What Is Communication Theory free essay sample

Bibliographic Information Author by Shirley Tyler, Christopher Kossen and Charmaine Ryan (1999) Book Title Communication: a foundation course Published by Prentice Hall Australia, 1998 Article Title Chapter 2 What is Communication theory? Erskineville, NSW: Pearson Education Australia Page 8-31 What is Communication theory? Summary Of Reading Purpose The purpose of this reading is to give readers an appreciation of the complexity that is involved in a communication process. Their principal components and competencies involved, the authors also discuss and shed light on the array of theories and concepts widely available, their pros and cons when being used in the communication process. Expounding on the processes of communication theory models, their strengths and weaknesses, and the areas or circumstance that will benefit from their application. Humans are creatures of perception; likewise in a communication process perception is imbedded into its very core. Perception is what helps one to determine what is being communicated and make sense out of what is being seen or heard. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is Communication Theory? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some important aspects of decoding perception is through task and audience analysis, which helps to make the work of communication much more manageable, efficient and effective. The authors aim at giving the readers an understanding of the communication process by relating and drawing parallels to real life situations. Thus giving the readers an insight of what is involved and how best to communicate a given task or assage to a given audience. Article Focus To understand Communication Theory we need to first look into the terms communication and theory. Communication is the act of exchanging thoughts, messages, or information by usage of speech, signals, writing, or behavior. It can be in spoken or unspoken words, in the way a body moves, in a scent, in an expression or just in a touch. Communication can be an abstract form of art or to some a science that can be explain. Very much like the quote that is being used in this article by the authors from Barker. ?defining communication is similar to trying to define love. Intuitively, you feel you understand it, but its difficult to put into words. [and that]? communication theorists have never completely agreed on a single definition of communication. (Baker 1984, p5) Abstract from Communication: A Foundation Course, Tyler, Kossen and Ryan p9 With all said the purpose of communication is the ability to comprehend and express an idea, a message or a thought. It is an exchange of knowledge and information, in order for communication to be effective; the authors introduce and explore some of the communications theories in this chapter. Before we look into the different theories, let us look into and understand the idea of a theory. Theory is a clarification or explanation; theories can be a principle or idea that is proven or not proven. It can be base on a belief or an assumption to explain certain things around us. The four theories of communication that being mention in this chapter includes: 1. The Linear Process Model 2. The Interactive Process Model 3. The Transactional Process Model 4. The Structuralist Perspective The Linear Process Model is a well-known model of communication developed by Shannon and Weaver in 1949, as the typical example of a transmission model of communication; this model reduces communication to a process of transmitting information. However some commentators have claimed that the Shannon and Weavers model has a much wider application to human communication than a purely technical one. Theory 1: The Linear Process Model The components of the Linear Models are: Senderthe source Receiverthe destination Messagethe information Code the form the message takes Channelthe means or medium used Noise physical interference, for example sound light etc. Abstract from Communication: A Foundation Course, Tyler, Kossen and Ryan p16 The Linear Model is the best-known example of the informational approach to communication. It is also the most influential model of communication; which has yet been developed, as it reflects a commonsense understanding of what communication is. The Shannon and Weavers model reflects, that communication consists of a Sender passing a Message to a Receiver, this message has a form- code and is passed through a middle also know as channel before reaching the receiver. Noise is a dysfunctional factor: any interference to the message traveling along the channel that may lead to the message received being different from that sent. Theory 2: The Interactive Process Model The Interactive Process Model looks into the weakness of the Linear Model which views communication as a one-way process. In the Interactive Model it assumes that all communication is happening all the time because people will interpret aspects of behaviors and appearance regardless with or without intention. Unlike the Linear Model, the Interactive Model incorporates the notion of feedback; which indicates that the receiver is an active participator of the communication process by providing a responds, regardless of its form verbal or non-verbal. The Interactive Model like the Linear Model includes the idea of noise. However, in the Interactive Model the noise is further defined. Besides the physical noise, the Interactive Model also includes Psychological noise such as one emotional, expectation, biases etc and Semantic noise such as a persons ability to comprehend and understand, semantic factors include the influence that culture have on an individual capacity to interpret what is being communicated. Theory 3: The Transactional Process Model The Transactional Process Model states that we receives and send information simultaneously when communicating. In this model, communication is an on going process and is constantly changing and taking shape, which is influence or tinted by our previous communication efforts. The Transactional Process Model also implies that when we communicate we are in some form of relationship with the receiver or sender, formally or informally. As a whole the Transactional Process Model gives a much wholesome view of communication. Theory 4: The Structuralist Perspective Structuralist Perspective is also known as Semiotics which classify signs or sign systems in relation to the way they are transmitted, depends on the use of codes that an individual sounds or letters means, the body movements that shows attitude or emotion, or as general as the clothes they wear. Other aspects of the communication covered in this article; includes perception and task analysis process, which help to make the work of communication more manageable. Comments Personally, I believe I have only cover the tip of the iceberg for this Article. Personally, I like the Transactional Process Model best out of all the other models and theories. While the Transactional Process Model is considered one of the more advance model of communication I believe that human communication is still evolving, changing and growing, for instance in this digital age communication over the internet has change greatly the way we relate to on another and even the form of our communication. References * Carey, James (1989): Communication as Culture. New York: Routledge (Chapter 1, A Cultural Approach to Communication) * Ellis, Russell Ann McClintock (1990): If You Take My Meaning: Theory into Practice in Human Communication.

Yanmamo Culture Essays - Yanomami, Napoleon Chagnon, Monogamy, War

Yanmamo Culture There are many differences between the South American Yanomamo culture and the North American culture that we have adapted to, but just at there is culture diversity between us, we have some similarities. The ethnography, which is chose, was "Yanomamo" written by Napoleon A. Chagnon, anthropologists. Chagnon tells us how to it was to live among the Yanomamo family, political and warfare system versus the American Culture. The Yanomamo are of patrilineal culture, male oriented and very sexist. For some reason they believe that, they are superior to women, so do some men in American culture. However, they are jolted back reality when the law gets involved, unfortunately Yanomamo men don't have this wake up call. Marriage is cross-cultural perspective. Yanomamo marriages are much different from that of American marriages. Yanomamo women are treated as materialistic objects and promised by their father or brother to a Yanomamo man in return for reciprocity. The reciprocity could be another Yanomamo women or political alliances. The trades are often practiced in the Yanomamo culture. Polygamy is also a part of the Yanomamo culture. Yanomamo women are kept in the male's possession. The Yanomamo man tries to collect as many wives as he possibly can in order to demonstrate his power and masculinity. As polygamy in American Culture is referred to as bigamy which is against the law. Besides, polygamy, the practice of infanticide plays a role in the lack of women in their society. Yanomamo prefer to parent a male child rather than a female child, so in case a female is born she is killed at birth. This again proved their sexist beliefs that women are inferior. Many Yanomamo women fearing their husbands kill a female infant to avoid disappointing their so-called"better half". To the people of American culture certain procedures of murdering a new born baby would be considered brutal, horrific and mutilation. But to the Yanomamo choking an infant to death with a vine, suffocating the infant by the placing a stick across her throat, or simply throwing the child against a tree and leaving it to suffer and then die is normal. Yet some Americans would also suggest that abortion is just like murder also, so what's the difference! When an acceptable child is born into a Yanomamo family the mother breast-feeds him for a relatively long time. Children are nursed until they reach the age of at most, three or four. As long as the mother breast-feeds she is less likely to be fertile. This is a natural contraceptive. But if a new infant is born it will starve to death, because the older sibling would drink most of the milk, specially if it is a female infant. Male children grow up to be hunters and worriers. Female children although inferior (according to the Yanomamo) are valuable objects of trade and political alliances. A confusing aspect of the Yanomamo marriages is, even though polygamy is freely practiced so is monogamy but only for the women. Adultery, just like in American culture, is inexcusable to the Yanomamo. In this topic similarities make a breakthrough in both cultures. If relationship between an American woman and an American man goes putrescent and the woman becomes promiscuous violence is only expected by the man. The problem is assault and battery charges can get you into a lot of trouble, not to mention how much you would have to pay a lawyer. But Yanomamo mean get away with their violent retaliation for being disrespected because again there are no laws protecting Yanomamo women not that American women are always protected by the law, it's just a myth. The punishment for the Yanomamo women who is only suspected of having an affair with another man is being beaten with a club, burned, shot with a barbed arrow, or the man decides to detach a limb (ex. Arm, leg...) with an ax or machete. Even though it seems as though women are expendable is this culture she may have some one who would aid her if she needed help, her brothers. A Yanomamo women's endeavor and search for aid is not always successful espically if her brothers are in a remote village that you could reach if you walked for a couple of days. But if her brothers are around and close enough for some strange reason she might get a little more respect (not too much). Alliances or formal pacts between groups are incorporated through trade and feasting. The relationships between these two parties are strengthened when the exchange of

Fitzgerald essays

Fitzgerald essays > Francis Scott Fitzgerald had a wild and tragic life. Much of his life is not common knowledge to the average person and is definitely not taught in schools. If some of these interesting and funny anecdotes were given; F. Scott Fitzgerald would have a larger following and be comparable to the late Jim Morrison, the lead singer and songwriter of the classic rock band, The Doors. Morrison's works including poems and songs have been made into two anthologies. Both writers had an alcohol problem and had unstable relationships with their significant others. Fitzgerald's life is more interesting than Morrison's by far, though most of the younger generations do not read Fitzgerald for recreation like they listen to The Doors' music. After reading some biographies on Fitzgerald's life, it was clear how much of his real life he used in his literary works. This paper will touch on some of influences that are most obvious due to the time factor that this had to be created under. > Fitzgerald had many influences and inspirations in his short lifetime and used as much of his life experiences in his writing as he possibly could. He mostly used a few facts and elaborated the rest of the story with his own imagination. The majority involve his wife, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, money, and alcohol with Princeton College and various role models thrown somewhere in the mix of ingredients for this literary legend. His colleague, Edmund Wilson, whom he met and became close friends with at Princeton, wrote an analysis of Fitzgerald in 1922 entitled "Literary Spotlight." Wilson claimed that Fitzgerald had three key influences: the Midwest, his Irishness and alcohol. Before sending his unsigned work to be submitted in March 1922's edition of Bookman, he sent it to Fitzgerald, who asked him to remove the drinking material along with an anecdote on his army days. Fitzgerald told Wilson that his only influence was Zelda. "The most enormous influence on me in the ...

Assisted Dying Essay

Assisted Dying Essay Assisted Dying Essay Assisted Dying PHI: 200 Mind and Machine July 23, 2012 Assisted Dying Physician-assisted dying and euthanasia are compromising dilemmas between what is forbidden and what should be acceptable when the dying is at the end-of-life cycle. The idea of accelerating death is a topic that generates disharmony for physicians, lawmakers and those involved in the palliative and end-of-life care circumstances. So is it inhumane to force the terminally-ill to suffer while they prefer to hastening death by a physician? According to Susan Wolf’s paper on her father’s death, she is one person would never want to accelerate the causing of death by euthanasia or assisted suicide. Let me start by stating my personal belief on this subject. I am a proponent of physician-assisted dying and euthanasia and believe that people have a right to a make decision, if capable, to longer go through treatment and end their life peacefully. I stand firm behind my statement assuming that the terminally-ill patient has been presented with every possible option available to them and comes to their own decision to end pain and suffering through assisted dying. So I try to place myself in Susan’s position to see if I would respond in the same manner as her. It is quite the conundrum. It becomes difficult for me to imagine sitting by a loved one’s bedside watching them suffer every day and not support their conscious choice to end their life. Although death is not difficult for me to grasp, I do not think I could have any part in the facilitation of dying other than respecting their decision. Who is for me to say that a person should take every medical option possible to prolong the inevitable? But with the decision to let people take control of their own life, who will then will take the burden to assist in the process†¦an answer I do not have. I feel that Susan lacked accountability in her duty as a designated proxy decision-maker when she realized the health professionals poorly informed her father about maintaining comfort after termination of artificial nutrition and hydration. She made no notion to help him understand what information she was aware of to help him understand his options. She quotes, â€Å"convinced now that he had no choice, my father soldiered on† (Wolf, 2008, p. 24). Perhaps it was for selfish reasons or held onto the idea that it seemed like a story with conflicting versions and possible trajectories (Wolf, 2008, p. 24). Perhaps she held on to tight to her ethical beliefs and left it to the professionals to answer for his slow progression in death. My response to this is that first, I am a strong proponent of ending suffering to all sentient beings. If an incident occurred were information was held from my loved one or presented in an unclear manner, it would be my duty to ensure I bring in additional resources to help communicate options that would cease suffering. Regardless of my personal stance on assisted dying, I feel a stronger sense to collect, research, and bridge any gap of communication that could help someone. Although there could be some missing pieces to this

The Theme of Clothing in Shakespeare's Cymbeline Essay

The Theme of Clothing in Shakespeare's Cymbeline - Essay Example After putting on Posthumus’ clothes in a futile attempt to lure his wife, Cloten declares â€Å"How fit his garments serve me! Why should his mistress, who was made by him that made the tailor, not be fit to?† (4.1 1-4), he underlines the importance of one of Shakespeare’s primary themes in Cymbeline: clothing.Cloten’s continuous comparison of the tailor to a creator, most likely a rude joke about Posthumus, points to the complexity ingrained in Shakespeare’s portrayal of clothing, disguise, and costume. Out rightly, the demureness of the play is founded on several fronts. In some cases it can be found within the language used by the characters, bringing out the significance of clothing to symbolize status. In other cases, such as is the case with Imogen’s anger towards Clotenor Posthumus’s changing commitments on the battle front, a character’s dress outwardly displays the characters personalities and manipulates their actions. At points in the play, misleading masquerades move characters to rage and violence.Examples of this are Posthumus’s decision to have Imogen murdered and Cloten’s plan to rape Imogen, in other instances it allows them to see things more clearly as is the case with the battle episodes. The changing of clothes socially derogates characters and moves them towards improved self-awareness and self-fulfillment, most importantly, disguise appears as a not so shrouding cloak that, while concealing the identity of the characters, fails to mask their actual natures. Clothing and disguise function as a way for the characters to conceal and simultaneously reveal themselves to the audience. The frequency of language pertaining to garments is an obviousindication of the significance that clothing has in illustrating the themes of the play. Even before the introduction of disguises, Imogen ridicules Cloten with statements and metaphors relating to clothing. After Cloten intently seek s audience with Imogen by banging on her door, and consequently referring to himself as a gentleman, a Lady declares â€Å"That’s more/Than some whose tailors are as dear as yours Can justly boast of† (2.3 77-79). This part of the play illustrates the uselessness of Cloten’s character, this is quite apparent from the mockery he receives from the servant of Imogen’s court. By deriding his garb, the woman servant challenges Cloten’s ego and his hard held sense of entitlement. Cloten’s response is as scathing, and he chooses to further the clothing debate by drawing a comparison between dress and character, referring to Posthumus as â€Å"A hilding for a livery, a squire’s cloth/A pantler-not so eminent â€Å" (1. 120-121).Cloten, who is widely seen and referred to as an idiot, shows he is not without wit and possesses some skill in rhetoric, if not virtue, by redirecting the servant woman’s debate and continuing to make a point on Posthumus’ apparent insufficiency for the future throne. Imogen, however, seems to close this debate by furthering the metaphorical comparison on garments to include an abstract example, she holds that Posthumus’ â€Å"Meanest garment†¦is dearer in my respect than all the hairs above thee† (2.3 133-135). In conclusion, Imogen alters the discussion of clothing to oust Cloten. At the end of the scene, it becomes apparent that

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION - A Contemporary Strategy of Display (Fine Case Study

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION - A Contemporary Strategy of Display (Fine Art) - Case Study Example In the main, it involves both modern and postmodern art. Contemporary art always changes with time and maybe considered as the art of the span of a lifetime. In London, contemporary art originated in 1990. Through this, people could audition and purchase artwork from the museum (Wallace and Hirish). Media articles chose to refer to artwork from 2000 and on words as contemporary. Galleries on the hand are always reluctant to separate contemporary from non-contemporary in their work. In earlier times, sculptures, paintings, poetry, and architecture were forms of fine art. Currently, fine art also includes conceptual art, print making, film and photography. This study will analyse contemporary strategy of display and will base only on the photographic exhibitions in the white club gallery in London. Fine art photography refers to photographs created by artists to satisfy their creativity and their visions. Authors has described the white cube in terms of contemporary art opposed to design. The space of the white cubes blends with history of modernism. O’Doherty in his article about inside the white cube says, â€Å"We have now reached a point where we see not the art but the space first.† The white cube gallery has white walls, polished wooden floors, and asmooth grey carpet. Paintings are arranged in rows and bid pieces are on the walls. Sculptures are centrally located. The works of art are lit by spotlights and even fake pieces will be mistaken to be real at a first glance (Serandour, Saint-Loubert and O†Doherty, 2009). One the most common photographic images is the one by Darren almond. it captures the beauty of nature in some of the world’s most remote and deserted places. The artist ignores human presence and choses to symbolise the landscape with an aim of giving it more time to express itself. Each image is given its own space unlike traditional photographic images where more than one photograph was on the same

Hindustani classical music Essay Example for Free

Hindustani classical music Essay The tradition was born out of a cultural synthesis of several musical traditions: the Vedic chant tradition, dating back to more than three thousand years ago,the ancient Persian tradition of Musiqi-e assil, and various folk traditions prevalent in the region. It is traditional for performers who have reached a distinguished level of achievement to be awarded titles of respect; Hindus are usually referred to as pandit and Muslims as ustad. An aspect of Hindustani music going back to Sufi times is the tradition of religious neutrality: Muslim ustads may sing compositions in praise of Hindu deities, and vice versa. Around the 12th century, Hindustani classical music diverged from what eventually came to be identified as Carnatic classical music. The central notion in both these systems is that of a melodic mode or raga, sung to a rhythmic cycle or tala. The tradition dates back to the ancient Samaveda, (sÄ ma meaning ritual chant), which deals with the norms for chanting of srutis or hymns such as the Rig Veda. These principles were refined in the musical treatises Natya Shastra, by Bharata (2nd–3rd century CE), and Dattilam (probably 3rd–4th century CE). In medieval times, the melodic systems were fused with ideas from Persian music, particularly through the influence of Sufi composers like Amir Khusro, and later in the Moghul courts. Noted composers such as Tansen flourished, along with religious groups like the Vaishnavites. After the 16th century, the singing styles diversified into different gharanas patronized in different princely courts. Around 1900, Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande consolidated the musical structures of Hindustani classical music, called ragas, into a number of thaats. Indian classical music has seven basic notes with five interspersed half-notes, resulting in a 12-note scale. Unlike the 12-note scale in Western music, the base frequency of the scale is not fixed, and intertonal gaps (temperament) may also vary; however, with the gradual replacement of the sarangi by the harmonium, an equal tempered scale is increasingly used. The performance is set to a melodic pattern called a raga characterized in part by specific ascent (aroha) and descent (avaroha) sequences, which may not be identical. Other characteristics include king (vadi) and queen (samavadi) notes and characteristic phrases (pakad). In addition each raga has its natural register (ambit) and portamento (meend) rules. Performances are usually marked by considerable improvisation within these norms. History Music was first formalized in India in connection with preserving the sruti texts, primarily the four vedas, which are seen as apaurasheya (meaning not created by man). Not only was the text important, but also the manner in which they had been enunciated by the immortals. Prosody and chanting were thus of great importance, and were enshrined in the two vedangas (bodies of knowledge) called shiksha (pronunciation, chants) and chhandas (prosody); these remained a key part of the brahmanic educational system till modern times. The formal aspects of the chant are delineated in the Samaveda, with certain aspects, e.g. the relation of chanting to meditation, elaborated in the Chandogya Upanishad (ca. 8th century BC). Priests involved in these ritual chants were called samans and a number of ancient musical instruments such as the conch (shankh), lute (veena), flute (bansuri), trumpets and horns were associated with this and later practices of ritual singing. Sanskritic tradition The Samaveda outlined the ritual chants for singing the verses of the Rigveda, particularly for offerings of Soma. It proposed a tonal structure consisting of seven notes, which were named, in descending order, krusht, pratham, dwitiya, tritiya, chaturth, mandra and atiswÄ r. These refer to the notes of a flute, which was the only fixed-frequency instrument. This is why the second note is called pratham (meaning first, i.e., produced when only the first hole is closed). Music is dealt with extensively in the Valmiki Ramayana. Narada is an accomplished musician, as is Ravana; Saraswati with her veena is the goddess of music. Gandharvas are presented as spirits who are musical masters, and the gandharva style looks to music primarily for pleasure, accompanied by the soma rasa. In the Vishnudharmottara Purana, the Naga king Ashvatara asks to know the svaras from Saraswati. The most important text on music in the ancient canon is Bharatas Natya Shastra, composed around the 3rd century CE. The Natya Shastra deals with the different modes of music, dance, and drama, and also the emotional responses (rasa) they are expected to evoke. The scale is described in terms of 22 micro-tones, which can be combined in clusters of four, three, or two to form an octave. While the term raga is articulated in the Natya Shastra (where its meaning is more literal, meaning colour or mood), it finds a clearer expression in what is called jati in the Dattilam, a text composed shortly after or around the same time as Natya Shastra. The Dattilam is focused on gandharva music and discusses scales (swara), defining a tonal framework called grama in terms of 22 micro-tonal intervals (sruti[3]) comprising one octave. It also discusses various arrangements of the notes (murchhana), the permutations and combinations of note-sequences (tanas), and alankara or elaboration. Dattilam categorizes melodic structure into 18 groups called jati, which are the fundamental melodic structures similar to the r aga. The names of the jatis reflect regional origins, for example andhri and oudichya. Music also finds mention in a number of texts from the Gupta period; Kalidasa mentions several kinds of veena (Parivadini, Vipanchi), as well as percussion instruments (mridang), the flute (vamshi) and conch (shankha). Music also finds mention in Buddhist and Jain texts from the earliest periods of the Christian era. Naradas Sangita Makarandha treatise, from about 1100 CE, is the earliest text where rules similar to those of current Hindustani classical music can be found. Narada actually names and classifies the system in its earlier form before the Persian influences introduced changes in the system. Jayadevas Gita Govinda from the 12th century was perhaps the earliest musical composition sung in the classical tradition called Ashtapadi music. In the 13th century, Sharngadeva composed the Sangita Ratnakara, which has names such as the turushka todi (Turkish todi), revealing an influx of ideas from Islamic culture. This text is the last to be mentioned by both the Carnatic and the Hindustani traditions and is often thought to date the divergence between the two. Medieval period: Persian influence The advent of Islamic rule under the Delhi Sultanate and later the Mughal Empire over northern India caused considerable cultural interchange. Increasingly, musicians received patronage in the courts of the new rulers, who in their turn, started taking increasing interest in local music forms. While the initial generations may have been rooted in cultural traditions outside India, they gradually adopted many aspects from their kingdoms which retained the traditional Hindu culture. This helped spur the fusion of Hindu and Muslim ideas to bring forth new forms of musical synthesis like qawwali and khyal. The most influential musician of the Delhi Sultanate period was Amir Khusrau (1253–1325), sometimes called the father of modern Hindustani classical music.[4] A composer in Persian, Turkish, Arabic, as well as Braj Bhasha, he is credited with systematizing many aspects of Hindustani music, and also introducing several ragas such as Yaman Kalyan, Zeelaf and Sarpada. He created the qawwali genre, which fuses Persian melody and beat on a dhrupad like structure. A number of instruments (such as the sitar and tabla) were also introduced in his time. Amir Khusrau is sometimes credited with the origins of the khyal form, but the record of his compositions do not appear to support this. The compositions by the court musician Sadarang in the court of Muhammad Shah bear a closer affinity to the modern khyal. They suggest that while khyal already existed in some form, Sadarang may have been the father of modern khyal. Much of the musical forms innovated by these pioneers merged with the Hindu tradition, composed in the popular language of the people (as opposed to Sanskrit) in the work of composers like Kabir or Nanak. This can be seen as part of a larger Bhakti tradition, (strongly related to the Vaishnavite movement) which remained influential across several centuries; notable figures include Jayadeva (11th century), Vidyapati (fl. 1375 CE), Chandidas ( 14th–15th century), and Meerabai (1555–1603 CE). As the Mughal Empire came into closer contact with Hindus, especially under Jalal ud-Din Akbar, music and dance also flourished. In particular, the musician Tansen introduced a number of innovations, including ragas and particular compositions. Legend has it that upon his rendition of a night-time raga in the morning, the entire city fell under a hush and clouds gathered in the sky, and that he could light fires by singing the raga Deepak, which is supposed to be composed of notes in high octaves. At the royal house of Gwalior, Raja Mansingh Tomar (1486–1516 CE) also participated in the shift from Sanskrit to the local idiom (Hindi) as the language for classical songs. He himself penned several volumes of compositions on religious and secular themes, and was also responsible for the major compilation, the Mankutuhal (Book of Curiosity), which outlined the major forms of music prevalent at the time. In particular, the musical form known as dhrupad saw considerable development in his court and remained a strong point of the Gwalior gharana for many centuries. After the dissolution of the Mughal empire, the patronage of music continued in smaller princely kingdoms like Lucknow, Patiala, and Banaras, giving rise to the diversity of styles that is today known as gharanas. Many musician families obtained large grants of land which made them self sufficient, at least for a few generations (e.g. the Sham Chaurasia gharana). Meanwhile the Bhakti and Sufi traditions continued to develop and interact with the different gharanas and groups. Modern era Until the late 19th century, Hindustani classical music was imparted on a one-on-one basis through the guru-shishya (mentor-protà ©gà ©) tradition. This system had many benefits, but also several drawbacks; in many cases, the shishya had to spend most of his time serving his guru with a hope that the guru might teach him a cheez (piece or nuance) or two. In addition, the system forced the music to be limited to a small subsection of the Indian community. To a large extent it was limited to the palaces and dance halls. It was shunned by the intellectuals, avoided by the educated middle class, and in general looked down upon as a frivolous practice.[5] Then a fortunate turn of events started the renaissance of Hindustani classical music. First, as the power of the maharajahs and nawabs declined in early 20th century, so did their patronage. With the expulsion of Wajid Ali Shah to Calcutta after 1857, the Lucknavi musical tradition came to influence the music of renaissance in Bengal, giving rise to the tradition of Ragpradhan gan around the turn of the century. Also, at the turn of the century, two great stars emerged on the horizon: Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. Independent of each other, they spread Hindustani classical music to the masses in general, and the Marathi middle class in particular. These two gentlemen brought classical music to the masses by organizing music conferences, starting schools, teaching music in class-rooms, and devising a standardized grading and testing system, and by standardizing the notation system.[6] Vishnu Digambar Paluskar emerged as a talented musician and organizer despite having been blinded at age 12. His books on music, as well as the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya music school that he opened in Lahore in 1901, helped foster a movement away from the closed gharana system. Paluskars contemporary (and occasional rival) Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande recognized the many rifts that had appeared in the structure of Indian classical music. He undertook extensive research visits to a large number of gharanas, Hindustani as well as Carnatic, collecting and comparing compositions. Between 1909 and 1932, he produced the monumental four-volume work Hindustani Sangeetha Padhathi,[7] which suggested a transcription for Indian music, and described the many tradi tions in this notation. Finally,mit consolidated the many musical forms of Hindustani classical music into a number of thaats (modes), subsequent to the Melakarta system that reorganized Carnatic tradition in the 17th century. The ragas as they exist today were consolidated in this landmark work, although there are some inconsistencies and ambiguities in Bhatkandes system. In modern times, the government-run All India Radio, Bangladesh Betar and Radio Pakistan helped to bring the artists to public attention, countering the loss of the patronage system. The first star was Gauhar Jan, whose career was born out of Fred Gaisbergs first recordings of Indian music in 1902. With the advance of films and other public media, musicians started to make their living through public performances. As India was exposed to Western music, some Western melodies started merging with classical forms, especially in popular music. A number of Gurukuls, such as that of Alauddin Khan at Maihar, flourished. In more modern times, corporate support has also been forthcoming, as at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy. Meanwhile, Hindustani classical music has become popular across the world through the influence of artists such as Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan. Principles of Hindustani music The rhythmic organization is based on rhythmic patterns called tala. The melodic foundations are called ragas. One possible classification of ragas is into melodic modes or parent scales, known as thaats, under which most ragas can be classified based on the notes they use. Thaats may consist of up to seven scale degrees, or swara. Hindustani musicians name these pitches using a system called Sargam, the equivalent of the Western movable do solfege: Sa (Shadaj) = Do Re (Rishab) = Re Ga (Gandhar) = Mi Ma (Madhyam) = Fa Pa (Pancham) = So Dha (Dhaivat) = La Ni (Nishad) = Ti Sa (Shadaj) = Do Both systems repeat at the octave. The difference between sargam and solfege is that re, ga, ma, dha, and ni can refer to either Natural (shuddha) or altered Flat (komal) or Sharp (tivra) versions of their respective scale degrees. As with movable do solfege, the notes are heard relative to an arbitrary tonic that varies from performance to performance, rather than to fixed frequencies, as on a xylophone. The fine intonational differences between different instances of the same swara are called srutis. The three primary registers of Indian classical music are mandra (lower), madhya (middle) and taar (upper). Since the octave location is not fixed, it is also possible to use provenances in mid-register (such as mandra-madhya or madhya-taar) for certain ragas. A typical rendition of Hindustani raga involves two stages: Alap: a rhythmically free improvisation on the rules for the raga in order to give life to the raga and flesh out its characteristics. The alap is followed by a long slow-tempo improvisation in vocal music, or by the jod and jhala in instrumental music. Bandish or Gat: a fixed, melodic composition set in a specific raga, performed with rhythmic accompaniment by a tabla or pakhavaj. There are different ways of systematizing the parts of a composition. For example: Sthaayi: The initial, rondo phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition. Antara: The first body phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition. Sanchaari: The third body phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition, seen more typically in dhrupad bandishes Aabhog: The fourth and concluding body phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition, seen more typically in Dhrupad bandishes. There are three variations of bandish, regarding tempo: Vilambit bandish: A slow and steady melodic composition, usually in largo to adagio speeds. Madhyalaya bandish: A medium tempo melodic competition, usually set in andante to allegretto speeds. Drut bandish: A fast tempo melodic composition, usually set to allegretto speed or faster. Hindustani classical music is primarily vocal-centric, insofar as the musical forms were designed primarily for vocal performance, and many instruments were designed and evaluated as to how well they emulate the human voice. Types of compositions The major vocal forms or styles associated with Hindustani classical music are dhrupad, khyal, and tarana. Other forms include dhamar, trivat, chaiti, kajari, tappa, tap-khyal, ashtapadis, thumri, dadra, ghazal and bhajan; these are folk or semi-classical or light classical styles, as they often do not adhere to the rigorous rules of classical music. Dhrupad Main article: Dhrupad Dhrupad is an old style of singing, traditionally performed by male singers. It is performed with a tambura and a pakhawaj as instrumental accompaniments. The lyrics, some of which were written in Sanskrit centuries ago, are presently often sung in brajbhasha, a medieval form of North and East Indian languages that was spoken in Eastern India. The rudra veena, an ancient string instrument, is used in instrumental music in dhrupad. Dhrupad music is primarily devotional in theme and content. It contains recitals in praise of particular deities. Dhrupad compositions begin with a relatively long and acyclic alap, where the syllables of the following mantra is recited: Om Anant tam Taran Tarini Twam Hari Om Narayan, Anant Hari Om Narayan. The alap gradually unfolds into more rhythmic jod and jhala sections. These sections are followed by a rendition of bandish, with the pakhawaj as an accompaniment. The great Indian musician Tansen sang in the dhrupad style. A lighter form of dhrupad, called dhamar, is sung primarily during the festival of Holi. Dhrupad was the main form of northern Indian classical music until two centuries ago, when it gave way to the somewhat less austere khyal, a more free-form style of singing. Since losing its main patrons among the royalty in Indian princely states, dhrupad risked becoming extinct in the first half of the twentieth century. However, the efforts by a few proponents from the Dagar family have led to its revival and eventual popularization in India and in the West. Some of the best known vocalists who sing in the Dhrupad style are the members of the Dagar lineage, including the senior Dagar brothers, Nasir Moinuddin and Nasir Aminuddin Dagar; the junior Dagar brothers, Nasir Zahiruddin and Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar; and Wasifuddin, Fariduddin, and Sayeeduddin Dagar. Other leading exponents include the Gundecha Brothers, who have received training from some of the Dagars. Leading vocalists outside the Dagar lineage include the Mallik family of Darbhanga tradition of musicians; some of the leading exponents of this tradition were Ram Chatur Mallick, Siyaram Tiwari, and Vidur Mallick. A section of dhrupad singers of Delhi Gharana from Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s court migrated to Bettiah under the patronage of the Bettiah Raj, giving rise to the Bettiah Gharana.[8] Bishnupur Gharana, based in West Bengal, is a key school that has been propagating this style of singing since Mughal times. Khyal Main article: Khyal Khyal is a Hindustani form of vocal music, adopted from medieval Persian music and based on Dhrupad. Khyal, literally meaning thought or imagination in Hindustani, is unusual as it is based on improvising and expressing emotion. A Khyal is a two- to eight-line lyric set to a melody. The lyric is of an emotional account possibly from poetic observation.[clarification needed] Khyals are also popular for depicting the emotions between two lovers, situations of ethological significance in Hinduism and Islam, or other situations evoking intense feelings. Th importance of the Khyals content is for the singer to depict, through music in the set raga, the emotional significance of the Khyal. The singer improvises and finds inspiration within the raga to depict the Khyal. The origination of Khyal is controversial, although it is accepted that this style was based on Dhrupad and influenced by Persian music. Many argue that Amir Khusrau created the style in the late 16th century. This form was popularized by Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah, through his court musicians. Some well-known composers of this period were Sadarang, Adarang, and Manrang. [edit]Tarana Main article: Tarana Another vocal form, taranas are medium- to fast-paced songs that are used to convey a mood of elation and are usually performed towards the end of a concert. They consist of a few lines of poetry with soft syllables or bols set to a tune. The singer uses these few lines as a basis for fast improvisation. The tillana of Carnatic music is based on the tarana, although the former is primarily associated with dance. Tappa Main article: Tappa Tappa is a form of Indian semi-classical vocal music whose specialty is its rolling pace based on fast, subtle, knotty construction. It originated from the folk songs of the camel riders of Punjab and was developed as a form of classical music by Mian Ghulam Nabi Shori or Shori Mian, a court singer for Asaf-Ud-Dowlah, the Nawab of Awadh. Nidhubabur Tappa, or tappas sung by Nidhu Babu were very popular in 18th and 19th-century Bengal. Among the living performers of this style are Laxmanrao Pandit, Shamma Khurana, Manvalkar, Girija Devi, Ishwarchandra Karkare, and Jayant Khot. Thumri Main article: Thumri Thumri is a semi-classical vocal form said to have begun in Uttar Pradesh with the court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, (r. 1847–1856). There are three types of thumri: poorab ang, Lucknavi and Punjabi thumri. The lyrics are typically in a proto-Hindi language called Brij Bhasha and are usually romantic. Some recent performers of this genre are Abdul Karim Khan, the brothers Barkat Ali Khan and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar, Girija Devi, Beauty Sharma Barua, Nazakat-Salamat Ali Khan, Prabha Atre, Siddheshwari Devi, and Shobha Gurtu. Ghazal Main article: Ghazal Ghazal is an originally Persian form of poetry. In the Indian sub-continent, Ghazal became the most common form of poetry in the Urdu language and was popularized by classical poets like Mir Taqi Mir, Ghalib, Daagh, Zauq and Sauda amongst the North Indian literary elite. Vocal music set to this mode of poetry is popular with multiple variations across Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Turkey, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Ghazal exists in multiple variations, including semi-classical, folk and pop forms. Instrumental music The Royal Musicians of Hindustan circa 1910: Ali Khan, Inayat Khan, Musheraff Khan and Maheboob Khan Although Hindustani music clearly is focused on the vocal performance, instrumental forms have existed since ancient times. In fact, in recent decades, especially outside South Asia, instrumental Hindustani music is more popular than vocal music, partly due to a somewhat different style and faster tempo, and partly because of a language barrier for the lyrics in vocal music. A number of musical instruments are associated with Hindustani classical music. The veena, a string instrument, was traditionally regarded as the most important, but few play it today and it has largely been superseded by its cousins the sitar and the sarod, both of which owe their origin to Persian influences. Other plucked or struck string instruments include the surbahar, sursringar, santoor, and various versions of the slide guitar. Among bowed instruments, the sarangi, esraj and violin are popular. The bansuri, shehnai and harmonium are important wind instruments. In the percussion ensemble, the tabla and the pakhavaj are the most popular. Various other instruments have also been used in varying degrees.