Discussion with AI on India's Prosperity Impact on Music Development
Q: India at one time was excelling. Did the prosperity time developed some memorable music or music elements?
A: Absolutely. India's eras of prosperity were "golden ages" for music, as wealthy courts and temples acted as patrons for revolutionary artistic growth.
Here are some of the most memorable music elements and styles developed during these times:
1. The Gupta Empire (c. 320–550 CE)
Often called the "Golden Age of Music," this era saw music reach a climax of sophistication.
Introduction of Ragas: This period is credited with the introduction and formalization of the Raga system—the melodic framework that remains the soul of Indian music today.
Refined Instruments: Literature from this time, like the Kamasutra and works by Kalidasa, mention advanced instruments like the Parivadini Veena (a 7-stringed lute), Mridang (drum), and Vamshi (flute).
Theory and Treatises: Fundamental concepts like Swarasaptaka (the seven-note scale) and Murchana (melodic variations) were documented, and the seminal Natya Shastra laid the groundwork for all future classical performance.
2. The Mughal & Medieval Prosperity (c. 13th–18th Century)
During the height of Mughal power, Indian music underwent a "fusion" that created a distinct North Indian sound.
Persian-Indian Fusion: Under patrons like Akbar the Great, legendary musicians like Tansen blended Persian melodies with Indian classical roots.
New Genres: This era birthed enduring vocal styles like Khayal (imagination-based singing), Tarana, and Qawwali.
Iconic Instruments: The Sitar and Tabla became popular during this time, forever changing the instrumental landscape.
3. The Vijayanagar Empire (South India)
While the North was evolving through Persian influence, the South preserved and refined ancient traditions.
Birth of Carnatic Music: The Vijayanagar Empire fostered the development of Carnatic music, characterized by more fixed compositions known as Keerthanas, pioneered by figures like Purandara Dasa.
4. Modern "Golden Era" (1930s–1960s)
In the post-independence economic and cultural revival, music transitioned from royal courts to the masses.
The "Golden Age of Hindi Cinema": Music directors like Naushad and S.D. Burman brought classical ragas into popular film songs, creating a massive cultural legacy that defines the "Bollywood sound".
Would you like to explore the specific legendary musicians of the Mughal courts or perhaps listen to examples of ancient Ragas that are still performed today?
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Q: Did famous Indian Musical Drones also develop during India's Prosperity years?
A: Yes, the most iconic Indian musical drones developed and reached their sophisticated modern forms precisely during India's peak eras of cultural and economic prosperity.
1. The Tanpura (The "King" of Drones)
The Tanpura (or Tambura) is the most critical drone instrument in Indian classical music.
Ancient Roots: Its predecessor, the Tumburu Vina, dates back to approximately 300 BCE. Early forms of drone-based accompaniment were even described in the Natya Shastra (c. 200 BCE–200 CE), India’s foundational text on performing arts.
Mughal Refinement: The modern, fretless version we see today was perfected between the 16th and 17th centuries. During this prosperous era, the "Jawari" bridge system was developed—a sophisticated curved bridge made of bone or ivory that creates the instrument's signature "buzzing" harmonic overtones.
Regional Styles: Wealthy cultural centers gave rise to distinct styles, such as the Miraj Tanpura (North India) and the Tanjore Tanpura (South India), crafted from aged jackwood or gourds.
2. The Harmonium and Shruti Box
Adaptation of Wealth: The Harmonium was brought to India in the mid-19th century. Indian craftsmen, fueled by a growing urban middle class, modified it into a hand-pumped, floor-seated version.
The Shruti Box: A simplified, keyless version of the harmonium called the Shruti Box (or Surpeti) was developed specifically to provide a steady, portable drone for vocalists.
3. The Wind Drones
Shehnai and Ottu: During the medieval period, prosperous temple and court cultures in South India used the Ottu, a dedicated large pipe that only played a drone to accompany the melodic Nagaswaram.
Auspicious Origins: Instruments like the Shehnai evolved from cruder folk pipes into refined court instruments used for weddings and royal celebrations, often featuring a second player specifically to maintain a continuous drone.
4. Philosophical Significance
In these prosperous times, the drone became more than just a background sound; it was elevated to a spiritual symbol of the "Brahman" (the eternal, unchanging reality) against which the "transient" melody of the Raga plays out.
These insights detail the sophisticated development of Indian drone instruments and their philosophical importance:
Indian harmonium - Wikipedia
A Delhi style Bina brand Indian harmonium with a built in suitcase for easy transport and with 9 air stop knobs (stops 2, 4, 6, 8 ...
Wikipedia
Drone in Indian Classical Music - IndiaNetzone
The Tambura of South India is a somewhat more delicate instrument than its North Indian counterpart because its long neck is more ...
IndiaNetzone
Tanpura - Wikiwand
One of the three strings tuned to the tonic is thus an octave below the others, adding greater resonance and depth to the ambient ...
Wikiwand
Tanpura: About, History, Types & Famous Players - ipassio
* Tanpura Instrument Overview. Even if you don't know the name, you've likely heard the distinctive tone of the Tanpura instrument...
ipassio
The Role of Tanpura in Hindustani Classical Music - The Mystic Keys
Jul 31, 2024 — The Role of Tanpura in Hindustani Classical Music. Hindustani classical music, with its profound history and intricate...
The Mystic Keys
In Hindu music, they do have something called the drone. There is, ...
Sep 27, 2017 — But in Hindu music, that drone represents the eternal self, the brahman, behind all the changing forms of nature. But ...
Would you like to learn more about the craftsmanship involved in making a traditional Miraj Tanpura, or how electronic drones changed the industry in the 1970s?
https://share.google/aimode/JAg9F5sB0qeGRLQch
Q: Are the India's ragas identical to modes of the traditional music?
A: No, Indian ragas are not identical to the modes of traditional Western music, though modes are the closest Western equivalent. Ragas are a much more complex and comprehensive melodic framework that goes significantly beyond a simple scale or mode.
Here is a breakdown of the key differences:
Key Similarities
Melodic Framework: Both define a specific set of notes from which a musician draws to create a melody.
Tonic Note: Both have a central "home" or tonic note (called the Sa in Indian music) and a secondarily important note around which the melody hovers.
Emotional Association: Both modes (in medieval traditions) and ragas are historically associated with specific emotions or moods, known as rasa in Indian music.
Key Differences
More Than a Scale: A Western mode is essentially a scale with a specific tonic. A raga, however, includes rules for how the notes should be used, specific melodic phrases (pakad), and characteristic ornaments (gamaka or murki) that are essential to its identity. Two different ragas can share the exact same set of notes but sound entirely different due to these rules.
Ascending and Descending Movement: Ragas often have different sets of notes or different patterns for their ascending (arohana) and descending (avarohana) scales, which is not typical of Western modes.
Tuning Variations: While Western music primarily uses an equal temperament system (where all half steps are the same size), the precise tuning of certain notes within a raga can be slightly adjusted based on the specific raga being performed, using a just intonation system. This allows for microtonal variations (shruti) that do not exist in Western modes.
Time and Season Associations: Many ragas are traditionally associated with specific times of the day (e.g., a morning raga is played in the morning) or seasons, a concept not present in Western modes.
Focus on Harmony vs. Melody: Western music developed a complex system of harmony (chords and chord progressions), which limits melodic freedom. Indian classical music is purely melodic, with a constant drone accompaniment (the tanpura), allowing for much greater melodic and rhythmic complexity within the raga framework.
These articles contrast Indian ragas with Western musical modes by explaining their distinct melodic rules, tuning variations, and associated cultural contexts.
Raga in Music | Definition, Components & Instruments - Lesson
* What is a raga instrument? There are several instruments that are elemental to Indian classical music such as the sitar, the tam...
Study.com
Chapter 6.3 Modes and Ragas - EarMaster
A good performer will be familiar with dozens of ragas and can improvise music - traditional classical music in India is improvise...
EarMaster
Rhythm and Raga: Learn the basics of Indian music
Pitch and Melody. An Ancient System. Listeners unfamiliar with Indian music are often surprised by the unique combinations of pitc...
The Kennedy Center
How are Indian and Western Music Different?
Nov 12, 2021 — music less complex or less developed than its western counterpart. and this is absolutely not true in fact in many way...
YouTube·Neil Chan Guitar
7:42
What is the equivalent of a Raaga in classical western music?
Jan 10, 2019 — Some of the assumptions behind the question need clarifying. * A raga is not a scale. There are no ragas that are equi...
Quora
Indian "Ragas". Western "Modes". : r/musictheory - Reddit
Jun 7, 2013 — Comments Section * Several ragas have the very same notes. (Eg. Sohini, Pooriya and Marwa ; Hameer, Kedar and Kamod ; K...