Offering a broad perspective of the philosophy, theory, and aesthetics of early Indian music and musical ideology, this study makes a unique contribution to our knowledge of the ancient foundations of India's musical culture. Lewis Rowell reconstructs the tunings, scales, modes, rhythms, gestures, formal patterns, and genres of Indian music from Vedic times to the thirteenth century, presenting not so much a history as a thematic analysis and interpretation of India's magnificent musical heritage. In Indian culture, music forms an integral part of a broad framework of ideas that includes philosophy, cosmology, religion, literature, and science. Rowell works with the known theoretical treatises and the oral tradition in an effort to place the technical details of musical practice in their full cultural context. Many quotations from the original Sanskrit appear here in English translation for the first time, and the necessary technical information is presented in terms accessible to the nonspecialist. These features, combined with Rowell's glossary of Sanskrit terms and extensive bibliography, make Music and Musical Thought in Early India an excellent introduction for the general reader and an indispensable reference for ethnomusicologists, historical musicologists, music theorists, and Indologists.

The Classical Music Of The India-Pakistan-Bangladesh Subcontinent Is One Of The New Ancient Art Forms Still Widely Practised Today. In Recent Years It Has Been Much Appreciated All Over The World. This Book, Written By Indian Writers, Serves To Deepen That Appreciation To Understanding. It Covers The Philosophy And History Of Indian Music Clearly And Concisely And Relates Its Growth And Development To Social, Cultural, Religious And Political Factors. India S Musical Contacts With The East And West Are Also Discussed And Their Value Assessed. The Technical Chapters Explain The Raga And Tala Systems, The Numerous Instruments From North And South Are Described In Detail With The Help Of Excellent Line Drawings By Eilean Pearcey, And The Glossary Of Terms Illumines The Subject In An Interesting Way. Short Biographies Of Established Musicians, Composers And Musicologists Place On Record Their Various Achievements. Apart From A Selective Bibliography And Discography For The Reader S Guidance There Is Also A List Of Useful Addresses. The Music Of India Will Prove Invaluable To The Student And Specialist Who Requires A Ready Handbook On The Subject. For The General Reader It Contains A Mine Of Information On The Musical Life Of An Entire Subcontinent. Ravi Shankar, In His Foreword, Recommends This Book To All Who Wish To Be Introduced To India S Music, Her Culture And Her Peoples. This Is A Work Of Scholarship; Lively, At Times Even Witty And Never Dull

"This book is for readers who are insatiably curious about music -- "students of music" in the broadest sense of the word. In this category I include those whose musical concerns are more humanistic than technical, as well as those preparing for careers in music... In a library system of classification, Thinking About Music is apt to be filed under the heading "Music -- Aesthetics, history and problems of," and that is a fair description. " - Preface.

In this volume, sixty-eight of the world's leading authorities explore and describe the wide range of musics of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Nepal and Afghanistan. Important information about history, religion, dance, theater, the visual arts and philosophy as well as their relationship to music is highlighted in seventy-six in-depth articles.

First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Performance Practice in the Music of Steve Reich provides a performer's perspective on Steve Reich's compositions from his iconic minimalist work, Drumming, to his masterpiece, Music for 18 Musicians. It addresses performance issues encountered by the musicians in Reich's original ensemble and the techniques they developed to bring his compositions to life. Drawing comparisons with West African drumming and other non-Western music, the book highlights ideas that are helpful in the understanding and performance of rhythm in all pulse-based music. Through conversations and interviews with the author, Reich discusses his percussion background and his thoughts about rhythm in relation to the music of Ghana, Bali, India, and jazz. He explains how he used rhythm in his early compositions, the time feel he wants in his music, the kind of performer who seems to be drawn to his music, and the way perceptual and metrical ambiguity create interest in repetitive music.

This volume collects essays under four categories: religious traditions, religious life, emotional states, and historical and theoretical perspectives. They describe the ways in which emotions affect various world religions, and analyse the manner in which certain components of religious represent and shape emotional performance.