Music Theory/Indian

Introduction

The term 'Indian music' spans a multitude of forms and styles, from tribal and folk traditions to intellectual classical structures and electronic-enhanced modern dance tracks. Of course, the distinctions between the forms are often slippery. It is not uncommon, for example, for 'filmi' composers to employ folk, religious, regional or classical elements into their songs to enhance the mood and relevance to the story. Likewise, classical music has absorbed and transformed folk elements while the rural traditions themselves have always been influenced by wider regional and international musics. As with literature, dance and the visual arts, Indian music is a complex interweaving of influences and ideas.

Periods and Styles

Ancient

Literary evidence points to the existence of codified musical traditions in early times. Classical Tamil poetry from South India was composed by itinerant and court-settled musicians and accompanied by instruments such as the harp, barrel-drum and flute. Set scales, known as pans, provided a framework for the singers and musicians. The pans were tuned to the strings of the harp. The 7th century epic Silappadikkaram features music and dance from this formal tradition as well as current folk and tribal styles.

While much of the ancient Tamil tradition has been lost, there is speculation that some of the pans referred to in the literature made their way into the Carnatic tradition. In addition, the specialist temple singers of the Meenakshi temple in Madurai still include some songs set to pans (rather than Ragams) in their repertoire.

Classical

The Classical tradition of Indian music can be divided into two major movements, Hindustani and Carnatic. Hindustani classical music is also known as the Northern Indian Classical music, while Carnatic classical music is also known as the Southern Indian Classical music. Hindustani classical music is sung in the Northern part of India while Carnatic classical music is sung in the Southern part of India. Hindustani classical music is supported with instruments like Tabla and Harmonium while Carnatic classical music is supported by Mridunga and Viloin. There isn't difference in the Svaras and the pronunciation of svaras of both the types of classical music but the Svara Re or रे is pronounced as Re in Hindustani classical music and is pronounced as Ri in Carnatic classical music. 'Risabha' (Re) is the long form of the syllables रे and री. For simplicity in pronouncing while singing the syllable, Risabha is pronounced as Re and Ri. This given because the pronouncing of the syllable Re is different in the Hindustani classical music and Carnatic classical music. In Hindustani classical music, the pronouncing of Risabha is done as Re and in Carnatic classical music, the pronouncing of Risabha is done as Ri.

So a Hindustani classical singer will sing the 7 svaras as : Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa.

While a Carnatic classical singer will sing these svaras like : Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa.

The pronunciation of actually each svaras is different in both the types of music but the only svara Re is completely spelled in a different way. Hindustani classical music has Tarana while Carnatic classical music has Tillana. So hence the terms of both the types of classical music are different while their function may be same. And the main point is that the ragas, the names of ragas and the svaras which are there in a particular raga, these all are different. For example of any random raga, Hindustani classical music has raga Sarang while Carnatic classical music has raga Hanumatodi. But there are some ragas which are adopted from one type to another. For example Raga Abhogi was a Carnatic classical raga which was then adopted by Hindustani classical music, or Raga Hansdwani which was also a Carnatic classical raga which was then adopted by Hindustani classical music.

Ragas in both the types of Classical music (A comparison) - The List

Some Carnatic classical ragas are,

Amarasindhu
AshaDakannaDa
Bhāvya
BhuvanamanOhari
DEshalam
DEshikakhamās
DEshikashenjuruTTi
DEshya keeravāNi
Gangadhārini
Harihamsa
HarikalyāNi
Harisaraswathi
Hindustāni bhairavi - uses all 12 notes
Hindustāni gāndhāri
Jālini
KannaDa kāmbhOji
KarnāTaka nāTTai
karnashravya
Khande
KonDamalahari
Lāvani
MāNikya
Madhumādhavi
Maitrabhāvini
ManOllāsini
Mishra kamāj
Mishra mānD
Mishratilang - S G3 M1 P N3 S - S N3 P M1 G3 R2 S
Mukundabhairavam
MukundamaNirangu
Mukundananthini
Mukundashree
Mukundavasantha
Mukundavasantini
Navakānthi
Pārvathavardhini
Padmashree
Panchabhootha
Panchagatha
Poornavasantha
Rāgadhwani
Ragini raga
Rājahamsini
Rājalahari (Scale introduced by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja)
Rājkowns
RāyagowLa
Rojuvana
RudrabharaNa
SampoorNam
Sanga
Sarvānanda
Sarvashakti
Savitā
Shiva kalyāņam
Hamsadhwani
Shree chintāmaNi
Shreekānthimathi
Shubhakalyāņi
Siddhēśvara
Suddha chintāmaNi
Vasavanthi
Ānandharoopa
Ārabi
Bangāla
Behāg
Behāg Deshikam
Bilahari
Buddhamanohari
Buddharanjani
Chāyā
Chāyashankarābharanam
Devagāndhāri
Dharmalakhi
Dhurvanki
Gajagowri
Garudadhvani
Gowdamalhār
Hamsavinodhini
Hemant
Hindustāni Behāg
Jana Ranjani
Julavu
Kamaripriyā
Kannada
Kadanakuthoohalam
Kedaram

 There are some ragas which are adopted from one type to another. For example Raga Abhogi was a Carnatic classical raga which was then adopted by Hindustani classical music, or Raga Hansdwani which was also a Carnatic classical raga which was then adopted by Hindustani classical music.

Some Hindustani classical ragas are,

Kedar (raga)
Gauri (raga)
Jog (raga)
Hameer
Brindabani Sarang
Jaijaivanti (Kafi and Desh aang)
Megh (raga)
Sohni
Hindol
Madhukali
Malhar
Malkauns
Bilaval
Bihag
Abhogi
Abhogi Kanada
Adana (raga)
Asavari (Shuddh Rishabh Asavari)
Ahir Bhairav
Malgunji
Chandrakauns
Chhayanat (raga)
Bahar (raga)
Bageshri/Bageshree
Basant (raga)
Basant Bahar (raga)
Bhairav (raga)
Bhimpalasi
Bhinna Shadja
Bhairavi
Bhoopali
Bhoopal Todi
Bibhas (Marwa aang, Purvi aang, Bhairav aang, Deshkar aang)
Bihag
Bilaskhani Todi
Durga (raga)
Dhani (raga)
Desh (raga)
Deepak (Bilaval (thaat))
Darbari
Darbari Kanada
Gaud Malhar
Gaud Sarang
Gorakh Kalyan
Suhi (raga)
Hamsadhvani
Sorath (raga)
Sohani
Shree (raga)
Rageshree (raga)
Shivaranjani
Saraswati
Shankara (raga)
Shahana
Sarpada
Sarang (raga)
Sindhu Bhairavi (raga)
Sindhura
Tilak kamod
Tilang
Todi
Vibhas
Yaman (raga)
Zeelaf (raga)
Puriya Dhanashree
Patdeep
Piloo
Nat Bhairav
Multani (raga)
Marwa (raga)
Miyan ki Todi
Miyan ki Malhar
Kafi
Kalavati
Khamaj
Kirwani
Komal Rishabh Asavari
Jaunpuri (raga)
Jhinjhoti

Svaras in the Indian classical music

There are in total 7 svaras in both the types of classical music. Namely,