Re: [tuning] Jairazbhoy on N. Indian variable intervals, harmoniums, shrutis, etc.

With the exception of a few
> scholars, most theoreticians, cognoscenti and even many music lovers
> have tended to believe that the reason underlying the fact that
> contemporary performance practice does not conform to the theories
> espoused in the historical Sanskrit treatises is because performers
> have neglected the sources (or been unable to consult them) and thus
> the music has degenerated.
Are you talkiing about sacred texts? RgVeda?

As a result, they have not only been
> critical of performance but on occasion, have attempted to impose
> their notions on performers. The most obvious instance of this has
> been the case of the harmonium which has been criticised by numerous
> scholars [4] and was banned from All India Radio for perhaps twenty
> years because its basically tempered set of twelve semitones were
> thought to dull the acute sense of perception implicit in the 22
> /shruti/ (microtone) octave described by the most revered Sanskrit
> musical treatises (e.g., /Naatyashaastra/ and /Sa.ngiita
> Ratnaakara/). The harmonium has been used as an accompaniment by
> some of the leading singers of this century and still continues to
> be used in this capacity. The issue that emerges from this is
> whether or not those who presume to know what Indian classical music
> ought to be have the right to censor musical practice.
> It is not at all surprising that attitudes of this kind caused a
> rift between theorists and practising musicians. If the breach is
> to be repaired, theory must follow practice -- not attempt to
> dictate the course of practice; if, however, theoreticians can
> create one or more theories which are meaningful to the performers,
> they will undoubtably feed back into practice, but this must be left
> to the discretion of the performer/composers, and not dictated by
> the theoreticians.
Yes but this then again assumes some restrictive metaphor that "nothing new
under the sun"
mentality ~ Yes "tradition" if that means respect and discretion for the
trad raags. One would'nt want to break any "backs" while rendering the raag.
but what i am interested in is interpretation and redefinition. I love
Hindustaani Classical but refuse in some cross-cultural fervor to replace
Raga Yaman Kalyan with Whipping Post in some slavish pecking order.

>
> In the classical music of North India
> there is no need for equal temperament, since the factors which lead
> to this -- changing harmonies and the system of keys -- do not
> apply.
Amen to that. or should i say OM to that :-)

Electronic analysis has confirmed
> that there is variation in intonation from one musician to another,
> as well as for a single musician during the course of a performance.
>
Seven Sa's for seven brothers?

>
> In the introductory chapter we have already suggested that the
> /shruti/, which was the basis of distinction between two parent
> scales in ancient India, had certainly lost its original
> significance by the 17th century. In modern times certian
> musicologists and musicians still attempt to apply the old
> twenty-two /shruti/ system to present-day music, while others go so
> far as to assert that the present-day gamut can only be explained in
> terms of forty-nine or even sixty-six different intervals. The fact
> remains that /shrutis/ are no longer functional, that is they are
> not a primary basis of distinction between /raags/.

Sruti = microinterval each note having it's three manifestations 22*3
i count 66 notes at least to the duple.

>
> ====================================================================
>
> (pp. 70-71)
>
>
In two
> dimensions the bottom of the valley appears to be a state of minimum
> potential energy; in three dimensions, however, it is seen that the
> bottom of the valley is itself sloping towards a lower valley. The
> incline is less steep in the valley than on the slopes, thus the
> kinetic energy, which can be correlated with the dynamic function of
> the notes, is lower in the valley than on the slopes. Would a
> musician necessarily choose the point of lowest kinetic energy when
> he wishes to convey suspense, anticipation or tension? It has been
> noted that the leading note (Ni) is often sharper in ascent than in
> descent. Is not this sharpening of the Ni a subconscious device to
> increase its dynamic value so that it more urgently demands
> resolution on the tonic (Sa)?
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