SHRUTI IN CONTEMPORARY HINDUSTANI MUSIC

Abstract

Intonation, and in particular the concept of shruti, has been one of the central subjects in Indian art music for over two millennia. Although the awareness of a discrepancy between the ancient treatises and contemporary practice had been growing from at least the mid-17th century, it was only in the latter half of the twentieth century that theories of intonation based on empirical research emerged. The microtonal subtleties of shruti are apparently significant with respect to raga-specific ornamentation. The melodic graphs presented in this study clearly show that the use of the tonal space in ragas that are supposed to employ shrutis is not about fixed, pinpoint intonations. The artistes rather attempt to carve out melodic shapes, in which the precise positions of the movements can vary considerably. There is variation from one artiste to another in the same raga and also within a single performance.