Music Contexts: A Concise Dictionary of Hindustani Music

All rich, durable and varied cultural traditions thrive because of their presence in multiple contexts. Hindustani music is no exception. Arts, culture an life have shaped the multifaceted personality of Indian music. Through this mechanism the performing and scholastic streams of Hindustani music have evolved to crystallize the totality of inherited and practiced musical knowledge. The resulting musico-cultural profile is both rich and complex! Therefore the author thought it useful to combine two approaches of presenting source material, namely, the thesaurus and dictionary approaches. While the thesaurus approach seeks to provide larger contexts, the dictionary format supplies factual information and meanings. Together, the approaches make it easier to appreciate the larger map of Indian music. br>Through three hundred entries grouped in three main sections and six subsections, the author deals with etymological, historical, musicological and cultural aspects of Hindustani music., The wide information base and the in-depth entries make the work valuable for keen general readers, researchers and practitioners interested in knowing more about their own art.

Sangeetacharya Ashok Da. Ranade is a vocalist (Hindustani classical), musicologist, voice-culturist and ethnomusicologist. He has composed music for plays, documentaries and films. His writing in Marathi and English on music and theatre are widely appreciated and read throughout India and the world. Broad cultural vision, rigorous analysis, clarity and thought-provoking presentation are his strengths. He seeks to explore everything that is touched by music.

Dr. Ranade's publications include: Sangeetache Saundaryashatra (1971), Laksangeetshastra (1975), Stravinskyche Sangeetik Saundaryashastra (1975), On Music and Musicians of Hindoostan (1984), Marathi Stage Music (1986), Maharashtra : Art Music (1989), Keywords and Concepts : Hindustani Classical Music (1990), Music and Drama in INdia (1991), Indology and Ethnomusicology : Contours of the Indo-British Relationship (1992), Bhashanrang-Vyaspeeth te Rangpeeth (1995), Hindustani Music (1998), and Essays in Indian Ethnomusicology (1998).

He also has audio-albums to his credit: Baithakichi Lavani (1989), Devganj (1991), a multi-media album on Gangubai Hangal (1998) and Devi Ahilyabai (2005) -- a sound track.