LESSON 1: Music of INDIA

Capital: New Delhi

Largest City: Mumbai
Official Language: Hindi
Demonym: Indian
Currency:
Indian Rupee (INR)
Religion: Hinduism (79.8%)
 India is the largest country in South Asia.
 The music of India reflects different aspects of Asian culture through its timbre, rhythm,
melody, texture, form, and style.

Vocal Music of India

 includes Carnatic and Hindustani music, and several types of folk and popular music
 uses melismatic singing with nasal vocal quality

Samagana - singing based on a set of pitches popular during the Vedic times

Sama Veda - a sacred text, were sung as Samagana and not chanted
- is the third of the four Vedas of Hinduism but ranks next to Rig Veda (Rigveda) in
terms of its sanctity and liturgical importance

Rig Veda - is also sung in the Samagana traditional singing style

- is counted as first among the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism known as
Vedas
- is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns

Characteristics of Traditional Indian Music:

1. Carnatic Music
 refers to music from South India
 directed to a Hindu god, which is why it is called “temple music”
 Music pieces are mainly set for the voice and with lyrics.
 Compositions called krti are devotional songs.
 is unified where schools are based on the:
- same ragas
- same solo instruments (veena, flute, violin)
- same rhythm instruments (mridangam and ghatam)

2. Hindustani Music
 goes back to Vedic period times around 1000 BC
 further developed in the 13th and 14th centuries AD with Persian influences and from
existing religious and folk music
 predominantly found in the northern and central regions
 influenced by ancient Hindu musical traditions, historical Vedic religion / Vedic
philosophy, native Indian sounds and enriched by the Persian performance practices of
the Mughal area
 nasal singing is observed in their vocal music
 Instrumental Music of India:
 Hindustani Sangeet – instruments used in North Indian music
 Carnatic Sangeet – instruments used in South Indian music

Classification of Indian Musical Instruments

1. Ghan
 described as a non-membranous percussiveinstrument but with solid
resonators
 is one of the oldest classes of instrument in India
 may also be a melodic instrument or instruments to keep tal

You may watch the link online- Ghatam solo www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxYyqwSJ01I

2. Avanaddh
 described as a membranous percussive instrument
 typically comprise the drums

You may watch the link online-Tabla solo www.youtube.com/watch?v=r31oe7Sm0vI

3. Sushir
 also known as blown air
 is characterized by the use of air to excite the various resonators
You may watch the link online- Shehnai instrumental www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3qSwibnr4Y

4. Tat
 referred to as vina during the old civilization
 Instruments in this class are plucked (stringed instruments)

You may watch the link online- Rabab instrument www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHb9mR6VMMI

5. Vitat
 described as bowed stringed instruments
 is of the oldest classifications of instruments and yet did not occupy a place in
classical Indian music until the last few centuries

You may watch the link online- The Banam www.youtube.com/watch?v=68RX84z8DKw

 LESSON 2: Music of PAKISTAN

Capital: Islamabad
Largest City: Karachi
Official Language: Urdu
Demonym: Pakistani
Currency: Pakistani Rupee (PKR)
Religion: Islam (96.4%)

 Central Asian music encompasses numerous different musical styles originating from a
large number of sources.
 Though Pakistan is part of South Asia, its western part is considered as an extension of
Central Asia.
 Pakistan is known for its unique vocals.
 Influences of distinctive Pakistani sound:
 various parts of South Asia
 Central Asia
 Persia
 Turkey
 Arab world

Pakistani Vocal Styles in Singing

1. Ghazal
 traditional expressions of love, separation, and loneliness
 tells about both the pain of loss of the lover is considered by many to be one of the
principal poetic forms in the Persian civilization
 can be sung by both men and women and the beauty of love in spite of that pain
 its structural requirements are more strict than those of most poetic forms traditionally
written in English
2. Qawwali
 the devotional music of the Chishti Order
 a vibrant musical tradition that stretches back more than 700 years
 originally performed mainly at Sufi shrines throughout the subcontinent and gained
mainstream popularity

Instrumental Music of Pakistan:

 Punjabi music strengthens the importance of musical instruments in Pakistan.
 Punjab is a region in South Asia which is divided into West Punjab, Pakistan and East
Punjab, India.
 Bhangra, one of the most recognized forms of Punjab, is based on the drum rhythm of
dhol.

Significant Pakistani Instruments:

You may watch the link online-Harmonium playing

www.youtube.com/watch?v=l105SzmrhOI
 LESSON 3: Music of ISRAEL
Capital: Jerusalem
Largest City: Jerusalem
Official Language: Hebrew, Arabic
Demonym: Israeli
Currency: Shekel (ILS)
Religion: Judaism (74.8%)

 The music of West Asia is modal.

 Harmony is not emphasized but rather includes salient features such as melodic
complexity and ornamentation.
West Asian music is commonly used during:
 Communal worship (in Mosque, Synagogue and Church)
 Mystic rituals (Sufis, Hasidic)
 Life passage events (Weddings, Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, Anniversaries)
 Entertainment (Belly Dancing, Folk Dancing)

Vocal Music of Israel

 Israel singers have a distinctive vocal style.
 They sing with guttural and throaty enunciation.

Two Divisions of Jewish Music

1. Devotional
 almost entirely vocal
 featured during Sabbath and other holy days
 The art of Hazan (leader of prayer in synagogue) has always been evident in the culture.
 Shofar is a special call to prayer and repentance; it is sounded on the High Holidays
2. Secular
 instruments and voice are used
 played during life passage events
 context lies outside the religious domain
 very rhythmic and have popular and romantic texts

Instrumental Music of Israel

 Hora – a dance that often has strong off beats and asymmetric meters; uses
accompaniment

Accompaniments:
 Lute (similar to Philippine banduria)
 Laud (similar to Indian sitar)
 Darbuk (goblet drum)

Significant Instrument of Arab Countries

Significant Instrument of Middle East

ACTIVITY 1: FIND ME!
Directions: Look and encircle the words inside the puzzle that can be possibly encounter
as you go on with this learning. Write your answer on your answer sheets.

P A K I S T A N S I R G
T L H N G H A N A M A H
A O I D S E C U L A R A

T V M I S R A E L O K Z

U E B A S H U H I R T A

S A M A G A N A C L U L
R I G V E D A S O U T H

Activity 2: Name it!

Directions: Below are the pictures of South Asia and Middle East instrument. Identify
each picture and classify the instrument according to the country it belongs. Write the
answer on your answer sheets. 20pts.

1. Name of instrument: 3. Name of instrument:_______________________

2. Country: _____________________________ 4. Country: __________________________

5. Name of instrument: 7. Name of instrument:_______________________

6. Country: _____________________________ 8. Country: __________________________

9. Name of instrument: 11. Name of instrument:_______________________

10. Country: _____________________________ 12. Country: __________________________
13. Name of instrument: 15. Name of instrument:_______________________
14. Country: _____________________________ 16. Country: __________________________

17. Name of instrument: 19. Name of instrument:_______________________

18. Country: _____________________________ 20. Country: __________________________

ASSESSMENT
Directions: Read the question carefully. Write your answer on your answer sheets.
1.It is described as a non-membranous percussive instrument but with solid
resonators.
A. Ghan C. Vitat
B. Ghazal D. Tat
2.It is described as bowed string instruments.
A. Shushir C. Ghazal
B. Avanaddh D. Vitat
3.Referred to as vina during the old civilization. ( stringed instrument)
A. Tat C. Vitat
B. Avanaddh D. Ghazal
4.It is a vibrant musical tradition that stretches back more than 700 years, and
originally performed mainly at Sufi shrines throughout the subcontinent and
gained mainstream popularity.
A. Ghazal C. Sama Veda
B. Qawwali D. Secular
5. music can be seen as a single great tradition because of
unifying element of Islam.
A. India C. Middle East
B. South Asia D. Philippines
6.It is almost entirely vocal, featured during Sabbath and holy days, the art of
Hazan ( leader of prayer in the synagogue) has always been evident in the
culture, and shofar is a special call to prayer and repentance.
 A. Sama Veda C. Devotion
B. Rig Veda D. Secular
7.It is described as membranous percussive instrument. This class of
instrument typically comprise the drums.
A. Shushir C. Ghazal
B. Avanaddh D. Vitat
8.The style of singing is an established part of contemporary
tradition in India.
A. Samagana C. Rig Veda
B. Sama Veda D. Secular
9.It is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns.
A. Devotion C. Sama Veda
B. Rig Veda D. Secular
10. It is also known as “blown air”. it is characterized by the use of air to
excite the various resonators.
A. Shushir C. Ghazal
B. Avanaddh D. Vitat
11. It is a sacred text, was sung as samagana - represents the philosophy
and science of uniting thought, sound and music.
A. Sama Veda C. Devotion
B. Rig Veda D. Secular
12. The instruments and voice are used, played during life passage events,
context lies outside the religious domain, and very rhythmic and have popular
and romantic text.
A. Sama Veda C. Devotion
B. Rig Veda D. Secular
13. Music of includes several types of folk and popular
music. One aspect of vocal music uses melismatic singing.
A. Pakistan C. Israel
B. India D. Japan
14. It refers to the traditional expression of love, separation, and loneliness.
A. Shushir C. Ghazal
B. Avanaddh D. Vitat
15. music can be seen as a single great tradition because of
unifying element of Islam.
A. India C. Middle East
B. South Asia D. Philippines