Focus: The Classical Music of India in Global Perspective

Focus: The Classical Music of India in Global Perspective provides an in-depth look at the Hindustani musical tradition in India. The first section of the book presents the cultural history of South Asia as it pertains to the various kinds of music that currently exist in India. The second part introduces the theory of raga and tala as well as the major and subsidiary genres of Hindustani music from a historical perspective, bringing to bear the latest research available to reconstruct their most likely historical origins. Part III, Focusing In, offers a detailed study of the life and influence of India's most well known musician, Ravi Shankar, with a focus on his creativity within the context of Indian classical music and his efforts to transform Indian classical music into a global music. The accompanying CD offers examples of the music referred to in the book.