The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c6.71

c6.71

The only values agreeing in each are C, D, F, while new E♭ is the just minor third—a mere accident. The nine degrees from C to F vary from 49 to 63 cents, and then there is a sudden break, after which the thirteen degrees from F to the octave vary from 45 to 65 cents. This is the first intelligible presentment of the Indian scale which I have been able to effect. It will be seen that C, D♭, D, E♭, E, F, F♯, G, A♭, A, B♭, B are represented pretty well by our equally tempered notes; but that the seven intermediate notes—D♭♭, E♭♭, E♯, F♯♯, A♭♭, B♭♭, B♯—could only be tempered in the quarter-tone system used in Syria. Hence in the usual transcription these seven notes are identified with some of the others. . . . These comparisons necessarily injure the original character of the music and give it a harmonisable appearance which is entirely foreign to Indian music.