The first part of the book traces the history of Indian music and the continuity of its theory and
practice for more than two thousand years. It is based on many years' research into the vast
ancient Sanskrit literature of music. These valuable technical treatises, which lie in the form
of scarcely catalogued manuscripts throughout the public and private libraries of India, had
hitherto remained unemplored. Part Two transcribes and studies in detail 50 typical Raga-s.
Each is preceded by a Sanskrit poem in translation which depicts the atmosphere; then follows
an analysis of the scale, covering its intervals and expression, a study of the theme with its
characteristic motives and finally a typical development.
The present work is based on the author's two-volume Northern Indian Music published in
London (but not America) some ten years ago, but long out of print and much sought after by
students. It was described by Colin Mason in the Manchester Guardian as "of immense value to
any practical musician" and "an invaluable addition to the very scanty literature of a fascinating
and neglected subject". This new version contains a number of additional Raga-s; the earlier
text has been extensively revised and many music examples redrawn for greater clarity and
accuracy. Some abridgement has taken place, but only of material which appeared originally for
the benefit of Indian readers unfamiliar with Western staff notation, those able to read Sanskrit,
and specialists in Sanskrit literature. The book provides modern composers outside India with
a source of new inspiration and enables practising musicians to play and study some of the
endlessly variegated modes for which Indian music is unique.
About The Author
Alain Danielou was Director of the International Institute for Comparative Music Studies and
Documentation, Berlin, and adviser for Oriental Music to the International Music Council
(UNESCO). Born in Paris, he pursued scientific and artistic studies before specialising in
musicology. He travelled extensively in North Africa, the Middle East, China and Japan and
then settled in India, where he studied Indian music and philosophy, Hindi and Sanskrit, and
made a unique collection (over 800) of Sanskrit manuscripts on music. In 1949 he was appointed
Research Professor of Music at Banaras Hindu University and in 1954 became Director of the
Adyar Library and Research Centre in Madras. In 1959 he returned to Europe, joining the Ecole
Francaise d'Extreme Orient in Paris, and subsequently became Director of Studies of the Centre
d'Etudes de Musique Orientale of Paris. He has written extensively in both French and English
on Oriental Music and on many aspects of Indian history and culture, and has also published
two novels. He was the general editor of the three UNESCO collections of records: "Anthology
of the Orient" (Barenreiter Musicaphon), "Musical Sources". (Philips, Holland) and "Musical
Altas" (EMI, Italy).
