Traditions of Indian Music

Music in India was undivided and one singular tradition termed Indian Music was existed till the invasion of the Mughals and Persians into the Northern Part of India. The music and its growth that we see today hence became unchanged and un-impacted. The authors of this volume have edited and presented in this volume an extensive collection essays focusing on composers like jayadeva. Puradandara Dasa. Haridasa composers from Karnataka, King shahaji, Margadarsi Seshayyangar, Mughuswami Dikshitar, SwatiTirunal Maharaja, Tyagaraja, Syama Sastri, Tiruvotriyur Tayagayyar and musical forms like Daru, Padavarna, jyavali, Ragamalika, Tillana, Pallavi, Tamil Pada. Bhajana Tradition Kuchipudi, Music education, comparative study of Indian and western music, Music therap, Rasa and Raga Bhava, Ethno musicological studies, contributions by Royal patrons etc are additional materials that one can find in this volume. kWe are sure the lovers of Indian music in India and abroad would find the collection of the rare materials presented in this volume very useful, informative, and resourceful and benefit expansion of their knowledge.

Prof. Gowri Kuppuswamy Retired Prof. And Head of the Music department at the college of fine Arts, University of Mysore) is a well known and seasoned performing artiste and have performed more than 6000 Music concerts and has trained more than 300 students in Classical Music Tradition. She has served as Faculty at the Mysore University for more than three decades. She has guided and supervised more than 10Ph.d candidates at various Universities in South India. She has written and edited more than 40 books and 50 Research Publications published in Journals in India and Abroad, on various aspects of Indian Music. She has been honoured with several titles and awards by accredited Associations all over India including the prestigious Music Academy in 1972. The prestigious Gyan Samaj, Bangalore honoured her with the sangita Kalaratna title and award in Nov. 2012. Currently she is working on two new projects on composition of Purandaradasa and Mysore Vasudevachar.

Dr. M. HariharanM. Mus., M.Ed. Ph.D., Ph.D (Hon.) USA is the former Principal of RAAk arts and Science College and Special Officer. Dept, of Art & Culture, Government of Pondicherry, He is an Accredited authority on Indian Music Therapy and Sound healing and travels world wide. He has given more than 600 workshops and lectures in several Universalities in USA Canada, Australia, Japan Singapore, Malaysia Germany, UK, Norway, Netherland, Spain and Many other European countries for conducting Music therapy workshops, lectures and Healing concerts. Along with Prof. Gowri Kuppuswamy (his mother and mentor) he has jointly authored more than 40 books and 50 Research publications published in Journals in India and abroad on various aspects of Indian Music. He was awarded the prestigious Rajive Gandhi Excellence Award for Music and the fellowship of Kerala Sangeet Natak Academy for Muscology. Dr. Hariharan has composed and published more than 30 audio CD’s DVD on various aspects of Indian Music therapy for curing Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Depression , Stress, Anxiety, Cancer, Body weight pain Nervous disorder, alzheimer’s Memory Loss etc.

The authors of this volume have edited and presented an extensive collections of articles through an in depth study on the varied aspects of Indian Music and dance from the earliest possible of era.of time.

There are several sections in this volume of publications dealing with the contributions of different composers like Jayadeva, the author of Ashtapadi, Puradandara Dasa, the father of Carnatic music, Haridasa composers from Karnataka, the contribution of King Shahaji who had established his musical genius in the Cauvery delta, the seat of the Golden Period of Music who was also the precursor of the Musical Trinity. The chapter on the Margadarsi Seshayyangar, the lesser known Musical guru for the Golden Age of carnatic music is very informative and connects the Pre- Trinity and Trinity period.

In the Trinity period the musical contribution of Muthuswami Dikshitar, Swati Tirunal Maharaja and Tyagaraja, Syama Sastri, Tiruvotriyur Tyagayyar are included. Many of the musical forms like Daru, Padavarna, Javali, Ragamalika, Tillana, Pallavi, Tamil Pada find mention in this volume.

Sections on Bhajana Tradition, Dance forms like Kuchipudi, Music Education, Comparative study of Indian and Western musical scales, Music Therapy, Rasa and -Raga Bhava, Concert and acoustic formation, Ethonomusicological studies, contributions by Royal patrons etc. are additional materials that one can find in this volume.

We are sure the lovers of Indian Music in India and abroad would find the collection of the rare materials presented in this volume very useful, informative, and resourceful and benefit expansion of their knowledge.

We are extremely thankful to Mr. Neeraj Mittal of B.R. Rhythms, New Delhi for readily accepting to publish this volume. Their suggestions in the preparation of the Manuscript were very useful and fruitful.