The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c9.6

c9.6

Since the early periods of Indian history, music would seem to have been cultivated more as a science than an art. More attention seems to have been paid to elaborate and tedious artistic skill than to simple and natural melody. Hence arose technical rules that marred the pristine sweetness of melody—the very life of all real music. To a great extent this must be attributed to the art falling into the hands of illiterate virtuosi. Their influence, which caused music to suffer both in purity of style and simplicity, is being felt less and less. The great aim of all music—“Rakti,” or the power of affecting the heart—now asserts itself more and more, and is slowly but surely bringing about a return to the early type of sweet, simple melody.