South-Central-West-Asian-Music

South Asian Music Overview

  • Focuses on the musical traditions of South, Central, and West Asia.

South Asian Countries

  • Countries considered part of South Asia:

    • Bangladesh

    • Bhutan

    • India

    • Pakistan

    • Nepal

    • Sri Lanka

    • Afghanistan

    • Maldives

Music of India

  • General Characteristics:

    • Largest country in South Asia with a diverse music scene.

    • Reflects various aspects of culture through timbre, rhythm, melody, texture, form, and style.

    • Functions as a source of spiritual inspiration, cultural expression, and entertainment.

  • Cultural Beliefs:

    • Music viewed as a divine gift, embodying the manifestation of God.

    • Associated with Indian deities: Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu.

  • Historical Development:

    • Originated from Vedic religious chants.

Elements of Indian Music

  • Raga: Pitch system based on five to seven notes.

  • Tala: Rhythmic time cycle.

  • Rasa: Expressive dynamics in music.

  • Drone: Continuous low sound throughout compositions.

Vocal Music

  • Traditional Indian classical music includes:

    • Carnatic Music: South Indian tradition focused on devotional themes.

    • Hindustani Music: Predominantly found in Northern and Central India, characterized by nasal singing.

  • Melismatic singing common, differing from Philippine music.

Characteristics of Traditional Music

Carnatic Music

  • Also called "temple music."

  • Unified system based on ragas and instrumental traditions (e.g., veena, mridangam).

  • Compositions (krti) are devotional.

Hindustani Music

  • Features khyal style which emphasizes imagination in performance.

Instrumental Music

  • Classification of Instruments:

    1. Ghan: Non-membranous percussion with solid resonators.

    2. Avanaddh: Membranous percussion instruments (e.g., tabla, mridangam).

    3. Sushir: Blown instruments (e.g., bansuri, shehnai).

    4. Tat: Plucked string instruments (historically referred to as vina).

    5. Vitat: Bowed string instruments, not prominent in classical music until recent centuries.

Importance of Rhythm

  • Rhythm is fundamental in Indian music.

  • Tala: Regularly repeating rhythmic phrases; a vital concept in performance.

Music of Pakistan

  • Known for its unique vocal traditions, influenced by South Asia and Central Asia, Persia, Turkey, and the Arab world.

Vocal Music

  • Genres often include recitations that may not be classified strictly as music.

Genres of Vocal Music

  • Ghazal: A poetic form expressing love and longing, sung by men and women.

  • Qawwali: Devotional music associated with Sufi traditions, dating back over 700 years, performed at shrines.

Instruments Used in Qawwali

  • Tabla

  • Dholak

  • Harmonium

  • Rubab

References

  • Population data and additional reading materials from online sources.