be non-specialists South Asia. Barrel-shaped drums, clappers, and or specialists, according to whether they have special the harmonium are ubiquitous. String and wind training, and non-professional or professional, instruments are typically played by specialists. according to whether they perform for pay.

Some 72 percent of India’s population One of the most basic Men’s is classified as rural. Men and women functions of song is non-specialist in Indian villages typically do separate represented in women’s groups in village kinds of daily work and gather village music—to gather, settings typically separately for music. Thus, village mark, and celebrate an include drums and music is characterized as women’s or occasion for the benefit of cymbals and a men’s music. the community. harmonium.

Listening Example 1: Hymns for the Chathi Fast, “Chathi Mata” ¨¨ The Chhathi “Sixth-day” is a four-day period of rituals and fasting in North India that is dedicated to the Sun and to the Mother Goddess. ¨¨ The atmosphere is informal, as people talk and move in the background. A woman leads with words and melody, and the group repeats the last phrase of the stanza. A few others join in to lead as the song progresses. The song has a pleasing rhythmic pulse that might be felt as a lilting seven-beats. #OfficialReadySet 2015–2016 Section 3 | 11

Indian Theory and Practice

P Classical Indian music is the art music of I T Hindustani (North India) and Carnatic urban India and reflects a long history and music () are the two classical systematic theory. Classical music is based on systems of Indian music. the concepts of and tala.

Music theory, called sangita shastra, is found in written texts and is transmitted orally as well.

¨¨The Natyashastra, compiled before 400 CE, is a compendium of theory on theater, dance, and music. ¨¨The ninth-century Brihaddesi contains the first extended treatment ofraga . ¨¨The thirteenth-century Sangitaratnakara is the premier text of the medieval period. Its seven chapters became the basis for many later texts written in Persian and regional languages. The chapters cover: • pitch (svara) • rhythm (tala) • melody (raga) • instruments (vadya) • various techniques (prakiranaka) • dance (nrtya) • compositions (prabandha) ¨¨In the context of South Asia, “theory” and “text” should not be understood as being entirely dependent on written books.

Ragas ¨¨ are the melodic structures of . They are defined in terms of scale and pitch and also in terms of expressive quality and other associations. BB Each raga uses specific pitches in a scale. For example, the HindustaniRaga uses the pitches of the natural or Western major scale but with a sharp 4th. BB Some pitches are resting notes on which the melody often lingers. The main resting notes of Raga Yaman are the 3rd and the 7th. BB The pitches of a raga are used in particular phrasings and contours. In Yaman, the phrasings 7 2 3 and 7 6 4 6 5 occur over and over. BB Certain pitches and phrasing require delicate slides and microtones. The 7th in Yaman is often delicately sharpened, and there is a slide between 2 and 3.

A raga is performed by a main vocalist or instrumentalist, or sometimes two, accompanied by a small ensemble. A raga performance consists of a sequence of composed and improvised sections. #OfficialReadySet 2015–2016 | 19

Death of Baluswamy Dikshitar, who is credited with introducing the violin in 1859

Dwarkin & Son, a seller of Western and Indian instruments, is founded in c.1875 and begins manufacturing the Indian harmonium.

Vishnu Digambar Paluskar founds the first branch of his music school 1901 (Gandharv Mahavidyalaya) in Lahore.

Fred Gaisberg records musicians for the British Gramophone Company in 1902 Kolkata.

1925 78rpm vinyl record technology is standardized.

1926 V. N. Bhatkhande founds a Music College in .

1928 The Madras Music Academy is founded in .

1931 Alam Ara, the first Bollywood and Indian sound film, premieres.

1932 First regular broadcasts by

1947 Indian Independence and Partition (15 August)

1950s Home record-playing capacity grows, in 78- and 33 1/3-speed formats.

1965 India’s government TV begins daily broadcasts in the greater area.

Cassette technology allows for the expansion of regional music studios and 1980s mass marketing.

Economic liberalization policies are enacted in India, inviting international 1991 investment as a strategy for economic growth.

Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, goes to Bengali-language 1992 filmmaker .

1995 VSNL (later Tata Communications) launches internet services in India.

1998 award goes to Carnatic singer M. S. Subbulakshmi.

1999 Bharat Ratna award goes to Hindustani player Shankar.

2000 India’s billionth official birth

Bharat Ratna awards go to and Hindustani 2001 shehnai player .

2009 Bharat Ratna award goes to Hindustani singer Bhimsen .