Hindustani Classical Music is the traditional music of northern areas of the Indian subcontinent, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. It is one of the two types of classical music found in India, the other being Carnatic music, the classical tradition of South India.
Here are some important terms and concepts in Hindustani Classical Music:
Raga/ Raag : At the heart of Hindustani music are ragas, which can be thought of as melodic frameworks for composition and improvisation. Each raga is a unique arrangement of notes, with specific ascending (aroh) and descending (avroh) sequences, and certain characteristic musical phrases.T
Tala / Taal: This is the rhythmic framework within which the musician improvises. Each tala has a specific number of beats or pulses, divided into cycles. There are many talas in Hindustani music, each with its own character and usage.
Shruti: These are the microtones in Hindustani music. There are 22 shrutis, or pitch intervals, although not all are used in a single raga. The concept of shruti is similar to the concept of 'microtones' in Western music.
Swar: This term refers to the seven basic notes (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni), equivalent to Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti in Western music. The 'Sa' (Shadaj) and 'Pa' (Pancham) are considered immovable, while the other notes can have variations, allowing for the expression of microtones.
Thaat: A thaat is a system of organization for the ragas based on their musical scales. There are 10 thaats in Hindustani classical music, each a basic pattern of seven notes.
Bandish: This is a pre-composed, more fixed traditional composition in a raga. A typical performance of a raga in Hindustani classical music involves an alaap (introduction of the raga) followed by a bandish.
Alaap: This is the opening section of a typical Hindustani classical performance. The musician slowly unfolds the raga, note by note, revealing its unique mood and character.
Gharana: This term refers to a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. Some well-known Gharanas include the Jaipur-Atrauli, Patiala, Kirana, and many more.
Gat: In instrumental music, this is a pre-composed piece that is used as the basis for improvisation, similar to the bandish in vocal music.
Taan: A virtuosic way to elaborate a raga, using rapid melodic passages.
History
Hindustani Classical Music has a rich and complex history that traces its origins back thousands of years.
Vedic Period (1500–500 BCE): The earliest roots of Hindustani Classical Music can be traced back to the Vedic period, when the ancient scriptures known as the Vedas were composed. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, contains verses to be sung according to specific melodic structures known as Samagana. These can be seen as the earliest known precursors to the raga tradition.
Medieval Era: The next major development came with the arrival of the Islamic rulers and the Sufi saints from Central Asia around the 12th century AD. This led to a period of cultural exchange and syncretism. The Persian and Islamic musical traditions mingled with existing Indian classical music.
Bhakti and Sufi Movements: During the medieval era, the Bhakti movement in the South and the Sufi movement in the North helped to popularize devotional music across the subcontinent. This greatly influenced the evolution of Indian classical music.
16th to 18th Centuries: During the Mughal Empire, Hindustani Classical Music received patronage from the royal courts. Emperor Akbar's court musician Tansen, one of the "Nine Jewels" of his court, is a legendary figure from this period. Tansen composed many ragas, and his style greatly influenced the development of Hindustani Classical Music.
19th Century Onwards: With the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rise of British colonial rule, many musicians lost their traditional patronage. However, this period also saw the rise of the Gharanas, musical families or lineages that maintained and developed specific styles of music.
In the 20th century, the spread of recording technology and radio broadcasting helped to popularize Hindustani Classical Music among a wider audience. Today, despite the popularity of Bollywood and Western music, Hindustani Classical Music continues to thrive, with numerous festivals and competitions held across the country and an increasing global interest in the genre.
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