This book is the result of Dr. Raja Romana’s recent studies on Karnatic music with the help of many distinguished Indian musicians. It describes the Raga System of Music culminating in the classification of Venkatamakhin (1654). The basic ragas are given in staff notation as well as in Devanagari. The families of "raga modes due to a change of the shruti (tonic) are dertved. Harmonic and contrapuntal possibilities of note combinations within the Raga using the works of great composers of the past, such as Purandara, Thyagaraja and others are given. It is shown that in this way It is possible to enhance the sonority of the music without losing its structure. Reference is made to the European method of Harmony and Counter-point to show their differences and similarities. Since the essence of Karnatic music is in Gamakas, a short appendix is given to show what they are, but no guidance on their usage is given as it varies from performer to performer. The subtleties of the Raga System are brought out in the chapter on "Aesthetics" giving the Importance of the 22 note scale and the choice of these notes in different ragas. The appendices contain some facts on the theory of European Music, a word glossary and a historical note.
The book is mainly on structure and is incomplete in the sense that it does not help a performer to play better, but it is hoped that the musicological aspect described here will lead to new developments in Raga years to come.
Raja Ramanna was born in January 1925. He graduated from the Madras Christian College in Physics and went on to do his Ph. D. from King's College. London. One of India's foremost scientists, Dr. Ramanna has held several distinguished posts: Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre: Member. Atomic Energy Commission: Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister: Director-General, Defence Research and Development Organisation: Secretary to the Government of India for Defence Research and Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission.
Raja Ramanna was the Minister of State for Defence from December 1989 to November 1990 and is a Member of the Rajya Sabha. Currently he is Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore.
Raja Ramanna is the recipient of various awards which include the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Memorial Award for Physical Sciences, 1963; Padma Shri. 1968: Padma Bhushan 1973; Padma Vibhushan, 1975: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Award 1983; Meghnad Saha Medal. 1984: Om Prakash Bhasin Award, 1985; and R.D. Birla Memorial Award, 1985-86.
Apart from being a world-renowned scientist, Dr. Ramanna is a passionate lover of Western classical music and a trained planist. He took a diploma of licentiate of the Royal School of Music in 1940 and has studied music at Trinity College. London. He has given many public performances.
As is well known, musical notes are formed from pressure waver of various frequencies produced by the vocal chords or some musical instruments The ear is sensitive only to a particular range of frequencies but within this range it is known that, by the entry of these sound vibrations into the ear, sensations are produced within the human brain which lead to the Art of Music. The Art of Music is an ancient one and its power to activate the brain and thus the mind has had a profound impact on human thought and behaviour. An organised understanding of such behaviour was discovered many thousands of years ago particularly in India during the time the Sama Veda was composed (about 1000 B.C.). It has been systematised over the centuries and what has come down to us is a most complete analysis of the formation of scales and rhythms both of which form the very basis of organised music.
Two Raga systems exist in India, one Hindustani and the other Karnatic. While they are both closely related to each other, they form two distinct varieties It is not possible to say which of the systems is older but the Karnatic System has a longer continuity due to historic reasons and is better documented than the Hindustani System, which has been deeply influenced by Islamic culture. The theory of Karnatic music is quite sophisticated and within the strict rules of Ragas (Scales) and Tala (Rhythm), it allows for great freedom to the performer. This accounts for its everlasting vitality.
The purpose of this work is to bring to the attention of both Indian and foreign musicologists the main structure of the Raga system, both in staff notation as well as in Devanagari, with the hope that it will be an useful introduction to a wide range of musicians. There are many versions in the literature and these tend to confuse the initiate. An effort has been made here to conform to modern technical terms and avoid a multiplicity of presentations.
Indian music is essentially melodic but the fact that it is based on complex scales (Ragas) gives it a harmonic dimension, for every note that is performed automatically implies the entire Raga. It is also shown here how a set of Ragas can be produced merely by a change of the Sruti ie tonic, just as in the case of Greek modes but richer in possibilities due to the greater range of combinations. Starting from the generic (Melkarta Ragas) several hundreds of other Ragas can be obtained and are called Janya or derived Ragas. Some of these turn out to be semi-melodies themselves over which the musician (composer or performer) can build up an extended piece of work. The composer essentially gives a "mould" over which the performer has to build. To a foreign musician, this seems to be a kind of improvisation of the "mould" but the mould, the nature of the Raga and the Tala (the beats) that goes with it applies many constraints that go with it that it can hardly be called free improvisation.
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