R.C. Mehta's 'Indian Classic Music & Gharana Tradition'Foreword' by Ashok Vajpeyi

The Indian Classical Music is arguably the only other classical music which has managed to survive vis-a-vis the all powerful and global onslaught of the Western Calssical music on its own terms and through its powerful presence and growth. It represents one of the most enduring dimesnions of Indian creativity, its incredible continuum and surprising plurality. It has been a music open to change and innovation, unweary of outside influences and yet firmly rooted. It is, therfore, a great pity that this music has not received the kind of critiiccal attention, theorising rigour anmd ind-epth analysis it so richly deserves. contemporary musicology in India is a rather poor cousine of aesthetics and, sadly, there are not many, who in ideas and analysis, have been able to commensurate to the rich and and complex dynamics and poetics of Indian calssical music. Prof. R. C. Mehta is happily one who has devoted almost whole of his life teaching and writing about this music. It is through the efforts of a major music-critic like like Prof. Mehta that many of us have been able to understand the history, tradition and changes, the structure and aesthetics, the philosophical underpinings and vital dynamics of our music.

As a musicologist Prof. Mehta has a wide range and he has always come up in his critical explorations of musci with insights and ideas which deepen our understanding of music, its long heritage and its continuing relevance. This book which collects some of this recent and uncollected wiritngs is truly representative of his vast vision of and meticulous pracitce. He is able able, once again, to reveal new aspects, lluminate grey areas and discover exciting new ideas. From the philosophical to the historical, from the aesthetic to the facutal Prof. mehta charters an ideational geography of our music so rarely articulated elsewhere or, for that matter, by any other musicologist or music-critic.

The book I am confidant, would be useful and a rewarding experience equally for musicians, music lovers and scholars. I commend it gratefully and strongly.

Indian Classic Music & Gharana Tradition

ISBN: 10: 81-89973-09-6

Readworthy Publications

Copyright: Prof R C Mehta (Originally contact details of Prof. RC Mehta were listed here. Padmavibhushan Prof. Mehta passed away in 2014 at age of 98 years)

Froeword to Prof R.C. Mehta's 'Indian Classic Music & Gharana Tradition'

By Ashok Vajpeyi

Foreword