How can MIT rescue Indian Classical Music Education?
Indian Classical Music does not
have a pitch standard and standardized musical intervals like in Western Music.
Instead the Gharana in Hindustani Music and Pani in Carnatic Music in Guru-Kula
tradition followed their own pitch standard set by the Guru in Tanpura and the
intervals followed by the Guru in the Ragas. Computer based investigations had
proved that Indian Classical Music follows neither Just Intonation nor Equal
Temperament. ( M.Subramaniam , The Maya of Pitch and Frequency, http://musicresearchlibrary.net/omeka/items/show/2479 )
Prior to 1939 (the year of the
international pitch standard) every country in the western world had its own
pitch standard. The introduction of Harmonium and Sruti box into Indian music
by the western missionaries had resulted in different pitch standards depending
on the country of the origin of the missionaries. After 1939, the international
pitch standard A = 440 Hz is mostly followed though few Symphonic orchestras
follow different pitch standard like A = 435 Hz. The Modern electronic Sruti
box follows the pitch standard A = 440 Hz.
( Ancient Music Treasures - Exploration for New Music - Dr.Vee -2006 )
( Ancient Music Treasures - Exploration for New Music - Dr.Vee -2006 )
But the negative influence of the
above different pitch standards could be resisted by those who strictly
followed their own Guru defined Gharanas and Panis. But when the classical
music songs were published with Indian music notation, differences in notations
for the same song in different editions became inevitable as the notations were
by different authors studied in different Gharanas or Panis.
The demise of senior Gurus one by
one as well as the controversy in Gharanas and Panis pose a challenge to the
Indian Classical Music Education now embracing class style teaching in schools
and colleges with electronic sruti box.
Fortunately there is good number
of collection of the recordings rendered by the great Gurus of different Gharanas
and Panis. Using the Music Information Technology (MIT) , the pitch standard
and the intervals of the ragas in those recordings could be determined. Also
using those recordings, computer aided
learning are now possible. I could guide those interested to take up the above
project to rescue Indian Classical Music Education. Also students who will undergo my Level 1 & 2 MIT courses could do it.
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