CHAPTER 1

The Meaning of Music

Because human beings live in societies based on mutual ideas andactions, they must possess some medium that can express andexchange their feelings. Like language, music has been a source of suchexpressions from the very ancient times.

Music is the pride of our Indian culture and is based on scientificprinciples.

What is a musical instrument? While one can attempt to give ananswer, however vague, the query itself implies others: What is music?What is the origin of music? What are the ancient forms?

Swami Prajnanand wrote in his 1973 book, Historical Development ofIndian Music: "Music, the English word, is a derivative from French wordmuse."

In Latin, the term is musica. In Sanskrit, it is called gana, giti, orsangeet. The later treatises on music have explained or rather definedsangeet as the combination of vocal music, drumming, and dance (geet,vadhya, and nritya).

Pt. Sharangdev wrote in his book, Sangeet Ratnakar: "GeetamVadhyam tatha Nrityam Triyam Sangeet muchyate."

The three forms vocal music, instrumental, and dance combinedtogether are called sangeet.

Pt. Ahobal wrote in his book, Sangeet Parizaat: "Geetam VaditreNrityam Triyam Sangeet muchyate."

Indian music, or sangeet, comprises three arts: gayan, vaadan, andnritya. Sangeet is a technical term, used for vocal and instrumental music,along with the art of dance.

The Origin of Music

The Indian form of music is one of the oldest in the world, as is evidentfrom historical facts about India.

According to Swami Abhenananda, writing in his 1968 book Indiaand Her People: "If we read the writings and historical accounts left byPliny, Strabo, Magasthanese, Herodotus (who lived in the Vth centuryB.C.), Prophyry and a host of other ancient authors of different countries,we shall see, how highly the civilization of India was regarded by them."

In fact, between the years 1500 BC and 500 BC, the Hindus were soadvanced in religion, metaphysics, philosophy, science, art, music, andmedicine that no other nation could stand as their rival or compete withthem in any of these branches of knowledge.

To find out the history of a topic, one has to collect historicalinformation and facts and go deeply into the roots of the matter. It is theduty of the historian not to let that past be forgotten. He or she shouldtrace these gifts back to their sources, give them their due place in the timescheme, and show how they influenced or prepared the ground for thesucceeding ages. It is important to discover what portion of present-dayIndian life and thought is the distinctive contribution of each race or creedthat has lived in this land.

To discover the origin of music, I studied a vast literature on Indianmusic.

In no other art, science, or other department of human activity hasthe doctrine of evolution been so enthusiastically welcomed, so eagerlyadopted, and so wholeheartedly endorsed, as in music.

Writing of the remote origins of music in Vishwa Sangeet Ka Itihas,Amal Dash Sharma maintained: "Vocal efforts may have originated inimitation of the cries of the animals, which were mimicked, but of theorigin of the musical instruments, it is difficult to speak with certainty."

The first sound produced by the human throat was musical. Thevibrations of vocal chords created sound. The main property of music issound or naad. The naad is unchangeable.

The view of Erwin Felber, expressed in his book The Indian Musicof the Vedic and the Classical Periods, was that: "Speech and music havedescended from a common origin in a primitive language, which wasneither speaking nor singing, but something both."

Music is a science in which laws are fixed and invariable. Just like twoplus two is four in the West as well as in the East, the fundamental lawsof music are also permanent for all people of all ages. Even now, naad isconsidered to be the basis of music.

In his book Natya Shastra, Bharat discussed the atodhya vidhi in whichhe has explained the human body as the shariri veena, because vocalchords function as strings: "So our throat is the most beautiful and sweetinstrument."

It is written in our Hindu Vedas that, when the universe came intoexistence, Brahma created music and gave it as a gift to Lord Mahadeva,who then gave it to Devi Saraswati, who became the goddess of music,and people worshipped her as veena pustak dharini.

The excavations in Mohenjodaro and Harappa have brought to lightthe place of music in ancient and prehistoric periods and show the highstatus of music at those times. Many valuable objects, such as seals, sacredtanks, dolls of the deities, and musical instruments like crude types offlutes, lutes, and veenas, have been found. These veenas were stringedinstruments having structures for seven notes.

The Vedas are the most important fundamentals of all wisdom. Theyare the basic granths of Aryans written in Sanskrit and are storehouses ofthe knowledge in every aspect of social and cultural life of the people ofthat time. We come to know from Vedas that Narad, the son of Brahma,invented the veena, a stringed instrument, which became very muchpopular in those days.

Besides Vedic sangeet, gandharav sangeet was prevalent. It enjoyed aspecial place in the field of Indian music. Vedic music was formalized asit followed rules and methods. The name Gandharav was given to a greatmusician. A methodical system had already been worked out before theage of Panini, who lived about 600 BC. This methodology was adoptedby Persians, Greeks, Arabs, and by Europeans too.

In the Vedic period, the scale of four notes known as swarantra cameinto existence, although the actual, precise origin of Vedic music cannotbe traced.

An account of the well-known seven notes Ma, Ga, Re, Sa, Ni, Dha,Pa, whose equivalents are still in use in our present-day music, is foundfor the first time in Mandukiya Shiksha of Atharva Veda. It is clearlymentioned there that the Samveda hymns were sung on the notes known as:

"Shadaj — Sa

Rishabh — Re

Gandhar — Ga

Madhyam — Ma

Pancham — Pa

Dhaiwat — Dha

Nishad — Ni"

According to Mandukiya Shiksha, Atharav ved:

"Shadaj Rishabh GandharanMadhyam PanchmstthaDhaiwateshach NishadashachSwara Sapteh Samsu"

The seven notes: Shadaj, Rishabh, Gandhar, Madhayam, Pancham,Dhaiwat and Nishad come from Samved.

Deb Asheesh writes in his book, Quiz on Indian Music and Dance:

"Shadaj is produced by - Peacock

Rishabh is produced by - Cow

Gandhar is produced by - Goat

Madhyam is produced by - Heron

Pancham is produced by - Koyal

Dhaiwat is produced by - Horse

Nishad is produced by - Elephant"

In the Yajur Veda, the notes were called:

Udata - Raised - Komal/ High Tones

Anudata - Not raised (Grave)

Swarit - Harmonic Swaras (circumflex)

Nishaad and Gandhaar - Udata swaras

Rishabh and Dhaiwat - Anudata swaras

Shadaj, Madhayam and Pancham-Swarit

Narad wrote in his book, Nardiya Shiksha: "According to Samveda,the seven notes are:

Vedic Notes Laukik Notes English

1. Prathama Ga First — Ma — F
2. Dvitiya Re Second — Ga — E
3. Tritiya Sa Third — Re — D
4. Chaturtha Ni Fourth — Sa — C
5. Atiswara Dha Extreme note — Ni — B
6. Mandra Pa Sixth — Dha — A
7. Krusta Ma Pulled — Pa — G"

The expert singers and chanters of the Vedic age knew very wellthe specific laws and methods of application of the three registers: bass,medium, and high; that is, Mandra, Madhya, and Taar. The three ancientregister notes, or sthanswaras, were raised, not raised, and balancingcircumflex. These three—known as udata, unudata, and swarit—came tobe used as three kinds of pitches of speaking, as well as of singing voices.Rhythm and tempo were used in accordance with different types of feetof the Vedic meters: gayatri, Jagati, anustupa, etc. The time measure ortala was observed in hymnal songs and in different types of samgaan intwo different ways, with beat and without beat. Clapping of hands usedto be the method for time measuring a song, along with hand waving ordifferent movements of limbs of the body.

So, after a deep study, one comes to know that the origin of music orsangeet is traced back to the Vedic period.

Ancient Forms of Music

In the ancient times, music was divided into two categories: Margi sangeetand Deshi sangeet.

Margi sangeet is believed to have been originated by Brahma, whotaught this art to Bharat muni. Margi sangeet was sung by Gandharvasonly and was known as Achal sangeet. Its main aim was God realization,whereas Deshi sangeet aimed at recreation for people. It was the changedstyle of Margi sangeet. Deshi sangeet had no hard and fast rules, so itflourished the most.

In gayan as well as in vaadan, Deshi sangeet achieved a great place,because it was sung or played according to the tastes of the people. Thesitar is such an instrument, which has kept the old as well as moderntraditions alive. One can play light as well as classical music on it, so it is aperfect instrument, which embraces light tunes of Deshi sangeet, thumris,and classical ragas as well.

Classification of Music

Music, or sangeet, can be classified into two categories: vocal music andinstrumental music. Vocal music is known as gayan, or singing. It includesall types of songs, ranging from light folk tunes, light devotional songs,patriotic songs, geets, ghazals, thumri, tappa, dadra, and seasonal songs toclassical dhrupads, classical devotional bhajans, and classical ragas of allseasons, moods, and times, such as morning, afternoon, and night ragas.

In classical instrumental music, one can play classical ragas of all timesand moods. The light instrumental music includes various tunes—thumri,kehrawa beat tunes, regional folk dhuns, tappa, and more. The instrumentcan be used in an orchestra. Pt. Ravi Shankar ji played tukras on the sitarwith his orchestra in 1960 in New York City. The result was audienceappreciation that came like a cloud burst.

Light music, or khayal, has two parts: sthai and antra. The compositionscan be played with fast beats or slow beats, which are called Drut gatsand Vilambit gats. Light music comes from classical music, because whenthe artist practices classical music, he discovers some light notes that aresoothing to the heart and console the mind. The light compositions arerelated to our daily routine, whereas classical music is bound by its rules.Light music can be played with sweetness of melody, keeping in viewthe rhythmic conditions. Classical light music includes all the nine rasas,which depict the different human emotions.

Nine Rasas in Indian Music

1. Shringar ras — feeling of love

2. Hasya ras — feeling of happiness

3. Karuna ras — feeling of sadness

4. Veer ras — feeling of heroism

5. Raudra ras — feeling of terror

6. Bhayankar ras — feeling of awfulness

7. Vibhatsa ras — feeling of panic

8. Adbhut ras — feeling of strangeness

9. Shant ras — feeling of quietness

Classical music has some limitations. Only classical ragas are allowedto be sung or played and must be in accord with the set rules, but lightmusic can be of any kind, as I have explained in the chart showing theclassification of music.

In light music, one can imagine the emotions and can depict them byplaying small alankars or using khatka, murki, gamak, and meend, whichincrease the beauty of the raga or any other composition. Classical ragascan be played or sung with much effect in expressing the emotional aspectsas well as the purity of the raga.

The Importance of Music

The significance of music can be understood from the famous twopremptory dictums in Hindu scriptures. There is no knowledge beyondthe knowledge of music.

God himself is personified as "Naad-Brahma" and music as divine.It is a gift of the Almighty and the highest among the Fourteen Vidyasand the Sixty-Four Kalas enumerated in our holy scriptures. Vidya meansknowing about the various spheres of knowledge and thus leads to thegoal of God realization. Kala refers to all other branches of knowledge,which help human beings to lead happy and satisfied lives.

Indian music depicts emotions of life and creates harmony and poisein everyday life. It is purely a melodic art devoid of any harmonizedaccompaniment other than a drone. The art of music of India exists onlyunder cultivated patronage and in its own intimate environment. It is thechamber music of an aristocratic society, in which the patron retains themusicians for his own entertainment and for the pleasure of his friends, orit is temple music in which the musician is the servant of God.

Music is called the fifth Veda, as it is considered to be of divine originand thus is worshipped and regarded as sacred. Music has been seen almostuniversally as the purest form of art, because it combines and assimilatesall together in one art, beauty, delight, and love. Music is the "SarvottamSooksham Kala," or best among all the fine arts. All arts aspire to thecondition of music. It is the most direct expression of beauty. It servesas the constant companion of human beings from birth to death, sincethere is no ceremony or occasion in society when music is not presentto accompany those precious moments of existence. It is an essentialspiritual art and is the language of the soul. Music is the best mediumof communication. It is spontaneous expression and holy communionwith the divine. The language of music is melody, harmony, and rhythm,which bring to our lives the highest gift of culture.

Music is said to be the speech of angels. The man who has no musicin himself or is unmoved by a concord of sweet sounds is fit for treasons,stratagems, and spoils.

CHAPTER 2

Stringed Instruments

What Is a Musical Instrument?

Most broadly put, an instrument is any material used for producingsound in music. The oldest instrument is the human body, whichhas been called the Gatra veena. "Veena" is a word used for some specific tatvadhya or stringed instrument, such as Matt Kokila, Vipanchi, or Ek-tantriveena. On the other hand, tat vadhya is also referred to as veena—that is,an instrument that has tat or tantri, can be called a veena. When we referto tat vadhyas, we mean veenas.

Classification of Musical Instruments

The oldest detailed exposition of musical theory that has survived theravages of time is found in the treatise entitled Natya Shastra, written byBharat. The twenty-eighth chapter of this grantha deals with shruti, swara,gram, taal, and other matters. This book tells the story of four types ofmusical instruments: tat, sushir, avnadh, and ghan vadhyas.

Indian musical instruments have a very important place in ourday-to-day life. These have been organized under four categories:

• Tat vadhyas

• Sushir vadhyas

• Avnadh vadhyas

• Ghan vadhyas

Tat Vadhyas: These are the stringed instruments that produce swaras,when plucked by a mizraab or plectrum. Tat vadhyas are also of two types:tat and vitat vadhyas. The first category consists of the sitar, the tanpura,and the sarod, which are played with the help of fingers and a plectrumor mizraab. The second category includes sarangi, bella, israj, and others,which are played with the help of bow. Tat vadhyas are called chordophonesin English.

Sushir Vadhyas: These are pipe-like wind instruments, blown by themouth either by full or half breath. The flute, nafeeri, poongi, shehnai,been, clarinet, mouth-organ, and more, all come under this category.

Avnadh Vadhyas: The instruments that are made of skins stretched overa hollow circular form at one end are called avnadh vadhyas. The tabla,pakhawaj, nagara, damru, mridang all are of the Avnadh Vadhya family.

Ghan Vadhyas: The instruments that are struck by the hand or a woodenstick are called ghan vadhyas. Metal bells, ghadial, mazeera, jhanj, kartal,Jal-tarang, and kashat-trang are in this category.

I am of the opinion that instead of four categories, the above-mentionedinstruments should be divided into two groups only:

1. Instruments relating to swara.

2. Instruments relating to Tal-laya or rhythm.

Instruments under this first category are: veena, sitar, tanpura, bela,sarod, flute, shehnai, harmonium, piano, Jal-tarang, kasht-tarang, andother similar instruments.

(Continues...)