# Non-western classical music



## Whistlerguy (May 26, 2010)

Western music is not the only classical music (or "art music") tradition.

I know there are others as well.
However, I don't know which of them is really worthy of exploring. (and also are works from other traditions available and easy to find at all)

So I am asking those more knowledgeable and more experienced than me to talk about their experiences and knowledge about other classical music traditions, notable composers from these traditions and they can also recommend their favorite pieces of music?

Are all these traditions now blended into Western music - in sense of adopting Western notation and also - being used actively by Western composers?

Are there some really great and important works from other traditions that are known and studied and available today?


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## anshuman (Jul 6, 2010)

Whistlerguy said:


> Western music is not the only classical music (or "art music") tradition.
> 
> I know there are others as well.
> However, I don't know which of them is really worthy of exploring. (and also are works from other traditions available and easy to find at all)
> ...


You should try Indian Classical, the one tradition which is not even touched by the Art music of the West.In Indian classical there are 'Ragas'- melodic narratives(not in the programmatic sense) composed by anonymous people lost in the mist of time. To call them composers would be wrong because they might have carried forth an oral tradition ( there was no system of notation in India in the medieval or early modern period) and probably performed and improvised something that did not originate with them. In Indian classical the composer-peformer hierarchy does not exist as the composers are quasi-mythical creatures like Tansen of emperor Akbar's Mughal court. Ragas can be sung or played on classical instruments like the Sarod,Sitar,Sarangi,Veena,Flute etc. The tempo of these Ragas is generally from slow to very fast. The raga is generally divided into 3 movements- Alap(slow stately introduction which lasts longer than its western counterparts),Vilambit(a kind of Allegretto) and Drut(can vary from presto to prestissimo). These movements are not divided but played continuously one leading to another. The ragas are organised according to the time of the day. So there are morning Ragas,Day Ragas and Evening Ragas. If you want to enjoy them more you should listen to them at the proper time of the day. You can start with Raga Bhairavi (a morning raga) on the Sarod by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan(one of the greatest sarod players) and Raga Kedar(a night raga) on the Sitar by Pandit Ravi Shankar.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

The two other "classical musics" I've heard talk of are Indian and Chinese. (There are no doubt other cultures that have these kinds of traditions, but I'm not sure if I've heard the term "classical" that much. I think the word "traditional" is more common.) 

I once heard (live) a very good Mongolian choir. They mostly sang traditional Chinese songs, but the arrangements/harmonizations sounded very Western-influenced. This was mixed with traditional Mongolian ways of singing (these were soloists) like the "throat-singing", and that "trick" were they split their voice into an interval, singing in fifths all by themselves. It was fascinating, and the Western style harmonies and "artful" pittoresque arrangements made it immediately accessible. There was also an erhu player, (basically the "Chinese cello", with two strings and a very small body compared to a cello), who did some really cool stuff. I kinda like the sound of that instrument. I wouldn't mind having a recording of this concert.  It's not something I know much about, but I think the Western influence on "art music" has been stronger in China than in India.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

There are some pretty good Japanese classically-trained composers such as Toyama and Miyagi, less known, but have some original works.


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## Earthling (May 21, 2010)

Toru Takemitsu mostly has written for western instruments, though he certainly has a unique sound. But he also wrote a few pieces for traditional Japanese instruments, such as In an Autumn Garden. (if you think this sounds "modern" it actually isn't-- traditional gagaku music really does sound this peculiar!  )

Someh Satoh has written some music for shakuhachi and koto I believe, though I have not heard it (yet).

EDIT: I stand corrected-- I forgot about the Satoh piece on _The Art of the Koto, vol. 3 _(listed below)


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## Earthling (May 21, 2010)

More Japanese music:

This CD of modern (and traditional) music for sheng (occasionally with accordion!) is quite beautiful: Deep Silence. I sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between the "modern" music and the traditional!

And I cannot more highly recommend these three CDs of Nanae Yoshimura for koto music (divided into three volumes representing three periods):

The Art of the Koto, vol. 1

The Art of the Koto, vol. 2

The Art of the Koto, vol. 3


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## Earthling (May 21, 2010)

Another fine disc of Koto music: Reiko Kimura: Music for Koto (the three volume koto set used to have samples  -- at least you can hear samples here).


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

South East Asia also get a rich musical culture. See javanese gamelan and balinese music. they use the music to accompanying a 'wayang' or shadow puppet, which is a rich culture itself.


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Can't say I know much, but I've travelled overseas to the Far East for work several times.

Each time I go, I'm always picking up CDs. Here's some of the best ones - most of these are classical folk themes or reinterpretations of the classical form of music:

Two of my favs - just plaintively beautiful. Eerily haunting vocals.


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## Ralfy (Jul 19, 2010)

Here's a link to consider:

http://www.medieval.org/music/world.html


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## Ian Elliott (Nov 15, 2010)

Komitas was an Armenian composer and musicologist in the early years of the 20th century. Debussy thought very highly of his music.


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

There is Thai, Korean, arab and Persian classical music as well.


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## Ian Elliott (Nov 15, 2010)

Aren't those generally classified as 'World Music' ?


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

The term 'world music ' means different things to different people. There was a thread on it in the general chat area I think. I define world music as folk music.


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