The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c8.55

c8.55

In the performance of certain râgas it is usual to employ accidentals in place of some of the notes shown in the text. The reason for this is not evident, but it seems to be an almost universal custom among Hindu musicians. This might be accounted for as being in imitation of Northern Indian music, in which a pure râga is seldom played, but usually a melody composed of three or four râgas. It seems far more likely, however, that the use of accidentals has been employed from the undeniable beauty that they add to a melody, much as when a change of keys is made in modulation. Examples of melodies in mixed râgas will be found upon pages 88, 89.