A Comparative Study of Some of the Leading Music Systems of the 15th, 16th, 17th & 18th Centuries c2.1

c2.1

These short commentaries of the Sangeet Granthas of the past ages form a very valuable contribution to the music literature of modern times. In these the author has left behind a smooth path for a student of the past history of our music through the labyrinth of the ever changing system of Rag-Raginis. Indeed, had it not been for the late learned Prof. Bhatkhande's persistent application to the study of the old literature on the subject with a definite aim at solving the diverse and therefore mysterious and baffling methods of explanation of a common topic with which it is filled perhaps the history of our music of the past centuries would have remained oblivious to us today. Ever since the time of the Sangeet Ratnakar our music had been going through a process of reformation as it were. The old system of Grama-Moorchhana-Jati was abandoned and gave place to the Raga-Ragini or the Janya-Janak (Thata-Raga) theory. In Northern India the Mahomedan rulers proved to be great patrons of music and dancing. They brought with them their own music which, as it always happens in this country, was assimilated into the then Hindu music. New melodies, new styles of interpretation, new types of songs, new Talas were introduced. Thus today we have got what we know as Hindustani music which is a beautiful monument of the fusion of Hindu and Islamic Culture.