The soundscape of HCM instruments used and their functions, voice characteristics, idiom.  Swaras, octave, mandra, Madhya and taara.  Learning to recognize notes. Structure of performance and  roles of soloist and accompanists.

 Notions of raga, ingredients of a raga. Formats of raga presentations. Bandish compositions. Qualities and features of bandishes.

 Rhythm and tempo tala, laya, avartan and sam. Relation between rhythm and dance. Compositions of tabla.

 Vilambit (slow tempo) purpose and beauty. Development of a raga (badhat). Imrovisational forms alap, bol-alap, tan etc. Tension and resolution. Symmetrical and complementary patterns of alap, taan etc.

 Medium (Madhya) and fast (drut) tempi. Relation between bandish and laya. Consonants, words, stress and balance. Improvisation in faster tempi.

 Different forms and styles of HCM, vocal and instrumental, khayal and dhrupad. Gharanas (schools).

 
 Text/References

 Sandeep Bagchee:: Nad: Understanding Raga Music, Eeshwar, 1998.

 Martin Clayton:: Time in Indian Music Oxford University Press, 2000

 Alain Danielou:: Ragas of Northern Indian Music South Asia Books: 1968, 1981 

  W H Deshpande:: Indian Musical Traditions South Asia Books: 1973, 2001

 Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy:: The Rags of North Indian Music: Their Structure and Evolution Wesleyan University Press, 1995