South Indian Music Dissertations/Notation in Turkey

Haverstick wondered about dissertations by Indian Musicians. I know of
Wesleyan Dissertations (all available through Interlibrary loan or
University Microfilms) in Karnatic Music by Tanjore Viswanathan (on Raga
Alapana), L. Shankar, and K.S. Subramanian, all excellent musicians. There
are also very interesting dissertations by American musicians who are/were
professional performers of Karnatic music including those by the late Jon
Higgins (on Barata Natyam) and David Reck.

Johnny Reinhard mentions the use of notation in Turkey. Notational skills
are indeed an element of prestige among musicians in Turkey, and the
country in full of little music stores where after hours instruction is
offered chiefly in music notation, but I think that it would be wrong to
attribute too great an emphasis to the use of notation. (It is strikingly
similar to the use of notation by Pop musicians in the States - something
that may be useful, is not strictly necessary, but does earn respect among
other musicians). In the large number of Turkish music concerts I have
heard - both classical and folk - I have never seen written music notation
on stage. In any case, notation would be of little use for the
formulaic-improvised Taksim.

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