Time in Indian Music: Rhythm, Metre and Form in North Indian Rag Performance(Oxford Monographs on Music)

Time in Indian Music is the first major study of rhythm, metre, and form in North Indian rag, or classical, music. Martin Clayton presents a theoretical model for the organization of time in this repertory, a model which is related explicitly to other spheres of Indian thought and culture as well as to current ideas on musical time in alternative repertoriesDSincluding that of Western music. This theoretical model is elucidated and illustrated with reference to many musical examples drawn from authentic recorded performances. These examples clarify key Indian musicological concepts such as tal (metre), lay (tempo or rhythm), and laykari (rhythmic variation). More generally, the volume addresses the implications of performance practice for the organization of rhythm and metre. Written in a clear and accessible style and illustrated with 102 music examples and diagrams, it will appeal to anyone interested in Indian aesthetic forms and the study of musical time. The book contains a free CD of authentic recorded performances closely referred to in the text.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements; List of Tables; List of Examples; List of Audio Examples on CD; Note on Orthography; Note on Music Notations; 1. Introduction; 2. Theoretical Perspectives I: Rhythmic Organization in Indian Cultural Perspective; 3. Theoretical Perspectives II: General Theories of Rhythm and Metre; 4. Tal Theory as a Model of Rhythmic Organization; 5. Tal in Practice: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Cyclic Functions; 6. Lay Tempo and Rhythmic Density; 7. Performance Practice and Rhythm in Hindustani Music: Introduction; 8. The Bandis; 9. Development Techniques and Process; 10. Laykari Rhythmic Variation; 11. A Case Study in Rhythmic Analysis: Instrumentals Gats in the Repertoire of Deepak Choudhury; 12. North Indian Rhythmic Organization in Cross-Cultural Perspective; Glossary; Bibliography; Discography; Index

Review :
This remarkable book delves deeply, systematically, and with extraordinary clarity into temporal theory and practice in North Indian classical music ... The writing in this book is refined, distilled, and extremely clear ... Time in Indian Music is destined to be a classic in ethnomusicology, Indian studies, and music theory. Asian Music Refreshingly lucid, and deftly and richly illustrated ... a book that should be of signal importance not only to ethnomusicologists and South Asia specialists but also to all scholars interested in the metaphysical meanings of time in both Asia and the West ... there is never a point in the book in which [Clayton's] discussions are not inviting and engaging. Accordingly, he enhances the value of the book for students and scholars, specialists and nonspecialists alike. Martin Clayton wants to understand musical time and demystify Indian music, and he succeeds impressively, thereby winning what should become a critical role for this book in Asian studies today. The Journal of Asian Studies Time in Indian Music encompasses two very ambitious undertakings - a cross-genre analysis of rhythmic organization in Hindustani music, and the framing of a universal comparative music theory. In approaching Hindustani music, Clayton devises a model that makes it possible to sort through many of the influences that have shaped contemporary performance, and to better understand the processes that support the preservation of core elements in a performance tradition, even as new ideas are being introduced and integrated. He clearly has a depth of experience with Hindustani music. His work is remarkable for its scope and detail, and represents an important contribution to contemporary Indian musicology. The World of Music A thoughtful and coherent presentation of rhythmic organization in contemporary Hindustani music ... well formulated and reasonably accessible for readers with limited experience of Indian music. The World of Music In general this is a meticulous, perceptive and thought-provoking monograph, contributing to our understanding not only of Hindustani music but of rhythm and metre in general and providing a model that could inspire future studies on rhythmic systems of other musical traditions. British Journal of Ethnomusicology A remarkably insightful, original and rigorous exploration of matters relating to rhythm and metre in North Indian music ... a fresh and stimulating contribution to Indian musicology. British Journal of Ethnomusicology A stimulating account that should have broad appeal. Times Literary Supplement