Companion to North Indian Classical Music

With growing interest in North Indian classical music, both in India and abroad, in spite of several books on specific topics which have appeared in recent times, there is a need for comprehensive reference book in English which will give adequate and precise information on various aspects of North Indian or Hindustani classical music at one place. For intelligent readers who wish to know more about it and appreciate it and also to students and practising musicians this Companion serves to fill this gap. With more than 1200 entries, this book gives in an intelligible and straightforward manner information about various ragas of Hindustani music and their scales and performance times, tals used, its structure and ethos, nomenclature and terms in currency; historical background and development of forms, and various genres and gharanas: biographical notes about the outstanding artists and performers, both vocalists and instrumentalists of the twentieth century besides musicologists of note and information about various musical instruments and their evolution. Notation used in the book is explained in the preface and in the book itself. Appendices also include a comprehensive list of ragas and their scales, etc. and discography giving details of cassettes and CDs to facilitate listening to good music, and performances by maestros. This Companion should be of interest not only to the general readers but musicians as well, although not necessarily intended for ustads and maestros, both in India and abroad.