A History of Sanskrit Literature c9.68

c9.68

By the time of the *Yajurveda* several kinds of professional musicians appear to have arisen, for lute-players, drummers, flute-players, and conch-blowers are enumerated in its list of callings. Singing is, of course, very often mentioned in the *Rigveda*. That vocal music had already got beyond the most primitive stage may be concluded from the somewhat complicated method of chanting the *Sāmaveda*, a method which was probably very ancient, as the Soma ritual goes back to the Indo-Iranian age.