The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c9.79

c9.79

As an example of a melody confined entirely to the pentatonic scale and with an undefined conclusion the following is interesting. The apparent want of a distinctly indicated key-note is evident, and it might be harmonised equally well in several different keys. Some musicians would doubtless treat it as in a minor key, and harmonise it therefore in E minor. The Hindus, however, regard it as pertaining rather to the Mesolydian mode, and therefore make G—the dominant of the natural scale—the tonic.