1. Concepts, Conventions, History and Culture

These twelve concise essays introduce readers to foundational concepts of Hindustani classical music, and illustrate how this musical practice is permeated by convention, culture and history. I begin with essential music-theoretical concepts, most notably rāg and tāl. Next, I examine musical and historical aspects of the khayāl vocal style, drawing on revisionist scholarship that questions some of its traditional narratives. Continuing in historical vein, I then discuss V. N. Bhatkhande, a prominent figure in Indian classical music’s passage to modernity, and—for all his contentiousness—a continuing reference point for musicians and scholars. Finally, I consider the distinctive, principally orally transmitted learning culture of Indian classical music against the background of history, lore, and ideology.