Music: The Western and Indian

By T V Sairam

East or West, the sound is the same – so is silence.

But it is the human mind, backed by the cultural ethos and aesthetic perceptions that weave the sound into a musical structure- what we call Classical, Jazz, Pop, Hindustani, Carnatic, Chinese, Indonesian etc etc.

While the sounds emanate from the same source i.e. a human voice or a musical instrument, the way it is tackled and utilized makes all the difference. Sometimes, the instruments used also impart certain regional flavour to music.

As a rule, Western melodies are noticeably `smarter’ than the Indian raga. The `smartness’ here can be attributed to the analytical intelligence which determines the fidelity of frequencies, assigned to each of the note touched upon in the musical striucture.

Ragas, as compared to Western melodies are more intense and `emotional’. The emphasis laid on ‘bhava’ makes it quite unique, apparently, more as an emotional piece, rather than as a motivated, intelligent exercise.

The lack of `smartness’ of a raga is fully compensated by rhythms and beats of the Indian system (laya and tala).

The initial dilemma encountered by every beginner in Carnatic music is how to balance the ‘intellectual’ tala with the ‘emotional’ meanderings of the raga!

To add to the agony, of course, is the ruddy laps and palms – the result of the strict maintenance of the beats during long hours of practice!

On the contrary, Western classical music combines its `smart’ melodies with `emotional’ beats.

Here the melody occupies the centre-stage and the rhythms hid their heads occupying the background.

Unlike Indian ragas which are impromptu (except in songs and compositions, kritis and kirtanas, bhajans and varnams), western melodies are preset and pre-determined, insisting on a well-planned and clearly-distributed teamwork.

The team coordination and discipline here is quite strict and inviolable – exactly like the traffic sense in the Western cities.

While Indian music seems to overtly vote for freedom in raga, though covertly acknowledging a bondage to rhythms, the West glorifies the team work and discipline overtly through its melodies, covertly succumbing to the intuitive rhythms which assures freedom of the spirit.

Bibliography

Govindarajan, A. A Miscellany in Indian Music Madras

Sairam T V What is Music, Chennai.

(The author can be contacted at: tvsairam@rediffmail.com)