[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Architecture and art](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art) › [A Comparative Study of Some of the Leading Music Systems of the 15th, 16th, 17th & 18th Centuries](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.bhatkhande-comparative) › c2.6 # A Comparative Study of Some of the Leading Music Systems of the 15th, 16th, 17th & 18th Centuries c2.6 A Comparative Study of Some of the Leading Music Systems of the 15th, 16th, 17th & 18th Centuries c2.6 - **Language:** English ### [c2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.bhatkhande-comparative.c2.6) S. N. Ratanjankar But how are we going to systematise it? What systems are we going to adopt? We know that our music in the past was highly systematised and that the system adopted was the best for its needs. I would even go further and say that the system adopted by some of our old Shastra writers would be found suitable even for the classification or systematisation of our own music. The putting on a different suit of clothes does not change the individual clothed, and similarly, though there may be, and are changes in the music as it is now, from what it was then, there is no such fundamental alteration in it as to make the modern music an essentially different thing. It is, therefore, necessary, in my opinion, to consider the system or systems adopted by our old Shastra-writers in order to construct a good workable system for our present music. Though the external appearance of our music has to some extent changed, yet, the frame work, to my mind, appears the same. This is apart from the pride one feels for what is one's patrimony. Then again by studying the ancient texts, we can also restore some of the Ragas, which were formerly popular, but have ceased to be in vogue and can correct the method of singing some melodies which are at present incorrectly sung. The principal changes which have taken place, are either as regards the names of the Ragas, or the notes used in them, or as to the Thatas to which they are to be assigned; or perhaps some of the ancient graces and "Gamaks" have lost their ancient forms and so forth but in the main the substratum of our music is undoubtedly the music of the past, and that being so, a study of the past music, in my opinion, is essential. All art, as we know from experience, is progressive, and the Music of today will be the music of the past in a few years more. But the study of any art is incomplete without the study of the progress which it has made, which again is of material assistance in the study of the art as it exists. It is rightly observed that in order that a body of artists who represent any particular art should really be proficient in it, they must be well-versed in the fundamental principles of it. In the present moment, unfortunately, most of our professional artists are not learned in the science of music and the theorists are not well-versed in the art. I am only speaking of my part of the country. This state, however, is happily passing away, and the Indian nation is now taking a great interest in the subject. It is to be expected that at no distant future we shall have people who combine in themselves both the art and the science of Music and then the progress we make will be both rapid and stable. - [Previous: c2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.bhatkhande-comparative.c2.5) - [Next: c2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.bhatkhande-comparative.c2.7) - [Up: c2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.bhatkhande-comparative.c2) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.bhatkhande-comparative.c2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.art.bhatkhande-comparative.c2.6) · Pramāṇa