Comments on: Indian vocal music

Indian vocal music

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 05:14:09 -0800

While you compose that incisive comment, or scour the blogs for an interesting post, or photoshop your latest masterpiece, or whatever you do on your computer, perhaps you'd like to do it to the mellifluous strains of some enchanting Indian vocal music. Learn more here. Listen to more Indian music of almost every type (including historic film music from decades past) here. [previously]

By: micayetoca

micayetoca — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 05:43:56 -0800

perhaps you'd like to do it to the mellifluous strains of some enchanting Indian vocal music. I didn't realize you knew me so well, flapjax. Great post. If you could "y2kbug" our computers and set them somewhere in December I'd vote for you on that wii contest thing.

By: CitrusFreak12

CitrusFreak12 — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 06:19:15 -0800

GAH! Didn't someone post an alternative .ram player to Real Audio somewhere on the blue semirecently? If someone could find that for me, that'd be great, because I'm just about ready to kiss flapjax for this killer post. [/xenophile][/indiaphile]

By: nola

nola — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 06:50:58 -0800

nice find. i've only heard a very little indian music, most of which i enjoy. i have a few cds of Pakistani musicsion نصرت فتح علی خان (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan ). good stuff.

By: pax digita

pax digita — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 06:59:54 -0800

[this is good]

By: John of Michigan

John of Michigan — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 08:00:24 -0800

Man, this is sweeeet. I've been looking for something like this online since I heard a performer do this live last November. Not too sound all hippy-trippy, but listen to this realllllly loud, and you can feel the beginnings of a trance state. Your mileage may vary. Great post, flapjax.

By: micayetoca

micayetoca — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 09:06:30 -0800

Hey, I know I already commented and I'm not going to add anything new on this comment, I just wanted to say "this post is really, really cool" again.

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 09:13:03 -0800

A Brimful of Asha on the 45.

By: invitapriore

invitapriore — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 09:34:07 -0800

This is fantastic, flapjax. Thank you. It reminds me of a fantastic story told by Hindustani musicians (I heard this from Imrat Khan, who teaches at my school and incidentally is the most welcoming, friendly man/professor ever) about the power of the human voice which, due to its nearly infinite range of timbre and the melodic focus of Indian music, is revered as the most perfect instrument (this is why north Indian instruments are so vocal-sounding -- the sitar with its pitch-bending of up to a 5th on one fret, the tabla, or "talking drum," with its ability to change pitch). Mia Tansen, who was the musical advisor to Akbar the Great when the Mughal Empire ruled India, is still named as the greatest singer of all India. At the time, though, there were other musicians in Akbar's court who were jealous of his prowess, and expressed their disconcent to Akbar. Akbar consulted with Tansen on the issue and asked him how he would respond to the claim, and so the singer proposed that Akbar hold a music festival on the edge of a forest, and there these other musicians could prove that they were indeed better singers than he. The one condition was that Tansen would be allowed to go first, to which the king obliged. The festival began, and Tansen began to sing. His song was so melodious and powerful that the animals in the forest that the festival bordered all began to gather around him. One deer, in particular, came up to Tansen directly, fascinated by his music. Tansen removed his necklace, given to him by Akbar as an appreciation of his services and worth an incomprehensible amount, and placed it around the neck of the deer. He stopped singing, and the animals, brought out of their trance, immediately ran away. Akbar was horrified, asking Tansen why he had given away such an invaluable item. Tansen merely told him that if any of the singers there were as masterful as he, they would surely be able to recover it themselves. :) Some similar resources for Hindustani/Carnatic classical music: sarangi.info musicindiaonline.com musicalnirvana.com

By: loquacious

loquacious — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 10:39:05 -0800

CitrusFreak12: Real Alternative

By: Duug

Duug — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 10:44:11 -0800

Beware nasty popup on the last FPP link (Indianmelody.com)

By: Listener

Listener — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 13:29:31 -0800

Look for the Bombay Sisters. Oddly, they are Carnatic, despite the name which suggests the North. Gorgeous.

By: micayetoca

micayetoca — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 15:35:16 -0800

It just keeps getting better. I was gonna say that, hey, I got to get back to work at some point, but f---- it. I'll work on my next reincarnation.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 19:32:17 -0800

Hey thanks to all for those kind comments and groovy links! And micayetoca, I'm starting to worry about you a little... you better get back to work! :)

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 22:25:15 -0800

drat, my computer won't let me listen to any of the music on those sites. must get some tech help for that. But looking forward to listening sometime!

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 02:16:49 -0800

Hey, nickyskye, that's a drag you can't get to the music. Some really lovely stuff here. Hope you can find a way!