Fundamentals of Indian Music/Swatantra Sharma. 1996, xvii, 313 p., illus., $30.
Contents: Preface. Introduction. 1. Sangeet. 2. Two main systems of Indian music. 3. Sound. 4. Shruti. 5. Swara. 6. Saptak. 7. Thata. 8. Raga. 9. Varnas. 10. Classification of ragas among thatas. 11. Alap. 12. Vibration and frequency. 13. Relation of pitch with the number of vibrations. 14. Janak thata. 15. Janya raga. 16. Ashray raga. 17. Grah, ansh, nyas: vakra swara, kan swara, nyasa, time of the ragas. 18. Purvanga and uttaranga of saptaka: poorva and uttar ragas. 19. Relationship of vadi with the time of ragas. 20. Chal-achal-thata-sitar. 21. The relation of the extent of vibration with the intensity of sound. 22. The distinctive features and conditions in follow thata and raga. 23. Minor difference between shruti and nada. 24. Formation of thatas and ragas. 25. Three divisions of ragas according to their swaras and time. 26. Sandhiprakash raga. 27. Qualities and defects of the musician. 28. Varieties of tans. 29. Classification of instruments. 30. Raga-ragini scheme. 31. The prevalent form of alap. 32. The use of vivadi swara. 33. Kinds of nibaddha gana. 34. Anibaddha gana. 35. Shuddha, chayalag and sankirna raga. 36. The relation of the length of a stretched string with the pitch of nad. 37. Parmel praveshak raga. 38. Comparison of the north Indian and south Indian swaras. 39. The role of adhvadarshak swara in determining the time theory of ragas. 40. Old names of the present thatas. 41. The formation of thatas in northern music. 42. Tirobhava-avirbhava. 43. Alpatva-bahutva. 44. Tal notations of the following tals with thekas, matras, vibhags, talis, khalis. 45. Different layakaris of tals. 46. Tabla explanation of the following. 47. Ten pranas of tala. 48. Laya. 49. Forms of compositions. 50. Brief history and origin of the instruments. 51. Manner of holding the instrument (sitar) while playing it. 52. Method of tuning the different strings of sitar. 53. Description of the various components of sitar. 54. Brief history & description of the various parts of the instrument. 55. Tabla. 56. Description of the various parts of tabla. 57. Technique producing syllables on tabla and baya. 58. Manner of holding the instrument while playing it. 59. Method of tuning tabla. 60. Life sketch. 61. Simple alankar for practical. 62. Contribution of Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar. 63. Practical ragas. 64. Comparison between ragas.
"This work covers some of the fundamental aspects of Indian Music--Sangeet, Hindustani and Karnatic music, sound, swara, shruti, thata, raga, raga-ragini scheme, classification of instruments, formation of thats in Karnatic and Hindustani Music, Layakaries origin of Sitar, Tanpura, Tabla different forms of music, bibliographical studies of different musicians and description of few ragas etc." (jacket)
[Dr. Swatantra Sharma is at present teaching in the Department of Performing Art in Allahabad University.]