| The Indian music characteristics are evident when | | | | rhythmic and melodic features of Indian music that |
| you compare it with Western music. In both the | | | | are repetitive, acquires an extraordinary charm and |
| systems you will find some essential differences: the | | | | fascination... despite the domination of this hypnotic |
| Indian music is based on melody or single notes | | | | mood's domination, which is an Indian music |
| played in a given order, while the Western music is | | | | characteristic, actively frees the mind." |
| based on harmony: a group of notes known as | | | | The place of "composition" in these two systems is |
| chords played together. | | | | notably different. In Western music, the music is first |
| Dr. Rabindranath Tagore who was well familiar with | | | | composed by the composer and arranges it in |
| both the systems, explained the difference as | | | | notation: then the musicians play this composition |
| follows: "The world by daylight stands for Western | | | | under the guidance of a music conductor. Here |
| music which is a flowing concourse of vast harmony, | | | | improvisation hardly takes place, and the |
| composed of concord and discord and many | | | | performance value lies in the uniformity and the |
| disconnected fragments. And the night world stands | | | | pre-determined conduct of tone and music speed |
| for Indian music: one pure, deep and tender raga. | | | | (tempo). In Indian music, while the melody grammar |
| Both, touches our heart, and yet both are | | | | and rhythm is fixed, the ingenuity and skill of the |
| contradictory in spirit. But this is natural. Nature, at the | | | | musician lies in his creativity and improvisation, |
| very root is divided into two, day and night, unity | | | | especially in mood evocation and rasa of a particular |
| and variety, finite and infinite. | | | | raga. |
| Indian men live in the realm of night; we are inspired | | | | In this context, an international musicologist has |
| by the sense of the One and Infinite. Indian music | | | | written: "In the West, solid blocks of music are |
| draws away the listener beyond the boundaries of | | | | constructed. After carving out like building stones, the |
| daily joys and sorrows and takes us to the solitary | | | | seven degrees of diatonic scale, lined up and placed |
| space of renunciation which exists at the root of the | | | | on top of each other with cleverly worked out |
| universe, while Western music leads us to dance | | | | harmony and counterpoint. In this way fantastic |
| through a limitless rise and fall of human joy and grief. | | | | edifices in sound are erected. |
| " Indian classical music basically stirs our spiritual sense | | | | In Indian classical music, no one can think of dividing |
| and discipline - a longing for realization of the self | | | | sound into blocks; instead it is refined into a wire-thin |
| salvation. Singing is a worshipping act and not an | | | | thread. The sound is stretched out to refine it to an |
| intellectual exhibition of mastery on the technique of | | | | extreme point of delicacy... No standard materials, no |
| a raga. In Western culture, singing is a formal and | | | | building of three or five floors, but just like silk thread |
| secular exercise, and does not involve piety or | | | | which unfold and rises and falls and evokes a world |
| devotion as compared to Indian music | | | | of sensations and feelings." |
| The teacher-student (Guru-Shishya) tradition in Indian | | | | In music of India, melody and rhythm offer a variety |
| music is responsible for the deep dedication and | | | | of subtleties, which is not possible in Western music. |
| attachment of the student to the teacher. In the | | | | Indian notes are divided into units called shruties (22 |
| West, a music teacher is taken as a hired person | | | | microtones), whereas Western music consist of 12 |
| who teaches lessons and there is no deep | | | | semitones. The microtones are more subtle than |
| attachment between the teacher and student. | | | | semitones. These microtones adorned with |
| Like Western music, Indian music too is based on | | | | gracetones (gamakas) create a magical effect. |
| melody and rhythm, but it has no foundation of | | | | Western music has the capacity of producing many |
| harmony which is so significant in Western music. | | | | feelings and moods. While Indian music, has the |
| Indian music is "modal" - based on the relationship | | | | capacity to produce a principal emotion or a mood in |
| between the permanent individual notes known as | | | | a raga. An Indian musician improvises with his own |
| tonic, with the successive notes. This is the reason | | | | creative genius within a raga's framework, but in |
| why Tanpura (drone) is played in the background of | | | | Western classical music, except in jazz, such an |
| Indian music which reminds one of the tonic notes. | | | | improvisation is inconceivable. Moreover, the |
| The Indian classical music system is horizontal; one | | | | percussion in Indian music emphasizes its rhythm. It is |
| note follows the other, while the Western music is | | | | only through keeping one's mind and ears open that |
| vertical; many notes played at a time. Yehudi | | | | one is able to appreciate the melodies and sequences |
| Menuhin, the noted musician, highlights the | | | | different from one's own. This applies to Indian |
| differentiates both systems by describing Indian | | | | audiences attending Western music performances, |
| music as: "for appreciating Indian music one has to | | | | and to Western audiences attending music of India |
| adopt totally a different set of values... one must | | | | concerts. Just remember that the both music |
| orientate oneself and at least for the concerned | | | | systems are complementary, like two halves of |
| period, forget the passing of time and just sink into a | | | | classical music. |
| kind of thematic, almost hypnotic trance. The | | | | |