Questions about Hindustani classical music
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is Hindustani classical music and how does it differ from Carnatic music?
Hindustani classical music is the classical tradition of the northern Indian subcontinent, also known as North Indian classical music or Shastriya Sangeet. It diverged from Carnatic music, the southern tradition, around the 12th century. While Carnatic music relies heavily on compositions in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and other southern languages, Hindustani music draws on Sanskrit, Hindi-Urdu, Braj, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Bengali, Rajasthani, Punjabi, and even Persian.
Who was Amir Khusrau and what did he contribute to Hindustani classical music?
Amir Khusrau, who lived from 1253 to 1325, was the most influential musician of the Delhi Sultanate period. He composed in Persian, Turkish, Arabic, and Braj Bhasha, and is credited with introducing ragas including Yaman Kalyan, Zeelaf, and Sarpada. He also created six genres of music: khyal, tarana, Naqsh, Gul, Qaul, and Qalbana.
What is a gharana in Hindustani classical music?
A gharana is a classical music school through which knowledge of Hindustani classical music is taught and transmitted. Gharanas developed after the 16th century, when singing styles diversified across different princely courts. After the Mughal Empire dissolved, smaller courts at Awadh, Patiala, and Banaras each sustained their own distinct traditions, giving rise to the diversity of styles that gharanas represent today.
What role did Vishnu Digambar Paluskar play in spreading Hindustani classical music?
Vishnu Digambar Paluskar founded the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Lahore in 1901, one of the first schools to offer formal training in Hindustani classical music on public support and donations rather than royal patronage. He had become blind at the age of 12 but became a prominent musician and organizer. Many students from the school's early batches went on to become respected musicians and teachers across North India.
What is the difference between dhrupad and khyal in Hindustani classical music?
Dhrupad is an older, more austere vocal style traditionally performed by male singers with a tambura and pakhawaj, featuring devotional themes and a long rhythmically free alap opening. Khyal, meaning thought or imagination in Hindustani and derived from Persian and Arabic, is a two- to eight-line lyric that allows greater embellishment and ornamentation. Khyal displaced dhrupad as the dominant form roughly two centuries ago, and the court musician Sadarang is credited with shaping modern khyal at the court of Muhammad Shah.
Which Hindustani classical musicians have received the Bharat Ratna award?
Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, and Ravi Shankar have each been awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of India, for their contributions to the arts.