Perspectives on Music: Ideas and Theories
By Ashok Da Ranade
Published by Promilla & Co. in association with Bibliophile
South Asia, 2008

The NCPA Reference Library, exclusively dedicated to the performing arts, is one of a kind, with rare books, texts, discourses on art, music, movies and other disciplines under the broad purview of the arts—a haven for avid researchers, academia, those in the arts, students and connoisseurs.

While taking a tour of the library, noted ethnomusicologist Dr. Ashok Ranade’s Perspectives on Music: Ideas and Theories spoke to my musical sensibilities and the student in me was curious to understand the nuances contained within the book.

The book is a series of essays traversing extensively into varied aspects of music—from traditional to confluence music, cultural and intercultural exchanges, the technical nuances of the form, musicology, globalisation and Indian music.

The contents of the book could perhaps be broadly classified into four main categories: the sociocultural narrative; the spiritual connection; the technical aspects of music; and an ethnomusicologist’s thoughts on the music of Maharashtra. The sociocultural narrative is rooted in the inevitability of the exchange that emanates from the coming together of two or more cultures. The book opens with an inquiry into the Indo-Iranian experience and at the outset, cautions the reader against loosely used words like ‘influence’ when discussing cultural exchange, which indicates a two-way process. The book gradually moves into explaining old concepts and new views in popular and confluence music and the evolution of music in the nationalist space, including the trials and tribulations of composers, the exchange that ensued when Indian and Western musical practices came into contact, which also includes the Western concept of the national anthem. I found the conclusion to this section in the last essay of the book on the relevance of music and education in multi-cultural societies. Dr. Ranade interestingly delves into the evolution of the term from ‘multi-ethnic’ and ‘multi-racial’ to ‘multi-cultural’, which he calls its most justifiable version.

In the discourse on the spiritual connect, the reader learns the subtle differences between spirituality, religion and religiosity. It links the concept of body, mind and soul and how music has evolved and should be sustained. The author also presents an interesting account of two saints—Swami Vivekananda and Gulabrao Maharaj, both unique individuals who made valuable contributions to music and efforts to propagate the same. An essay relevant to this section also explores the shringara bhava in music and its influence in religion.

The book explores technical areas of music, its deconstruction and emergence of musical forms from bhajans to bandishes. One of Dr. Ranade’s major contributions is his categorisation of Indian music into six areas: primitive/adima; folk/lok sangeet; art/classical; devotional/religious; popular/jana and confluence. These categories, though not discussed individually, are among the cornerstones of the book and form the framework for the essays in this section. Also discussed are traditions of composition and improvisation in Indian music and how they differ from Western classical music. In India, oral traditions have been integral to the preservation of much of our literature and music. The book explores the relevance of oral traditions along with the importance of archival recording and preservation.

In addition to being an enthnomusicologist, Dr. Ranade was also a vocalist trained in Hindustani music. This combination shines through in the section on the music of Maharashtra, where he captures the ethos, ethnicity and changing trends in performance styles and audience engagement. Through his essays, he also highlights some lesser-known instances pertaining to the dynamic world of music. For instance, how in 1926, Pandurang Atmaram Chitre broadcast a radio programme from his terrace.

The book, published in 2008, is relevant today as it is rooted in Dr. Ranade’s core understanding that “the reach, role and effect of music as an ameliorative force can only be appreciated when music is placed in the progressively expanding perspectives of art, culture and life.” It explains important concepts like guru shishya parampara and riyaz, provides extensive information on the finer aspects of the form and with its wide-ranging essays, speaks to students, academicians, connoisseurs and practitioners of music alike.

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Sudha Ravishankar is an academician, a published author and podcaster. She has always been fascinated by both the practice and theory of media and culture, and has worked on both sides for over 30 years. She is currently pursuing her PhD in communications from Symbiosis University, Pune. 

The NCPA Reference Library is open to visitors from 10 am to 5.15 pm on weekdays. The reference library membership is complimentary for NCPA Members and Friends of the SOI. The books and LPs in the Stuart-Liff music library are available for reference to Friends of the SOI at no cost. The reference library membership is open to the general public at a nominal annual fee of Rs. 500/- (April-March). Casual membership for visitors (outstation visitors only) is available at Rs. 100/- per day. For more information, please call 022-6622 3715.

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