Improvisation in Hindustani Classical Music - Key to the Phenomenon of Development and Beautification of the Raaga (HB) | By Basavi Mukerji (Author) | MLBD Publications

About the Book :

Improvisation is the fundamental principle and primary tool for the elaboration of the raaga, the melodic concept peculiar only to Indian Classical music and this book endeavours to explore and explain, besides its technical formulations and possibilities such as “alankaar, alankaran” and taan patterns, also the more intangible psychological and socio - cultural considerations that constitute its present form. Topics such as gharaana, individual and eclectic styles, comparative analysis of dhrupad, khayaal, thumri and lighter genres, comparison of hindustani and western music and even Carnatic and folk music have also been discussed here in some detail giving illustrations and examples to support it. Not only improvisational tools from the ancient texts but also from some relevant medieval ones such as “Sangeet Tarang“ and “Sarmaya e Ishrat“ by Radhamohan Sen and Sadiq Ali Khan have been enumerated and explored in here. And that makes for a comprehensive understanding of this centuries old and still prospering and popular art music of northern India. A labour of love, it is Prof Basavi Mukerji’s maiden work and has been written with sincerity and simplicity for the benefit of both, music students and scholars, as also the enthusiast wishing to understand how raagas are elaborated and presented.

About the Author :

Dr.BasaviMukerji is a Hindustani vocalist, scholar and guru with music releases in khayal, thumri and bhajan genres from renowned commercial labels and YouTube. Groomed for over three decades in the classical traditions of Gwalior, Kirana and Jaipur gharaanaas she has taught Hindustani vocal music as a senior professor for over twenty eight years at the Tagore founded university, VisvaBharati, Santiniketan and performed in and outside India for even longer. A graded artiste of AIR in khayal, she has a PhD from the University of Delhi, Delhi and several published articles and monographs on the various aspects of music in reputed journals, magazines and newspapers in English, Hindi and Bengali to her credit. “Improvisation in Hindustani Classical Music” is her maiden book  based upon extensive research on this key element - the development or elaboration of the raga in its various song forms within Hindustani music. Dr.BasaviMukerji lives in Santiniketan and as hobby, paints in oil and water mediums and writes poetry, mainly in English.