Classical Music of India: A Practical Guide (Revised and Updated Edition)
This revised and expanded edition brings together the expertise of two remarkable musicians: L. Subramaniam, widely regarded as India's foremost violin virtuoso, and the late Viji Subramaniam, an award-winning vocalist, composer, and polyglot whose contributions to Indian classical music were quietly extraordinary. Together, they've produced something genuinely valuable for anyone curious about a musical tradition that stretches back further than almost any other on earth. Indian classical music is extraordinarily old, structurally complex, and rooted in a scientific rigour that Western traditions rarely match. Its two great branches, the southern Carnatic and the northern Hindustani, share a common ancestry that diverged around the thirteenth century. This book traces that history with clarity, examining the melodic and rhythmic frameworks of both forms, placing them in conversation with each other and, occasionally, with European classical music. The comparison is illuminating rather than competitive. What makes this guide particularly useful is its accessibility. It's written for the devoted enthusiast and the curious newcomer alike, covering instruments, foundational concepts, and the spiritual dimension of the music without becoming impenetrable. It's a thorough reworking of the earlier publication Euphony, and the updates feel purposeful rather than cosmetic. L. Subramaniam himself is a fascinating figure. Founder of the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival and recipient of both the Padma Bhushan and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, he brings lived authority to every page. Viji Subramaniam, who sang for Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay! and Mississippi Masala before her untimely death in 1995, lends the book a warmth and human texture that pure scholarship rarely achieves. This is an essential addition to any serious music lover's shelf.
- Author: L. Subramaniam
- Publisher: Westland Non-Fiction
- Genre: Music
- ISBN: 978-9360457549
- Pages: 224 pages